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When most people hear MDMA, they think of illicit and adulterated preparations of the club drug sold as Molly or ecstasy. In reality, however, these street versions often contain adulterants and little or no of the active ingredient 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). Although ecstasy has been linked to long-term neurological effects and even death—associations that some experts dispute—MDMA has proven safe and non-addictive in some clinical studies. Moreover, MDMA may be effective when combined with psychotherapy to treat PTSD....

What Is Coulrophobia? Coulrophobia is a fear of clowns. It is a type of specific phobia, which involves a fear of a specific situation or object. It is important to note that while many people experience discomfort with clowns, those feelings don’t necessarily represent a true phobia. Clowns date back to the jester or fool of ancient times. As time went on, the jester morphed into the trickster, a more sinister figure with intentions that were less than honorable....

For some reason, people sometimes think it’s OK to touch a pregnant woman’s belly without even asking. And while some women are OK with this gesture—and may even welcome it from close family members—others are very annoyed and find the patting and stroking invasive. After all, it’s their body and yet people are putting their hands on it anytime they want. While there are always going to be people who want to pat your growing belly, don’t feel like your belly has somehow become part of the public domain....

The Diet-Brain Connection The diet-brain connection is a subject also referred to as nutritional psychiatry, the gut-brain connection, or “food and mood.” It means that what we eat directly impacts our brains, and ultimately, our moods. The brain functions best when it is given high quality foods that nourish it, such as those containing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Certain foods act as an aid in the “prevention and treatment of mental disorders,” like depression....

When your child enters puberty, everything changes. In addition to mood swings and menstruation, changes in hormones result in an increase in perspiration, which sometimes means an increase or change in your child’s body odor. That distinct smell you notice emanating from your tween is associated with adrenarche, which is the medical term for the body changes your tween is experiencing, including the adrenal glands becoming more active. In fact, sweating increases in tweens, especially in the underarm and groin areas, because their glands are maturing and being stimulated by hormones....

If you have a baby, whole grain rice cereal is likely a pantry and shopping list staple, but did you know that you can make your own at home? All you need is rice (you can even opt for whole grain), some water, and a few kitchen implements. You might be used to stocking up on store-bought dehydrated infant cereal flakes, but buying rice in bulk, then whipping up small batches of cereal at home is easy and saves money....

Homework, homework…does anyone really like homework? For a child with ADHD, just getting the assignment written down and the correct books in the book bag to go home can be a monumental task. Papers inevitably get lost, either en route home, at home, or en route back to school. Oftentimes, assignments simply don’t get done. If they make it home, the energy that must be used to recall the instructions, understand the assignment, and focus on the tedious task of getting it completed with all the other distractions around may prove too much....

Not only is incivility in the workplace on the rise, but according to a recent study, it is compromising one of our most critical assets—our mental health. The authors of the study, published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, looked at the correlation between toxicity in the workplace and symptoms of insomnia, a common symptom of clinical depression. They wanted to know how, or via which mechanism, incivility in the workplace negatively affected employees’ sleep quality, as there has been limited research into this factor....

In the aftermath of an unconscionable act of random violence, many people are inclined to label the perpetrator “crazy.” Although the criminal may have a mental illness, automatically assigning the label “crazy” does a great disservice to people who live with mental illness every day. In reality, somebody with mental illness is much more likely to be a victim—rather than a perpetrator—of violence. Calling a violent offender “crazy” spreads a dangerous stereotype and belies the complex relationship between criminality and mental illness....

Bundling your baby in a winter coat or baby snowsuit is one of the best ways to keep the little one warm when the weather is frightful. Coats and snowsuits come in so many styles and weights, it can be hard to choose the right one. Here are some things to consider when choosing which type of winter coat or snowsuit will be most convenient for you and work best for your baby and your local weather....

Many people who want to get pregnant wonder how to have twins. Whether or not you’re hoping to conceive twins, it’s helpful to understand the factors that boost your odds of having multiples. However, while some things do increase your chances of twins, there are no guarantees—and regardless of what you do, most people will still end up having a singleton pregnancy. It’s well known that fertility treatments like Clomid (clomiphene), Gonal-F (follitropin alfa), and Follistim (follitropin beta) make it more likely you’ll conceive multiples....

A teen experiencing a psychiatric emergency or exhibiting out-of-control behavior requires immediate intervention to ensure their safety and sometimes the safety of others. When Is Hospitalization Needed? The criteria for psychiatric hospitalization is generally defined as “danger to self or others,” such as a teen threatening suicide or going after someone else with a weapon. Bizarre behavior that comes on suddenly such as hallucinations, manic episodes or uncontrollable rage may also require hospitalization to stabilize the teen and determine the factors leading up to the crisis....

If you’ve ever watched people on TV perform CPR on an unconscious person, you probably have a general idea of how it works. But if an emergency occurred in real life, would you be ready to jump in? To add another layer to that question…what if that person in danger was a young child? Performing CPR on a child whose heart has stopped could save their life. But you have to know when and how to do it....

Anxiety is something that everyone experiences from time to time. You feel nervous, get butterflies in your stomach, or find it hard to stop thinking about something that’s stressing you out. If you are someone who experiences anxiety, you may be asking yourself if anxiety is a mental illness. Let’s take a look at what makes something a mental illness, in what instances anxiety is a symptom of a mental illness, and how to get diagnosed and treated for an anxiety disorder....

Isabella is the Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, which is derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba. Its meaning translates to “God is my oath.” Isabella and Elizabeth have been interchanged in England since the 13th century. How Popular Is the Name Isabella? Isabella was moderately popular during the first half of the 20th century until its ranking plummeted in the 1940s. It was a fairly rare until 1990 when it began to be used more widely again....

There are a number of different types of treatment providers that can diagnose and treat PTSD, such as psychiatrists and psychologists. Learn how to distinguish between these two to determine which professional is right for you. Psychologist Training and Qualifications Psychologists are people who have either a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) in a field such as clinical or counseling psychology. In some cases, a psychologist may have an EdD (Doctor of Education)....

Similar but not identical to bromidrophobia, or the fear of body odor, and the Japanese Jiko-shu-kyofu, olfactory reference syndrome refers to a preoccupation with one’s own natural scents. The differences between the three disorders are subtle and often confusing. What Is Olfactory Reference Syndrome? If you have olfactory reference syndrome, you are constantly afraid of emitting a foul odor. Olfactory reference syndrome generally focuses on one of a few specific obsessions, although some people have more than one obsession simultaneously....

Studies show that good parents are those who consistently support their children. In addition, good parents would probably agree that raising children who contribute to their communities and are productive, well adjusted and grow into conscientious adults is the ultimate goal. What does it mean, though, to be “supportive?” Here are some qualities of supportive, good parents. They Encourage Self-Expression Good parents allow children to be who they really are, regardless of how that reflects on the parents....

Parents are often scheduled for as little as 10 to 20 minutes with their child’s teacher during parent-teacher conferences. In this short amount of time you need to introduce yourselves, establish rapport, and then have a meaningful conversation about your child’s abilities, habits, current progress, and ways you can work with the school for your child’s success. Most teachers plan for parent-teacher conferences by creating a generic checklist of topics to cover for each child....

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental illness that can be associated with significant disability and suffering. Indeed, people with OCD often report serious difficulties in relationships and problems at work. For some people, especially those with other mental health issues, living with OCD can become overwhelming, causing them to lose hope and to contemplate or even attempt suicide. If you have a family member or friend with OCD that’s exhibiting the potential warning signs of suicide, it’s important to know what to do....