It’s no secret that humor can be an important part of well-being. It can reduce stress, improve memory, and help bring you closer to other people. Simply put, being able to laugh about things can help you feel better about your life. You might find it easy to find humor in life’s funnier moments, but being able to laugh at yourself isn’t always so easy. However, making light of your flaws, mishaps, and life challenges can have a number of benefits....
To answer the question of whether conjugated estrogens like Premarin can cause depression or anxiety, we must first talk about what estrogen is. Estrogen is a group of hormones which play a vital role in women’s sexual and reproductive health. They are often referred to as sex hormones because of this. Estrogen helps to regulate a woman’s sexual development, as well as her ability to conceive and bear children. Conjugated Estrogens Premarin is a brand of conjugated estrogens, which are a type of hormonal medication containing a mixture of estrogens....
What Is Therapy Homework? If you’ve recently started going to therapy, you may find yourself being assigned therapy homework. You may wonder what exactly it entails and what purpose it serves. Homework can be given in any form of therapy, and it may come as a worksheet, a task to complete, or a thought/piece of knowledge you are requested to keep with you throughout the week, Dr. Erkfitz explains. Therapy Homework...
A birth injury is a serious matter. Rarely during the birth process is a baby hurt, but when it happens, this is called a birth injury or birth trauma. It occurs in about 6 to 8 out of every 1,000 births. A birth injury can occur because of premature birth, the size of the baby (small or large babies), the position of the mother at birth, complicated labor, the position of the baby, and other reasons....
Validating an emotion doesn’t mean that you agree with the other person or that you think their emotional response is warranted. Rather, you demonstrate that you understand what they are feeling without trying to talk them out of or shame them for it. Emotional validation is the process of learning about, understanding, and expressing acceptance of another person’s emotional experience. Emotional validation is distinguished from emotional invalidation when a person’s emotional experiences are rejected, ignored, or judged....
The idea of remarrying your ex probably sounds far-fetched. After all, you are divorced for a reason (or many reasons) and presumably have moved on. But remarriage does occur, and may be more common than you realized. According to one study, as many as 10% to 15% of all divorced couples will reconcile. In those cases, the couples may have realized that they were unhappier apart than they thought they would be....
If you were hoping for that healthy pregnancy glow, you may be surprised when you discover that you are plagued by dry skin and lips. Being so dry may even cause you to worry that something might be wrong. But usually, dryness is a normal pregnancy symptom and nothing to be alarmed about. When you’re pregnant, all sorts of things start happening to your body—some of which you may have expected....
Can lubricants like KY Jelly kill sperm? Sort of. They certainly can’t be considered sperm-friendly. While you can’t use them to prevent pregnancy (you’d need spermicide for that), they are not a good choice when you’re trying to get pregnant. The effect lubricants may have on fertility is especially relevant to couples trying to conceive. Difficulty with vaginal dryness is twice as common in trying-to-conceive couples than in the general population....
After nine long months of expectation, you’ve finally met your newborn baby! As you settle in to life with your infant, you’ll probably be on the watch for the physical traits that reflect your heritage—whether your eyes, your partner’s chin, or your Aunt Peggy’s nose. It’s a joy to get to know your baby’s signature features. But what if your little bundle of joy is a little…funny looking? There’s no need for pangs of parental guilt if you secretly feel the newest member of your family isn’t as adorable as you expected....
Depression, also known as major depressive disorder or clinical depression, is one of the most widespread mental health conditions in America. In fact, in 2020, approximately 21 million adults (8.4% of the population) experienced at least one depressive episode. These episodes can have a severe impact on people’s lives, making it difficult for them to work, study, and engage in other activities the way they used to. It can be overwhelming and even frightening when the symptoms of depression first start manifesting themselves....
The question of how children learn to engage in violent behavior has been of great interest to parents and researchers alike. In the 1960s, psychologist Albert Bandura and his colleagues conducted what is now known as the Bobo doll experiment, and they demonstrated that children may learn aggression through observation. Aggression lies at the root of many social ills ranging from interpersonal violence to war. It is little wonder, then, that the subject is one of the most studied topics within psychology....
Depakote (divalproex sodium, sodium valproate, and valproic acid) is an anticonvulsant (anti-seizure) medication that is also used as a mood stabilizer in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Depakene contains the same medication—the difference is that Depakote is coated, which is thought to decrease some of the gastrointestinal side effects. Uses, Forms, and Levels Depakote is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of mania, with or without psychotic features....
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) was originally developed to help people struggling with the symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Many people with BPD also have PTSD, and vice versa. Although people with PTSD and BPD have different symptoms, they share some of the same problems, such as: Difficulty managing emotionsInterpersonal problemsHigh risk of impulsive behavior You won’t be surprised then, to discover that some researchers have also explored whether DBT may help people with PTSD....
If you are a parent of a new baby, you may be wondering how to best protect your baby during cold and flu season. You should follow the guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) about how to keep your little one healthy during flu season. That includes getting your own flu vaccine when you are pregnant, since some immunity will be passed to your baby. For the best protection, you should also make sure that all caregivers and family members also receive a flu vaccine....
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says a drug aimed at preventing preterm births should be pulled from the market. That’s because a key advisory committee found the drug to be ineffective. But this decision does not come without some controversy. In October 2022, the FDA held a hearing about a drug produced by Swiss pharmaceutical company Covis, called Makena. The FDA’s Obstetrics, Reproductive, and Urologic Drugs Advisory Committee heard testimony surrounding the medication....
It doesn’t matter how long or how briefly a relationship may have lasted—meeting a person and learning about their likes, dislikes, and annoying little quirks often makes it hard to let go completely. Whether you made the decision to bring an end to your relationship, or your partner’s ‘we need to talk’ text set the ball rolling for a break-up, there are times where splitting with an ex can feel like a permanent fix for what may have only been a temporary set-back....
The term BDSM (Bondage/Discipline, Dominance/Submission, and Sadism/Masochism) is a catch-all phrase for a range of concepts and practices centered upon a power exchange within the context of sexual intimacy. Other activities in BDSM may include controlled voyeurism, exhibitionism, and role-playing. This article explores BDSM and how its practice can be used to cultivate healthy romantic relationships. The Perception of BDSM The practices involved in BDSM have been around for centuries in many cultures, however, some still see these kinds of sexual/relationship dynamics as taboo....
Bipolar disorder is typically a lifelong illness with episodes that are highly variable and unique to each individual. Treatment is complex and often involves more than one medication over time. Talk therapy, complementary medicine, and lifestyle modifications can also help, but psychiatric medications are the mainstay of treatment. Prescription Medications Medications can help a person with bipolar illness manage their symptoms and function well in everyday life. A person who has bipolar disorder tends to experience extreme highs (mania) and extreme lows (depression)....
It can be difficult to break the habit of smoking a cigarette when you drink alcohol. Not only can alcohol break your resolve and make it easy to give in to the urge to smoke, but for many, there is a strong association between drinking and smoking making it a trigger. There are helpful tips to keep in mind—like avoiding triggers, cutting back on your alcohol intake, and planning ahead—that can help you feel more prepared to avoid smoking if you have a drink....
On May 10, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to include children aged 12 and older. In June 2022, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for ages 6 months on up were approved by the U.S, Food and Drug Administration and officially recommended by the CDC on June 18, 2022. UPDATE: JULY 7, 2022 Just about everyone is now eligible to get vaccinated for COVID-19 as both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines have been approved for adults and children ages 6 months and older....
