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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States within the general population. Many risk factors for cardiovascular disease are related to a person’s lifestyle, including smoking cigarettes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that tobacco use accounts for up to 10% of cardiovascular disease-related deaths globally each year. In addition to being hard on the heart, smoking also contributes to other chronic conditions and diseases that can lead to disability and even death....

Joe Goldberg wants you. Joe wants to know you, to protect you, to love you. And he’s not willing to leave your romance to chance, so even though you don’t know it, he follows you, he manipulates you, he controls you. Over time, the you Joe obsesses over changes but his belief in true love—and what he has to do to ensure it happens—never does. Joe Goldberg is the main character of You, the extremely popular TV series based on a series of novels by Caroline Kepnes....

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Know the Signs Prevention first involves being able to recognize the warning signs of suicide, which can include: Extreme mood swingsFeelings of hopelessnessGiving away possessionsLosing interest in activitiesTalking about death or suicideSaying goodbye to family and friendsSaying that they are a burden Withdrawing from friends and family Suicide is a serious problem and any suicide threat or attempt should be taken seriously....

But if you’re working on your mental health, it can feel like there’s no clear way to measure how you’re getting stronger carrying that mental weight. You’re working out, going to therapy, meditating, but how do you know they are working? Verywell Mind spoke with Ce Anderson, MS, LPC, a licensed therapist, to find some ways to gauge if all of this hard work is working. Ways to Tell If Your Mental Health Is Improving While it might seem difficult to tell if your mental health is improving, there are, in fact, some ways to measure improvement....

Overview While we might liken our memories to a camera, preserving every moment in perfect detail exactly as it happened, the sad fact is that our memories are more like a collage, pieced together sometimes crudely with the occasional embellishment or even outright fabrication. Surprisingly, people with exceptional memories are still susceptible to making things up without even realizing it. Research In one famous experiment carried out in 1995, memory expert Elizabeth Loftus was able to get 25% of her participants to believe a false memory that they were once lost in a shopping mall as a child....

Treatment for this condition is typically highly individualized. Your healthcare provider will evaluate you and suggest a course of treatment based on factors like: Your age, symptoms, medical history, lifestyle, and current health statusThe type of Parkinson’s disease you have and the progression of the conditionYour preference, responsiveness, and tolerance of procedures, medicines, and therapies Medication Drug therapy is the primary form of treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Many people can maintain a good quality of life with medication....

Types There are several SSRIs that may be recommended in treating SAD including the following. Each medication is listed by the brand name followed by the generic name in parentheses: Celexa (Citalopram) Lexapro (Escitalopram) Luvox (Fluvoxamine) Paxil (Paroxetine) Prozac (Fluoxetine) Zoloft (Sertraline) Three SSRIs, Paxil, Zoloft, and Luvox CR have been approved by the FDA for treating social anxiety disorder. All three medications have been shown in clinical studies to offer improvement of symptoms....

Let’s explore ways to find an ADHD support group, including some of the best places to look. Understanding what these groups can offer and how you might benefit from participating in one can help you choose the right group for your needs. Finding ADHD Support Groups If you are interested in finding an ADHD support group, the first step is to assess some of the different available resources. In the past, support groups were frequently held in person....

Because avoiding them is sometimes not an option, many people wonder about the best way to deal with these stress-inducing energy-drainers, and the solutions can’t come too soon. Fortunately, there are a few “best ways” that can work, in terms of reducing their impact on your stress levels. While all people are different, there are some basic universal options for dealing with difficult co-workers. You can try one or more to improve your situation:...

Abuse can occur verbally, mentally, and psychologically. It is not just the physical version, also known as “domestic violence,” but also other forms of domestic abuse including verbal, emotional, financial, sexual, and cultural abuse. Physical abuse may be more obvious, but the other forms of abuse are still very destructive to your marriage. It will undermine the trust, connection, and bond in your relationship for your marriage to succeed and be healthy....

The new normal is coming just in time for a safe and social redo of last year’s isolated summer. With it, the answer to that question is going from a far-off hope to a potential reality. Travel, concerts, parties, and whatever else you fantasized about in those dark days all await. However, for a myriad of reasons, this summer may not be the whirlwind return to society you’ve had in mind—and that’s OK....

Suicide Prevention Week often includes special events, personal stories, shareable social materials designed to help people know their options if they are struggling, as well as discussions on how to have authentic, caring conversations about suicide risk and prevention with loved ones. By learning more about the issue during this week, you may be better equipped to support someone who may be thinking about suicide. Making National Suicide Prevention Strides Bob Gebbia, CEO of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), says, “National Suicide Prevention Week is a great moment in time throughout the calendar to stop and really focus on what is often a leading cause of death that’s not discussed enough....

Signs of Paruresis Paruresis can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of paruresis include the following: Needing complete privacy when using a restroomFear that other people will hear you when using the restroomComplete inability to use toilets other than at homeFeeling anxious about needing to use a toiletNot drinking so that you won’t have to use the restroomAvoiding events because of the need to use the public restroomNegative thoughts about yourself when using the restroom...

However, not all situations, people, or places can be avoided. And triggers also can present themselves unexpectedly. They are all around. In addition, avoidance only works for a short time. As a result, avoidance is a symptom of PTSD that can greatly interfere with the quality of your life. How to Reduce Your Avoidance Behavior Breaking down avoidance behavior is not an easy thing to do. However, there are steps you can take to start reducing your avoidance behavior now....

Meet Danica McKellar You might remember Danica McKellar as Winnie Cooper from the TV show The Wonder Years. But she’s gone on to accomplish much more since her days as a child actress, including becoming a New York Times bestselling author. In college, Danica discovered she was really good at math. So she started writing books that help young people (and their parents) break down complex mathematical principles into fun, easy-to-understand equations....

One of the most popular features of Snapchat is the ability to use GIFs in chats and snaps. GIFs, or short animations, can add a fun and dynamic element to your conversations and snaps. They can be used to express emotions, share a reaction, or simply add some humor. Find out how to use the Snapchat GIF library, how to add GIFs to your conversations and snaps, and some advanced techniques for sending GIFs on Snapchat....

Although it sounds counterintuitive, setting boundaries with your partner is important in order to maintain a healthy relationship. Boundaries are invisible lines that help protect you emotionally, intellectually, physically, and otherwise. This article explores the types of boundaries in relationships, some strategies to help you set boundaries with your partner, and the importance of boundary-setting. Types of Boundaries in Relationships McInnis outlines some of the different types of boundaries in relationships:...

The problem is if you always put your own interests above everything else, it can take a serious toll on your relationships, impairing the mutual give-and-take that is so essential for healthy interpersonal relationships. This article discusses some of the things you can do to be less selfish, including: Becoming more aware of selfish behaviorsPaying more attention to other peopleStrengthening your empathyBeing aware of cognitive biasesVolunteeringBeing grateful 6 Ways to Stop Being Selfish Being less selfish can take time and practice....

In response, many people are changing the way they conduct business—including therapists. Meeting with a therapist might place both you and the therapist at a higher risk of catching (and spreading) the virus. In addition, any other staff members or patients you come in contact with in the waiting room may also increase the risk that the virus will be spread. To reduce in-person contact, some therapists are starting to offer online treatment....

Friday Fix: Episode 115 We all make mistakes. Some mistakes are thinking errors—like assuming the reason your friend didn’t respond to a text message is because they’re mad at you. Other mistakes are emotional—like allowing yourself to stay stuck in a really angry mood. But most of the mistakes we talk about are behavioral—like saying hurtful things or drinking too much. It’s tempting sometimes to minimize our mistakes. After all, thinking too much about how you messed up will cause you to feel bad....