6) Ensuring Best Writing Practices
After understanding the general requirements to keep in mind whilst submitting your content articles for 7 Cups publication, this discussion highlights some general writing tips to keep in mind when writing content that relates to mental health.
Things to Do:
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Make sure the article is empathetic, kind, helpful & informative (it fulfills the reader who found it), empowering. Replace mental “illness” or “disease” with “condition” or “issue” and soften any other mental health stigma language that might pop up. This helps ensure that your tone is supportive.
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Think of story ideas that will be sharable in social media
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Be concise
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Be conversational and accessible in your writing
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Back up statements with research or facts if applicable (cite sources) - try to confirm facts by ensuring at least 2 different sources mentioning them.
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Include expert quotes and insights -- you can reach out to a psychologist or expert about your story and offer a quote and link to their practice for the collaboration. Make sure their title/expertise is attributed in the article
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Be thorough, don’t gloss over specifics
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Give the reader empathy and hope
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Put yourself in the reader’s shoes: ask yourself what they need out of reading your piece and then deliver that
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Try to combine personal experiences with expert insight to strengthen your piece.
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Consider including friends and family members of people impacted by your topic in your audience.
For more tips on reporting mental health conditions and choosing words carefully, read the American Psychiatric Association’s article here
Other Tips:
The following are general guidelines to help find facts, help link things with 7 Cups as well as outreaching tips for personal stories and expert insight:
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Always try to hyperlink some of your main sources.
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Use authentic reporting websites such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization, or American Psychological Association, etc. for facts and up-to-date statistics. (Can be hyperlinked as mentioned above)
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Use Google Scholar to search for relevant research work. Abstracts usually summarize research findings.
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When outlining your article, consider asking yourself which information and what type of information can be added as a priority. For example, an article about mental health during the pandemic would likely report authentic global statistics and could use published research information.
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When reviewing other resources that cover your topic or something close to it, always ask yourself what can help enhance that available content. How can you ensure you are providing a unique take on the topic? Consider thinking about what is missing that could be worth mentioning.
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7 Cups has lots of free services, including available self-help guides, subcommunities with forums, and other areas - generally, editorial assistants at 7 Cups help backlink to these resources, but you are welcome to directly mention them if it applies, for instance, mentioning how Sharing Circles can help users cope with loneliness or the lack of support in their daily lives.
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Outreaching for both personal or expert quotes can be done via social media, contact forms of blog posts, or even email considering which information is available. You are welcome to PM @SoulfullyAButterfly if you think a 7 Cups Expert can help provide you the quote or required insight.
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When outreaching for personal stories, introduce yourself and 7 Cups and explain your article topic briefly, and why you think their personal experience could help. Share how you can back-link (link back) to the person’s blog or other resources if they would like that in return for sharing their quote. Ensure that you ask them if they would like their name to be disclosed, or if they would like a pseudonym. Finally, let them know you will share the final published version so they can also share it with their acquaintances.
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When requiring an expert quote, use the same procedure discussed, but consider asking for the expert’s availability. Mention how the expert’s work can aid your write-up and any questions you have. Ask for the expert’s professional practice page link and if they are interested, mention how they can have a published expert profile at 7 Cups (you can CC ayesha@7cups.com if needed).
Things To Avoid:
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The overuse of cliches or corny language
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Making it overly formal or using references most wouldn’t understand
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Using extraneous words/phrases. For example, you don’t have to write, “it’s important to…” If you’re writing it, the reader will assume it’s important. Unless, of course, it really is a surprise that this piece of advice is important - in which case say that
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Forgetting to explain the “why”
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Repeating the same word or phrase often (unless intentional, i.e. in an article about a mantra you might repeat the mantra several times)
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Overusing exclamation points
Activity
Using the information you just learned, write a paragraph (minimum of 100 words) for the article topic “Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic” - as this is only a paragraph and NOT the complete article, state a brief heading which will inform the reader whether your paragraph is about a general introduction or something more specific. Ensure your paragraph contains facts. Please note that you are to mention your sources too, as well as a link to at least one source within the paragraph.
Bonus: Consider using previous discussions to research and use keywords.
Additionally, reply to at least one other student and highlight the strengths of their work as well as areas for improvement.
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This post is brought to you by the Content Development and Marketing Program, find out more information about the program here
Coping With Loneliness During The Covid-19 Pandemic
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, life literally turned upside down. To date, well over 6.8 million people were wiped from the Earth. Those "fortunate" enough to be alive feared for their safety and the lives of themselves and of their loved ones. They struggled to find peace; and happiness became a thing of the past. I mean, how could one find happiness in the midst of so much death and depression? While it may seem like an impossible answer, I'm here to tell you that there are several ways to cope to be able to experience just a bit of joy... Read on...
(to be continued)
Source used: WHO Coronavirus Dashboard [https://covid19.who.int/]
@YourCaringConfidant
Hey Desiree, I loved your introduction to the paragraph writing exercise ⭐ It has a friendly yet professional tone, and you did a great job incorporating statistics and adding references. However, since it is an exercise, not a part of your final article, it could have been better if you tried to mention about loneliness and just a few ways to cope with it in your paragraph here 🌻
@GloriaD Thanks for the feedback. I actually opted to do this topic as my article. I literally only gave the intro here, lol. The actual coping suggestions are mentioned in my actual writing. :) Once again, thanks for taking the time to respond to me. <3
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19
4 Different Ways to Alleviate Feelings of Loneliness
(https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-gray-long-sleeve-shirt-sitting-on-brown-wooden-chair-5255996/)
The Covid-19 pandemic is one of the biggest global crises we have ever faced, with its major impact on economies, societies and different industries like health, technology and tourism. When talking about the pandemic's effect on physical health, it's natural that mental health would also be affected, just like in any other crisis. One common feature of the pandemic was loneliness, caused due to social distancing rules and fear of the virus. Since social connectedness is a core component of our well-being, isolation adds to our psychological distress, further increasing any feelings of anxiety and depression. What we can understand from observation is that feelings of loneliness are normal since many tend to experience it in such a situation, and that there are certainly ways to alleviate these feelings. You could try :
1) Doing more of your hobbies - Make a list of all the things that interest you, no matter how big or small. This can include reading books, listening to podcasts on apps like Google Podcasts, watching movies and TV shows, exercising, taking a walk outside when possible and much more. Practicing hobbies is a good way to pass time and feel energized, which is very true for me and many others whom I know!
2) Learning something new - In case you have more time now than before the pandemic, you can try free online courses such as edX and FutureLearn, learn a new language through apps like Duolingo, learn a new instrument. Learning new skills or gaining knowledge can help you feel productive, satisfied and motivated to do many more activities in your day, and will benefit you in your personal and work life.
3) Finding alternative ways to stay connected with your loved ones - Now comes the social part! There are many ways to communicate with your family and friends, even those whom you haven't spoken to for a long while. You communicate through phone calls, messaging and social media apps like WhatsApp and ***, and video call platforms like Google Meet and Zoom, which are becoming more popular since the shift from offline to online. As mentioned earlier, your loved ones are most likely feeling similar to you and listening and talking about such feelings can reduce your own distress and increase social bonding.
4) Connecting with new people, providing support to others or seeking support - There are many offline and online clubs and communities that you can search for, where in my experience, 7 Cups is one such mental health online platform where you can do all of the above three. You can meet new friends, volunteer your time by listening to and helping others' or seek support from your listener peers. Expanding on the point of seeking support, you can search for mental health professionals on 7 cups and other websites who can help you with a wide range of mental health topics, including loneliness. You could also try mental health apps like Calm (for relaxation techniques) and Daylio (for journaling thoughts and feelings) that help improve your psychological well-being. I remember discovering these apps during the pandemic and because it helped me feel better, I shared this idea with everyone I knew, including you!
It may take some time to figure out which of the above are beneficial to you, since everyone differs in personality and how they experience loneliness. So try having a mixed approach and keep trying. We are not alone in our struggles due to the pandemic, and it is definitely possible to feel better while we search for ways to cope.
References :
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7306943/
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/coping-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus/
Article written by : GloriaD (A Verified Active Listener on 7 Cups)
@GloriaD
The *** next to Whats App is Face Book.
Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
From a mother's health perspective on giving birth alone
With all the restrictions in place due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, some hospitals have restricted partners or support people to be present at the time of regular prenatal appointments and at the time of birth. Going through this emotionally and physically demanding experience alone without having someone you trust to facilitate and support you at such a vulnerable time can not only be daunting but severely isolating.
In 2011, mental health specialists devised the NESTS strategy which can especially be useful during the challenging times we are facing due to the pandemic. This self-care routine needs to be in place during pregnancy, birth and postpartum to reap maximum benefits and to be able to combat the feelings of loneliness while going to prenatal appointments, giving birth, or staying at the hospital.
A healthy mind and body will help you deal with alleviating stress and anxiety that is compounded by the fact that you are alone at such a crucial time in your life.
The different components of the NESTS strategy focus on:
N-nutrition
E-exercise
S-sleep
T-time for self
S-support
Sources:
Self-Care for New and Expectant Mothers in the Pandemic, Najma Khorrami, M.P.H., and Homa K. Ahmadzia, M.D., M.P.H.
Haring, M. et al. 2011. Coping with depression during pregnancy and following the birth: A cognitive behavior therapy-based self-management guide for women. British Columbia Reproductive Mental Health Program.
This is just an introduction. I would continue elaborating on the different components of NESTS strategy.
@ivorySea989 I love the start if this and love how you have started to highlight NESTS. It's clear and concise and easy to read. One area for improvement would be to add a little bit of description of each part of NESTS as it may flow well into the rest of the article.
Loneliness can appear at any point in your lifetime. Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has come around, less of us have seen our friends or family, which has lead people to feel lonely, especially the people who have been shielding and isolating.
Adapting to the changes can be difficult to face, and since the pandemic you might be feeling like it is more difficult to connect with the ones you love. It is completely natural to go through the feeling of loneliness, it's important not to blame yourself for feeling lonely or feel like you are struggling. The feeling of loneliness and difficult feelings can pass.
Different things work for different people when it comes to dealing with loneliness and difficult feelings, so it's important to find what suits you.
Source - https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/coronavirus/coping-with-loneliness-during-coronavirus/
@Raspberrycheesecake
starting seems good and easy to understand
tip - you should add title for it and at least 1 coping method even if this was just a paragraph as it just credibility to your work
@SoulfullyAButterfly
During COVID-19 Psychologists reported the greatest increases in treating anxiety disorders.
You can see the full article detailed about dealing with COVID-19 loneliness and Its related depressions and anxieties statistics by dates.
https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/practitioner/covid-19-2021
because of quarantine, we got insufficient socialization face to face. Frustration is also related to loneliness impacted by Covid-19.
How do we support ourselves with that to cope with feeling lonely?
- Care about your mental health. It's really important to get help for yourself and I'm glad in today's world it's possible online. Search for support. I've seen 7cups.com where they offer both free volunteer support and membership counsellor support. Also free self-help guides.
- Have a pet, especially vaccines. Pets can also carry COVID. Pet can't replace socialization with humans but it can make us less lonely. A psychological report said pet owners feel less lonely than without pet people. Here is the link for full details:
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1994.75.2.747?journalCode=prxa
- Take care of your physical health cause taking care of your body soothes your mental health and focuses on yourself.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
mention which area you are interested in developing content for and why
I'm interested in developing content anxiety cause most of the symptoms are related to anxiety or caused by anxiety.
@Healthylistener0123 sorry, mistakenly I've replied to this thread. I don't know how this forum come.
@SoulfullyAButterfly
Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 led to social distancing and lockdowns in 2020, causing changes in people's lives. Studies suggest that loneliness was present before the pandemic and only increased slightly during it. Loneliness is linked to personal characteristics, such as gender, mental health, and expectations from relationships. Collectivistic and individualistic cultures may also affect loneliness levels. However, incomplete studies make it difficult to determine whether loneliness increased or not.
Sources https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2022-59604-001.html
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2021.1875195
The outbreak of Covid 19 brought with it a lot of changes, because of social distancing and lockdowns that happened in 2020. There was a research that has shown that social isolation and loneliness were present before and only increased slightly during the pandemic. Loneliness is not just connected to social isolation, it is connected to the personal characteristics of a person, their gender, mental health, need for contact, and expectations from relationships. We also must bear in mind our surroundings, whether we live in more collectivistic countries such as those in Southern and Central Europe, rather than individualistic countries of Nothern Europe. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer if the loneliness increased or not since many studies conducted seem incomplete.
@JusticiaPrimalDorogo
The following passage is very informative. However, the use of suitable title can highlight the central idea of the passage.
Sorry, wrong version. My text is the one below. This is an example from Chat GPT.
@JusticiaPrimalDorogo
I think you did a good job with stating facts but I think you might need to make it a little longer?
Thanks!
How can you cope with loneliness during pandemic in less than 4 hours
-xyz
loneliness is being alone without anyone to talk to. The social distancing, constant
work from home led people to get overburdened with online work. In the process people
experienced poor quality of interaction or no interaction between colleagues and
their family. Even some lost their presence due to being remote work constantly. That
led to drop in the motivation and desire of people .
Coping methods to relieve stress and loneliness
-playing games , joining a group with similar interest like an online dance class .
- singing online with friends on app like starmaker app
- write a diary like you are talking to a friend
link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6C8N-lRd4o
@Skansly
its a lovely response! I loved how you added ways to overcome lonlieness! Maybe next time we can add links or facts about lonlieness!
Bunny
@SoulfullyAButterfly
“Coping with Loneliness During the COVID-19 Pandemic”
In 2020 the Coronovirus pandemic had lead to a global lockdown with everyone at home. This caused multiplie cases of lonlieness during the pandemic causing anxiety and a lack of social life. Many children sitting at home doing school work on a screen, adults working at home and many elderly struggling.
"In the recently released results of a study conducted last October by researchers at Making Caring Common, 36 percent of respondents to a national survey of approximately 950 Americans reported feeling lonely “frequently” or “almost all the time or all the time” in the prior four weeks, compared with 25 percent who recalled experiencing serious issues in the two months prior to the pandemic. Perhaps most striking is that 61 percent of those aged 18 to 25 reported high levels.""“I was surprised at the degree of loneliness among young people,” said Richard Weissbourd, a psychologist and senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) who helped lead the research. “If you look at other studies on the elderly, their rates of loneliness are high, but they don’t seem to be as high as they are for young people.”
Lonlieness during the pandemic had hit hard during the pandemic and many found that they were feeling anxious about the world around them. However there are many ways we can feel better or methods to get through this:
-Spend time with a Pet
-Video call with a family
- Cook something you love!
-Play games/watch TV
There are so many activities we can do to get through this together! We should take care of ourselves during rough times and make sure we are getting enough support. Together we will get through lonlieness, it can be really tough at times of uncertainty.
Bunny
sorry forgot to add the link:
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/02/young-adults-teens-loneliness-mental-health-coronavirus-covid-pandemic/
@amiableBunny4016 Hello Bunny, great job on doing the paragraph of the article! I love how you include a psychologist's opinion in your article. It gives an assurance and validity that feeling lonely is okay during the pandemic. One thing that can be improved is the typo of multiplie and lonlieness here. I would highly suggest using Grammarly to help correct the typos and grammar so that your article is more refined and the readers can understand it well😊
Staying Connected and Self-care Practices during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes to our daily lives. With social distancing measures in place, it can be difficult to maintain social connections. We can feel disconnected and lonely, which can have a negative impact on our mental health and well-being. Lifespan developmental theories of socioemotional development suggest that increased relationship satisfaction and social well-being are a force that can be harnessed to improve mental health and well-being. In this article, we will explore the importance of staying connected and share various ways to cope with loneliness and isolation during the pandemic according to the International Psychogeriatrics. We will also talk about the importance of exercise and meditation as self-care practices. By staying informed and taking care of ourselves, we can navigate these uncertain times together with resilience and strength.
Sources:
Charles, S. T., & Carstensen, L. L. (2010). Social and emotional aging. Annual Review of Psychology, 61(1), 383–409. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.093008.100448.
Hwang, T.-J., Rabheru, K., Peisah, C., Reichman, W., & Ikeda, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. International Psychogeriatrics, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1041610220000988.
Lawler, M. (2023). What is self-care, and why is it so important for your health? EverydayHealth. https://www.everydayhealth.com/self-care/.
@kindEyes9789
Strengths: Very nicely and appropriately written along with sources that you have cited.
Areas for improvement: Your content was overall very good and there isnt anything that you could improve on. Maybe just try keeping the word limit to 100 (cuz that was the limit that was mentioned)