As your baby progresses to eating solids, it can be fun to experiment with different foods and snacks. But, as you know, you cannot put just anything on their high chair tray. You also have to consider whether or not that food is safe for your little one, as well as whether or not they are ready to give it a try. Puffs are among the first foods parents often have questions about....
Change is an inevitable part of life, but knowing that doesn’t mean dealing with change is easy. Finding ways to accept and cope can make these transitions smoother and less troubling. This article discusses why change is so difficult and what you can do to become better at dealing with change. Why Dealing With Change Isn’t Easy Change requires adjustments. Sometimes these can be small things like finding a new way to do something or adding a new step to some of your daily routines....
Create a Time Diary The first step to take is to figure out where your time actually goes. For one week, maintain a log of what you’re doing all day, every day. In the “Ask a Therapist” series, I’ll be answering your questions about all things mental health and psychology. Whether you are struggling with a mental health condition, coping with anxiety about a life situation, or simply looking for a therapist’s insight, submit a question....
Many people who have had (or currently have) breast cancer ask if they can breastfeed. The answer is, it depends. If, for instance, you are currently being treated your oncologist may suggest you discontinue. Medications used in certain treatments, like chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, or anesthesia used during surgery may be passed on to your baby. In addition, lactating breasts can be more difficult to examine and operate on. Research has found that if you have had breast cancer in the past, breastfeeding is feasible....
Celexa (citalopram) is a commonly prescribed antidepressant. It is part of a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Celexa is an FDA-approved treatment for the symptoms of major depression, but it is also used off-label to treat anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, and eating disorders. Like other antidepressants, quitting Celexa can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Celexa Withdrawal All antidepressants have the potential to cause withdrawal symptoms....
A new study has suggested that participating in team sports can benefit the mental health of children and young people more than playing individual sports, or no sports at all. Key Takeaways Playing team sports benefits the mental health of children and adolescents, according to a new survey.This might be a combination of the social benefits of team sports and the benefits of exercise more generally.However, playing individual sports can have the opposite effect, making mental health worse....
People with delusional disorder may experience bizarre or non-bizarre delusions: Delusional disorder is a psychotic disorder that can make it hard for a person to distinguish between what’s real and what’s imagined to be true. The primary symptom of this condition is the presence of delusions, which are irrational, unshakeable beliefs that are untrue. Bizarre delusions: These are delusions that are physically impossible in our reality. For instance, the person may believe that an organ has been removed from their body without there being any evidence of the procedure....
Considered the “bible” of the psychiatric and mental health world, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) sets the criteria needed to diagnose certain mental disorders. Diagnostic changes in new editions carry significant weight with mental health professionals, and with the release of the fifth edition (DSM-V), criteria for eating disorders underwent major changes. In several cases, it’s now easier for clinicians to diagnose someone with an eating disorder compared to the earlier edition DSM-IV-TR, which was published in 2000 and had more finite definitions....
Since emerging from the isolation of the early pandemic, many adults have talked about a feeling of social anxiety or awkwardness and feeling like they don’t know how to socialize anymore. It’s only natural that children’s social skills have been significantly affected, too, at a pivotal time in their development. No one is sure how the isolation will affect anyone long-term, but Verywell Mind talked to child development experts to see how it may have disrupted children’s development, depending on their ages....
Individuals are often told thinking positively will benefit their mental health, but research in support of these claims is still evolving. A recent study in Translational Psychiatry found that patients with high expectations had better outcomes than those with low expectations when treated with Escitalopram. Key Takeaways When treated with Escitalopram, a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI), the effect was 4 times higher for patients with high expectations, as compared to those with low expectations....
Suffering from a head injury is a terrible experience, and unfortunately, our brains don’t always heal from head injuries the same way as other body parts heal from trauma. Breaking a limb might be painful, but once a doctor has set it and provided you proper care instructions, chances are that your broken bone will recover. Heads and brains, though, are a bit different, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are the leading cause of disability and mortality for people aged one to 45....
A clinical interview is a tool that helps physicians, psychologists, and researchers make an accurate diagnosis of a variety of mental illnesses, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). There are two common types: structured clinical interviews and clinical diagnostic interviews. Structured Clinical Interviews The gold standard for structured clinical interviews is the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, also known as SCID. It is a semi-structured interview guide that is administered by a psychologist or other mental health professional who is familiar with the diagnostic criteria of mental health conditions....
What could cause a person or animal to stop engaging in a previously conditioned behavior? Extinction is one explanation. In psychology, extinction refers to the gradual weakening of a conditioned response that results in the behavior decreasing or disappearing. In other words, the conditioned behavior eventually stops. For example, imagine that you taught your dog to shake hands. Over time, the trick became less interesting. You stop rewarding the behavior and eventually stop asking your dog to shake....
Premature babies may be born too small to breastfeed, so moms must pump breast milk. This allows babies to consume that nourishing breast milk, usually through a nasal tube if they are unable to suck. Pumping is also essential for breastfeeding moms of preemies to establish a milk supply. Although preemies take only very small feedings, it’s important to pump often and thoroughly so that, as your baby gets bigger, your milk supply can keep up....
When seeking treatment for an eating disorder, two of the first questions that often arise include “How much does eating disorder treatment cost?” and “How will I pay for treatment?” The answers depend on a great many variables. Eating disorders are complex illnesses that present with a number of psychiatric, medical, and nutritional issues. Treatment needs, and therefore costs, vary based on the severity of these factors. Unfortunately, most people in the United States who have an eating disorder do not receive any treatment at all, often in part because of the potential costs....
Adolescence can be notoriously difficult, for both parents and children. Fluctuating hormone levels can lead to mood swings, impulsiveness, and trouble concentrating on growing teens. Unfortunately, for teens with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the transitions of puberty can be further complicated by ADHD itself. Kids with ADHD tend to lag behind their peers who do not have ADHD in terms of emotional maturity. This means that for both boys and girls with ADHD—though their bodies are growing and developing similarly to their peers—they are having to deal with all the changes puberty brings at a “younger” emotional level....
Whether you are the parent of a baby or a teenager, we can all agree that parenting is a challenge! It can be wonderful one day and then exhausting, stressful and overwhelming the next. How can I get my baby to sleep through the night?How can I get my teenage daughter to stop talking back?Why won’t my toddler stop throwing toys? We are always searching for ways to change our child’s behavior; to make our children fit into a mold that works for us....
Conventional wisdom tells us that it takes about four weeks to build a habit. But is that really true? If you’re trying to eat more nutritiously or live an anti-aging lifestyle generally, how long will it take for a new healthy habit to stick? There’s no doubt that establishing regular healthy habits (or breaking bad ones) can improve your longevity. Once healthy behaviors — like quitting smoking, drinking only in moderation, or getting regular exercise — are entrenched into your regular schedule, you’re more likely to do them consistently....
Choosing appropriate consequences is an important part of shaping your kids’ behavior. But choosing consequences that are just right for each situation—without being too lax or too severe—is difficult, especially when you’re parenting on your own. If you worry that the discipline strategies you’re using right now aren’t working, then it’s time to rethink the consequences you’ve been trying. Types of Consequences Appropriate consequences teach children that they’re in control of their own behavior—even when we’re not there to nag them....
Like millions of other Americans, you might find yourself out of work right now during the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike other situations where a lay-off may have been somewhat expected, this came as a sudden and devastating blow for many. Key Takeaways Two major concerns for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic are financial and mental health.You might be eligible to receive help from government programs and resources such as disability, family medical leave, and unemployment....
