What Is Expressive Writing? Expressive writing is hard to define because it is essentially anything you want it to be. There are no complicated rules or elaborate style guidelines. It is simply the act of writing about your personal experiences in order to better recognize and understand your own perceptions, feelings, and responses. Expressive writing can take many forms. For example, you could keep a traditional paper diary or you could launch a blog that functions as an online journal....

The term is often used in a derogatory way to describe women who date older men, call their sexual partner “daddy,” or any other sexual behavior that someone might deem aberrant or unusual. Despite its prevalence, ‘daddy issues’ isn’t a clinical term or a disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association’s latest update of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). In this article, we’ll explore the origins of the term, the psychological theory it refers to, and the findings of some research studies on the impact of daddy issues....

During childhood, some people have distant relationships with their fathers or no relationship at all. Others might be so close that the relationship becomes unhealthy. Both types of situations can contribute to the development of daddy issues. The Psychology of Daddy Issues There is psychology behind the concept of daddy issues, even if it isn’t referred to by this name. Namely, children who had a troubled relationship with their father while growing up may have difficulty attaching to others as adults....

This is because ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which can impact the brain in ways increasing the likelihood of emotional dysregulation. Crying at movies and weddings, expressing happiness or passion can be endearing to people. However, if anger is an emotion you express frequently, the people in your life can get scared or annoyed and back away. You might have noticed that sometimes there are benefits to expressing anger. For example, people give you what you want quickly....

Social support can play a major role in helping people cope with their grief and accept their loss. According to a 2020 study, having social support in a time of grief can improve well-being and help prevent depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even suicide. But, what happens if a person’s friends, family members, employers, colleagues, or community members don’t acknowledge their grief or consider it to be legitimate? For instance, if someone loses their dog, people might not understand why they’re grieving as though they’ve lost a child....

This article discusses some of the self-tests that can help you determine if you might have a drinking problem. What Is a Drinking Problem? A drinking problem is not an official diagnosis. Instead, the term is used to indicate that a person misuses alcohol. If you have done the same thing—told yourself you would never get that drunk again, or even drink again—but found yourself a few days later doing exactly what you swore to yourself you would never do, chances are your drinking falls into the category of an alcohol use disorder, previously labeled as alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence....

To manage these symptoms, therapy and medication are commonly recommended. However, there are cases where these treatments fail to provide relief or are not tolerated. In such instances, measures like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) may be used. For those who find their depression to be treatment-resistant, TMS may help with managing their condition. This treatment can potentially provide relief from mental health disorder symptoms. What Is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation? TMS is a non-invasive procedure that applies strong magnetic fields to certain parts of the brain....

If you have been through a traumatic experience, you may find that it has changed you in many ways, including affecting your partner and your relationship. In fact, the American Psychological Association notes that one of the long-term effects of trauma is strained relationships. This article explores some of the effects of trauma on relationships and some coping strategies that may be helpful to you and your partner. How Trauma Can Affect Your Relationship Below, Dr....

Especially as it pertains to the impact of the pandemic on women’s careers, this research needs to prompt tangible action as the struggles of marginalized genders are likely to increase when the global economy is in turmoil. Not only are marginalized genders earning less, but they are often working more, according to a study that assessed the time spent with patients among physicians. Clearly, the gender wage gap needs to be taken seriously....

The book is notable because it introduced many of Freud’s best-known ideas, including the notion of the unconscious mind and how it relates to the interpretation of dreams. Freud also published an abridged version of the text titled “On Dreams.” This article discusses why “The Interpretation of Dreams” is important and some of the criticisms of the text. It also covers the history of the book and the impact that it had on the field of psychology....

Traditional brief screeningThe blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testThe carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) test The traditional brief alcohol screening isn’t as reliable as the other two methods because its accuracy depends solely on the patient being accurate and honest about how much they drink. While the BAC test measures the level of alcohol currently in the bloodstream, CDT testing uses biomarkers to detect a recent history of harmful levels of alcohol consumption. The CDT test is a better indicator of binge drinking or daily heavy drinking (four or more drinks per day) than the other two tests....

Because antidepressants are not considered “drugs of abuse,” they are not included in common urine drug screens. However, there may be cross-reactions that can produce false positive results for the substances these tests are designed to detect. Learn the actions you can take to ensure your drug test results are interpreted accurately and your rights are protected. Common Drug Screens Antidepressants do not show up as antidepressants on standard drug tests....

It is something a person is born with and is often diagnosed in childhood, though it might not cause deficits until later in life. It is a lifelong diagnosis that impacts relationships, work, physical health, mental health, and functioning. A person with ADHD can have primarily inattentive symptoms, primarily hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, or a combination of both. What Is Executive Dysfunction? Executive functioning refers to our brain’s ability to do a number of tasks, including holding information, organizing thoughts, managing time, and focusing....

Although not life-threatening, panic attacks can be frightening, disorienting, and mentally and physically exhausting. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can use to try to stop them—or at least lessen their effect. Let Panic Run Its Course During a panic attack, you may experience feelings of depersonalization and derealization, in which you feel disconnected from yourself and the world around you. You may become fearful that you are “going crazy,” losing all ​control, or having a stroke or heart attack....

CBT helps people learn to better identify the negative and self-defeating thoughts and actions that can contribute to substance use. It is a short-term, focused therapeutic approach to helping drug-dependent people become abstinent. What Is CBT? Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the idea that feelings and behaviors are caused by a person’s thoughts, not on outside stimuli like people, situations, and events. While you may not be able to change your circumstances, you can change how you think about them....

These staggering statistics let us know that addiction is a disease that requires support and help. Furthermore, those who have loved folks experiencing addiction know how much substance abuse can impact the entire family system. That 10% of folks who will experience this disease have loved ones, colleagues, and family members who are all inevitably impacted by this illness as well. We can change the overwhelming number of folks who go without recovering when we learn more about what support is out there and how we can help....

Besides major depressive disorder, Zoloft is also approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following psychiatric conditions: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Panic disorder Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) Social anxiety disorder (SAD) Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) Zoloft Timeline Learning how Zoloft works and what to watch out for when taking it can help you better cope with your illness and stick to your treatment plan. For example, it’s important not to expect immediate results when taking Zoloft....

Causes of Noise Pollution While there are many different sources of noise pollution, these, in particular, have been found to have a negative impact on health. Airplanes Noise pollution from airplanes has a significant negative impact on the health and well-being of those who live close to airports. This can include heart disease, high blood pressure, and elevated stress hormones, as well as sleep disruption. Traffic One of the complaints of those who live in big cities or on busy streets is the disruption from the sounds of traffic....