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Community parks do more than beautify neighborhoods—they also play an important role in kids’ mental health, new research confirms. Key Takeaways A review of nearly 300 studies has found a strong connection between exposure to green spaces and mental health benefits in children.The research showed that access to green spaces improved children’s physical activity, which may also benefit their emotional well-being.The benefits of nature were more pronounced in children from historically marginalized communities, which tend to have limited access to green spaces....

If you have a child who was recently diagnosed with ADHD, it’s important to know that ADHD impacts all areas of life and can profoundly impact your family. When you are parenting a child with ADHD, you are parenting a child who requires more patience, greater supervision, increased structure, and more creative limit-setting and discipline. Add to the mix a sibling or two and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted....

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) occurs when an untreated infection travels from the vagina to the uterus, from the uterus to the fallopian tubes, and then up into the pelvis. Typically, PID is a complication of a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but this is not always the case. What Is Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? PID causes infection and subsequent scar tissue in the reproductive organs which may lead to infertility. The signs and symptoms of PID can be mild to severe and can be easily confused with those of other diseases, including endometriosis or appendicitis....

Until a few months ago, the monkeypox virus was rarely reported in humans outside of Africa. But as of July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared it a public health emergency of international concern. Key Takeaways Most cases of monkeypox have been reported among gay and bisexual men.This has lead to the spread of misinformation that monkeypox is an STI and limited to the LGBTQIA+ community. Both of these claims are inaccurate....

What Is Reparenting? Reparenting is when an adult works to meet their own emotional or physical needs that went unmet in their childhood. These needs may include: affection, security, routines and structure, emotional regulation, and compassion. A parent or caregiver may not have fulfilled all of their child’s needs; when the child grows into an adult, they may need to learn how to give themselves what they lacked as a kid to improve their health and well-being....

Knowing an overdose definition can save lives. We hear a lot in the news about people ending up in the hospital or even dying after taking an overdose of drugs, but what exactly is an overdose? Improve your understanding of what a drug overdose is with this definition, which also includes a review of the common warning signs that a person has consumed more than the body can take. What Is a Drug Overdose?...

Depression is more complicated than most people think. It’s not just about being sad and it certainly isn’t about being lazy. But those are common misconceptions that sometimes prevent people from seeking treatment and getting the help they need to feel better. Even when you’re experiencing depression, it can be tough to identify how you’re feeling and it can be hard to take steps to improve your mood and outlook in the moment....

Though most have experienced it in their lives, defining love is challenging. Few researchers have put forth a viable theory on the concept of love. One exception is Sternberg’s triangular theory of love, developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Robert Sternberg. This theory suggests that people can have varying degrees of intimacy, passion, and commitment at any one moment in time. Research has emerged to confirm the value of Sternberg’s theory....

In order to stay safely hydrated on any adventure, filtered water bottles are the perfect companion. Whether you’re traveling internationally, hiking the backcountry, or just hitting your local gym, having access to clean water is essential to avoid the dangerous effects of dehydration. Filtered water bottles are beneficial beyond their hydrating capabilities. They provide peace of mind in knowing that you won’t risk falling sick from bacteria-ridden water, they are cheaper and more sustainable than single-use water bottles, and they are a great space-saving option....

A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed the key clinical differences between severe COVID-19 (requiring hospitalization) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Key Takeaways Severe COVID-19 is more common in children with underlying medical conditions.MIS-C is more common after an asymptomatic-mild case of COVID-19.Kawasaki has similar symptoms to MIS-C but is not confirmed to be related to COVID-19. The study reviewed clinical information from 1,116 children and adolescents over an eight-month period across 66 U....

There are two types of people—those that make their bed and those that leave it undone each day. Many on each side have strong opinions about the relative merits of this morning ritual. Some people would sooner leave the house naked than not make their bed. Others do it without even thinking about why—or even really realizing they are doing it.Some see the compulsion to tidy the bed as a sign of over-compliance or a lack of personality—and see the unmade bed as badge of honor....

Choosing to homeschool your kids is not a new concept. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the phrase “school choice” took on a whole new meaning as more and more parents considered homeschooling a solution for their families. To curb the spread of the virus, school districts around the country offered a variety of educational possibilities, from in-person school with masks to full online school to a delayed start to the academic year to a hybrid model that offered some days in a physical classroom and other days virtually....

If your children have loving grandparents in their lives, you know how special and important these intergenerational relationships can be. While you may want to celebrate your grandparents every day of the year, it can be especially nice to celebrate on Grandparents Day, a holiday dedicated to showing appreciation to the elders who love our children. Grandparents are more than just fun caretakers who let your kids watch extra TV and eat dessert before dinner....

Yuo cna porbalby raed tihs esaliy desptie teh msispeillgns. Passages like this have been bouncing around the internet for years. But how do we read them? How do our brains so quickly make sense of these jumbled letters? The answer is simple: top-down processing. What Is Top-Down Processing? In top-down processing, perceptions begin with the most general and move toward the more specific. These perceptions are heavily influenced by our expectations and prior knowledge....

Acting out, or rebellious behavior, is a pattern of exhibiting inappropriate behavior to cover up deeper feelings or issues including fear, pain, or loneliness. Teens are well known for demonstrating how they feel through their misbehavior rather than through talking about it straightforwardly. Originally the term “acting out” was used by Freud to describe certain behaviors that occur during the process of psychotherapy. The term is now used casually by mental health professionals to describe this tendency in teens to express unhappiness through their actions....

Welcome to the holiday season—that whirlwind of gift-giving holidays, marketing blitzes, holiday parties, and activities galore that begins right after Halloween, builds to Thanksgiving and continues gaining momentum through the end of the year. While this season is meant to bring feelings of love and cheer, it’s also the harbinger of holiday stress for many. In fact, according to a poll conducted on this site, more than 80% of us find the holiday season to be ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ stressful—that ranks navigating the holidays right up there with asking for a raise!...

Food Addicts Anonymous (FAA) is a community of people who come together for support and encouragement as they work to recover from food addiction. Members commit to sharing their experiences, supporting others, and providing hope for fellow members. According to their website, the FAA organization and its members believe that food addiction is a “biochemical disorder that occurs at a cellular level and therefore cannot be cured by willpower or therapy alone....

In mental health care, “scope of practice” refers to the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for the provision of effective therapy and counseling services to clients, as well as the mental health diagnoses and conditions clinicians are trained and experienced in diagnosing and treating. Although most graduate programs include generalized training, each therapist will have different methods they draw from more than others and diagnoses with which they are more comfortable working....

Knowing what to say to someone who is depressed isn’t always easy. Try not to be dissuaded by worry over saying the “wrong” thing. Too many people with clinical depression feel alone—a state that only worsens their condition. If you don’t know what to say, just say that—and tell your friend that you are there for them. This article discusses what you can do when you want to say more, but have a hard time expressing what you feel....

Feeling the need to be in control is natural. It’s something we all inherently want, and we feel best when we know exactly what is going on in all the different areas of our lives. It’s important to realize, though, that we can never control everything. Trying to do that leads to many different negative emotions when things don’t go exactly the way we try to force them. There are many ways to increase your happiness in life, but one of the most simple and tangible ones is by letting go of control....