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Wellbutrin for Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorder is a challenging condition to live with because it is characterized by the opposite moods of mania and depression, both of which can be quite extreme and neither of which is optimal. Antidepressants, including Wellbutrin, are widely used in managing depression in bipolar disorder. There are concerns when it comes to antidepressants and bipolar disease. One of these concerns is called phase switching, which is a shift in mood from depression to mania....

Put another way, character strengths are those traits that show people’s assets rather than their faults and issues. According to positive psychology, good character is exemplified by 24 widely valued character strengths. These are organized under six broad virtues. History of the 24 Character Strengths These 24 character strengths were first identified by Martin Seligman, PhD, and Neal Mayerson, PhD. Seligman and Mayerson eventually created the Values In Action (VIA) Institute on Character, which identifies the positive character strengths that all people have (in varying degrees)....

There are about seven million adoptees living in the United States and approximately 140,000 are adopted each year. Attachment starts in the womb,so even for children relinquished at birth, this represents a significant trauma and attachment wound. Adoption is often forgotten when speaking about trauma, leading to a form of disenfranchised grief, which is grief that is not typically acknowledged or validated by society. Both the trauma and the unrecognized grief may contribute to significant mental health issues....

It’s also referred to as psychosis or a psychotic episode. Some research shows that 3 in 100 people will experience a psychotic break at some point in their lives. This article looks at signs of a psychotic break, what to expect when it happens, and how best to cope. Causes of a Psychotic Break It’s not entirely understood why psychosis happens. There’s no single cause for a psychotic break. Several factors or conditions could be responsible for a person’s psychotic break....

The acronym is used to represent a diverse range of sexualities and gender-identities, referring to anyone who is transgender and/or same/similar gender attracted. What Does Each Letter Mean? L (Lesbian): A lesbian is a woman/woman-aligned person who is attracted to only people of the same/similar gender.G (Gay): Gay is usually a term used to refer to men/men-aligned individuals who are only attracted to people of the same/similar gender. However, lesbians can also be referred to as gay....

It’s pretty common for people to experience depression and anxiety after a first-time DUI. But getting a DUI may result in a host of emotions—including sadness, anger, guilt, and shame. Here we take a look at what happens when you get a DUI and what you need to know to ensure you get the help you need. In some states, you can be released immediately if someone comes to jail, pays your bail, and drives you home....

Data is first collected at the outset of the study, and may then be repeatedly gathered throughout the length of the study. Doing this allows researchers to observe how variables change over time. For example, imagine that a group of researchers is interested in studying how exercise during middle age could affect cognitive health as people age. The researchers hypothesize that people who are more physically fit in their 40s and 50s will be less likely to experience cognitive declines in their 70s and 80s....

Existential anxiety tends to arise during transitions and reflects difficulty adapting, often related to losing safety and security. For example, a college student moving away from home or an adult going through a difficult divorce might feel as though the foundation on which their life was built is crumbling. This can lead to questioning the meaning of their existence. For existentialists—those who embrace a philosophy focusing on meaning and purpose—an existential crisis is considered a journey, an awareness, a necessary experience, and a complex phenomenon....

Chronic loneliness is a profound aloneness from being involuntarily isolated from meaningful relationships for a long period of time. You may be around others but still feel like you are an island of your own. What Does It Mean to Be Chronically Lonely? Developing a connection with others is an enduring desire that begins in infancy with our earliest caregivers. Before we know anything about the world, there’s already an innate yearning to attach to emotionally responsive individuals who can meet our fundamental need for closeness....

What Is Dissociative Fugue? The word “fugue” comes from the Latin word for “flight,” which reflects the nature of dissociative fugue in that involves an element of traveling or wondering away from one’s present situation. Dissociative fugue is a form of reversible amnesia that involves personality, memories, and personal identity. This type of temporary amnesia may last hours, days, weeks, months, or longer. It involves wandering or unplanned travel, in which the person may establish a new identity in a new location very different from their old life....

They currently have clinicians in more than 27 states including New York, California, Washington, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Ilinois, Pennysylvania, Washinton D.C., South Carolina, and several more. They offer a variety of transitional and supplemental eating disorder services, including therapeutic meal support, clinical coaching, and in-home cooking for early recovery. Clinical coaching is a key component of the program. During a clinical coaching session, an EDRS expert may conduct behavioral interventions, therapeutic exposures, skills building, and accountability....

It is typically accompanied by intense fear and vivid hallucinations that make it difficult for the person to distinguish between reality and dream. Symptoms can last anywhere from seconds to minutes, but generally don’t persist longer than 20 minutes. People who experience this type of paralysis sometimes also suffer from other sleep disorders like narcolepsy so it’s important to be aware of any underlying issues when seeking treatment for this condition....

Learn more about the bipolar spectrum, symptoms, types of bipolar disorder, and treatment options below. Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder Bipolar disorders are marked by mood episodes. There are four primary types of mood episodes seen in individuals on the bipolar spectrum. Manic Episodes A manic episode is defined as “a distinct period of abnormally and persistently-elevated, expansive, or irritable mood and abnormally and persistently increased goal-directed activity or energy.” In order for a mood episode to be classified as manic, it must last a minimum of one week and include at least three of the following symptoms:...

The self-serving bias occurs in a wide range of settings, including school, work, interpersonal relationships, consumer choices, and sports. It is influenced by a range of different factors including locus of control, motivation, age, and culture Examples of the Self-Serving Bias There are a number of different signs that the self-serving bias might be influencing how you attribute events. Let’s say you ace an exam. The self-serving bias would lead you to believe that it’s because you studied hard....

Gallup’s most recent research estimates that 5.6% of American adults identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, of which, many individuals may also experience marginalization based on other aspects of identity. Although June is a time of LGBTQ+ Pride unity for many, that is not the case for all who identify as queer, so it can help to understand how to better welcome individuals who may also be oppressed in additional ways....

This article also includes information on broken heart syndrome, destructive ways to manage these feelings as well as constructive ways to deal with grief and stress. How Are Grief and Stress Similar? Grief When you’re bereaved, you are mourning the loss of someone important to you. Common responses include: crying a lot, trouble sleeping, inability to concentrate and loss of appetite. Grief can also negatively impact your body by exacerbating digestive problems and increasing inflammation, joint pain and headaches....

While more research needs to be done into what causes autism and its most effective treatments, diagnosing and treating autism as early as possible is in a child’s best interest. Autistic children are more likely to develop conditions like depression, attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), epilepsy, and anxiety. About 1 out of 160 children in the world today have ASD. This article looks into what you need to know if your child is autistic and what treatment options are available to you....

In April 2011, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) released its new Definition of Addiction, which, for the first time, extends addiction to include behaviors other than problematic substance abuse. A group of 80 addiction experts worked for four years to arrive at the new definition of addiction and concluded that addiction is about the underlying neurology of the brain—not about outward behavior. Addiction Alters Your Brain’s Reward System Addiction affects your brain’s reward, motivation, memory, and related circuitry to the extent that your motivations are altered so that your addictive behaviors replace healthy, self-care behaviors....

As one union member said in a statement at the outset of the action, “We’re not willing to be part of a system that disrespects the work we do and prevents us from providing ethical care. Kaiser has no excuse to continue treating mental health care as a separate and unequal service, and we’re going to keep striking until that changes.” Experts, from local mental health practitioners to the US Surgeon General himself, are clear that the strain being put on healthcare workers is unsustainable....

A review of studies on the functional and morphological impact of marijuana use on the brain shows changes in three areas. These include the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and hippocampus. The differences in brain abnormalities compared to non-smokers is directly related to how much marijuana is consumed, the researchers found. Studies of Heavy Marijuana Smokers There have been many previous studies that have linked marijuana use to impairment in motivation, attention, learning, and memory....