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If you have been diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD), you may wonder what caused you to develop the illness. Rather than there being a single causative factor, it is likely a complex interplay of variables that result in the disorder. Genetic If you are diagnosed with SAD, you probably have specific genes that made you more prone to developing the disorder. If you have a first degree relative with SAD, you may also be two to six times more likely to develop the disorder....

“Can you believe what she’s wearing?” “Don’t you think he’s fat?” “Why would anyone want to be friends with her?” “He’s ugly.” Why We Need More Kindness Today, judging others seems to be an activity practiced by far too many people. It’s all too easy to post comments about other people, whether they’re celebrities or ordinary, everyday citizens. Unkindness isn’t new; humans have been cruel to each other for thousands of years....

What Is Executive Function? Executive function is a set of cognitive skills that are needed for self-control and managing behaviors. These skills include self-control, working memory, and mental flexibility. Such functions allow people to do things like follow directions, focus, control emotions, and attain goals. The executive functions’ role is similar to a conductor’s role within an orchestra. The conductor manages, directs, organizes, and integrates each member of the orchestra. They cue each musician so they know when to begin to play, and how fast or slow, loud or soft to play, and when to stop playing....

Holotropic breathwork (HB) has become increasingly popular among those seeking to explore a unique process of self-healing to attain a state of wholeness. This unconventional New Age practice was developed by psychiatrists Stanislav and Christina Grof in the 1970s to achieve altered states of consciousness (without using drugs) as a potential therapeutic tool. Holotropic breathwork involves controlling and quickening breathing patterns to influence your mental, emotional, and physical states. It is a practice that is derived from a spiritual framework, but is also a trademarked activity....

Socially withdrawn children and adolescents may be showing signs of depression. While it is normal for a child to begin to pull away from their parents and identify more with peers as they reach adolescence, social withdrawal from friends and peers may be a sign of something more serious. Learn to spot the telltale signs that indicate a child or teen is depressed and what you can do to help....

Fertility treatment and technologies offer men and women who would otherwise be unable to have children the chance to have a family. Unfortunately, these treatments aren’t always available or easily accessible. Research indicates that the majority of infertile couples do not or cannot receive the fertility treatments they need. In the Centers for Disease Control’s National Survey of Family Growth, 11 percent of women and 9 percent of men reported struggling to conceive....

So you’ve decided to pursue a graduate degree in psychology, but you cannot decide which program is best. Choosing a graduate program is a big decision, but the number of options available within psychology can make the choice particularly difficult. Should you apply to a social psychology or clinical psychology program? Should you earn a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree? As you begin to make a plan for graduate school, it is important to consider these basic questions in order to find the right program....

During the first few days of breastfeeding, it’s common to experience mild nipple soreness or tenderness when your baby first latches on. This tenderness should not last through the entire feeding, and it shouldn’t persist for more than a few days. Causes If you’re experiencing ongoing nipple tenderness or if breastfeeding has become very painful, this is usually an indication that something is wrong. Here is an overview of common breastfeeding issues that lead to sore nipples....

Any woman who has experienced a miscarriage—especially when the pregnancy was wanted—knows that losing a baby at any stage of pregnancy can be very difficult to come back from. There are likely to be a range of thoughts and feelings that you will experience. Emotionally, you may be all over the map after a pregnancy loss. Mentally, you’re probably feeling distracted and unable to handle simple tasks the way you used to....

Separation anxiety can hit at any stage of child development. Maybe your 9-month old baby suddenly wails when you leave for work or your 2-year old child sobs during daycare drop-off. Separation anxiety is emotionally draining for working parents and their children but the good news is that it won’t last forever. To help you through these emotional times, here are nine things to try to help ease baby separation anxiety....

If you have persistent anxiety that is impacting your life on a recurrent basis, your symptoms may be caused by an anxiety disorder. Often, anxiety disorders are treatable with medication, counseling, and therapy techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy. There are also a number of lifestyle methods that you can use to reduce your anxiety level. Anti-Anxiety Medications Anti-anxiety medications have physical effects on the brain and the body, which can help reduce the symptoms of anxiety, such as worry, fear, and panic attacks....

Parents are supposed to be a source of support and safety for children. However, during the pandemic, cases of the opposite occurring have risen. A new study published in The International Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect showed a link between a parent’s job loss during the pandemic and an increase in instances of child abuse. Key Takeaways A new study reported that, of parents who lost their job due to the pandemic, 72....

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms can affect your emotional state, your relationships, and your ability to control your behavior. So it’s not surprising that BPD can also have a major impact on your sex life. While very few researchers have studied BPD and its effects on sexuality, more and more work is suggesting that people with BPD can experience several key difficulties with sex. Attitudes About Sex Research has demonstrated that women with BPD tend to have more negative attitudes about sex....

Recovering from a cesarean section (c-section) is different from healing after a vaginal birth. Not only did you birth a baby, but you underwent major surgery. Post-c-section recovery takes time, but there are ways to ease the process. Take Your Medications Many people stop taking their post-surgery pain medications too early or don’t take them on the recommended schedule, which can lead to unnecessary pain. Your doctor may recommend around-the-clock pain management after your c-section, at least for the first several days, so take your pain medications as prescribed and make sure you take them before the pain becomes too bad....

When you’re pregnant, you’re nourishing your growing baby as you eat. So, it’s no wonder many people who are pregnant are concerned about only consuming foods that will be healthy for their babies. Still, you want to enjoy your favorite foods, when possible, and for many people, that includes crab. Luckily, it’s generally safe to eat crab during pregnancy as long as it’s eaten fully cooked and in moderation. However, if you have never tried crab before, you may not want to try it for the first time in pregnancy....

Month-long jump-start challenges often promise a fool-proof path to a new life with healthy new habits in 30 days. Challenges can be connected to any number of health behaviors, productivity habits, or other simple changes that can lead to a better life. But do they work? The answer is yes and no. The challenge in and of itself may not yield the promised results, such as six-pack abs, but the act of practicing a new behavior daily can help you develop better habits....

ECT, or electroconvulsive therapy, is an alternative therapy for certain psychiatric illnesses that are not responding to traditional treatments. Learn more about this therapy, including potential side effects, and what it’s like to experience ECT. Overview First developed in the 1930s by Bini and Lenletti, ECT continues to have an important role in the treatment of resistant psychiatric conditions. ECT works by sending an electric current through the brain. This electrical current, in turn, is thought to alter the chemicals in the brain related to mood....

Starting an infertility blog is an easy and great way to cope with the stress of trying to conceive. A large community of women (and men!) are out there, sharing their experiences and receiving support from others like them. In case you’re not familiar with blogging, it’s pretty much like a public journal. Journaling has long been suggested as a way to cope with difficult life situations. Writing your feelings, instead of bottling them up inside, can provide a good deal of relief....

With increasing numbers of veterans affected by the horrors of war and the sad reality of the traumas of everyday life, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common problem. While the prevalence of PTSD can vary, it has been estimated that approximately 7.8% of people at any given point in their lifetimes experience PTSD. Psychotherapy, also known as “talk therapy,” is a popular form of treatment for this disorder. Evidence from one study demonstrates that talk therapy may actually produce biological changes in patients with PTSD....

Most websites for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) will tell you how important it is to find BPD support. This is because social support is an important predictor of mental health. But, research suggests that people with BPD have difficulties developing good support networks. It is not easy to find support if you have strained relationships with friends and family. So, where can you find support? Here are some ideas....