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  Surviving the Big Dark with laughter

  The Big Dark is upon us again as daylight grows scarcer in Seattle. Between seasonal affective disorder and the impending holidays, it can be a tough time of year for our mental health. Today, we’re looking at comedy as a coping mechanism during these dark, cold months. Seattle comedian Chris Mejia will tell us how he incorporates his depression into his work, and UW professor Tabitha Kirkland will explain why laughter helps our bodies and minds stay healthy.
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  First Lady Rosalynn Carter's legacy on mental health boils down to one word: Hope

  The former first lady fought with persistence to put care for mental and physical health on equal footing and to eliminate discrimination toward people with mental illnesses.
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  The Cozy Episode

  Ahem! Put down The Worst Holiday Meat™ and take a big swig of eggnog--It's Cozygiving!

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  Rosalynn Carter left a legacy of mental health journalism, including at KUOW

  The late Rosalynn Carter was a fierce advocate for mental health. A program she founded at the Carter Center provides resources and support to help journalists improve their coverage of mental health and mental illnesses. KUOW's Deborah Wang and Liz Jones were two of the program's fellows.

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  Seattle students push city to boost mental health funding in schools

  The Seattle City Council is set to approve it's 2024 budget this week, and students are hopeful it'll include $20 million to expand mental health resources in schools across the city.

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  Should Seattle expand involuntary commitment for mental health and addiction?

  A controversial policy known as “involuntary commitment” for people struggling with severe untreated mental health or addiction issues could be on the table next year in Seattle.

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  When a pilot needs mental health care

  Depression and anxiety are pretty common. They're also very treatable, but workers can be afraid to speak up because having a mental health condition can mean time off the job. Last week a pilot who experienced a mental health crisis aboard a Horizon Air flight allegedly tried to cut the engines. Jonathan Levinson with Oregon Public Broadcasting is here to talk about why pilots might not want to share that they’re struggling.
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  In wake of Alaska's mid-air scare, researcher cites mental health gaps for commercial pilots

  Dr. William Hoffman seeks to combat misinformation. “You absolutely can be an airline pilot and be on an SSRI. You can absolutely be an airline pilot and have spoken to a therapist.”
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  Protesters sought new 911 response in Seattle. Here it is

  During the Seattle protests sparked by George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police in 2020, a common refrain from advocates and elected officials was the need for someone besides an officer “with a badge and a gun” to respond to 911 calls for people in mental crisis. It took years of preparation but this week Seattle officials say 911 dispatchers will begin directing teams of mental health professionals to a subset of emergency calls, alongside police officers.

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  The Middle East crisis is stirring up a 'tsunami' of mental health woes

  The Israel-Gaza conflict is likely to leave people in the region struggling with trauma-related mental health symptoms for a long time to come.

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