Over the past couple of days, I’ve been reviewing Lumosity, the “scientifically designed brain training program.” You’re probably somewhat familiar with it, given that it’s been featured in media sources and magazines like The New York Times and Women’s Health, as well as all over the Internet.

There’s been some controversy surrounding programs like Lumosity, and the source of much of the controversy gathers around one question:

Do these brain games really work, or are they just rip offs?

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you whether or not they work. I’m not a scientist, or a doctor, or Derek Shepherd. However, I can tell you that I had fun playing the Lumosity games, and I did feel a bit sharper, mentally, afterward.

Read on for my review.

Lumosity includes 30 “sessions” and each session includes three to five games. You have to unlock each level, or session, you’re currently on before you can move on to the next level. (It sounds more confusing than it is!) Of course, you can always play a particular game more than once. I did.

Each game is designed to test and strengthen your attention, memory, processing speed, or cognitive control, and once you get rolling you can check your history for information about your Brain Performance Index, as well as keep track with your sessions and courses (Basic Training, Speed Boost, and Memory Boost).

Even though the games get more difficult the more you play them, you’ll probably get better at playing them. My score always increased each time I played a particular game. For example, my first score for Birdwatching, one of my favorite games, was 602. My fourth score was 3800.

Other favorites of mine were:

• Word Bubbles – With this one, you have to create as many words as you can that start with the three letters the game gives you. It’s not as easy as it sounds.
• Lost in Migration – In order to succeed at this game, you have to really slow down and focus on what you’re supposed to focus on and not allow yourself to get distracted or rushed.

I did not enjoy:

• Raindrops: It’s a math game, so naturally it frustrated me.
• Color Match: For some reason, I kept getting the rules confused!

According to my history, my memory and processing speed are both sharper than my attention and cognitive control. Though, really, I thought I was doing a good job at paying attention! (Well, maybe with the exception of Color Match.)

Lumosity offers a free trial, so give it a go and form your own opinions. Don’t forget to head back here and let me know what you think!

In the meantime, check out these posts for more brain game-related fun:

• Review: Google’s Top 5 Brain Games
• Time To Give Your Brain A Workout
• Keep Your Brain Active And Healthy The Fun Way!

Post from: Blisstree

Brain Game Review: Lumosity

My bookmarks and email inbox have been bursting at the seams this week, just waiting to get into Saturday Sanity for all you fine people! Now that the day has arrived, it’s clear to me there is so much Saturday Sanity-worthy news, I’d best break it up so as not to take up 3/4 of the front page, ha!

So, read on for what’s been going on at Mental Health Notes, in the world of mental health news and advocacy, and throughout the b5media Health & Wellness Channel!

Here at Mental Health Notes, I shared military grief and support resources in honor of Memorial Day and highlighted online OCD support resources; invited you to take The Happiness Quiz, play The Recovery Cup board game, get your groove on at YouLicense.com, and laugh it up with Chato B. Stewart and his new mental health cartoon; pointed you in the direction of some life tips from Mark Twain; published the May edition of What Do You Really Want?; shared some thoughts on the recently declared haunted Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum; and passed along a Greenpeace report regarding video game consoles and learning, memory, and behavioral problems.

Oh, and the most exciting news of all: The spotlight is on a new rocker – Air!

In mental health advocacy news, Mental Health America is urging us to ask our representatives to vote for a delay on harmful and ill-advised Medicaid regulations. Mental Health America was also noted for its “Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit to Advance New Strategies.” The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) highlights Amber Main, a NAMI Virginia member who was featured on MTV’s “True Life: I Have Schizophrenia.” Dave at Dare To Dream wants to share thoughts and a video about neuroanatomist Jill Bolt Taylor’s self-discovery after suffering a stroke.

In regular ol’ mental health news and research, Kathleen Kingsbury tackles the debate of employees’ physical and mental health being considered equally important in TIME’s Tallying Mental Illness’ Costs. Norma Perez, a psychologist with a Texas medical facility for veterans post-traumatic stress disorder program, had the nerve to ask her staff members to stop diagnosing veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder due to “compensation seeking veterans.” Earthquake survivors in China are struggling with trauma, and according to Pauline Tam of The Ottawa Citizen Canada is lagging behind in mental health spending. Depression is in the spotlight for post-stroke patients and kidney transplant patients, and Canadian researchers now say people with dementia who take antipsychotic drugs have three times the risk of developing health problems or dying than people with dementia who don’t take antipsychotics.

And, in b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel news, Marijke Durning of Help My Hurt and Womb Within explains bone marrow transplants and becoming a donor, and Angelique at Breaking the Mirror – who is apparently a fellow Lolcats fan – shares a bit of comic relief and Cancer Commentary’s Gloria Gamat tells us about Stand Up To Cancer. Liz Lewis at Healthbolt shares some vintage drug ads, and, sadly, Jul leaves Veggie Chic and the b5media family.

Oh, I could end this week’s Saturday Sanity without letting you know about all the giveaways going on within the Health & Wellness Channel! Gabrielle Sedor is being an awfully generous soul and giving away copies of the “Learn to Create a Healthy Home!” CD at Daily Tomorrow and Fertility Blend for Women vitamins at Fertility Notes. Not to be outdone, Grace Ibay at Kids Health Notes is giving away oodles of health food treats and snacks.

Whoo! I didn’t think I’d ever get that all out. Remember, if you have any Saturday Sanity news, shoot me an email with “Saturday Sanity” in the subject line.

Image: Newscom

Air is currently rockin’ out in the This Is Why I ROCK! series here at Mental Health Notes. If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Putting A Bee In Your Bonnet

A friend of mine sent me an email about this, and even though it’s not the most recent news (the original post is from May 8, 2006) I thought it was too interesting and neat not to also pass along to you Mental Health Notes readers.

Besides, it takes a while for tools like this to become outdated.

According to the British Columbia Schizophrenia Society (BCSS), The Recovery Cup Board Game for Families, which was created by Sophia Kelly, “is an educational game created to help families of persons with psychosis and the person with psychosis.”

The game is designed to help mentally ill people and their family members learn recovery and coping strategies and is suitable for both adults and children with adult supervision.

The BCSS provides everything you need to play The Recovery Cup – online and for free – and grants permission to make copies of the game for non-profit educational purposes, and Here to Help also provides all the game pieces and instructions.

If any of you are already familiar with this game, or end up giving it a go, feel free to share your thoughts about it here!

Image: Newscom

Air is currently rockin’ out in the This Is Why I ROCK! series here at Mental Health Notes. If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

The Recovery Cup Board Game Helps With Recovery And Coping Strategies

I’ve been in the car a lot over the past week – making long trips, making short trips, stuck in delays because of road work – and at some point during that time I started thinking about road games (car games, travel games – whatever you like to call them). I don’t know why, as I was never one to play road games during trips. My sister and I (and especially my best friend, whenever she traveled with us) always made up our own games.

Lip-syncing to whatever was on the radio to entertain the people in the vehicles behind us was always a favorite.

Anyway, like I said, I started thinking about road games. Which led me to think about mental health road games. Which led to a Google search of “mental health road games.” Which led to a bunch of stories about road rage, MADD, and video game obsession as a form of mental illness (I wrote about that once, remember?).

And some stuff about math. But honestly, who cares about math?

So, do any of you know of any road games related to mental health? Or road games designed to keep the ol’ brain sharp (teasers, trivia, and the like)?

Except for those related to math. Because really, math sucks.

In the meantime, I’m working on a review of Google’s top five results for “brain games.” (I chose not to use “mental health games” because many of the results weren’t actually games.)

Image: Newscom

Ken Jensen is currently rockin’ out in the This Is Why I ROCK! series here at Mental Health Notes. If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

Know Of Any Good Mental Health Road Games?

I have a secret…

Want to know what it is?

Well, if I told you it wouldn’t be a secret anymore!

You have to earn it. Below are a few hints:

• It’s transparent and lightweight.
• You can buy your own, but freebies often arrive in the mail.
• You can’t use it more than once.
• You either love it or you hate it – children tend to fall into the former group.
• Many, many people use it as a stress reducer and, speaking from experience, it usually works!

Think you know what it is?

Well, even if you don’t (and even if the above image gave it away, ha!) I’m going to tell you. I’m going to do more than tell you – I’m going to give you a freebie that can be used as many times as you want!

Here you go!

I’m great, I know.

Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

Reduce Stress The Interactive Way