Chilled bottles of fancy champagne to toast the New Year; elegant wines from all over the world meant to satisfy the most sophisticated palate at each holiday feast; open (and well-stocked) bars at holiday parties; and creamy eggnog decadently spiked with brandy… Drinks, anyone? Yes, the holiday season is upon us. Anyone who’s ever struggled …
Powerful Tips for Staying Sober During the Holidays Read More »
A 2011 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that fewer teens today are drinking alcohol than in previous years. Things are looking up, but teens are still in jeopardy of harming their health, their future life, and endangering the lives of others because of alcohol use. According to the Substance …
As the baby boom generation enters retirement age, they represent an enormous demographic. Their new stage in life will present new challenges for the culture. One concern is the number of older Americans who will be taking, and potentially abusing, prescription drugs. The abuse of prescription medications is already a problem in this country, but …
Holiday cheer can be particularly difficult to muster when you’re prone to or currently battling depression. If you’re already living with symptoms of depression like fatigue, insomnia, sadness, or severe pessimism, this time of year can make you feel even more overwhelmed than usual. Even if your symptoms are generally under control, holiday strain has …
“One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, U.S. author and physician (1809-1894) Have we ever thought about our mind as having infinite capabilities? Do we imagine, even just a little, that we are capable of brilliance and uniqueness and incredible accomplishments? If not, why not? …
The transition to the teenage years is marked with a significant change in the influences over a young person’s life. An individual may have had only their parents as major forces contributing to their thoughts and decisions as they completed elementary school. When it is time to go on to middle and high school, teens …
Peer and Family Relationships Impact Development of Depression Read More »
With a literal and figurative wave of natural disasters on our shores and an uptick in violence against U.S. citizens and soldiers around the globe, understanding how to best treat PTSD is vital. The condition is triggered by experienced trauma, but it can quickly grow in severity as the person mentally rehearses the event(s) over …
Reducing PTSD Impact by Controlling the Narrative Read More »
Stories of violence or suicide related to bullying have gained national attention in recent years. While school bullies have been around as far back as the one room schoolhouse, the impact of bullying seems to have intensified. Even if the victim does not succumb to violence in response, the damage done can be significant. A …
Worry and stress are an important part of most people’s everyday lives. These emotional states often alert a person that a task or situation has serious potential implications for their well-being. Worry and stress come and go, but when they are persistent and limit normal functioning, they may indicate a form of an anxiety disorder.
Though predominantly a female problem, anorexia nervosa is not exclusively a female one because men do suffer from the condition as well. Yet, some wonder if there are subtle gender biases which prevent the condition from being recognized in men. Further, the public image of the condition as an overwhelmingly female problem may prevent men …