As a Black parent, it can be difficult to teach your children the painful truth about racism. It’s common for Black children to experience racism, and for many Black children, it’s an experience that happens early and often. A loss of innocence, the look of confusion in their eyes, and fielding questions about hate-filled practices are heartbreaking as a parent. It’s a subject no one wants to have to teach, but for Black parents, it is inescapable....
While it may feel difficult to discuss, suicidal ideation affects many. It is why the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) recognizes the week after Labor Day as National Suicide Prevention Week every year. Key Takeaways In 2022, September 4-10 is National Suicide Prevention Week. During this time, there are awareness events to address an often preventable cause of death.Suicide prevention efforts can save a life so it can help to know how to support someone who may be struggling with thoughts about hurting themselves....
Toddlers are known for being an active bunch. They like to explore, move around, and try new things. Pediatricians typically recommend that toddlers get at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity every day. They also recommend at least 60 minutes daily of active play or unstructured physical activity. These goals can be challenging to meet on days when you are stuck inside, though—especially if you feel like you are short on ideas....
ISTP (introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving) is one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). People with ISTP personalities enjoy having time to think alone and are fiercely independent. ISTPs also love action, new experiences, hands-on activities, and the freedom to work at their own pace. ISTPs enjoy taking things apart just to see how they work. They are logical and rational but more interested in practical applications than abstract ideas....
Mastitis is swelling or inflammation of the breast that may be accompanied by an infection. In fact, it’s a common breastfeeding problem that potentially affects as many as 33% of nursing mothers. Although mastitis can occur any time you’re breastfeeding, it’s more likely to happen within the first six months. When combined with the pressures of caring for a newborn and the pain that sometimes comes with the condition, many women consider giving up breastfeeding....
The first years of marriage are a critical time in a relationship. In addition to learning more about one another, it is also a time when couples sort out issues about boundaries, expectations, finances, and other concerns. Generally, the first couple years of marriage are the hardest for most couples. Don’t assume because you are deeply in love your problems will just go away. Research suggests that couples who think their marriage will remain as happy as it was right after they wed are less happy in the long run....
Panic attacks cause a variety of symptoms that may feel overwhelming, uncontrollable, and frightening. These can include heart palpitations, shaking, sweating, hyperventilation, chest pain, nausea, dizziness, depersonalization, numbness, and fear. Panic attacks are the main symptom of panic disorder, but they can occur with other mental health and medical conditions. It’s helpful to explore the most common symptoms of panic, what causes them, and management strategies for each. Heart Palpitations or Accelerated Heart Rate When experiencing a panic attack, many people feel as though their heart is pounding....
The term psychological disorders is sometimes used to refer to what are more frequently known as mental disorders or psychiatric disorders. The DSM-5-TR lists hundreds of distinct conditions. Anxiety and depression are among the most common types of mental health conditions that people experience. While the DSM provides diagnostic information about such conditions, including the age at which they typically appear, it does not provide guidelines for treatment or predictions related to the course of illness....
When a child has a sore throat, the first thing that most parents think of is strep throat. Although strep is a common childhood infection, it is important to keep in mind that there are a lot of other things that can cause your child to have a sore throat. These include viral infections of your child’s throat, colds, allergies that can cause a sore throat secondary to post-nasal drip, and even reflux....
Social support has been widely studied as a factor that minimizes the effects on stress, and the results are somewhat striking. Not only does social support help people feel less stressed, but it can also actually improve your health and decrease their mortality risk. Here’s more of what you need to know about the relationship between your relationships and the effects of stress on your body and mind. Social Support Basics We all have a good basic idea of what it means to have social support in one’s life, but when discussing research, it helps to be precise....
The affect heuristic is a type of mental shortcut in which people make decisions that are heavily influenced by their current emotions. Essentially, your affect (a psychological term for emotional response) plays a critical role in the choices and decisions you make. It might not come as much of a surprise to learn that your emotions influence all types of decisions, both big and small. After all, you might already know that you are more likely to take risks or try new things when you are happy, but less likely to go out on a limb when you’re feeling glum....
Every hospital and birth center have their very own rules about when you can and can’t have visitors. These policies are very important to know about before you give birth. In fact, these policies might influence where you choose to give birth. You should be sure to ask about the visiting hours and rules when you take a hospital tour. So here are some of the things you’ll want to ask about....
GnRH is an acronym for gonadotropin-releasing hormone. This hormone is released by the hypothalamus in the brain. GnRH acts on receptors in the anterior pituitary gland. GnRH signals the pituitary gland to release the gonadotropin hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). FSH and LH then act on the ovaries in women and on the testes in men. They trigger the ovaries to mature and ovulate eggs, and, in men, trigger the testes to mature and produce sperm....
If you struggle with depression, it can be hard to communicate with others about your feelings, especially on particularly rough days. That said, especially in office environments, sick and personal days are built-in for just this reason, and you shouldn’t feel any guilt about using them when you need to take a mental respite. In general, saying “I don’t feel good” is thought of as something people will say when they have a stomach bug....
Scroll through social media for a minute and you’ll likely see some quotes that remind you that “Champions don’t quit,” and “Quitting lasts forever.” Some people seem to believe quitting signifies a lack of strength. And the willingness to suffer through anything in pursuit of a goal is a real badge of honor. But the notion that you must succeed at all costs is quite harmful. Sometimes, it takes more courage to walk away from a goal than it does to power through no matter what....
Divorce is an emotional rollercoaster. Getting “out of the habit” of being married can be an overwhelming time in any person’s life. If you’re going through the process of divorce now, happiness may seem far, far away. However, while a bright future may not seem possible right now, a happier life after a divorce is more realistic than you might imagine. To start moving forward and learning how to be happy again, consider the following tips....
Reward systems are positive consequences that encourage behavior change and include motivators like sticker charts, token economy systems, point systems, or behavior charts. These rewards are used to encourage change in some way. Once your child has mastered a new behavior, rewards can be phased out and replaced with praise. There are many behaviors that respond well to a reward system. Here’s an overview of how to utilize reward systems for behavior change....
It’s estimated that roughly 4% of people over 18 in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. Adderall (dextroamphetamine-amphetamine) is one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat the disorder, and the number of women between 15 and 44 who filled a prescription for Adderall rose a whopping 344% between 2003 and 2015. With that in mind, you might be curious if it is considered safe to continue managing your ADHD with Adderall while breastfeeding....
You have settled into life postpartum and it’s time to get back into some of the self-care routines you have neglected over the crazy past weeks. You are feeling a little achy from carrying your newborn around, so the first appointment you decide to book (with permission from your primary healthcare provider, of course) is a visit to your chiropractor. This leads you to wonder if babies can also see a chiropractor....
As a parent, choosing the right school for your child is an important decision. In this decision process, parents rarely consider what would happen if they needed to take legal action against the school. A Word From Verywell The content of this article may be triggering for some readers. If you need support, it is important to reach out. You can find a list of available supports here or you can phone Childhelp 24-hours a day on 800....
