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An ultrasound is a diagnostic medical imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to form an image of something in the body. Doctors routinely use ultrasound about halfway through pregnancy to check that the baby is developing normally but may use it earlier to confirm or rule out a miscarriage. How the Exam Is Performed In early pregnancy, when most miscarriages occur, the ultrasound is likely to be transvaginal in order to get the best picture of the developing gestational sac and baby....

All of us experience anxiety from time to time. Sometimes the anxiety can seem to come on suddenly or feel all-encompassing. This is what is usually referred to as an anxiety attack. If you’ve ever had an anxiety attack, you know how challenging it can be. The experience may be disorienting and bewildering to you. “Why is this happening?”, you might think. You may wonder what is causing your anxiety to feel so out of control....

An impulse control disorder is marked sudden, forceful, irresistible urges to do something that may violate the rights of others or conflict with societal norms. These impulsive behaviors may occur repeatedly, quickly, and without consideration of the consequences of the actions. Pyromania (intentionally starting fires) and kleptomania (the urge to steal) are well-known types of impulsive disorders. Intermittent explosive disorder, trichotillomania (urge to pull your hair out), conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and unspecified impulse control disorder are a few others....

Getting kids to eat more fruit and vegetables is a big goal for many parents. Not surprisingly, it is usually easier to get them to eat more fruits than vegetables. Health Benefits of Eating Fruit Fruits are important too though, as they are: A good low-fat food Low in salt Low in calories A healthy food with no cholesterol Usually good sources of potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and folate How Much Fruit to Eat Each Day So much fruit do your kids need to eat each day?...

No child is perfect and most parents know their child is no exception. One fairly common fault of gifted children is bossiness. This fault can be rather puzzling to parents when it exists in a child who is otherwise sensitive to the needs of others. Causes of Bossy Behavior There are several connections between giftedness and bossiness that may explain this behavior. Need to Organize Some gifted children need to organize everything, including people and activities....

Do you often have the thought, “I hate myself”? If you are filled with feelings of self-hatred, you know how frustrating they can be. Not only does self-hatred limit what you can achieve in life, but it also worsens mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. In order to get over feelings of self-hatred, it’s important to recognize the signs and symptoms, understand the underlying causes and triggers, realize the powerful effects it has on your life, and finally, make a plan to get over those feelings of self-hatred and develop healthy coping skills to feel better....

Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday for many—and with good reason. It’s a time to gather with loved ones, share a hearty meal, and give thanks for all the good in our lives, large and small. Not only is the holiday enjoyable (and delicious!) in so many ways, but it’s also a great opportunity to teach children what the holiday symbolizes: gratitude. We all want to raise children who are kind, responsible, successful, and loving....

There are a lot of half-truths (and full-on falsehoods!) on ovulation and getting pregnant out there. Believing incorrect information on conception could possibly make it harder for you to get pregnant. Do you know your fact from fiction? Truth: It Can Take Multiple Months to Get Pregnant You may have gotten the impression in your high school sex education class that getting pregnant is almost too easy. One time in bed and that’s it—you’ll be expecting....

Social psychology is the study of the interplay between an individual and social groups. Social psychologists tackle issues that significantly affect people’s health and well-being, such as bullying. What Is Social Psychology? According to psychologist Gordon Allport, social psychology uses scientific methods “to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied the presence of other human beings.” Essentially, social psychology is about understanding how each person’s individual behavior is influenced by the social environment in which that behavior takes place....

Many people with depression have worked hard to treat their disease by attending therapy and taking antidepressant medications. Among the side effects associated with antidepressants are both weight gain and weight loss, although these are not a side effect of every medication used to treat depression. However, any side effect—including weight-related side effects—depends entirely on how your body reacts to a medication. It is possible that you will notice no change in weight or that you will swing in the opposite direction of what’s typical, no matter which medication you take....

Barbie is the latest toy to celebrate the courage and accomplishment of the healthcare workers who have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic. The most famous doll in the world has welcomed six new peers, who are all based on real-life women in STEM. Key Takeaways New additions to Mattel’s Barbie line celebrate the courage of real-life frontline COVID-19 workers and promote women in STEM.Hasbro’s Potato Head brand also has gone gender-neutral to encourage kids to create their own types of families....

Notice how brown is used in the image above. What does the color brown mean to you? How does brown make you feel? Do you associate brown with certain qualities or situations? According to color psychology, colors can evoke psychological reactions and influence how people feel and behave. Brown tends to feel like a solid, earthy color, but it can sometimes seem drab and boring. Light browns such as beige are often used as neutrals in design and fashion....

Grateful people are happier people—this seems like wisdom you might find on a bumper sticker because of its obvious truth and positive feel, but research on gratitude also backs up this statement. When you have a moment when someone does something for you that fills your heart with grateful feelings of warmth, it can feel wonderful. But you don’t have to wait for circumstances to bring this feeling to you—there are things you can do in your life to proactively create feelings of gratitude for yourself with the experiences you already have in your life, and create new experiences that will bring more feelings of gratitude to your life and to the lives of those around you....

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 Dr. William Miller William Miller, Ph.D, is a clinical psychologist and a professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Mexico. His primary area of interest is on the psychology of change and he’s conducted research on a variety of topics including addictive behaviors, self-regulation, and the intersection of spirituality and psychology....

If you have borderline personality disorder (BPD), you may benefit from grounding exercises. These techniques are helpful during dissociation, panic, anxiety, strong impulsive urges, flashbacks, and intense emotional distress. Learning and practicing grounding exercises can help you soothe your emotions and manage your BPD symptoms. How Grounding Works Grounding exercises are designed to help you focus your attention on the present moment. They’re helpful whenever you’re having an experience that’s causing you a lot of anxiety or that feels overwhelming or all-consuming because they force you to concentrate on the right now instead of the past, your upsetting feelings, and/or the “what if....

Maybe you’re not ready to expand your family right now, but you’re also not sure if a big age gap between kids is best for your family. You may question if five, seven, or more years for an age gap is too big—or just right. Maybe your preference is to wait longer, but you feel pressure to stick to a smaller, more traditional age gap. Or maybe your ability to have another child has been delayed by illness, financial strain, or fertility challenges....

Down-regulation is a term that scientists use to describe the process of reducing or suppressing the body’s response to specific stimuli. When used with regard to in vitro fertilization (IVF), down-regulation essentially “turns off” the ovaries to better control ovulation and egg maturation during treatment. There are two types of drugs used for this purpose: GnRH agonists and GnRH antagonists. An agonist is a type of drug that stimulates a response; an antagonist is a type that blocks a response....

The amount a newborn needs to eat isn’t an exact science, because every baby is different. However, there is a simple equation you can use to get a rough estimate of how many ounces your baby needs each day. Remember that an infant’s needs can change day-to-day. While having a rough estimate of how much formula they need can be helpful, it’s most important to learn and respond to your baby’s hunger and fullness cues....

Meet Helen Russell Helen Russell is a bestselling author and happiness researcher. She also writes for magazines and newspapers worldwide, including “The Sunday Times,” “Wall Street Journal,” and “National Geographic.” Every Monday on The Verywell Mind Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Amy Morin, LCSW, interviews experts, authors, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, and other inspirational people about the strategies that help them think, feel, and do their best in life. While most of her books focus on becoming happier, her newest book is titled “How to Be Sad....

Toddlers reach a major milestone when they learn to name and recognize their body parts. This skill is significant because parents and other caregivers spend a good part of the day handling toddlers. They tie toddlers’ shoes, wipe their noses, hold their hands and kissed skinned knees. Because parents spend so much time caring for toddlers and their bodies, it’s no wonder that by the time typical toddlers reach 1 or 2 years old, they can identify a few body parts....