Many make the decision to go to therapy when they are desperate for relief from deep pain. It isn’t an easy task, so if you have taken the leap to get support, take a moment to honor this accomplishment. Therapy is a unique treatment. For many forms of clinical support we may seek, like getting medication for mood swings or hormone therapy, there is a clear timeline of when we can expect to see results....
Timing is a key factor for pregnancy test accuracy. Here’s why you should test first thing in the morning, and what to do if you have to wait until later in the day. HCG Levels in Early Pregnancy Many companies recommend that you take your pregnancy test in the morning because first-morning urine typically contains the highest concentration of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone. The Longest 5 Minutes: Taking a Pregnancy Test...
Depression is on the rise among teens—especially teen girls. But most girls aren’t getting the treatment they need. There’s still a stigma attached to mental health that makes it a taboo subject for some parents. Other parents lack knowledge about depression or simply struggle to know how to bring up the subject. The Rates of Depression Among Teens Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health report rates of clinical depression have grown by 37% from 2004 to 2014 among teenagers....
If you’ve ever felt like giving up on life, you’re not alone. Experiencing certain health conditions, unexpected events, longtime hardship, or simply feeling like life didn’t turn out as you thought it would are some of the reasons a person can have this feeling. Information in this article might 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....
Nothing changes your body—and your life—more than becoming a mother. After all, you just put in 40 weeks or so of pregnancy, and probably some long hours of childbirth as well, on your way to officially bringing your little one into the world. But the work doesn’t stop there. In fact, you’re just getting started. Not only do you have a new baby to care for, but you also have your postpartum body to nurse back to health....
Friendships can enrich your life in many ways. Good friends teach you about yourself and challenge you to be better. They encourage you to keep going when times get tough and celebrate your successes with you. But friends do a lot more than give you a shoulder to cry on; they also have a positive impact on your health. Some research even says friendships are just as important to your well-being as eating right and exercising....
When it comes to parenting, it’s not uncommon for a large part of a person’s identity to be wrapped up in that role. In fact, many parents would describe parenting as the most important, challenging, time-consuming, and meaningful thing they will ever do. But it also goes by so quickly. One day you’re changing diapers and the next you’re watching your senior graduate from high school. For 18 years or more, your life has revolved around carpools, homework, and extracurricular activities....
When dealing with the media, the traditions of the 12 step programs request that members maintain anonymity, not so much for their protection, but for the good of the fellowship as a whole. Tradition 11 of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) says, “Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.” Al-Anon includes the addition, “We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members....
As soon as you get a positive pregnancy test, you may wonder whether or not you can continue drinking your morning cup of coffee. And if pregnancy fatigue kicks in, you may really hope the answer is yes! While you may need to cut down on how much coffee you drink each day (depending on your usual consumption), you likely do not have to give it up altogether. Most studies indicate that a little bit of caffeine won’t harm your baby....
If it surprises you that radio host, TV personality, and bestselling author Charlamagne tha God is a mental health advocate, you’re not alone: He too was taken aback when the label was first used to describe him. It happened at an event two years ago, when, alongside Tracie Jade and Taraji P. Henson, the event’s host introduced him as such. Henson’s response to his claim that he wasn’t an advocate? “Yes, you are, brother....
As COVID-19 rages into its third year, the medical community is still figuring out how the virus impacts different groups of people. Two recent studies help answer that question. The research provides insight into the impact of COVID-19 on pregnant people, as well as the risk of passing the virus on to a newborn baby. Key Takeaways Pregnant individuals who contract COVID-19 are twice as likely to have severe pregnancy complications....
What Is Dopamine? Dopamine is a type of neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a role in many functions in the body, including motivation, mood, attention, and memory. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that transmits signals in the body. It also acts as a hormone. Dopamine has a direct impact on the central nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord. It also plays an essential role in the brain’s reward system, where it reinforces feelings of pleasure that people experience when they engage in rewarding activities....
As if eating disorders themselves weren’t hard enough to manage, patients have been handed a whole new challenge in the form of a pandemic requiring social distancing. The COVID-19 pandemic is changing our entire way of living. For those with eating disorders and disordered eating, it creates new stressors and disruptions to treatment plans. Key Takeaways In some instances, virtual care may replace in-person care for eating disorders, meaning that patients in some programs may have a greater responsibility for self-care....
Many people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) experience intense emotions and have trouble regulating them. Emotional dysregulation is a core symptom of BPD, and it may explain other characteristics of the condition, like unstable relationships, risky or impulsive behavior, and stress-related changes in thinking. Emotional instability is also part of the diagnostic criteria for BPD. What Is Emotion Regulation? Emotion regulation is a fairly complex combination of ways in which a person relates to and acts on emotional experiences....
Guided, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) may offer significant improvement in depression symptoms, and even non-guided options can be beneficial, according to a recent research review in JAMA Psychiatry. Key Takeaways Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to improve depression symptoms, and a new study suggest Internet-based approaches can help.Previous research has shown good outcomes with Internet-based therapy, and in some cases it may be even more effective than in-person sessions....
Whenever there’s a high-profile mass shooting, we’ll often see politicians, people in the media, and people in our own lives making links between gun violence and mental illness. Key Takeaways After mass shootings, people often suggest links between gun violence and mental illness.While there might be a link between mental illness and a slightly increased risk of violence, the risk is minute.Linking gun violence and mental illness can add to the stigma around mental illness, making it more difficult for people to reach out for help....
Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction diagnosis introduced in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5). This was the first formal recognition of behavioral addiction in the psychiatry text, which is considered the “gold standard” in the field of mental health. The previous version DSM-IV called the condition “pathological gambling” and it was classified as an impulse control disorder rather than as the addictive disorder. The parallels between gambling addiction and drug addiction have been drawn by experts for decades, although whether or not behavioral addictions share similar characteristics to substance addictions has always been controversial....
With the NBA well into their playoffs, MLB teams just opening their doors, and the NHL nearing their own postseason, it’s worth taking a look at how the mental health strategies derived from sports psychology employed by elite athletes can benefit your daily life, even if you don’t consider yourself an athletic person. Key Takeaways Sports psychology tools like visualization, making conscious choices about music choice in certain environments, and interrupting comparisons to others can all be applied outside of the sporting environmentSports psychology has key foundational concepts, like building resilience and adapting to changing circumstances, that are applicable in the boardroom as much as on a basketball court Compete in any type of elite-level sport and you’re likely to hear sports psychology enter into the conversation....
Preparing children for surgery—as parents, it’s something we hope we never have to do. Naturally, we all want to protect our children from pain and discomfort. Unfortunately, sometimes surgery is necessary to treat a serious illness or medical condition, and that in itself can be painful and uncomfortable. The best way to lessen the discomfort and fear (for both you and your child) is to educate yourself on what will happen and to be ready to manage any physical and emotional trauma that your little one may go through....
Planks are a great way to maintain your core strength during pregnancy, but you may want to switch to a modified version when you are further along. That’s because although it’s generally safe to do planks while pregnant, it can become more difficult and contribute to problems like diastasis recti. What to Know About Planks During Pregnancy As long as your doctor gives you the OK, planks are generally safe to do while pregnant....
