Only 1 in 5 youth in foster care will pursue their college dreams – Here’s why that matters for all of us
The BCBSNC Blog
by Marc DeRoberts
9M ago
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on LinkedIn. If you’re reading this article on LinkedIn, consider yourself lucky: based on the platform’s user demographics, you’ve most likely completed some level of higher education. You’ve succeeded in the college classroom, and this means you stand a better chance of living a longer, healthier life. Professional certificates and college degrees lead to better paying jobs and a lifetime’s worth of greater access to nutritious food, healthy housing, transportation and most of the other resources we all need to lead a healthy lifestyle ..read more
Visit website
NC salons aren’t just turning heads – they’re saving lives
The BCBSNC Blog
by Blue Cross NC
9M ago
When you walk into your local hair salon, you’re usually greeted by the aromas of shampoo and hair products. You’ll see combs, scissors and brushes scattered across work spaces. You’ll hear clippers and hair dryers, and stylists chatting with their clients. What you may not expect are conversations surrounding heart health and clients monitoring their blood pressure. But that’s exactly what’s happening in hair salons, barbershops and nail salons across North Carolina. In 2018, The American Heart Association (AHA) and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (Blue Cross NC) partnered to a ..read more
Visit website
Mentorship and Job Stability: Addressing Two Pressing Challenges for Young Adults Aging Out of Foster Care
The BCBSNC Blog
by Charlene Macielag
10M ago
“Sometimes I joke that I’m the only person I know who has been orphaned twice.” Nearing age 50, Daniel Dunning has found a lightheartedness when he speaks about his experience within the adoption and foster care system. It’s a disposition that has come over time and because, against the odds, he landed on his feet as an adult – a rite of passage that many youths leaving foster care never experience. Dunning was first adopted at 3 months old. As a teenager, he was removed from his adoptive home because of emotional neglect. From there, he entered a “boys’ home” – a giant house where he lived ..read more
Visit website
A silent struggle: How to deal with senior isolation and loneliness
The BCBSNC Blog
by Blue Cross NC
10M ago
Senior isolation and loneliness are pressing public health issues that demand our attention. With advancing age, changes in social dynamics, the loss of loved ones, and limited mobility, senior citizens often find themselves disconnected from the world around them. The impact of this isolation on their physical and mental health cannot be understated. Research has found that the health effects of social isolation and loneliness can include an increased risk of chronic diseases, cognitive decline, depression and even mortality. Specifically, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services re ..read more
Visit website
Discover how the right mental health care can help you live a happier life
The BCBSNC Blog
by Blue Cross NC
10M ago
The world today is full of social, economic and political uncertainty and dismay – and as a result, many Americans are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. You may be considering mental health services yourself. According to the American Psychological Association, more than a quarter (27%) of adults responding to a 2022 survey said they are so stressed that they can’t function most days. And 76% said they experienced stress-related symptoms in the last month, including headaches (38%), fatigue (35%), nervousness or anxiousness (34%), and sadness or depression (33%). M ..read more
Visit website
Connecting with the right care for mental health
The BCBSNC Blog
by Ish Bhalla
10M ago
Here’s how to find mental health care that’s most effective for your needs Co-written by Ish Bhalla and Winston Lane Mental health conditions are different for everybody. For some, they show up as periodic moments of stress and anxiety. For others, they can take the form of a crisis. And then there are those for whom mental health is a struggle they live with every day. Figuring out where you “fit” on the spectrum of mental health is not always easy. But, the first step to finding a solution is to shake off the shame and stigma associated with mental health—because you are far from alo ..read more
Visit website
Mapping out your bipolar disorder treatment plan
The BCBSNC Blog
by Ish Bhalla
10M ago
This post was co-written by Ish Bhalla and Winston Lane. As a chronic mental health condition, bipolar disorder can be challenging for both those who have bipolar disorder and their loved ones. However, with the right bipolar disorder treatment plan, it is possible to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Whether you have bipolar disorder or care for someone who does, it’s important to take your time assessing the multiple treatment options for this condition. This article will offer an overview of those treatment options and discuss how you can maximize your insurance coverage for th ..read more
Visit website
Paving the road to recovery from addiction in rural NC
The BCBSNC Blog
by Blue Cross NC
10M ago
This story is part of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina’s “Changemakers” series—where we travel the state to find people making a difference in the health of their communities and share their inspiring stories. As a child, Devin Lyall’s life revolved around dance. She carried that passion into young adulthood—working as a dance instructor and choreographer in her small town of Wilkesboro, NC, and winning awards along the way. But despite decades of rigorous training, learning how to listen to and control her body, all it took was one slip on an icy patch of snow to send her life ..read more
Visit website
ADHD medication shortage: 6 ways to cope
The BCBSNC Blog
by Maggie Brown
11M ago
It seems like every other week there is a new shortage. Toilet paper (doesn’t that feel like ages ago?), baby formula, eggs, real estate, fill in the blank.   If you or someone you love has ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), you may be dealing with the frustration of not being able to get medication during the several months-long national shortages – caused by manufacturing delays and increased demand of Adderall.  So far, I’ve been fairly lucky. My ADHD child takes quick-release Ritalin, what I consider an “old school” medication. We’ve tried them all, literall ..read more
Visit website
Adolescent Girls Say They Feel Hopeless. We Need to Listen to What They’re Telling Us.
The BCBSNC Blog
by Dr. Stephen Friedhoff
11M ago
Earlier this year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) rolled out a new report on the mental health of adolescent girls. The findings should have sparked an impassioned nationwide dialogue. People are certainly talking about the report, but given the stark findings, the conversation has been surprisingly low-key, and that’s tragic. Here’s what concerns me. In 2021, more than half (57%) of teen girls felt persistently sad or hopeless. The report makes it clear that boys also face increasing mental health challenges, but girls are nearly twice as likely to experience feelings of unrelenting ..read more
Visit website

Follow The BCBSNC Blog on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR