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Alcohol affects men and women differently. Women have a higher risk than men for certain serious medical consequences of alcohol use, including liver, brain, and heart damage, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. An NIAAA Alcohol Alert reports that women achieve higher concentrations of alcohol in the blood and become more impaired than men after drinking equivalent amounts of alcohol. They are more susceptible than men to alcohol-related organ damage and to trauma resulting from traffic crashes and interpersonal violence....

Being a teen is tough, and even harder for the teens growing up in the age of social media. Key Takeaways A new study found that teenage girls who spend 2+ hours a day looking at screens are at greater risk of suicide.Experts suggest protecting your teen by delaying the use of social media and hours long screen time until after age 13. Studies have shown that suicide risk for teens has increased dramatically in the last decade, and one, in particular, warns that teenage girls who spend hours a day looking at screens have the highest suicide risk not only in their teen years but in their early to mid-twenties as well....

If you’re expecting a baby, the internet is full of shopping and registry checklists. But if you’ve had your fill of “to-buy” lists and are ready to make a “to-do” list, we’ve got you covered. From setting up a place for your baby to sleep to planning a relaxing weekend away to get yourself in a good headspace, consider this your prenatal action plan. Pre-Baby To-Do List One question you might be tired of being asked: Do you have a birth plan?...

“Grit” has become a buzzword in child development and education circles. In psychology, grit is based on an individual’s passion, motivation, and determination to achieve a certain goal. The American Psychological Association states that grit is what separates the very best from those who are simply good enough. Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, TED speaker, and bestselling author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, first began studying grit as a seventh grade math teacher....

Pregnancy loss is, unfortunately, more common than most people realize. An employer that has female workers is likely to have to deal with the situation at some point. And don’t forget that even men can be affected by a partner’s loss. If one of your employees does suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth, she will no doubt need some time off work. Her doctor will determine how much time off she needs based on the personal circumstances of her case....

What is the definition of applied behavior analysis? In short, it is a method of studying and managing behavior to bring about change. ABA therapists develop research-based behavior intervention plans (BIPs) to reduce problem behaviors in children. ABA is also known as behavior modification and learning theory. The technique is especially useful in special education classrooms, as children with learning disabilities may also have behavior problems or disorders, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which can cause them to be disruptive at school, at home, or in their interactions with friends and peers....

Asperger’s disorder, also known as Asperger’s syndrome, is a pervasive developmental disorder that involves impairment in certain basic aspects of communication and relationships. Though Asperger’s was originally a standalone diagnosis, the DSM-5 has retired it and now uses the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) instead. Those with SAD are capable of forming relationships but are impaired by anxiety; on the other hand, people with ASD have difficulty with the nuts and bolts of communication that make relationships possible....

Many people describe themselves as a “pack rat,” that is, someone who enjoys collecting items and doesn’t like to throw things away. Although many self-confessed pack rats lead normal lives, acquiring and failing to throw out a large number of items that seem to have little or no value to others, such as old magazines, containers, clothes, books, junk mail, notes or lists, this could also be a sign of a mental illness called hoarding disorder, a condition related to obsessive-compulsive disorder....

Cyclothymia, or cyclothymic disorder, is a condition that involves moods cycling between hypomania and depression. Though milder than bipolar disorder, cyclothymia is sometimes a precursor for bipolar I or II disorder. How Cyclothymic Disorder Is Diagnosed Criterion A from the Diagnostic and Statistical Handbook of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) defines cyclomania as: “For at least two years (at least one year in children and adolescents) there have been numerous periods with hypomanic symptoms that do not meet criteria for a hypomanic episode and numerous periods with depressive symptoms that do not meet criteria for a major depressive episode....

Coffee drinkers often wonder if caffeine can improve their memory. That’s because many who religiously consume the beverage notice that they seem more alert when they’ve had coffee. One coffee drinker, who described himself as “generally quite a forgetful person” swore that his memory improved after a cup of joe. But is there actually a link between the two, or is the connection just in the minds of coffee drinkers? Get the facts on the link between caffeine and memory with this review....

It’s not easy to give a gift to a child suffering from a disease as hopeless and heartless as cancer. Most anything seems inadequate at the best and inappropriate at worst. But that shouldn’t stop you from giving a gift to a kid who can use any encouragement you have to offer. Fortunately, there are a number of retailers who specialize in gifts and other products for children with terminal illnesses that allow them to share in the fun of being a kid....

Gradual weaning is a process of slowly eliminating breastfeeding sessions over an extended period of time until your child is no longer nursing. Gradual weaning can take weeks, months, or years to fully complete. The Benefits of Weaning Gradually Children can usually accept weaning more readily when it occurs gradually. By slowly reducing the amount you breastfeed your child, the changes to your body, your breasts, and your hormones can adjust over time....

When some people are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out, they might try yoga, mindfulness, or even a massage, but for others giving the shelves a quick dust, wiping down the kitchen, or even organizing the closet is just as beneficial for their mental health as using a mindfulness app. In fact, for some people the simple sight of a clean and organized home can help them unwind and de-stress even after an overwhelming day....

After a miscarriage or stillbirth, your grief may be so overwhelming that you wonder if you will ever be happy again. You may never truly “get over” your loss, but know that your grief will become more manageable over time especially if you recognize your feelings as valid and accept that you may need time to work through them. Immediate Aftermath of Miscarriage The falling hormone levels in your body after a miscarriage might magnify your sad feelings into full-blown depression, but this effect should fade within a few weeks....

If you’re like most first-time parents, you might feel a little worried about cutting your baby’s nails for fear that you will cut them too short or nip the skin. But if you don’t keep your baby’s nails cut, those paper-thin nails can become tiny weapons. Not only can they leave scratches on your baby’s face, but they also can leave little wounds on you when your baby’s grabs for your face or necklace....

This fixation is typically so severe that it might disrupt a person’s daily functioning. Some research shows that up to 3% to 6% of people are living with some form of sexual addiction disorder or related disorders and that this condition predominantly affects men. Hypersexuality is also known as compulsive sexual behavior disorder, or more commonly, sex addiction. When a person has an obsessive fixation on sex, sexual acts, and sexual fantasies, they might be hypersexual....

In our modern, faced-paced society in which food is plentiful, many people are used to eating on the go rather than stocking their kitchens and planning meals. Ordering take-out or grabbing fast food from the drive-thru is simply a matter of convenience for many people, but for someone who is recovering from an eating disorder, a more focused and structured approach to meals is necessary. Meal planning is a crucial skill for people recovering from eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorder (OSFED)....

Neurontin is a type of medication used to treat seizures in adults and children who are living with certain types of seizure disorders. It belongs to a class of drugs known as anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing the brain’s vulnerability to having seizures and can also help to reduce pain. Neurontin is also available as a generic medication sold under the name gabapentin. It comes as a tablet or an oral solution....

If you’ve spent any time on social media in the past few years, odds are you’ve noticed the vastly expanded mental health conversation occurring online. These platforms, especially TikTok, have become a space for people to share their mental health struggles and diagnoses, for experts to provide general insight, and for users to learn more about their feelings. Key Takeaways As the mental health conversation extends to social media, more people are self-diagnosing....

It is one thing to be faced with the reality of a pregnancy loss. It is entirely another thing to have a miscarriage yet still experience the physical symptoms of pregnancy. This can be confusing and upsetting. Unfortunately, this is a reality that many women are forced to endure as the hormone levels that fostered fetal growth slowly return to normal. In some cases, the symptoms may persist for weeks and even get stronger than what was experienced before the miscarriage....