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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 175 Whether you don’t feel like working out any longer or you don’t feel like cleaning the house, it’s tough to push yourself to do things you don’t feel like doing....

Research shows that having ambivalent friendships in your life—relationships where interactions are sometimes supportive and positive and sometimes hostile or negative—can actually cause more stress than relationships that are consistently negative. This is, in part, because you may never quite relax when you are around these people, but you don’t keep your guard entirely up either, making you more vulnerable when there is conflict. The experience is similar to that of chronic stress, where your body never fully recovers from the stress you experience before becoming triggered by the next stressor....

Racism has long been an issue in the U.S. Throughout history, people have been bullied, persecuted, harassed, and killed because of the color of their skin or their ethnic heritage. But racism isn’t always overt. It also affects the opportunities that marginalized people are offered. It affects how they are treated on a day-to-day basis; and it affects their mental health and physical well-being. Talking about these issues, and coming up with concrete ways to address them, is long overdue....

Whoever said “No politics or religion at the dinner table” should add the vaccination to that list. Vaccinations, in general, and the COVID-19 vaccines in particular, can elicit a strong response, regardless of whether someone is for or against them. Key Takeaways The anti-vaccination movement has grown in recent years based on unsubstantiated, fabricated claims that vaccines cause autism and other illnesses. Research shows no link between vaccines and autism.If you have a loved one who is refusing the vaccine, experts suggest validating their concerns without judgment before offering facts may be a helpful way to reach them....

John Dewey (October 20, 1859 - June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher and educator. He was an early originator of pragmatism, a popular philosophical school of thought at the beginning of the 20th century that emphasized a practical approach to problem solving through experience. Instrumental in the progressive movement in education, Dewey’s belief that the best education involves learning through doing is still a practice studied and used by modern educators....

Kickball games are popular at many school playgrounds and at summer camps, and leagues for adults are becoming popular too. Part of kickball’s appeal is its simplicity: It’s very easy to learn and play. But if you or your kids are getting a little tired of playing the usual way, you can always change up the rules—or try one of these alternative options. For most of these, just as in regular kickball, you should set basic rules before you play: How many outs until the kicking team is retired?...

You’ve probably heard this before—childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Almost 15 million children and adolescents are living with this chronic disease. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued its first-ever guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of obesity in children. The AAP says these are evidence-based recommendations on care for children ages 2 and older. For the first time, they include the use of medication and bariatric surgery to treat obesity....

As the cervix gets near full dilation, sometimes you have a bit of cervix on one side that is still present, while not on the other side. This is called a cervical lip or lip of cervix. This is most commonly an anterior lip, which is thought to happen when the cervix gets caught between the pelvis and the baby’s head. Anterior means towards the front of the mother, so this area of the cervix would be closer to your pubic bone than your tail bone....

Consuming pornography is an all too common pastime. Studies estimate that between 86% and 96% of men regularly consume porn. Women consume only slightly less pornographic content. However, while routinely viewing pornography may be beneficial for self-exploration, sexual education, and even improving relations with your partner, making a habit of this practice, to the extent where pornography affects your daily life, could be problematic for your well-being. This article explains porn addiction, how to recognize if you’ve developed a porn addiction, the mental health effects of an addiction to porn, and how to get help....

Antidepressants are a type of medication that are prescribed to treat depression, as well as certain other health issues such as anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. While antidepressants can’t cure these conditions, they can help reduce your symptoms. These medications work by improving the balance of chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, in the brain. In fact, a 2016 study notes that up to two-thirds of people who have depression don’t respond to the first antidepressant drug they are prescribed, and need to change their medication before they see results....

“Children are so cruel” is a sentiment many parents have uttered when their child is the recipient of brutal schoolyard taunts. But what if we had the power to change that? What if we could give our children the power to change that sentiment to “Children are so kind”? Key Takeaways Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 14-20, 2021.Kindness is teachable and contagious.Children can learn kindness through hands-on learning and through reading....

Research shows that adolescents’ mental health has been severely impacted by dealing with COVID-19. Anxiety, depression, and distress are just a few of the issues they have experienced. Key Takeaways A new study notes that teens’ sleep quality diminished during the COVID-19 pandemic.Mental health experts say teens’ worries moved from situational anxieties to general anxieties and concerns that seemed overwhelming.Parents should be aware of their teens’ sleep habits and offer suggestions to help them get the rest they need....

Bunions cause pain at the base of your big toe and can keep you from doing the activities you enjoy most. Shoes that are too tight or stiff can aggravate your bunions. Wearing shoes that have a wide toe box and ample arch support can provide substantial relief. Whether you exercise regularly or are simply looking for an all-day-wear casual shoe, you need a pair that is roomy around the toes and a snug fit in the heel....

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) is a mental health condition that can occur after experiencing a traumatic event. It affects around 6.8% of the U.S. adult population, but it tends to occur at higher rates among those who have been in the military. According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the prevalence of PTSD among veterans was between approximately 12% and 30%, depending on the conflict where soldiers served. This article explores some of the reasons why PTSD is more common among those in military service....

Adderall is one of the most common types of medication used to treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It’s also prescribed off-label for the treatment of severe narcolepsy. Adderall belongs to a class of drugs called central nervous system stimulants. The generic name for Adderall is amphetamine or dextroamphetamine. Mixing alcohol with Adderall is a common occurrence, especially among younger people. In a 2019 study on alcohol and stimulant use, researchers found that college students who had misused stimulants over fourteen days had a higher likelihood of alcohol use within the same period....

The Vice-President of Massachusetts Sheriffs Associations estimates that 75% of the inmates in county jails require addiction and mental health services. Even following incarceration, there can be mental health impacts, so inmates deserve the necessary support while in state custody. Key Takeaways 75% of the inmate population incarcerated in Massachusetts county jails need addiction and mental health services.Incarceration can contribute to mental health challenges, and services can help for successful re-entry into their communities....

A 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the proportion of mental health-related emergency department visits for children aged 5–11 and 12–17 increased by about 24% and 31%, respectively, compared to 2019. A year of pandemic restrictions, virtual schooling, limited socialization with peers and more time online has conjured a perfect storm for the mental health of children and teenagers. Key Takeaways In the past year, instances of mental health crises have increased for children and teenagers....

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex mental illness that affects both men and women. Along with strong emotions and feelings, people with BPD can also experience intense anger, known as borderline rage. If you have a family member or loved one who has BPD, it’s important to understand how violence relates to BPD and how it can be handled. Violence in People With BPD There is research demonstrating that both men and women who have committed violent acts have elevated rates of borderline personality disorder compared to the general population....

People often picture bullying as a face-to-face conflict. They envision bullies teasing, taunting, pushing, shoving, and possibly hitting others. Maybe they imagine a child being called names and made fun of. But there is also another less visible but just as harmful form of bullying called relational aggression. With this type of bullying, kids socially reject, exclude, or ostracize other children. Relational aggression becomes more and more evident as kids get into middle school and junior high and can continue through adulthood....

Noninvasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) is a way to screen for some genetic disorders by looking at the mother’s blood. You may also hear it called noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS). These are the same thing. These tests work by finding a small amount of the baby’s DNA that circulates in the mother’s bloodstream, known as cell-free DNA or cfDNA. The blood is drawn in the same way as any other lab work is drawn and sent to a lab to screen for a variety of genetic disorders....