Posts

Body neutrality, which is the practice of accepting your body in its current state for what it can do, rather than focusing on how it looks, is a fairly new concept to many. As such, some people may be unsure about why they should try it, or if they even should. There are many benefits of practicing body neutrality, and those benefits range from physical to emotional. One of the physical benefits is that the simple act of shifting focus away from exercise that feels like punishment or for weight loss purposes, and instead engaging in exercise activities you enjoy, will make you less likely to overwork or injure your body....

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical, that plays the important role of sending signals from the brain to the body. It is produced naturally in different key sections of the brain and is important for functions such as motor skills, cognitive abilities, and reproduction. This neurotransmitter spikes in anticipation of something important which is about to happen, plays key roles in the body’s reward and motivation system, and also affects memory....

In social learning theory, behavior modeling is the precise demonstration of the desired behavior. According to the theory, we learn not only by doing but by watching what others do. In a therapeutic setting, behavior modeling is purposeful and positive, teaching clients healthier ways of behaving. But behavior modeling can also be negative, such as a parent passing on a prejudiced way of dealing with others or a friend teaching a child to use drugs....

What Is Sleep Hygiene? Sleep hygiene is the term used to describe healthy sleep habits or behaviors you can practice that may help improve your ability to fall asleep and remain asleep through the night. Establishing and practicing good sleep hygiene throughout the day impacts both the quality and quantity of sleep you get each night. It also plays a significant role in your physical and mental health. Smart sleep habits that may improve your sleep hygiene include:...

Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews authors, experts, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. Meet Amir Levine Dr. Amir Levine is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University. He’s a leading researcher on molecular processes unique to the developing brain....

In early 2021, corporate powerhouse Johnson & Johnson (J&J) introduced its own vaccine in the fight against COVID-19. Developed by the company’s pharmaceutical arm Janssen, the J&J vaccine has a different formulation than the Pfizer or Moderna (mRNA) vaccines and requires only a single dose to be effective. The J&J vaccine is authorized for use in people ages 18 and older by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Key Takeaways...

People experience plenty of stress from jobs, finances, and other areas of their lives. When we come home, we want to feel like we’re entering a refuge, safe from the demands of life. But does your home provide a safe harbor from stress, or is it causing you additional stress that you might not be aware of? If you have a cluttered, poorly decorated, or somewhat disorganized living space, home relaxation can be virtually impossible....

Why do so many students opt to major in psychology? Choosing a college major can be a very difficult task, especially if you are torn between competing degree options. Psychology might interest you, but you also need to consider if related subjects like education, sociology, or even something like anthropology might be a better fit. In order to select the major that is right for you, it is important to start by assessing your interests and goals....

If you’re looking to improve your health and fertility, you may assume that adding exercise to your routine is one of the best actions to take. While that is partially true, it’s not the entire story. It is true that obesity can lead to lower fertility, and to combat obesity, a combination of diet and exercise is generally recommended. Regular exercise can also lower stress, which is important when you’re trying to cope with infertility....

Premature birth is the birth of a baby before 37 weeks of gestation. There are many factors that may combine to cause early birth, and it’s not always possible to say exactly what caused a pregnancy to end early. Causes of premature birth can be split into main three categories: when labor happens on its own, when mom’s water breaks early, and when doctors decide that delivering the baby is medically necessary....

As the family member of someone with OCD, it can be difficult to know how to act, what to say or how to cope. If you feel like you’re tiptoeing around your loved one, here are some tips to help. Get Informed It is essential that you learn as much as you can about OCD so that you are better able to understand the symptoms and suffering that your family member is experiencing....

If you’re like most parents, you probably place a pretty high premium on equality in your family. Theoretically, your goal is to treat everyone the same—or at least make things fair. But is that really even possible? Honestly, probably not. Think about it. In life, you don’t treat every person you know exactly the same. Everyone is unique with different temperaments, personalities, and needs. So why would you place such an unrealistic expectation on yourself when it comes to your kids?...

End-of-life is something most of us think about at some point. We imagine what it will be like and who will be by our side. We consider our experiences and wonder if we’ve done enough and loved enough. Key Takeaways For many people, COVID-19 has complicated end-of-life situations.It’s normal to fear dying alone and to feel the need for closure.With the help of healthcare workers and technology, loved ones have been able to say goodbye from a distance....

While emotional dysregulation is typically thought of as a childhood problem that usually resolves itself as a child learns proper emotional regulation skills and strategies, emotional dysregulation may continue into adulthood. Emotional dysregulation refers to poorly regulated emotional responses that are not within a range of typically accepted emotional reactions. Dysregulation can also refer to significant mood swings, significant changes in mood, or emotional lability. It can involve many emotions, including sadness, anger, irritability, and frustration....

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), fruit juice has no nutritional value to children age 1 and younger – and it should not be included in their diet. The recommendation for infants (up to 12 months old) is that they drink breast milk or formula only. This, outlined in the organization’s 2017 recommendations, is a change from earlier guidelines that juice was not suggested for children younger than 6 months....

Fibroids, also known as leiomyomas, are lumps of muscle tissue that grow in the wall of the uterus. While these growths are common, they can sometimes cause pregnancy complications, such as pain, infertility, miscarriage, or preterm labor. What Are Fibroids? Fibroids are muscular tumors that may develop in the wall of the uterus. They are usually benign, meaning not cancerous. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 fibroids are cancerous. Fibroids fall into one of four categories based on the location of the growth:...

“Am I infertile?” Many couples ask themselves this question after trying to conceive unsuccessfully. Some couples start worrying when they don’t conceive after just a few months. Others don’t worry until a year or more has passed. Here’s the good news: if you’ve been trying for less than a year, as long as you don’t have any symptoms or risk factors, you can rest assured that it’s normal to take several months to conceive....

Baby making isn’t complicated if you and your partner are healthy and fertile. The most important thing is to have sex when you’re most fertile, which is right before ovulation. This is typically mid-cycle, and around week two to three of your menstrual cycle in those with regular ovulation. There are a variety of ways to detect this time. Couples hoping to have making a baby sex often have questions beyond timing....

It can be hard to know how to comfort a friend who has lost someone to suicide. You may want to reach out to offer your support but may not know what to say or do. You may not know what they’re feeling or how to be with them in their process. Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor....

The Women’s Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) recently released new clinical guidelines suggesting all adolescent and adult women should be screened for anxiety as a way to improve early detection to provide earlier diagnosis and treatment if necessary and boost overall health as a result. Key Takeaways New clinical guidelines suggest anxiety screening in all teenage and adult women.This doesn’t suggest all women have anxiety, but they may have a higher degree of stress related to work, school, social settings, and home....