Alcohol may have some health benefits, including lowering the risk for heart disease, but it may also lead to abusive drinking and other diseases.
If the truth be told, most of us lie to some degree, especially when faced with an alternative like hurting someone's feelings. Some of us, however, lie so often that we stop realizing it.
Besides having trouble with school and relationships, teenagers taking drugs may display emotional extremes with irritability, anger and changes in sleep patterns.
Rituals such as hand washing, counting, checking or cleaning are often performed in hope of preventing obsessive thoughts or making them go away. Performing these rituals, however, provides only temporary relief, and not performing them markedly increases anxiety. Left untreated, obsessions and the need to perform rituals can take over a person's life. OCD is often a chronic, relapsing illness.
Research shows that adolescents who grow up with high self-esteem are far less likely to abuse drugs or drink, compared with children who grow up without much sense of self-worth.
The holidays can be enjoyed without drinking alcohol. But if you choose to drink, there are responsible ways to consume alcohol.
Alcohol is considered a drug because it depresses the central nervous system and can disrupt mental and motor skills, as well as damage internal organs when used excessively.
More than 22 million Americans are involved in some form of helping elderly family members or friends with their daily routines. If you're part of this group, whether you call yourself a caregiver, or simply a good daughter or son, you know that caring for an aging parent or friend has its rewards and its trials.
While being a new Mom brings lots of joy, it also brings stress—something a crying baby can make worse. A better understanding of why your baby cries can help you deal with this stress in a healthy way and help you avoid the most common form of child abuse: Shaken baby syndrome.
In general, only about 3% of the elderly living independently in the community will experience depression. That figure increases to around 20% to 30% of people in nursing homes or with chronic illnesses like emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.
Until recently, heroin was not considered a problem among children of middle-class parents. But lately, it has been showing up in new places.
Although people generally gain weight when they stop smoking, you can reduce your chances of adding extra pounds by taking steps to prevent it.
Good mental health is just as important as good physical health. But we all face changes in life that can challenge our emotional well being.
Child abuse can happen in any family and in any neighborhood. Studies have shown that child abuse crosses all boundaries of income, race, ethnic heritage and religious faith.
It's normal to feel stressed or anxious now and then. But it's time to call for help if emotional issues interfere with your life, your job or your personal relationships.
Suicide is when a teen causes his or her own death on purpose. Before attempting to take his or her own life, a teen may have thoughts of wanting to die. This is called suicidal ideation. He or she may also have suicidal behavior. That’s when a teen is focused on doing things that cause his or her own death.
Learning about grief and how it affects your family can help you get through the difficult times together. It may even help your family grow stronger.
When someone gets a raise or a special perk, can you say congratulations and mean it? Or do you seethe inside and think, "That really should have been mine?"
The unrealistic expectations of the season, time and financial pressures, missing loved ones and reflecting on past events as the year comes to an end all contribute to the blues.
Over the long-term, your quality of life is tied to how severe your heart attack was and how it was treated. Beyond that, any change will depend largely on you.
Fewer than a quarter of those who attempt to quit are able to make it beyond three months before resuming smoking. Here are suggestions to help you kick the habit, again, for good.
Major depression goes beyond the day’s normal ups and downs. It involves a teen’s body, mood, and thoughts. It can affect and disrupt eating, sleeping, or thinking patterns.
When a friend shows signs of abusing alcohol or other drugs, it's hard to know what to do or say.
CDC defines intimate partner violence as actual or threatened physical or sexual violence, or psychological and emotional abuse, directed at a spouse, former spouse, current or former boyfriend or girlfriend, or dating partner.
Domestic violence is behavior someone uses to control a spouse, partner, date or elderly relative through fear and intimidation.
The symptoms of OCD vary widely from person to person. Without treatment, OCD can last for a lifetime.
LSD, also called acid, is one of the most commonly used hallucinogens or psychedelic drugs.
Some treatment programs teach problem drinkers to reduce their drinking. This approach appeals to people who otherwise might not seek treatment.
How do you know when your emotions are of the everyday sort, or when you could benefit from seeing a therapist?
These fits of rage—the stomping, screaming, and falling on the floor—are a normal part of childhood development. Temper tantrums often happen only with a parent. They are a way for the child to communicate his or her feelings.
Every year, millions of adults fall, leading to injuries and emergency room visits. Many of these falls and injuries can be prevented.
Many people think using smokeless tobacco is safer than smoking. Just because there's no smoke, doesn't mean it's safe.
As medical progress prolongs our lives, the end can linger. So, more and more people are turning to hospice care.
Parents need to realize the rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until he or she is 25 years old or so.
Methamphetamine is related to the legal stimulant amphetamine, but has stronger effects.
Children who have ADHD are often given medicine as part of their treatment plan. The type of medicine most often chosen is a psychostimulant.
Mental health support groups offer support, understanding, and helpful information to people struggling with depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other conditions.
Many older adults enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while watching the game on TV. In fact, half of Americans ages 65 and older drink alcohol. Having a drink now and then is fine—as long as you don’t overdo it.
Three kinds of prescription drugs are potentially addictive: opioids, tranquilizers, and stimulants.
Codependency is an emotional and behavioral condition. It affects a person’s ability to have healthy, mutually satisfying relationships.
The disorder may develop when others make repeated negative comments about a person's weight.
As you probably already know, quitting smoking isn't easy. But, millions of other people have done it, and you can, too.
Men are missing opportunities to detect and address medical problems in their early stages, when many conditions are more treatable and less threatening to overall health.
If you tend to worry a lot, even when there’s no reason, you may have generalized anxiety disorder or GAD. Medicine and lifestyle changes can help.
Bullying can happen in school, on the playground—and now even on the Internet through social networking sites. Here are some warning signs to watch for, and information on how to help your child.
At least some anger is necessary for survival. Frequent or intense episodes of anger, however, aren’t good for you or the people around you. If you find yourself boiling mad more often than not, try some of these tips to keep your temper in check.
Drug addiction and alcohol addiction are chronic diseases that can be treated as successfully as many other chronic diseases, including high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes.
A growing number of scientific studies indicate that optimistic people tend to live longer and have better physical and mental health than pessimistic people.
Organized sports for children offer obvious benefits such as physical fitness and sportsmanship, but did you know that a musical education program has many of the same benefits? Music education and participation in sports are both great ways to prepare your child for future success.
Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is type of depression. It happens during certain seasons of the year—most often fall or winter. It is thought that shorter days and less daylight may trigger a chemical change in the brain leading to symptoms of depression. Light therapy and antidepressants can help treat SAD.
Emotional eating affects most everyone from time to time, but regularly letting your feelings guide your food intake can affect your health.
Keep this in mind: if you can make it through this first day and this first week when nicotine withdrawal symptoms are at their worst, you will be on your way to success.
Mental illness can cause different symptoms in men than in women, so some disorders in men may be harder to recognize. Men who are depressed, for example, may appear angry and irritable rather than sad and withdrawn.
Many adults never leave home without their smartphone. If that's you, find out how this essential accessory can help and hinder your health.
There is peace of mind that comes with making and keeping a budget. These tips and resources will help you make a realistic budget, and direct you to financial assistance options.
Many factors affect your credit score. It is important to understand your credit score and how you can improve it.
Getting a divorce is almost always painful and stressful, no matter how old or young you are. But if your marriage falls apart later in life, you may face some financial and emotional setbacks that are more difficult to recover from than when you were younger.
Conflict and anger are natural parts of family life. But how you handle them makes all the difference in having good relationships with loved ones.
A marriage is based on love and respect. You, your spouse, and your relationship may grow and change with time, but these ideas can help your marriage stay successful over the years.
If you're a single parent, you may feel overwhelmed by everything you have to do each day. Here are some ideas on finding support.
Being out of work is always a frustrating situation. There are some specific strategies to help you rise above other job candidates.
While getting angry from time to time is inevitable, the way you express it isn't. Control your anger in a way that's better for both you and the people around you.
Juggling the demands of work and home can be quite stressful. For your health and well-being, it is important to find a good balance between work and home responsibilities
An effective therapist helps couples understand their problems and teaches them tools that can help them work out disagreements and negotiate solutions to differences.
Talking can be good medicine. Whether you’re concerned about a difficult relationship, low moods, an overload of stress, or frustrations at work or home—or you’re trying to cope with feelings that just seem overwhelming at times—working with a counselor or therapist can help you make positive changes in your life.
If the proverbial bluebird of happiness skipped your home this morning, don’t fret. Even if your car wouldn’t start, it rained on your new suit, one of the kids (or pets) threw up, you missed that important deadline, or you’re generally irked, hit the reset button and have a better day—starting now.
Christmas is supposed to be a merry time. Instead, it’s often an occasion for overspending, overdoing, and overeating—and that can leave you feeling stressed, tired, and down on yourself. But it’s not too late to reclaim your holiday spirit. These tips can help you recapture the joy of the season and take better care of your health.