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While research suggests that the phenomenon is rare, “acid flashbacks” are more than a memory for some people who have used acid or other hallucinogenic drugs such as phencyclidine (PCP). While these drug-related hallucinations can be unpleasant and distressing, they are usually temporary. If they do persist, flashbacks can be difficult to cope with and can disrupt a person’s everyday life. In some cases, flashbacks can be a sign of an underlying mental health disorder or medical condition....

Losing custody of your children is a heart-wrenching experience for any parent. It’s difficult to consider the idea that the court believes your children would be better off with someone else, whether that’s your ex-partner, your parents, or the foster care system. But, there are steps you can take to petition the court to have a custody decision reversed. Many people have won their custody rights back. While winning back custody of children is not easy, focus on being proactive to help the process along....

Anxiety can be helpful but most people think of anxiety, more specifically generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), in a negative sense. It is an emotion that makes us feel uncomfortable and tense, and it is a state we want to relieve as soon as possible. Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD can cause problems in everyday situations due to symptoms such as these: Persistent worrying or obsession about small or large concerns that are out of proportion to the impact of the eventInability to set aside or let go of a worryInability to relax, restlessness, and feeling keyed up or on edgeDifficulty concentrating, or the feeling that your mind “goes blank"Worrying about excessively worryingDistress about making decisions for fear of making the wrong decisionCarrying every option in a situation all the way out to its possible negative conclusionDifficulty handling uncertainty or indecisiveness Physical signs and symptoms may cause a variety of ailments, including:...

Right around each mobile milestone—rolling, crawling, walking—tasks that were once easy start to get harder. At first, your toddler may no longer go down for naps without jumping back up. Then they may start squirming when it’s time for a meal. And, soon, that I-finally-got-the-hang-of-this-diapering-thing moment is history as your little angel races away from you, refuses to lie still, and melts down right on the changing table. So, what’s a parent with a stinky tot to do?...

Virtually everyone experiences loneliness from time to time. The feeling can be especially noticeable around the holidays, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, and times of extreme stress. If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health condition, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database....

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews experts, authors, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Meet Paul Gilmartin Paul Gilmartin is a comedian. He was the longtime host of the TBS show Dinner and a Movie. He’s also appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, HBO, and VH1....

As a parent, it is tough seeing your child get sick. Fall and winter are prime seasons for catching a bug, with the flu and common cold being two of the most prevalent. It is estimated that most kids will catch a cold six to eight times a year (and more if they are in daycare), and 20 to 30 percent of children get the flu each year. It isn’t always easy to differentiate between a cold and the flu, making it that much harder to determine whether any medication is needed....

While family relationships can bring support, joy, and other wonderful benefits into our lives, these relationships can also bring stress, particularly when there’s unresolved conflict. Because it’s more difficult to let go of conflicted relationships with family than it would be if these relationships were mere friendships, unresolved conflicts with family members can be particularly painful. We have certain expectations of trust and closeness toward family members. It can be more than merely disappointing to realize that this may not be possible with all family members....

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews experts, authors, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Meet Celeste Headlee Celeste Headlee is a journalist, author, speaker, and co-host of Retro Report, a weekly series on PBS. She’s the author of several books including We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter and Do Nothing....

“Hurry up.” “Do you know what time it is?” “Let’s go.” “What’s taking you so long?” Do you sometimes feel like you’re raising a bunch of dawdlers with no concept of time? The good news is that even the youngest children can learn how to manage their time to help them (and you) accomplish what they need to do. Try these 11 steps to teach your kids time management skills....

Discussions around parenting stress and postpartum depression often place the focus on the birthing parent. Even though it is very common, showing up in about 10% to 15% of birthing parents, both parents are at risk for parental stress and depression after giving birth, especially if it is a couple’s first child. A new study from Sweden’s Lund University examined the ways in which fathers—defined in this study as cismen—experience fear and feelings of inadequacy related to parenting their new children....

Lithium is prescribed as a mood stabilizer for people who have bipolar disorder. It acts to help control the mania, hypomania, depression, and psychosis associated with the condition. Lithium is a naturally occurring element that was found, in the late 1800s, to have mood-stabilizing properties. The first paper on using lithium to treat what was then called manic depression was published in 1949. The FDA approved lithium in 1970. Even now, the specific way lithium helps people with bipolar disorder is complex and not fully understood....

The year 2020 initiated a time of massive change for all of us. For fitness guru and founder of The Sculpt Society Megan Roup, it included moving across the country from New York to Los Angeles and having her first child, Harlow. Her daughter was born in June 2021 and while growing her baby, she also grew her exercise business. Parents don’t work 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.—we work 7 a....

Perfectionism is the tendency to hold unrealistically high standards. It has been linked to the development of eating disorders. In fact, one of the leading treatments for eating disorder, known as CBT-E (enhanced cognitive behavior therapy), focuses on addressing perfectionism. Studies have shown that people with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have higher levels of perfectionism than people who don’t have eating disorders. Perfectionism may also affect people who have binge eating disorder....

The fear of phobias is phobophobia. This condition can lead to a vicious cycle, ultimately resulting in escalating fears. Some people with phobophobia already have one or more existing phobias, while others are afraid that they might develop one. Phobophobia is often, but not always, linked to other anxiety disorders. Phobophobia With an Established Phobia If you already have an established phobia, you may be at greater risk of developing phobophobia....

Your little one’s eyelid is red and swollen, with a bit of yellow crust in the corner. Otherwise, your baby is content—no fever, no obvious discomfort. What is going on? Is it just an irritated eye, or something more serious? Could it be pink eye? Can babies even get pink eye? If so, how serious is pink eye in babies? If you are feeling concerned and confused about the redness or swelling in your baby’s eye, you are not alone....

What Is Psychosis? Psychosis is a loss of contact with reality, typically including delusions (false ideas about what is taking place or who you are) and hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t there). It impacts the way that the brain processes information. When experiencing psychosis, people may hear, see, feel, or believe things that are not real. Psychosis is a symptom associated with a number of health conditions including the manic phase of bipolar I disorder, as well as schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizoaffective disorder....

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911. For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. We all know that teenagers are easily swayed by the behavior of their peers, but does that sort of influence apply to acts of self-harm and other negative coping skills for mental illness?...

What Is a Superiority Complex? Someone who behaves like they’re better than others may have a superiority complex. However, though they may tend to exaggerate their accomplishments and abilities, they may in fact be doing so in order to overcompensate for feelings of inferiority. Superiority Complex A superiority complex is when someone acts better than others to escape feelings of insecurity, says Aimee Daramus, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of “Understanding Bipolar Disorder....

Purchasing your own food scale can help you cook and bake like a professional. When you use measuring cups, quantities of ingredients like flour and sugar will vary based on several factors including how packed down the ingredient is, the humidity of the room, and how the cup is leveled. Food scales, on the other hand, measure by weight, giving much more accurate results. Sarah Gold, MS, RDN, LDN says, “Food scales can be a useful tool when a recipe requires precise measurements, such as in bread baking....