Mental Health

Dave 'Cowboy' Graham stands at a destroyed gas station in Dawson Springs, Kentucky.

National

For tornado survivors, 'Cowboy' offers a listening ear

5:39pm December 21, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

Dave Graham of Frederickstown, Ohio, has volunteered after natural disasters around the country. He's been spending time offering to listen to stories of tornado survivors in Dawson Springs, Ky.

The Biden administration is launching a new phone number for mental health crises

5:41pm December 20, 2021

by Rhitu Chatterjee

The Biden administration is putting a quarter of a billion dollars into a new national suicide prevention line. But some say that's not enough to build the infrastructure that's needed.

Queue Listen Now

Encore: The Weatherman

5:13pm December 20, 2021

by Abby Wendle

A meteorologist goes up against Alabama's deadly tornadoes, as NPR's Invisibilia explores our relationship with uncertainty.

Grief is tied to all sorts of different brain functions, says researcher and author Mary-Frances O'Connor. That can range from being able to recall memories to taking the perspective of another person, to even things like regulating our heart rate and the

How your brain copes with grief, and why it takes time to heal

2:55pm December 20, 2021

by Berly McCoy

Grieving is a form of learning, says a scientist who studies the brain's response to loss. When someone you love dies, you have to learn new rules for navigating the world and your brain has to adapt.

Dispatches From Within: I'm fat, I'm ugly, and I'm stupid

7:28am December 20, 2021

by Sarah Bettis, Kaeleigh Brenner and Sarah Rhoades Cox

WFDD's Radio 101 has chosen to use only the first initial of the student in the following story due to the sensitive subject matter and to protect the students' privacy.

Queue Listen Now

Second-graders hold their heads as they talk about "thoughts" and how they compare with "feelings" and resulting "actions," at Paw Paw Elementary School earlier this month, in Paw Paw, Mich.

Schools embrace social and emotional learning to help 'overwhelmed' students

2:30am December 20, 2021

by The Associated Press

School officials believe that kids can't succeed academically if they are struggling emotionally.

Collage of gifts, a syringe full of vaccine, a surgical mask, and a calendar set to December, surrounded in a frame made of a hodgepodge of letters and mail

We answered your questions on safety, loneliness and anxiety during the holidays

7:02pm December 18, 2021

We asked for your questions on navigating the holiday blues. Clinical psychologist Andrea Bonior guides us through some rough patches involving family, money, loneliness and safety.

Inflation may be worse in our heads than in reality

8:13am December 18, 2021

by Scott Simon

Scott Simon speaks with University of Chicago economist Stefan Nagel about the psychological effects of inflation.

Queue Listen Now

We want to hear from you! What unexpected places did you find joy this year?

Health & Safety

How did you find joy this year? We want to hear from you!

5:01am December 17, 2021

It's been another tough pandemic year. Where did you find joy, delight or awe? Tell us what small corners, tiny moments, or specific rituals provide you refuge in stressful times.

Researchers are learning that the coronavirus can infect neurons and may cause lasting damage in some cases.

From blood clots to infected neurons, how COVID threatens the brain

3:26pm December 16, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

The virus that causes COVID-19 can cause strokes, inflammation, oxygen deprivation and infection in the brain. And each of these may lead to long-term neurological problems.