Many a potty-training parent has faced the public-pee dilemma. There are some who think it is no big deal—young kids can’t control themselves, right? But other parents insist it is never okay to urinate in public. Then there is the in-between perspective: They think it’s okay to urinate in a park, hidden by trees, but they draw the line at allowing a child to pee in a commercial or residential area....
Suicide claims the lives of more than 700,000 people worldwide every year. In the United States, it’s the second leading cause of death in children and young adults ages 10 to 34. Millions of people, including those with neurodevelopmental disorders, deal with suicidal thoughts each day. A new study notes that children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) consider suicide much more than their parents and officials may realize. Key Takeaways...
Cerebral palsy (CP) may be one of the most common pediatric disabilities and yet, according to experts, it’s understudied in adults. Key Takeaways Mental health disorders are more likely in children with cerebral palsy. The increased prevalence of mental health disorders in children with cerebral palsy is heavily linked to physical issues such as increased pain and decreased sleep. Because of the wide range of disabilities that exist alongside cerebral palsy for many individuals with the condition, exact causation can be difficult to quantify....
What Is Mirror Touch Synesthesia? MTS is just one form of various kinds of synesthesias. Synesthesia occurs when one sense can stimulate a feeling from another one of your senses. Mirror Touch Synesthesia Mirror touch synesthesia (MTS) is a condition that causes a person to feel sensations when they witness another person being touched. For instance, a person with this condition might feel the pain of a slap if they see someone else get slapped....
What Is Narcotics Anonymous? Narcotics Anonymous, often referred to as NA, is a 12-step program where people with drug addictions can find support in recovery. It is a group where people recovering from drug addiction can help each other pursue healthy choices. The NA literature describes it as a program “for addicts who wish to pursue and maintain a drug-free lifestyle.” There are local NA meetings available every day throughout the United States and hundreds of countries around the world....
One of the biggest challenges facing parents today is how—and how much—to reduce the amount of time their children spend on electronic devices such as cell phones, tablets, video games, TV, and computers. It’s an issue not just with older kids, many of whom are practically attached to a cell phone, but with younger children as well. It’s not uncommon to see babies and toddlers staring at screens given to them by parents who are trying to find something that’ll distract or calm a child, and often, that early tech use transitions right into constant screen time as kids get older....
Replication is a term referring to the repetition of a research study, generally with different situations and different subjects, to determine if the basic findings of the original study can be applied to other participants and circumstances. Once a study has been conducted, researchers might be interested in determining if the results hold true in other settings or for other populations. In other cases, scientists may want to replicate the experiment to further demonstrate the results....
Salvia divinorum is a fast-acting hallucinogenic herb that’s become a popular recreational drug among teenagers and young adults. It’s typically chewed, smoked, or drunk. The effects of salvia are often called a “legal” trip because they mimic those of illicit substances such as LSD and ecstasy. However, salvia’s effects don’t last as long—usually around eight minutes—and then taper off. Also Known As: Magic Mint, Sally-D, Diviner’s Sage, Ska Maria Pastora, Seer’s Sage, Shepherdess’s Herb, Lady Sally, Purple Sticky, and Incense Special...
Whether you tell your child he can’t go outside and play because it’s too cold, or you say no when he asks to go a friend’s house before he’s finished his homework, hearing the word ‘no’ once in a while can be good for kids. It sets a clear boundary and when used appropriately, shows you care. There are many ways to tell a child no, but not all of them are effective....
Forgiveness is often defined as a deliberate decision to let go of feelings of anger, resentment, and retribution toward someone who you believe has wronged you. However, while you may be quite generous in your ability to forgive others, you may be much harder on yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, but learning how to learn from these errors, let go, move on, and forgive yourself is important for mental health and well-being....
The toddler years are filled with growth and excitement, for both you and your little one. That’s why sleep is so important at this age—it helps both of you reset and recharge. So, when your toddler starts resisting their naps, stalling at bedtime, waking in the middle of the night, or even getting up for the day around 5 a.m., it can feel a bit unnerving, especially if your child has been a great sleeper until now....
Easy-to-use and inexpensive, frisbees (or flying discs) are a great toy to have on hand for backyard play or fun while hanging out at the beach or park. They’re necessary equipment for competitive games like disc golf and ultimate frisbee. Frisbees are also one of the more budget-friendly ways to exercise outdoors. Frisbees can be made of materials like hard plastic, foam or silicone so it’s important to consider what you will use it for before buying....
Organic protein powders may help people meet their daily protein needs. Whey, a protein found in milk, is one of the most popular types of protein powder. More recently, plant-based protein powders that are derived from various foods, like soy, hemp, pea, nuts, rice, and other plants, have increased in popularity. Many varieties of organic protein powders also have additional nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, or probiotics. It’s possible to meet all your protein needs through food alone, but those who exercise regularly, consume a plant-based diet, or don’t eat enough protein on a daily basis may find protein powders helpful and convenient....
I was a shy kid. I only talked to my closest friends and family members. I never raised my hand in class. It felt too scary to speak in front of a group of people—even if it was just a few classmates. I hated school from the beginning. In fact, my 4-year-old self somehow convinced my parents to let me quit preschool after just one day. So when they told me it wasn’t an option to quit kindergarten the following year, I didn’t understand why....
In the ever-changing social consciousness, the discussion of toxic masculinity continues to be pervasive, essential, and evolving. Over the last several years, the attributes of negative masculine expectations have been fought against in the name of gender equality, social harmony, and mental health. For many men, the expectations of manhood are instilled at an early age. Directions like “man up,” “grow a pair," and “don’t cry” are ingrained in boys’ psyche, instilling a fear of looking weak or cowardly....
The presence of ACE, or Adverse Childhood Experience scores, plays a heavy role in an individual’s wellbeing later in life, and there is plenty of data to support how ACE scores impact and increase the likelihood of harmful outcomes such as chronic disease, smoking, and substance abuse. Key Takeways A recent study found a link between childhood trauma and performance-enhancing substance use. Individuals who had experienced sexual abuse were more likely to use these types of drugs....
Some people use “enby” to mean nonbinary. Nonbinary is sometimes shortened to “NB,” which sounds like “enby” when pronounced phonetically, This term is said to have originated with a Tumblr user who, in 2013, was looking for an expression like “boy” or “girl” to describe a nonbinary person. What Is ‘Nonbinary’? Nonbinary is an umbrella term used to describe individuals who experience a gender identity that is neither exclusively woman nor man or is between or beyond both genders....
What Is Doomscrolling? According to psychotherapist and coach Tess Brigham, MFT, doomscrolling is mindlessly scrolling through negative news articles, social media posts, or other content-sharing platforms. Essentially, it’s reading one negative story after another. One Canadian study has even called this phenomenon “social media panic.” Although it may seem as if 2020 and all its hurdles (the COVID-19 pandemic, political tensions, and social injustice, to name a few) inspired the term “doomscrolling,” it actually likely sprung up on Twitter in 2018, and has been a cultural term ever since....
Implantation bleeding is spotting or slight bleeding that occurs in early pregnancy, right around or just after you would normally expect your monthly period. Occurring in nearly 25% of pregnancies, implantation bleeding signals that a fertilized egg has implanted, or attached to the wall of a woman’s uterus. Implantation bleeding is not a sign that something is wrong; it does not affect the viability of a pregnancy. It does, however, indicate that you might be pregnant, so it’s important to contact your gynecologist and discontinue activities that may affect your developing baby, such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking certain medications....
What Is Media Psychology? Today, we spend most of our waking hours saturated in media and technology. As a result, media psychology has become a vital area of investigation. However, the field’s interdisciplinary nature and the constantly changing ways people interact with media in all aspects of their lives, from work to education to entertainment to social engagement, makes it difficult to define. Media psychology is a newer branch of psychology that examines the ways people are impacted by mediated communication....
