Dear Verywell Mind readers, As a longtime contributor to Verywell, I’m honored to now serve as the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. I began my career with Verywell (when it was still called About.com) in 2012. I was hired as a “topic writer” which entailed writing a few articles a month about child discipline. I’m grateful Verywell took a chance on me back then. I was a psychotherapist without any formal writing experience....
Anxiety disorders are more than just a case of nerves. They are recognized mental health conditions that can make it more difficult to cope with life’s ups and downs—even sometimes making it harder to enjoy or even participate in daily activities. Fortunately, there are a number of medications available to treat anxiety disorder symptoms. Learn what these medicines are, how they work, their benefits, and their potential risks. Medications Used to Treat Anxiety Disorders There are four major classes of medications used in the treatment of anxiety....
Mindfulness and meditation are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same. Still, both practices can be intertwined as we try to become more grounded and self-aware in our lives. Mindfulness is the mental state in which you focus your awareness on the present. Meditation is a tool we can use to develop a regular practice of mindfulness. What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is being present in the moment without judgment....
If it feels like your child has been sick constantly this fall, you are far from alone. This has been a particularly challenging season for respiratory viruses. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky stressed in a call with journalists on December 5th, the U.S. is facing a “tripledemic” of viruses. Key Takeaways Both RSV and the flu have arrived unseasonably early, and are causing increased hospitalizations for children....
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder that involves both obsessions (recurrent, persistent, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause anxiety or distress) and compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts aimed at neutralizing or reducing anxiety or distress or preventing the feared outcome). Understanding Feared Outcomes Obsessions are unwanted private events that typically result in not only anxiety regarding the persistence of the obsession itself but also a feared catastrophic outcome....
Specifically, it examines how your experiences (often from childhood) may be contributing to your current experience and actions. Psychoanalytic approaches to emotional disorders have advanced a great deal since Freud’s time. Psychoanalytic therapy is a form of talk therapy based on Sigmund Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis. The approach explores how the unconscious mind influences your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Techniques People undergoing psychoanalytic therapy often meet with their psychoanalyst at least once a week....
Typically, stress reduction tips revolve around getting some exercise or talking it out. Assertiveness isn’t usually on the list of ways to reduce stress. However, you may be surprised by how becoming more assertive can improve your mood. What Is Assertiveness? Assertiveness is the ability to express your feelings and assert your rights while respecting the feelings and rights of others. Assertive communication is appropriately direct, open, and honest, and clarifies your needs to the other person....
Zoloft is among the most prescribed psychiatric drugs in the U.S. Common side effects from Zoloft can include fatigue, nausea, sleepiness, weight gain, and sexual problems Zoloft (sertraline) is an antidepressant medication used to treat depression and anxiety. It belongs to a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which work by preventing the reabsorption of serotonin (the “feel good” neurotransmitter) so that more is available in the system....
Different types of medication may be prescribed for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattentiveness. Key Takeaways Although the first line of treatment for preschool-age kids with ADHD is behavioral counseling, some children may need to take medication for the disorder.A first-of-its-kind study analyzed the effectiveness and side effects of two classes of ADHD medication, stimulants and alpha 2-adrenergic agonists....
Whether you’re shopping for your baby, grandchild, or a friend’s little one on the way, creating a dream nursery is an exciting and memorable experience. From a crib and dresser to rug and wall decor, several key pieces help equip a nursery before (and after) the baby’s arrival. Cyber Monday may be over, but that doesn’t mean the deals are. Take advantage of big markdowns on furniture, wall decor, and more to design a dream nursery that doesn’t break your family’s budget....
Betrayal, aggression, and just plain insensitivity: people can hurt us in a million ways, and forgiveness isn’t always easy. Whether you’ve been cut off in traffic, slighted by your mother-in-law, betrayed by a spouse, or badmouthed by a co-worker, most of us are faced with a variety of situations both serious and mundane that we can choose to ruminate over or forgive. But forgiveness, like so many things in life, is easier said than done....
There is no “right” score for a school’s cut off into its gifted program. The use of the term “gifted” to refer to some gifted programs is really a misnomer because the programs aren’t always designed for truly gifted children. Why Gifted Programs Aren’t Necessarily for Gifted Children One reason a gifted program may not be designed for gifted children is that school officials often don’t understand giftedness. What they consider gifted often has more to do with achievement than ability....
Symptoms of depression often become apparent during adolescence, though teenage depression may look different from depression in adults. A normally active teen may become lethargic. Or a teen who used to enjoy socializing may suddenly become withdrawn. Depression is very treatable with the help of professional intervention. Left untreated, however, depression can get worse and it may affect all areas of your teen’s life. Their grades may decline, they may stop spending time with friends, and they may have trouble meeting their responsibilities....
For many women, making lots of trips to the bathroom is one of the first signs of pregnancy. In fact, during pregnancy, your urinary system undergoes some major changes. For instance, the pregnancy hormones coursing through your system stimulate your kidneys to expand and produce more urine, which helps your body get rid of extra waste more quickly. Meanwhile, your expanding uterus also presses on your bladder—even when your baby is tiny....
What Is Scapegoating? Commonplace in families with unhealthy dynamics, scapegoating tends to start in childhood when children are blamed for all of the problems in dysfunctional households. The term “scapegoat” originates from the Bible. In the book of Leviticus, the Israelites conduct a ceremony in which they direct their sins onto an “escape goat.” Afterward, they set the goat free into the wilderness to metaphorically cleanse the wickedness from their community....
What Is a Psychologist and What Do They Do? A psychologist is someone who studies the mind and behavior. While people often think of talk therapy when they hear the word psychologist, this profession actually encompasses a wide range of specialty areas, including such things as animal research and organizational behavior. The term psychologist can apply to people who: Use psychological knowledge and research to solve problems, such as treating mental illnessesWork as social scientists to conduct psychological research and teach at colleges or universities The American Psychological Association (APA) recognizes 54 distinct divisions, each representing a specialized interest or area within psychology....
In kindergarten, children are introduced to numbers and math concepts. In first grade, the math skills they learn to build on the concepts they should have learned by the end of kindergarten. They will gain a better understanding of number concepts and will expand their math abilities. The specific goals for a first-grade class can vary a bit from state to state and from school to school, but there are some general expectations....
If you have a tween or teen son (in this case, a child who was assigned male at birth), you may be wondering when they will stop growing and reach their full adult height. Remember, too, that growing isn’t just about height. As your child grows and matures during the teen years, they will be experiencing many complex and sometimes surprising changes. As you anticipate the process and watch it unfold, you will likely have many questions....
There are many reasons why you might say, “I don’t need friends.” You might feel that friendship doesn’t offer a lot of value in your life. Or you might feel that you already have plenty of social support from your family so that you don’t need a wide circle of friends or acquaintances. According to one survey, not having friends is more common than you might think. YouGov, a market research and polling firm, found that 22% of Millenials say that they have no friends....
Every school in the nation must confront school bullying on some level. In fact, bullying crosses all ethnic, socioeconomic, and religious boundaries and impacts every school in the nation to some degree. No school is completely bully-free. Consequently, it has become increasingly important for teachers and administrators to take steps to address school bullying. Aside from impacting learning and academic success of the school, bullying also creates an environment where stress and anxiety are higher....
