If your children have ever had head lice, you probably flinch every time they scratch their head. Could it be those blasted bugs again? One bout with medicated shampoos and washing everything in the house and picking through hair strand by strand looking for nits…the only thing worse than having to wage an all-out war to remove every last trace of louse life is knowing that your child won’t be able to go back to school until you do....
Deciding whether to start or continue taking an antidepressant if you become pregnant can be a difficult decision. Letting depression go untreated can negatively impact fetal development and your mental health. Armed with the facts about each type of antidepressant, you can discuss the pros and cons of your choice with your doctor and mental healthcare provider. Depression During Pregnancy Pregnancy was once believed to provide some protection against depression due to shifting hormones, but research has not supported this theory....
Between a chronic shortage of therapists, limited access to transportation, and stigmas, people in rural communities often face significant barriers to mental health support. Teletherapy may play an important role in bridging the gap, though, according to the results of a recent five-year trial. Key Takeaways A five-year study found that telepsychiatry was an extremely successful way to treat bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder in underserved rural communities. The results provide more evidence for the effectiveness of virtual therapy, which has become increasingly popular during the pandemic....
Mental strength and mental health are sometimes used interchangeably but they’re not the same thing. Many dictionaries define mental health as being “the absence of mental illness.” But not having depression, anxiety, or another illness doesn’t mean you’re mentally strong. In fact, you might still be mentally strong even if you’re dealing with a mental health issue. Mental strength involves your ability to think, feel, and perform at your best....
What is it that motivates behavior? Is the way that we behave something we are born with, or is it something that develops as we age and due to the experiences we have? What evidence supports the basis of motivation? What Is Instinct Theory? According to the instinct theory of motivation, all organisms are born with innate biological tendencies that help them survive. This theory suggests that instincts drive all behaviors....
We’ve all heard the saying, “a watched clock never moves.” But, a more accurate statement might be, “a watched smartphone never pings.” There are few things more anxiety-provoking than being “left on read” when you text someone—unless maybe it’s seeing the text bubble that someone is typing and then never actually getting a response. In fact, countless studies have shown that texting can create a great deal of anxiety. Research also suggests that texting has the power to both help and hinder your relationships....
What Is Just for Today in NA? Each day’s reading begins with a quote followed by a brief meditation or reflection. The readings are meant to be short and sweet so that they can easily be incorporated into a busy day. What ‘Just for Today’ Means Just for Today in Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a set of daily reflections and meditations meant to help people with drug addiction focus on sobriety one day at a time....
It can be easy for couples to grow apart over time, particularly when each person has responsibilities and commitments that pull them in other directions. Without realizing it, these forces can start to put people on differing paths, often to the point where they feel disconnected from each other. If you feel like you and your partner are growing apart or you’d just like to feel closer to them, there are steps that you can take to rebuild your connection....
Pregnancy dreams are known for being a bit odd. Some expectant parents dream about seemingly silly things, while others dream about their worries, like leaving the baby in a strange or dangerous place. There also can be an uncomfortable moment of adjusting to reality when you wake up and wonder if your dream really happened. A variety of factors affect what we dream about and how well we recall our dreams....
Shame is an emotion that plays a big part in the lives of people with ADHD. When you feel shame, you feel a huge sense of embarrassment and humiliation about who you are. Shame and guilt are closely connected; although subtly different. Feeling ashamed can lead to many problems, including depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol problems. Here are some common reasons why people with ADHD feel shame. The Shame of Having ADHD Many people feel shame for having ADHD....
Is your teen moody? If you laughed, you are truly a parent of a teen! Many parents complain about the rapid mood swings that their children have when they hit puberty. There are legitimate reasons that you have a moody teen—and it’s not just hormones. Rapidly Changing Teen Brains Before the routine use of the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), it was difficult to see what was going on inside a teen’s brain....
According to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), window blinds are a leading cause of injury in children under the age of 6. In fact, window blind cords injure two children under the age of 6 each day, on average, and kill close to one child per month. Here’s what you need to know about window blinds and injury in children. Overview of Window Blind Injuries For a long time, the AAP has warned that window blind cords pose an injury risk to children....
How do you explain your or a loved one’s bipolar disorder to others? Here are a few tips to help you organize your thoughts. Be Simple and Straightforward The first tip is to strip down to the basics. Explain that people with bipolar disorder have mood swings, from elation to depression, that do not necessarily have anything to do with what’s going on in their lives. Explain how this is because bipolar disorder is caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, and not a reflection of a loved one’s behavior, words, or mood....
Forgot to toss toys in your purse? Did your carry-on get consigned to the cargo hold? Has that long stay in the waiting room used up all your distractions? No matter how organized you are as a parent, there will always come a time when your child will rely on you for amusement, just you and you alone. What do you do when you’re stuck without props? Let’s find your child some informal activities that use nothing more than your clothing, accessories, and whatever wits you have about you....
In late 2015, news of rampant lead contamination in the water supply of Flint, Michigan caused schools across the nation to wonder if their buildings might also have lead-contaminated water. Several schools across the nation began testing their water, with some schools discovering elevated lead levels in their schools. As a parent, you may be wondering if your child’s school has recently tested its water. Perhaps you have even received a letter from your child’s school letting you know that they plan to test for lead during an upcoming school break....
In fourth grade, children’s social lives begin to get more complicated and the academic demands they face grow as well, but parents can help them through this crucial year by identifying the reading, math, and science skills required to master the grade level. This fourth-grade guide for parents offers tips on helping children deal with cliques, heavy backpacks, and more. Fourth Grade Basics What You Can Expect in Fourth Grade: Here’s a brief overview of what you can expect in your child’s fourth-grade year....
There are three common types of gambler, the professional gambler, the social gambler, and the problem gambler. Be aware that the problem gambler will often believe themselves to be, or pretend to be, a social or professional gambler. Professional gamblers are the rarest form of gambler and depend on games of skills rather than luck to make money. They have full control over the time, money and energy they spend on gambling....
If you are trying to conceive, or simply looking for new ways of tracking your cycle, the newest Apple watch has some features that might be of interest to you. Apple’s redesigned Series 8 watch has updated, highly sensitive temperature sensors that Apple claims will be able to help users know when they’ve ovulated. Key Takeaways Apple’s new Series 8 watch comes with a highly sensitive temperature sensor that may help track ovulation....
We talk to kids about the importance of not giving in to peer pressure, but many of us may not realize just how much we ourselves may be influenced by other parents. While it’s often helpful to get advice and information from other parents, we may sometimes be swayed more than we realize by parental peer pressure. For example, parents who don’t think their 7-year-old should watch movies that are rated PG-13 may feel pressured into allowing him to go to a party where a PG-13 film will be shown; and if that film is something like “The Dark Knight,” and if your child wakes up screaming and has nightmares for weeks afterward, it’s not a good thing....
For many, the use of recreational drugs can feel helpful to cope with mental illness. And a recent study from researchers at Cambridge University, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, found that although autistic individuals are less likely to use psychoactive substances, those who do are more likely to self-medicate for mental health symptoms. Key Takeaways Fewer autistic adults than non-autistic adults reported drinking at least three days a week, while non-autistic adults reported binge drinking at double the rate of non-autistic adults....
