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A stillbirth (also called intrauterine fetal demise) is most often defined as pregnancy loss that occurs after the 20th week of pregnancy. (A loss which occurs before 20 weeks is usually considered a miscarriage.) Unfortunately, stillbirths are fairly common, occurring in roughly 1 in 160 pregnancies. In the U.S., there are roughly 26,000 stillbirths each year. There are approximately 3.2 million stillbirths annually worldwide. Around 80% of stillbirths are preterm (occurring before 37 weeks gestation), with half of all stillbirths occurring prior to 28 weeks....

Anxiety involves feelings of intense fear, unease, or nervousness. Such feelings can stem from particular events or situations, but they can also occur in a more generalized sense of anxiety without a single identifiable source. No matter how it is experienced, anxiety is undoubtedly a common problem for many people. According to the Anxiety and Depression Centers of America, 18.1% of adults in the United States experience anxiety each year....

Do you have a walker in your life who needs a little extra pep in their step? It can be hard to find the perfect addition to a friend or family member’s disciplined walking routine, but we’re confident that we’ve found a gift for any type of walker in your life. Some gifts will help pamper tired legs and feet, while others are helpful gear they can use out on their regular route....

Sleep plays an important role in children’s growth and development. Specifically, getting sufficient sleep is crucial to ensuring their minds and bodies function optimally. Read more about how sleep affects kids’ mental health, what happens when children don’t get enough sleep, and tips on ensuring they get enough sleep each night. Why Good Quality Sleep Is Important for Children New parents often talk about how sticking to their baby’s nap schedule makes their day easier....

Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that helps in stabilizing mood and is often associated with feelings of happiness. However, too much serotonin can actually be dangerous and even life-threatening. Certain medications can lead to high levels of serotonin in the body and can trigger a condition called serotonin syndrome. What Does Serotonin Do? Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that can be found in the central nervous system, blood platelets, and digestive tract....

Although it has no official “phobia” name, the fear of elevators is relatively common. According to the Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation, over 210 billion passengers use elevators in the U.S. and Canada each year. But many people feel at least a slight nervousness when contemplating a long elevator ride. In some people, the fear of elevators is triggered by an existing phobia, but the fear often appears alone. Like any phobia, the fear of elevators ranges from mild to severe....

Think video games are just entertainment? It might be time to take a second look at this popular hobby. A new paper suggests that video games might hold the key to providing affordable, stigma-free mental health treatment around the globe. Key Takeaways A new report found mounting evidence that commercial video games, typically used for entertainment, could help alleviate depression and anxiety.Video games tend to be more affordable and accessible than traditional mental health services, which may help more people get essential care....

College degrees can be confusing because there are so many acronyms involved. If you meet someone with “MS” behind their name, it means they have obtained a Master of Science degree. It is a graduate-level degree that falls between a bachelor’s and a doctorate. As you might expect, this degree involves study in an area related to the sciences, such as chemistry, biology, or engineering. Another type of master’s degree is a Master of Arts (MA), which involves study in topics such as English, the fine arts, or history....

Have you ever done something without really thinking, such as brushing your teeth or driving to work? For many, those everyday routines are things they can do almost automatically, with minimal cognitive effort. People often refer to this as being “zoned out” or on “autopilot.” This ability to do something without really thinking is an example of a phenomenon that psychologists call automaticity. What Is Automaticity? People develop habits to deal with complex tasks in different areas of their everyday lives....

What Is Mood? Mood can be defined as a relatively stable affective state often described as positive or negative. Sometimes mood is described as one’s subjective feeling state and affects the outward expression of it. Unlike emotions, which tend to be stronger and more specific, moods are more general and less intense. They are also generally not triggered by a particular experience or event. However, they can be influenced by various factors, including fatigue, stress, social interactions, world events, hormones, weather, hunger, and general health....

It’s adorable the first time a wobbly tot tries to pull up onto the couch. You might not be able to stop the smiles and giggles; maybe you even manage to videotape their struggle to conquer the La-Z-Boy so you can relive the cuteness. Skip ahead several weeks or a few short months, though, and the happy feeling might be gone as you watch your toddler trying to scale every piece of furniture or vertical structure in their path....

Stress is the body’s normal response to change. It can be physical, emotional, or mental. Whether it’s meeting an upcoming deadline or organizing a birthday party, stress is part of everyday life. However, everyone reacts to stress differently. Feeling stressed may be obvious for some but others may not notice until it becomes more severe. But overstress or too much stress can be detrimental to your physical and mental well-being as it can cause your body to deteriorate....

Do you want your baby to have a name that reflects Celtic heritage? These Celtic and Gaelic names come from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, and areas of northern Spain. Pronunciation and spelling can be tricky with Celtic names. While some have been fairly common, such as Erin, others are more exotic. Many Celtic names are also used for both boys and girls, such as Sean and Quinn. The Celts were European tribes who occupied much of Europe north of the Alps in the Iron Age and settled in the British Isles in the fourth to second centuries B....

First date anxiety can be difficult, particularly if you already live with anxiety in other areas of your life. Going on a date with someone new may bring up concerns about being judged and evaluated, as well as jitters about whether you will be able to keep up your end of the conversation or make a good impression. If you live with social anxiety disorder (SAD) and have managed to meet someone who you feel comfortable going on a date with, you’ve already taken a significant step toward overcoming your fears....

As new parents leave behind the traditional names of the past in favor of more modern, unique names, there has been some handwringing about the possible effects of unusual names. Are there actual psychological benefits for children who grow up with such names? “Parents are pushing the envelope in lots of ways in terms of choosing names that will be different,” says Pamela Redmond Satran, author of The Baby Name Bible....

Hives are puffy, raised welts that most commonly appear on the skin as a result of an allergic reaction, but there are actually a number of different things that can cause people to break out in hives, including anxiety. When this happens, people can develop an itchy rash on the skin known as an anxiety rash (sometimes called anxiety hives or a stress rash). Stress is a normal part of daily life....

The name Avery is an English and French name meaning “ruler of elves.” It’s derived from the Anglo-Saxon name Alfred and the Ancient Germanic name Alberich. Its meaning stems from the elements aelf, meaning “elf” and ric, meaning “ruler.” Avery was mainly used for boys until around 2007, when it broke into the top 50 names for baby girls in the U.S. How Popular is The Name Avery? The unique appeal of Avery has always captured the attention of parents, but it wasn’t until the early 2000s that its popularity really began to take off....

As your kids go through the yearly back-to-school routine come autumn, my first-born, 2.5-year-old daughter will also head to school. It’s a big deal for our family. Sure, she’s practiced going to school, like when she attended a six-week summer camp. But it still feels monumental that for five days a week for an entire school year, she’ll begin a learning journey that will continue through her early twenties. This life event also means I get to be a class mom....

Next month, kids across the U.S. will enter school buildings that have been vacant since mid-March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those early days and weeks of the shutdown may have crept by, but now it seems time is flying, and it’s almost back to school time! Key Takeaways Amidst concerns of students falling behind, there is a nationwide push to reopen schools in some capacity.Many schools may implement a back-to-school schedule that looks different from the traditional five-day school week....

Are you terrified of throwing up? Does this affect your eating? Have you been diagnosed with an eating disorder? It’s possible that your eating disorder might really (or also) be a phobia. Just like fear of flying or fear of spiders, a fear of vomiting can be so strong that it becomes a phobia. The specific phobia of vomiting (SPOV), also referred to as emetophobia, is a serious clinical condition. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5) categorizes it as a specific phobia, “other” subtype....