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You might be alone on Christmas for different reasons, such as the death of a loved one, living far from relatives, or because of social isolation. If you have social anxiety disorder (SAD) and don’t have close relationships with family or friends, loneliness at Christmas could be particularly hard. In general, there are three ways to cope with being alone at Christmas. First, you can address your mental state and how it is contributing to your loneliness....

Are you unsure how to cope with loneliness during the coronavirus pandemic? You could be self-isolating because you’ve caught the infection, but there are many other reasons why you’ve elected to stay indoors. Key Takeaways Research links social isolation and loneliness to poor mental and physical health.Using non-traditional ways to stay in touch with other people is the most important thing you can do to combat loneliness.There are many creative ways to deal with loneliness and add variety to your everyday routine....

The COVID-19 vaccines have offered people around the world hope that the pandemic may soon come to an end. Key Takeaways The lag time between your first and second COVID-19 vaccine doses can come with stress and anxiety.Research shows that stress and other psychological factors can make vaccines less effective.Meditation, exercise, breathwork, mental health support, and a gratitude practice can help alleviate stress. But getting vaccinated comes with some stress. Both COVID-19 vaccines currently approved in the U....

Picture this: You’re at a birthday party and your child is gorging on candy and sweets. Soon, they’re bouncing off the walls and laughing hysterically. Fast forward 20 minutes, and they’re verging on a meltdown. If you’ve been in that scenario, you may have assumed sugar was the culprit for the extreme behavior. Many kids seem to experience a “sugar rush” after eating cake, cookies, or candy. They become energized for a short time and then quickly crash, feeling tired, irritable, and often hungry....

INFJ is one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Scoring as an INFJ means that your personality type is best described as Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. Sometimes referred to as the “Advocate” or the “Idealist,” people with this personality type often feel misunderstood. Perhaps it’s because INFJ is the rarest MBTI personality type, making up only 1% to 3% of the U.S. population. Or maybe it’s because they’re walking, talking contradictions....

In the United States, about one in four adults are experiencing mental illness at any given time, and research shows that close to 50% of adults will have at least one mental illness during their lifetime. The prevalence of mental health problems highlights the demand and need for qualified professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental health issues. Mental Health Counselor A mental health counselor is a professional who uses a variety of psychotherapy methods and techniques to help people experiencing psychological distress....

Despite their best efforts, many mothers of multiples are not able to breastfeed their twins, triplets, or more. The obstacles they face are many. In some cases, the ravages of a difficult pregnancy take such a toll on a mother’s body that she is unable to produce a sufficient milk supply. Sometimes multiples that are born prematurely require medical treatment that creates an unsupportive environment for breastfeeding. And often, the demands of caring for two or more infants simply generates too much stress....

During pregnancy, our bodies undergo some pretty major changes in order to gestate and grow our babies. You likely know you will be flooded with hormones and your skin and muscles and organs must stretch and grow to accommodate your growing baby. But you might not be prepared for how almost every one of your bodily systems changes and has a role to play when you become pregnant. Some of these changes may be more pronounced than others—and the intensity (and comfort) can vary considerably from one pregnant person to another....

Psychosis is characterized by losing connection with reality. It is not a mental health condition but is instead a symptom of many different mental disorders. The exact causes of psychosis are not entirely clear, but factors such as genetics, environment, illness, and mental disorders can all play a potential role. This article explores some of the common causes that are associated with psychosis. It causes people to experience hallucinations, delusions, and incoherent behaviors....

While breastfeeding itself can often suppress ovulation and work as a method of birth control, it is not completely reliable. For all methods of birth control that contain hormones, it is recommended that you wait until you have been nursing for six weeks or longer. This is to make sure that your milk supply is well established since hormone-based methods can decrease your milk supply. Breastfeeding While Taking Birth Control Pills With Progestin Birth control pills that use only progestin are often called “mini-pills....

If you have chronic depression, more than one factor may be causing your symptoms. One of these potential causes is a deficiency in one or more essential nutrients. This could be great news, because along with medication, therapy, and any other treatment your doctor prescribes, making simple changes to your diet may help you to feel better. Keep in mind that the body benefits most from vitamins and minerals that come from whole foods rather than pills....

Snuff comes in a “dry” form (for snorting) and in a “wet” or “moist” form (chewing or dipping tobacco). Additionally, there is a creamy snuff, which is less popular than the other forms. All deliver nicotine and other hazardous chemicals, so all are dangerous to use. What Is Snuff? Snuff is a form of smokeless tobacco meant to be inhaled through the nose or chewed, or placed in the mouth to produce saliva....

Freezing baby food into cubes is a popular method of storing it into portion-sized amounts because it creates less waste. If you make baby food at home using fresh fruits and veggies, popping it in the freezer ensures that it keeps for longer both in terms of taste and safety. When you’re ready to use it, having the food saved in cube-sized portions makes it easy to thaw out only what you’ll need for a single meal....

Food processors help make cooking nutritious meals a breeze, saving you time in the kitchen. People who cook at home tend to eat healthier meals, spend less money on food, and have less weight gain over time. But time constraints are often a barrier to making home cooking feasible. Food processors evenly chop veggies, mince garlic and fresh herbs, and blitz up creamy sauces and dressings in a flash, allowing you to experiment with different recipes....

If you’ve never experienced addiction, it can be hard to understand. Everyone’s experience with addiction is unique. This article is intended to encourage an understanding of people with addiction, not to represent or stigmatize any individual or groups. Feeling Apart and Isolated Imagine, for a moment, that you’ve never really felt comfortable with who you are. It could be because you feel like you’ve failed at everything you’ve tried, or because you were never satisfied with the level of success you did achieve....

What Does the Term Graysexual Mean? Graysexual is a sexual identity term used to describe people who don’t often experience sexual drive or attraction. While it falls under the umbrella of asexuality, the term “graysexual” is different from the term “asexual” in that sexual urges in graysexual people are reduced, where in asexual people they don’t occur at all. Graysexual cn also be spelled as “greysexual.” Shortened version of the term include: grayce, gray-A, grace, and gray-ace....

Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by the brain’s pineal gland; it is also present in other areas of the body such as in the gastrointestinal tract. Melatonin is secreted at night, during which time it helps you fall asleep. This article covers the definition of melatonin, how melatonin is produced in the body, what inhibits its production, and information on melatonin supplements. What Is Melatonin? Melatonin is commonly referred to as the “sleep hormone....

As you prepare your baby’s sleeping space, you are probably wondering what you need to do to ensure that it’s both cozy and safe. There are so many cute crib products on the market, and you might be unsure what’s best to include. For example, it might not be clear to you whether it’s safe to keep a pillow in your baby’s crib or bassinet. Unfortunately—although it may be tempting—babies under the age of 1 should not sleep with a pillow....

While there is no way to predict how your child will react to the death of a parent, or how this loss will affect them, some circumstances may increase the likelihood that a child will experience depression after a parent dies. Surviving parents and family members can take steps to ensure that a child receives the support or treatment they need to heal. Helping Yourself Helps Your Child The way that you and other caregivers react to death will affect how your child reacts....

Your toddler wakes up in the middle of the night, fussy and warm to the touch. Your preschooler comes home from school, lethargic and feverish. Your second grader has a sore throat and suddenly spikes a high temperature. There is almost nothing as stressful as dealing with a sick or feverish child. It’s a parental instinct to worry and, sometimes, assume the worst. But the fact is, most kids get fevers from time to time throughout childhood, and not all are causes for alarm....