When someone is asked to visualize an individual with depression, they may imagine a withdrawn person sadly and quietly sitting away from others or curled up sleepless in a bed. Both images are silent and sad. But the characteristics of depression are not always so quiet. For men, many times the signs and symptoms of…
DetailsBody image distortion is a term that mental health professionals use to describe a significantly inaccurate self-perception of your body size and shape. People with distorted body images have increased risks for developing an eating disorder. According to the results of a study published in 2011 in the journal NeuroImage, individuals affected by the eating…
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My sister was the pretty one; I was the smart one. What I saw in the mirror or what she saw on her report card counted for less than what our families believed and how we were treated. What was expected of us as children led to what we expected from ourselves as we grew…
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Being a single mom is probably the toughest job on Earth. You must be everything for your children. You play all roles and offer everything your kids need. Depending on the father, you may be doing so without any support at all, financial or otherwise. If you are also facing recovery from an addiction, your…
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The statistics are sobering and discouraging: about one-quarter of American women will become victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives, while one in eight will suffer from an addiction to drugs or alcohol. But these two problems should not be seen as entirely separate. In reality, the connection between substance abuse and…
DetailsPostpartum psychosis (PPP) is a relatively rare mental health disorder that appears in some new mothers in the weeks immediately following childbirth. As the name of the disorder strongly implies, affected individuals develop symptoms of the mental state called psychosis, which can include both hallucinations and delusional thinking. Preexisting bipolar disorder is a known risk…
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When a witness is asked to give testimony in a court trial, she s asked to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If she fails to do so and her dishonesty is discovered, she could be charged with perjury and be sent to prison herself. Fortunately, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies do…
DetailsWe’ve all probably heard the expression “being in love with the feeling of being in love.” The feelings that people experience during the early stages of romance are extremely pleasurable. The rush of emotions, the sense of anticipation, racing heartbeat and so forth are practically intoxicating. Those intense feelings don’t last forever though and mature…
DetailsEating disorders are a collection of mental health conditions characterized by a dysfunctional relationship between eating habits, body image and the beauty ideals of mainstream society. Two factors known to contribute to the development of these disorders are a negative attitude toward one’s body shape and size (body dissatisfaction) and an inability to accurately judge…
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For some, the burden of caregiving can seem unbearable – whether you’re caring for an elderly parent with Alzheimer’s or parenting a child with cerebral palsy. It is, without question, a challenging way to live: attending to your loved one’s personal hygiene, going back and forth to doctor’s appointments, preparing meals and ensuring he or…
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