Posts

Types of Psychiatric Evaluations There are three main types of psychiatric evaluations. Below is a breakdown of each one. Emergency Evaluations An emergency psychiatric evaluation is ordered when it needs to be done immediately for your protection. Before the assessment is done, a physician will first have to rule out other medical reasons for your symptoms. If no other reasons can be identified, you’ll be referred to a psychiatrist. There are multiple reasons an emergency psychiatric evaluation might need to be conducted....

In fact, specific phobia is estimated to impact around 9% to 10% of adults in the United States each year. Specific phobia is an anxiety disorder that encompasses any extreme, overwhelming, or unreasonable fear of a specific situation or object that poses no or minimal real danger, such as dogs, spiders, public speaking, heights, scissors, or seeing blood. Symptoms People who have a specific phobia, including anthophobia, may experience the following symptoms when exposed to, anticipating, or just thinking about the object of their phobia:...

Autism is referred to as a spectrum disorder because there is so much variation in terms of the type of symptoms people experience and the severity of those symptoms. Symptoms While symptoms are often highly variable, they usually begin to appear before the age of three. Parents may notice symptoms associated with how children interact socially, their responsiveness to stimulation, and their ability to communicate. Symptoms of autism include repetitive behaviors, limited interests, and problems with interaction....

Some of the goals of the body positivity movement include: Challenging how society views the bodyPromoting the acceptance of all bodiesHelping people build confidence and acceptance of their own bodiesAddressing unrealistic body standards Body positivity is not just about challenging how society views people based upon their physical size and shape, however. It also recognizes that judgments are often made based on race, gender, sexuality, and disability. Body positivity also aims to help people understand how popular media messages contribute to the relationship that people have with their bodies, including how they feel about food, exercise, clothing, health, identity, and self-care....

History of Existentialism Søren Kierkegaard was a Danish philosopher from the 1800s who is considered the father of existentialism. He was critical of Christianity and religious philosophy, emphasizing living as an individual within reality rather than abstract thought experiments. Other early existential philosophers, including Friedrich Nietzche and Fyodor Dostoevsky, wrote about creating one’s own identity to give meaning to existence. The inability to identify meaning in one’s life causes anxiety, known as an existential crisis....

This is thought to underlie many unhealthy “escape” behaviors, such as substance use, risky sexual behavior, and deliberate self-harm. It may also increase the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in people who have experienced severe trauma. Experiential avoidance often becomes a cycle through the process of negative reinforcement. Because this type of avoidance provides short-term relief, it increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated. History of Experiential Avoidance Avoiding negative internal experiences is a natural instinct....

History of Gender Expression What is “normal” for gender expression changes with time. For example, when we think of high heels in our current society, we consider them to be women’s clothing. It is outside of cisgender male expression to wear high heels. However, high heels were first worn by men who continued to wear them through Victorian times. Similarly, in Elizabethan and Victorian England, wigs were as common for men, if not more so, than they were for women....

The term became popular following a viral tweet by journalist Daphne K. Lee. She described it as something that happens when “people who don’t have much control over their daytime life refuse to sleep early to regain some sense of freedom during late night hours.” Signs of Revenge Bedtime Procrastination Staying up late isn’t necessarily a sign of revenge bedtime procrastination. Researchers suggest that three key features define sleep procrastination:...

Sometimes, the best way to manage your stress involves changing your situation. At other times, the best strategy involves changing the way you respond to the situation. Signs of Stress Stress can be short-term or long-term. Both can lead to a variety of symptoms, but chronic stress can take a serious toll on the body over time and have long-lasting health effects. Some common signs of stress include: Changes in mood Clammy or sweaty palms Decreased sex drive Diarrhea Difficulty sleeping Digestive problems Dizziness Feeling anxious Frequent sickness Grinding teeth Headaches Low energy Muscle tension, especially in the neck and shoulders Physical aches and pains Racing heartbeat Trembling...

Whether you’re inclined to go with the flow or debate the nitty-gritty, take a look at the cultural context and potential mental health effects of casual sex when deciding if it’s right for you. What Is Casual Sex? Casual sex means different things to different people. Generally, though, the term refers to consensual sex outside of a romantic relationship or marriage, usually without any strings of attachment or expectation of commitment or exclusivity....

Try the following strategies for reducing and coping with anxiety when you wake up and go about your morning: Consider Your Sleep Habits Getting proper shuteye is extremely important for your mental and physical health. In fact, sleep problems like difficulties falling asleep and/or staying asleep are known to cause a variety of psychological and physical complaints. These include headaches, decreased energy, poor concentration, short-term memory problems, irritability, and anxiety....

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. This can be considered suicidal ideation, which means thinking about taking your own life. Nine percent of people experience suicidal ideation in their lifetimes, but only 14% of those make attempts. The rate of completed suicides is even lower—for every 31 attempts, there is only one completed attempt. The Difference Between Active Suicidal Ideation & Passive Suicidal Ideation If you’ve decided you don’t want to live like this any more but you don’t want to die, it’s likely that you’re feeling passive suicidal ideation....

Friday Fix: Episode 103 On the surface, it seems like hearing nice things about yourself would help you feel good. After all, don’t you want to know if your colleague thinks you’re brilliant or the person you’re dating thinks you’re attractive? If hearing a compliment actually makes you feel uncomfortable, though, you’re not alone. Most people cringe when they hear a compliment about themselves. Fortunately, you can grow more comfortable with hearing nice things about yourself....

While it’s comfortable to find camaraderie with people most like you, there are some drawbacks to not diversifying your social network. This article discusses those pitfalls and provides some tips on how you can diversify your circle of friends. Homogenous Social Circles Many people seek friendships with the people they feel they can relate to. If you’re white, you may notice many of your friends are also white. If you’re BIPOC, many of your friends may be other people of color....

If it often happens that you don’t know what you’re feeling, you may be headed for problems such as: Being unable to manage your emotions and stay in control Choosing unhealthy coping skills, such as avoidance or self-medication with illegal drugs or alcohol Feeling out of control and anxious about what emotions are coming up next In extremely upsetting situations, some people may use dissociation (“blanking out,” or feeling that your emotions are disconnected from you) to distance themselves from all aspects of an emotion....

Research from BMJ Global Health explored responses to the pandemic based upon which news was consumed, finding that Fox News watchers, for example, had very different views of the pandemic than CNN viewers. Fox News, which the study calls the largest cable news channel, appeared more likely to match its content to talking points that downplayed the severity of the crisis. CNN, which is the second-largest news channel, was more likely to follow the stricter guidance provided by scientists and health experts that urged caution....

Whether it’s a problem with your internet connection, an issue with your phone number, or а more complex problem, we’ve got you covered. Follow these steps to get your verification code and easily set up your WhatsApp account. Method 1: Check your internet connection A weak or unstable internet connection is one of the most common reasons for not receiving а WhatsApp verification code. WhatsApp requires a strong and stable internet connection to send and receive messages, including verification codes....

Steps to Take Control of Your Social Anxiety If you feel as though you have no power in your life (as many with social anxiety do), doing little things that make you feel more in control may be of help. Even if you don’t feel in control of your life, your mental wellness, or your social anxiety—what if you were to act as though you were? This reflects behaving in ways that are consistent with feeling more in control....

As a result, in May 2015, 13 US-based eating disorder organizations, in collaboration with Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., FAED, who serves as Distinguished Professor of Eating Disorders in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Professor of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, published the “Nine Truths About Eating Disorders.” This document was inspired by Dr. Bulik’s 2014 “9 Eating Disorders Myths Busted” talk at the National Institute of Mental Health Alliance for Research Progress meeting....

Culture-Specific Phobias and Fear Responses Here we will examine three culture-specific phobias (or conditions that act much like phobias) that appear to be unique to the culture of those who reportedly suffer from them: ataque de nervios, taijin kyofusho, and koro. 1. Ataque de Nervios The fear response known as ataque de nervios appears almost exclusively among Hispanic people, particularly Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. The condition is much more prevalent in females than in males....