Posts

As your child makes the transition from being a 12-year-old kid to a 13-year-old adolescent, you are bound to see some interesting changes. Not only will your child be making a mental shift as they begin to view themself as a teenager, but they also will be experiencing a variety of physical and emotional changes as well. For instance, your 13-year-old may become sensitive to their changing bodies or take notice of the changes in their peers if they are slower to develop....

Triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13, does not fit neatly into a clinical definition of a specific phobia. The number 13 is not an object or a situation, and it can be impossible for the sufferer to avoid. Moreover, in order for a phobia to be diagnosed, it must significantly impact the sufferer’s life. Most people with triskaidekaphobia find that their fear only arises in certain situations, and does not significantly impair their lives....

A baby’s brain is hardwired to learn a language. That means that a baby doesn’t need to be taught how to speak a language; it happens naturally. Babies learn language pretty much from the moment they are born. It’s an amazingly complex skill, but since it’s natural, we aren’t aware of everything it involves. Unlike learning language, though, learning to read is not natural. It has to be taught. And as complex as language is, reading is even more complex....

Systemic lupus erythematosus (also known as lupus or SLE) is an autoimmune disorder that can cause chronic disease in different parts of the body. While the exact mechanisms for lupus are unknown, the condition ultimately represents an immune system gone awry, attacking normal cells it mistakenly sees as dangerous. The central nervous system is just one of the targets of this autoimmune response. When it happens, it can manifest with psychiatric symptoms that are strikingly similar to bipolar disorder....

If you search “Simone De La Rue,” you’ll likely find articles calling her “Hollywood’s hottest trainer” and videos of her peppy dance-cardio and toning workout. Parents don’t work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—we work 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., from the moment our kids wake up until they go to sleep. This is an unfiltered look at two days in the life of celebrity trainer and Body By Simone founder Simone De La Rue....

Times of crisis and stress strike unexpectedly and hit hard. Because of the physical and emotional effects of stress, it’s important for us to have some stress management strategies in place when a crisis does hit. Because the effects of stress can be contagious, relieving stress shouldn’t be a burden for anyone to carry alone. Having a friend during a stressful life event can make a huge difference. Helping Your Friend De-Stress During a Crisis But knowing how to help a friend, however, can be tricky....

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Friday Fix: Episode 80 Everyone experiences grief. Yet, we rarely talk about our experiences. Most of us are uncomfortable talking about death. Doing so reminds us that we’re all mere mortals....

Learning to ride a bike is a childhood rite of passage. But the process can take time, especially if your child has a fear of having the training wheels removed. For this reason, some parents feel that balance bikes are the ideal way to introduce young kids to bicycle riding. Not only are balance bikes typically smaller, lighter, and designed to fit small children, but kids can potentially start riding a balance bike at a younger age than a traditional bicycle....

Xanax (alprazolam) is a medication, taken in the form of an oral tablet, that can be used in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Xanax belongs to the benzodiazepine class of medication, and it’s commonly prescribed for anxiety and panic disorder. SAD is characterized by an intense, chronic fear of social situations. People with this condition often worry that they’ll feel self-conscious, embarrassed, scrutinized, or rejected while in public, which may cause them to avoid social situations....

If there’s one thing that parents are desperate for, it’s more sleep. And now, there are sleep aids on the market that promise to help new parents get it. For example, a new toy called the Lulla Doll, a sleep companion doll has been getting rave reviews from sleep-deprived parents for its seemingly magical ability to help babies get to sleep faster and stay asleep for longer periods of time....

As a parent, there is almost nothing more heartbreaking or challenging than when your child is stressed. Sometimes it’s obvious when your child is experiencing stress—they act out, cry more than usual, or your parental instincts tell you that something is “off” with them. If you have asked yourself “Is my child dealing with stress?”, you are not alone. Let’s take a look at what stress looks like in children: signs and symptoms, what causes stress, and how to cope....

A micro preemie is a baby who is born weighing less than 750 grams, or before 26 weeks gestation. Since micro preemies are born months before their due dates, they face long stays in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Although many extremely premature babies grow up with no long-term effects of premature birth, some face severe health problems throughout life. Premature Baby vs. Micro Preemie Any baby who is born before 37 weeks gestation is considered to be premature (also known as preterm)....

The stress and disruptions of the pandemic has resulted in shortages of sleep for just about everyone—including kids. But a new study has found something that might help little ones rest easier: mindfulness training. Key Takeaways Kids from low-income households who learned how to practice mindfulness at school gained an extra 74 minutes of sleep time, on average, according to a new study.Time spent in REM sleep, which is important for emotional well-being, also went up for many children who participated in mindfulness training....

Prenatal depression, also called perinatal depression, is depression experienced by women during pregnancy. Like postpartum depression, prenatal (or perinatal) depression isn’t just a feeling of sadness—mothers who experience this mental health disorder may also feel anxious and angry. You’ve likely heard of postpartum depression—and that’s a good thing. The more that postpartum depression is talked about and understood, the more mothers will seek the help they need so that they can feel better and live full and healthy lives as new moms....

They’re known as boomerang kids – the ones who move out at 18 only to return to Mom and Dad’s house a few years later when they’re financially strapped. For many families, supporting an adult child takes an emotional and financial toll. Over the last four decades, there’s been a slow but steady increase in young adults moving back home. In 2012, 36% of young adults ages 18 to 31 were living in their parents’ homes, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey....

Your kid’s grandparents can be the most trustworthy babysitters. But sometimes when your mother or father is taking care of your child it causes emotional and logistical issues. Steer clear of these five pitfalls to avoid when grandparents babysit. Why Setting Ground Rules Is Important When Your Parents or In-Laws Babysit Your Kids Sometimes it’s hard to lay down the law with your own parents. But speaking up at the beginning of a babysitting session or throughout a regular child care arrangement will ensure its success....

A daughter’s relationship with their father can play a key role in their psychological development. In fact, when fathers are present in their daughters’ lives, girls grow up with a healthy sense of who they are. They are more confident and self-assured and have a clearer understanding of what they want in life. Learn more about what makes this connection so valuable and how to foster it from the time a daughter is born....

The pace of COVID-19 research has been as dizzying as it has been vital in the current moment, but there is growing evidence that the effects of the illness can have long-lasting impacts on patients’ cognitive abilities. Key Takeaways New research into the cognitive effects of severe COVID-19 comparable to 20 years of aging.Mental health practitioners see themselves as having a key role in supporting survivorsThe disconnect between the timelines required for rigorous science and the material needs of patients puts health practitioners in a difficult position Recent work by a team of British researchers, published in the journal eClinical Medicine, found that cognitive function loss was comparable to that typically seen as a person ages from 50-70 years old....

What Is Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder? Substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder, also known as toxic psychosis, alcohol-induced psychosis, and drug-induced psychosis, is the diagnostic name for a specific mental health condition where an individual experiences hallucinations, delusions, or both within a month of using or withdrawing from prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and/or alcohol. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5), 7% to 25% of patients treated for their first psychotic episode are reported to have substance/medication-induced psychotic disorder....

What Is Survivor’s Guilt? Survivors guilt is a particular kind of guilt that develops in people who have survived a life-threatening situation. Some survivors feel guilty that they survived when others died. Others believe they could have done more to save the lives of others. And then there are those who feel guilty that another person died saving them. While survivor’s guilt was originally used to describe feelings that survivors of the Holocaust experienced, it has also been applied to a number of life-threatening situations, including car accidents, wars, and natural disasters....