With kids back in school, parents have to take precautions not only to protect them from COVID-19 but also from a host of other contagions, including the common cold, hand foot and mouth disease, and head lice. However, it turns out that head lice are not as highly contagious as you might have thought. Key Takeaways The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidance on diagnosing and treating head lice for the first time since 2015....
Has anyone ever accused you of trying to be better than perfect? Perfectionism alone is difficult enough to cope with, but it’s also long been thought to play a role in the development and maintenance of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and other forms of mental illness. Let’s explore the relationship between OCD and perfectionism. What Is Perfectionism? Before we talk about perfectionism and OCD, it’s important to define perfectionism. Perfectionism, to some degree, can be beneficial....
Welcome to Verywell’s Pregnancy Week by Week Guide! Your body is designed to do amazing things, but it’s fairly safe to say that all that happens in the 40 weeks of pregnancy are among the most incredible. While it may sometimes seem like not much is going on (and quite the contrary at other times), each week brings changes big and small that help your baby develop and your body prepare for labor, delivery, and beyond....
Having a child with a prolonged or persistent fever can be frustrating, both for a parent and their pediatrician. On the one hand, you don’t want to overreact and put a child through a lot of unnecessary tests, but you also don’t want to miss anything treatable or something very serious. Doctors usually use a step-wise approach when managing a child with this symptom. Prolonged Fever of Unknown Origin A prolonged fever of unknown origin (FUO) is simply one that lasts longer than usual, for example, more than the seven to 10 days that you would expect with a simple viral infection....
The police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd amplified the national dialogue on anti-Blackness and racial discrimination, but it’s important to address the significant impact that systemic racism has had on the mental health of Black Americans. Key Takeaways Many Black Americans do not seek mental health services due to cultural stigma surrounding mental illness. Wealth and income inequality often control who has access to quality mental health services and the best treatment options....
Self-efficacy, which is considered a key part of resilience and mental health, can be increased by recalling moments when you showed adaptability, according to research in the journal Emotion. Key Takeaways Self-efficacy can be increased by recalling moments when you were successful, new research suggests.In addition to emotional health, resilience has several health benefits as well, including stronger immunity.Creating resilience can be as easy as making it a habit to jot down your accomplishments....
Times have changed. In the 1970s, 1980s, and even the 1990s, it was not uncommon for parents of young children to smoke and drink alcohol around them. While a few still do, many younger parents choose not to drink or smoke at all, and rightly so. Recognition of the health harms of secondhand smoke on babies and children and awareness of the impact of role modeling on future behavior discourages younger parents from drinking and smoking around their children....
The COVID-19 pandemic and The Great Resignation have created the perfect storm. Workers across all industries are demanding better working conditions. As a result, 2.9% of American workers quit their jobs in February 2022, up from 2.4% in February 2021. While some of this is in response to COVID-19 concerns, several other factors are at play. To figure out the conditions driving the highest quit rate in the last two decades, we examined findings from a survey conducted by Pew Research Center....
If your workout involves throwing punches—especially if you hit heavy bags—you’ll want to invest in a good pair of boxing gloves. “They’ll help protect your wrists and the small bones in your hands from injury,” says Eduardo Perez, senior director of mixed combat arts and pilates programs at Life Time. The best boxing gloves are well-fitted, comfortable, and provide proper protection. One thing to keep in mind when making your boxing glove pick: You get what you pay for....
The fear of winter driving does not have an official phobia name. However, it is an incredibly common and rational fear in many cases. For some people, the fear of driving in winter weather stems from a larger overall fear of driving. Others are afraid solely of winter driving conditions. However, not all instances of fear surrounding winter driving represent a true phobia. Normal Fear vs. Phobia A fear and a phobia of winter driving are not the same issues....
Verywell Mind’s 2021 year-in-review is a reflection of all that we’ve faced in 2021. The highs and lows. The hope, the disappointment, and everything in between. This was not the year we started talking about mental health, but it is the year that solidified the topic in our collective consciousness. Mental health is no longer the hidden pandemic or the thing we’re too afraid to talk about, and will continue to do so long after the pandemic is over....
Ataque de nervios, also known as Puerto Rico Syndrome or Puerto Rican Syndrome, is a culturally-bound syndrome exclusive to Latino cultures, particularly those of the Caribbean. It is far more likely to occur in women, although symptoms have also been reported in males. The Spanish phrase literally translates as “attack of the nerves,” and often resembles a panic attack, but the two disorders are not precisely the same. Symptoms Like all fear responses, ataque de nervios may present differently in different individuals....
The binge-purge cycle is a cycle of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions experienced by many people who suffer from the eating disorder bulimia nervosa. A portion of this cycle may also be experienced by people with binge eating disorder. Overview The cycle looks like this: diet-binge-purge-repeat. It typically repeats itself over and over, and if you are suffering from bulimia nervosa, you may feel like it’s impossible to stop. But understanding this pattern of behavior is one of the best ways to figure out how to stop it and start on the road to recovery....
Zyban is the brand name for the generic drug bupropion hydrochloride. It’s a nicotine-free quit aid. Zyban was originally marketed as an antidepressant drug under the brand name Wellbutrin. It became apparent that bupropion was an effective quit aid because people who smoked who used it to treat depression also lost interest in smoking. People not planning to quit smoking found themselves stopping with relative ease while on the antidepressant....
Much has been written about video games, and quite a lot of it is negative. We have feared that video games are making our children less social and more violent, and making us all more stressed. There’s been significant research on the topic, and some good news has come out of it: Video games can actually be good for our stress levels! Research on the Connection Between Gaming and Stress Most gamers report that playing video games—even violent games—is a way to relieve stress and enjoy playing with friends....
Weaning is a time of change. It can be a relief for some women, but for others, it can feel like a tremendous loss. Even if you’ve been counting down the days until your baby finally stops breastfeeding, you might be surprised to find that it’s still a little bit emotional. It may be harder than you expected to say goodbye to this special time with your child. And, while weaning may be a natural part of your little one’s development that signals growth and independence, it can certainly be a time of sadness and depression for you....
Your cervix looks and feels different when it’s in the fertile stage of your menstrual cycle. You can use this information to detect ovulation. It’s easier than you may think. When your cervix is high, soft and open, you are getting closer to ovulation. Your cervical mucus will also change and transform into a more raw egg white consistency. But what does it mean to have a high, soft, or open cervix?...
What Is Psychoeducation? The goal of psychoeducation is to help the client understand and cope with their diagnoses as well as improve treatment adherence, as clients who understand their treatment are better able to follow through on recommendations. Psychoeducation Psychoeducation is a therapy intervention that involves the therapist providing their client with information about their diagnosis, symptoms, or the method of treatment used. It is more than simply sharing information with the client; psychoeducation refers to a structured and specific method of providing knowledge....
The early stages of relationships are typically characterized by attraction and chemistry that bring partners together. Over time however, it’s natural for some of the attraction to change or fade. If lately you haven’t been feeling as attracted to your partner, you may wonder why you’re feeling this way and what to do about it. This article explores the role of attraction in relationships, reasons why attraction may fade, and some steps you can take if you’re feeling this way, such as improving your communication, prioritizing time together, and focusing on the positives in your relationship....
Discovering that your tween or teen was caught with drugs at school can leave you feeling like you are in the midst of a huge catastrophe. But it may help you to know that your child is not alone. In fact, the most recent statistics indicate that as many as 20% of high school teens have sold, been offered, or received drugs on school property. Still, this doesn’t negate the need to address the issue....
