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In a psychosomatic illness, emotional stress or other psychological problems play key roles in the course of the physical signs and symptoms. For example, depression can contribute to psychosomatic illness, especially when the body’s immune system has been weakened by severe or chronic stress. A common misconception is that a psychosomatic disorder is imaginary or “all in the head.” In reality, psychosomatic symptoms are real and require treatment, just as any other illness....

Toilet training is hard—especially when your child keeps insisting on a diaper. No wonder, few concerns generate as much angst and self-doubt among parents as teaching this routine, daily business. It seems so simple. Once your child can sense they need to go to the bathroom, then they can and will start using the toilet rather than diapers. Right? Well, like those in the trenches know, it’s rarely that easy....

What Is Smoker’s Flu? Smoker’s flu, also known as quitter’s flu, is a slang term used to describe some of the main symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Smoker’s flu is not an infectious disease, but rather the process a person’s body goes through while transitioning to life after quitting nicotine. Smoker’s flu refers to the physical effects of detoxing from nicotine and the chemicals in cigarettes and tobacco products. These symptoms can mimic those of an illness....

Weight gain can be a distressing side effect of certain antidepressants in the class of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), some of which include Zoloft, Paxil, and Lexapro. Typically, SSRI weight gain is modest. However, the upset it causes can complicate recovery from the condition being treated. Common SSRIs and Their Effect on Weight The most commonly prescribed SSRIs in the United States include Zoloft (sertraline), Celexa (citalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Lexapro (escitalopram)....

Tennis elbow, clinically known as lateral epicondylitis, is a condition characterized by pain and discomfort in the elbow. And although its name might suggest otherwise, it doesn’t just happen to tennis players. Many common tennis injuries, such as tennis elbow, result from continuous elbow overuse over time. These cumulative injuries can occur from various activities like painting, cooking, weightlifting, golfing, and yoga. “This causes discomfort, pain, or tension, and these symptoms can be alleviated by wearing an elbow brace,” says Jerry Yoo, DPT, Founder, and CEO of Next Level Physio....

Researchers have found a link between post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and domestic violence. Intimate partner abuse happens more than you may think. To understand the potential risk, it can help to define how common domestic violence is in the population as a whole (both those with and those without PTSD). National estimates in the United States indicate that every 60 seconds, 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner. This adds up to over 10 million people per year....

James McKeen Cattell was the first psychology professor in the United States, teaching at the University of Pennsylvania. During those early days, psychology was often regarded as a lesser science and was often even viewed as a pseudoscience. Cattell is credited with helping established psychology’s legitimacy as a science thanks to his focus on quantitative methods. He was also the founder and editor of a number of scientific journals including The Psychological Review....

A zygote, also known as a fertilized ovum or fertilized egg, is the union of a sperm cell and an egg cell. The zygote begins as a single cell but divides rapidly in the days following fertilization. The zygote’s single cell contains all of the 46 necessary chromosomes, getting 23 from the sperm and 23 from the egg. The zygote phase is brief, lasting only about four days. Around the fifth day, the mass of cells becomes known as a blastocyst....

In this way, cultural appropriation is a layered and nuanced phenomenon that many people may have trouble understanding and may not realize when they are doing it themselves. Cultural appropriation refers to the use of objects or elements of a non-dominant culture in a way that reinforces stereotypes or contributes to oppression and doesn’t respect their original meaning or give credit to their source. It also includes the unauthorized use of parts of their culture (their dress, dance, etc....

With up to 198 million doses of seasonal flu vaccine available this year, everyone should be able to get a flu vaccine. And that is good news, especially since the flu vaccine recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) continue to state that all persons 6 months and older should get a yearly flu shot. Although the best time to figure out where your family will get a flu shot is before flu season really gets started, you can likely still find a flu shot if you need one....

Zoloft (sertraline) is a type of antidepressant commonly used for depression and anxiety. How does Zoloft work, what conditions can it be used to treat, what are some of the possible side effects, and what else should you know if you’ve been prescribed this medication? Zoloft (Sertraline) - How Does it Work? Zoloft (sertraline) is in a category of medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs.) These medications work by blocking the reuptake of serotonin by nerve cells so that more serotonin is present....

Social psychology is a fascinating topic that has yielded a great deal of research on how people behave in groups. In many cases, the results of several famous experiments contradict how you would expect people to act in social situations. 10 Facts About Social Psychology Here are 10 things that you should know about social psychology: The presence of other people can have a powerful impact on behavior. When a number of people witness something such as an accident, the more people that are present the less likely it is that someone will step forward to help....

When you’re expecting twins, “making room for baby” is a whole different ballgame from a normal child’s room. Squeezing two newborns into one nursery can seem daunting at first, but with a little advice and some creative thinking, you can easily create a beautiful and functional space for two. Feeling overwhelmed? We’ve got you covered. Stop panicking and start planning with these 10 helpful tips for designing the perfect twin nursery....

Until it happens to your kid, bullying can seem like something that’s just on TV shows and in the movies. It’s easy for this behavior to stay under the radar because many people don’t have a full understanding or awareness of bullying. Plus, kids don’t always speak up to ask for help. But, unfortunately, bullying is a pervasive, complex problem that many kids encounter at school or in their daily lives....

It can be difficult to ask a four-year-old to describe their feelings. They might be able to tell you they’re happy or unhappy but what about everything in between? Research has shown that helping children develop their emotional intelligence has been associated with many benefits. Some of the benefits include: Emotional intelligence (EI) is defined as the ability to perceive, express, evaluate, and manage emotions. It is a set of skills that allows a person to understand, interpret, and respond to the emotions of others....

Chances are you know someone who struggles with an allergy. In the United States, over 24 million people have been diagnosed with seasonal allergic rhinitis, meaning that they are allergic to pollen coming from grass, trees, and weeds. Over 32 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with food allergies, the most common of which are shellfish, milk, and peanuts. Several risk factors can contribute to the development of allergies—including whether or not it runs in the family....

Pain after childbirth and during the postpartum period is very common as your body recovers from pregnancy and delivery. It’s especially common to have some pain during the first few days and weeks after you have your baby if you have a c-section or an episiotomy. Afterpains, headache, or sore breasts can also cause discomfort. If you’re breastfeeding, you may be wondering if you could or should take something to ease the pain....

Cannabigerol (CBG) is a type of cannabinoid obtained from the cannabis plant. It’s often referred to as the mother of all cannabinoids. This is because other cannabinoids are derived from cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), an acidic form of CBG. Other more common cannabinoids obtained from cannabis plants include cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBG is found in smaller quantities than other cannabinoids in cannabis plants. In most strains of the plant, only 1% of CBG can be found compared to 20 to 25% of CBD or 25 to 30% of THC....

Does your child have a small red bump or swollen area on her eyelid? Most likely, it’s something called a stye (also called a hordeolum) or a chalazion. These are common in children, usually easily treated, and rarely serious. What Are Styes and Chalazia? Our eyelids have hundreds of small oil glands near the eyelashes. These glands help to lubricate the eye; sometimes they can become blocked or infected, causing a small red bump....

Re-experiencing—having sudden and unwanted traumatic memories that intrude into or even seem to replace what’s happening now—is a core symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you have PTSD, chances are you’ve had symptoms of re-experiencing. Symptoms The particular content which is re-experienced varies from person to person based on their history of trauma, but the way this trauma is re-experienced is often similar between people with PTSD. Symptoms of re-experiencing include:...