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What Is Neurodiversity? Neurodiversity embraces differences in brain function and behavior as a natural manifestation of humanity’s variety, rather than viewing them as wrong or problematic. Neurodiversity describes differences in brain function from person to person that affect daily mental functions. History As autism has become more recognized, psychologists have lobbied for it to be considered a different way of functioning rather than a disorder. The concept of neurodiversity was introduced during the fight for autism awareness and rights....

It’s that time of the month again. You find yourself eating an extra couple of slices of pizza and finishing every french fry in sight. Then you’re reaching for that bag of chips and a bar of chocolate for comfort. If this sounds like you, then you’re not alone in feeling this way because it’s very common. This article dives into the basics of a menstrual cycle, the hormones that affect your appetite, and some tips to help manage your hunger pangs during your period....

All children can benefit from (and will likely enjoy) rolling, catching, kicking, dribbling, and tossing a ball. Playing with balls is an inexpensive, readily available, and versatile activity that improves kids’ motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and timing, which are important parts of the developmental progression of toddlers. The skills children develop by learning to play with balls will also be key once they graduate to collaborative and competitive play. What Your Child Learns Balls are must-have toys and the benefits of playing with balls are immense....

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts 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 Heather Monahan Heather Monahan is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, entrepreneur, and founder of Boss In Heels. As a former C-suite executive, Heather is a Glass Ceiling Award winner and was named one of the most Influential Women in Radio in 2017....

A smoking relapse is a frightening possibility for those who are working hard to beat nicotine addiction. It feels like it can happen when you least expect it. But relapse never happens out of the blue, even though people often think it does. The key to lasting freedom from nicotine addiction lies in changing your relationship to smoking. If you believe somewhere in the back of your mind that you’re making a sacrifice by quitting, you might be setting the stage for eventual relapse....

Once you’ve decided to try again after a miscarriage, the time it takes until you are pregnant again may feel like forever, even if you end up conceiving very soon. For couples who don’t conceive right away, the wait can be unbearable. Still, given that the odds of getting pregnant in any particular month are only about 30% to 40% , even when you have sex during your fertile days, it’s not necessarily a sign that anything is wrong if it takes a little bit of time to conceive again....

There are some words in our vocabulary that will, for the most part, always be associated with preschoolers. “No.” “Mine.” “Gimme.” These words are usually accompanied by a pull, a grab or a hugging motion to the chest — in all cases, the preschooler is holding a precious (or not-so-precious) item, something that they don’t want someone else to have. Teaching kids to share something they don’t want to give up can be a daunting task, but it can be done....

Walking in hot weather often results in sweaty, smelly, and uncomfortable feet, but wearing a good pair of walking sandals can keep you feeling cool and fresh. When looking for a pair of walking sandals, look for ones that offer high-quality cushioning and support to prevent fatigue and soreness. A secure fit is also key, so your feet don’t slide out of the shoe with every stride. We researched dozens of walking sandals and evaluated them for material, price, comfort, and breathability....

During the toddler years, your child will rapidly change and grow, learn skills, and be able to interact with the world in new and different ways. This process is known as development, and it encompasses several areas, including cognitive development, physical development, language skills, and social development. Areas of Toddler Development Your child will change substantially during his or her toddler years. You can expect to see development in these areas....

Transference-focused therapy (TFP) for borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on using your relationship with your therapist to change how you relate to other people in the world. This may help you identify problematic thoughts, develop healthier behaviors, and improve social interactions. What Is Transference-Focused Therapy? Transference is the theoretical process by which emotions are transferred from one person to another. Transference is a key concept in psychodynamic psychotherapies....

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by compulsions (an uncontrollable impulse to perform an act, often repetitively) and obsessions (the inability to stop thinking about a certain topic or image without anxiety). Within the realm of obsessions, a person with OCD may become fixated on thoughts of violence, aggression, contamination, or even religion. Among the most troubling, however, are sexual obsessions. Sexual Obsessions and OCD Although a person may experience a wide range of sexual obsessions, common themes involve those that may be considered forbidden, such as:...

Medication is more common in the treatment of social phobia and agoraphobia than for specific phobia. People with social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, feel intensely self-conscious and tend to avoid social interaction. Agoraphobics are afraid of places or situations that make them feel trapped, alone, and helpless. Specific phobia is a fear of a specific object or situation (for example, a fear of dogs or thunder). All phobias are a form of anxiety disorder, so most medications address that issue....

Mania is defined as periods of elevated mood, excitement, grandiosity, impulsivity, irritability, and exaggerated activity. It is a characteristic symptom of bipolar disorder, in which people experience mood swings that shift between mania and depression. Unipolar Mania: Unipolar mania involves having manic episodes and periods of normal mood without the depressive symptoms that typically occur in bipolar disorder. While unipolar mania has been described by healthcare providers since the late 1800s, it is not an officially recognized mental disorder....

Panic attacks are the most common symptom associated with the diagnosis of panic disorder. However, they can occur with a variety of anxiety and mood disorders, as well as other medical conditions. Panic attacks can also happen in response to specific events or stressful situations. Overview A panic attack can be described as an intense feeling of fear or extreme nervousness that is brought on abruptly. Typically, these feelings of terror and apprehension occur without warning and are disproportionate to any actual threat or danger....

DNA paternity testing is an important tool used to prove or disprove a biological parent-child relationship. The test uses a DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) profile for each individual and compares the data to determine if there is a genetic match. If the child and potential non-gestational parent genetically match, then they are the biological parent. If the data does not match, then they are excluded as the biological parent. Paternity tests may be performed by evaluating blood or saliva from the non-gestational parent and the child....

Milk can play an important role in a child’s nutrition, from an infant drinking breastmilk to a toddler eating cereal with milk to a teenager putting milk into a smoothie. Cow’s milk, specifically, provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that kids need to support growth and development. Types of Milk Although most caregivers think of cow’s milk when they hear the word “milk,” there is now a wide variety of beverages that go by that name....

For anyone who has never experienced it, feeling dead inside can be hard to imagine. And, those who have struggled with it might not always have the right words to explain the confusion, sadness, and numbness that comes with this feeling. To feel dead inside is to find it difficult to process emotions like happiness and sadness. When you feel “dead inside” feelings take on the same dull tone and are hard to appreciate no matter the situation....

I love intentional gift-giving. While I also enjoy being on the receiving end, I love the feeling of giving someone something they adore. Whether it’s something mentioned in a vague passing comment or an item someone desperately wants but can’t get for themselves, I make it my mission to always give items with a lot of thought and consideration. I won’t lie; it does feel good to make someone happy. But I would never say this process is entirely selfless, either....

Young children tend to have relatively high measures of self-esteem, but with the onset of the tween years, low self-esteem may become more of an issue. There are a number of interrelated reasons why low self-esteem begins to appear during pre-adolescence. Comparisons With Others Somewhere between six and 11 years of age, children begin to actively compare themselves to their peers. This newfound social comparison occurs for both cognitive and social reasons....

If you wake up with a scratchy tickle in your throat or a runny nose, you might start by checking your medicine cabinet or heading to the pharmacy for your go-to cold and flu remedy. Many of the products that treat cold symptoms are available over-the-counter (which means you can get them without a prescription from your doctor). While these products can be safe and effective, they can also interact with other kinds of medicine....