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Although not a formal clinical term, when clinical depression or major depressive disorder presents as so severe that a person is no longer able to complete basic life tasks such as getting up and going to work every day, or even just taking a shower, it is sometimes referred to as crippling depression. 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....

A developmental and social history is an important part of an assessment for the diagnosis of learning disabilities. So, what is it, exactly? In a nutshell, it is the collection of background information on a student. Familiarize yourself with this form of data collection with this review. How Is a Developmental and Social History Collected? A developmental and social history is usually collected by interview or questionnaire. Typically, a school counselor, teacher, or psychologist will meet with a child’s parent or guardian to gather the information....

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts Every Friday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, shares the “Friday Fix”—a short episode featuring a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. Friday Fix: Episode 160 Whether you carried on a whole conversation with spinach in your teeth or you slipped and fell in front of a whole room full of people, embarrassing moments are inevitable....

Baby car seat manufacturers must occasionally issue recalls in order to better protect your baby when they realize that something about the car seat is faulty. Fortunately, car seat recalls are not very common. After purchasing a car seat, you should register it with the manufacturer in order to receive the fastest notification of any applicable recalls. If you have not yet registered your car seat, you can do that easily by calling the manufacturer (there’s a phone number right on one of the car seat labels) or visiting their website....

HELLP syndrome, which can be a life-threatening complication of pregnancy, is often considered to be a variant of preeclampsia. While exact statistics aren’t known, HELLP syndrome is thought to occur in one to two out of every 1,000 pregnancies, and in 10% to 20% of pregnancies where the mother has a diagnosis of severe preeclampsia. HELLP syndrome typically occurs in the last trimester of pregnancy, but can also occur after childbirth....

Once you learn the ropes of parenting (which usually happens after having a kid or two), you probably feel like you’ve conquered the entire world. You’re a great mom or dad! You’ve got this whole parenting thing down. You could add as many kids as you want to your brood and nothing much will change, right? Yeah…not quite. While you won’t become a totally different person—or parent—with every child you have, your parenting style is definitely going to adapt as your family grows in size....

Some fertility clinics hold contests that patients can enter to win a free IVF cycle. These contests usually require entrants to create a video or write an essay, poem, story, or blog post centered on a particular theme. Or, the contest may ask entrants to share their story in an emotionally compelling way. Winners may be selected by public vote, the fertility clinic’s staff, a committee not associated with the clinic, or some combination of these....

If you or your child have been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), you may have heard advice suggesting that you should join a support group. However, you might be left wondering what a support group is, how you might benefit from one, and where to find one to join. Let’s explore ways to find an ADHD support group, including some of the best places to look. Understanding what these groups can offer and how you might benefit from participating in one can help you choose the right group for your needs....

The end of a relationship is never easy. Breakups are filled with raw emotions, including everything from hurt and betrayal to anger and sadness. But, although heartbreak may feel like the end of the world, the reality is that the pain and anguish you feel right now is only temporary. Eventually, you’ll be able to move on—and one day you’ll find love again. In fact, research indicates that it takes about 11 weeks to feel better after a dating relationship ends, according to a study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology....

Anger management and stress management work in similar ways. One reason for this is because anger and stress both have a psychological component so they can be managed psychologically. Both emotions can affect us in very negative ways, mainly if left unmanaged, and that it is why it is essential to understand their relationship. Factors That Affect Anger and Stress Prolonged exposure to anger and stress can take a toll on our physical health....

This emotional acceptance exercise is one way to help you learn to be more aware and accepting of your emotions. Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and other disorders that involve intense emotional experiences have a tendency to reject their emotions as bad or wrong. Unfortunately, this can lead to some very dangerous behaviors, such as deliberate self-harm. How can you learn to be more accepting of emotions? This exercise teaches you to see your emotion from a little bit of a distance....

It’s been one of those days. You know, the one where you wake up filled with hope that today is going to be the best day ever. I frequently wake up feeling this way. For me, it’s that I’m going to change, that I won’t be filled with despair at the end of the day, that I won’t feel the weight of sheer exhaustion of just being me. It’s only the afternoon but I already feel defeated....

We’ve all had that moment when we’re somewhere, at a meeting, at the movies, when we suddenly think, “Did I remember to tell the sitter how to reach me if cell phones go out/which neighbor to go to in an emergency/where the fire extinguisher is?” Or you realize that you forgot to tell her where your kids’ favorite snacks are or what they shouldn’t have (no dairy before bed because they get upset tummies, for example)....

When Janice Wright was 16 years old, she became pregnant, and her fiance dumped her. It was 1980, and Wright’s doctor asked if she had considered adoption—he was treating a couple for infertility at the time and thought they would be a fit as adopted parents. For months she alternated between feeling alright and distraught about moving forward with the adoption. Key Takeaways Over 18,000 children are domestically adopted each year in the United States....

What Is Shared Psychotic Disorder? Shared psychotic disorder is a rare type of mental illness in which a person who does not have a primary mental health disorder comes to believe the delusions of another person with a psychotic or delusional disorder. For example, a wife might come to believe the delusions of her husband, despite having otherwise good mental health. Shared psychotic disorder was first identified in 1860 by Baillarger....

The situational theory of leadership suggests that no single leadership style is best. Instead, it depends on which type of leadership and strategies are best-suited to the task. According to this theory, the most effective leaders are those that are able to adapt their style to the situation and look at cues such as the type of task, the nature of the group, and other factors that might contribute to getting the job done....

By definition, subsyndromal describes a person is exhibiting symptoms that are similar to but not severe enough for diagnosis as a clinically recognized syndrome. When applied to depression, subsyndromal symptomatic depression (SSD) indicates that a person’s depression symptoms don’t quite meet the criteria for a diagnosis of a major depressive disorder. SSD can include people who experience brief, recurring episodes of depressive symptoms. Subsyndromal symptomatic depression has been labeled somewhat differently by different researchers....

What Is Thought Suppression? Thought suppression occurs when we try to ignore or control intrusive thoughts that we find threatening or distressing. Thought suppression can be common in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is because obsessions, in which you experience seemingly uncontrollable and extremely distressing thoughts, are a core symptom of the condition. Although a natural reaction for many people with OCD is to try and push these intrusive thoughts away, that may make obsessions worse....

Physical exercise can play an important role in mental well-being and can even relieve symptoms of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. While the physical health benefits of exercise are frequently discussed, the link between exercise and mental health is often overlooked. Studies suggest that physical exercise may help ward off mental health problems before they start. Research also shows exercise can improve the symptoms of many existing mental illnesses....

Lexapro is a commonly prescribed antidepressant that should be used with caution if mixed with alcohol. Lexapro and alcohol together can cause side effects such as dizziness, changes in mood, increased anxiety, drowsiness, nausea, and sleep problems. Combining the two substances can also lead to more serious interactions, including worsening depression, liver problems, and serotonin syndrome. How Lexapro Works Lexapro is the brand name for the generic drug escitalopram oxalate. It’s a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that is commonly used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and other mental health issues....