Baths are a great way to indulge in self-care because they trigger multiple senses—including sight, smell, sound, and touch. Whether you add candles or meditative sounds, soaking in the tub can help you escape your daily chaos and focus on mindfulness. Warm baths also soothe sore muscles and bath salts or essential oils can be used for further relaxation. Some people choose to add a bath tray to their space because it provides an area for reading, enjoying a drink, burning a candle, or holding other bath accessories....

Fitting more hobbies and fun into your lifestyle can bring a significant payoff as well. One fun and effective strategy for ensuring that you take the time you need for the “more fun things” in life (as well as some important goals you may have) is to create a “bucket list”—or several. The idea behind a bucket list is, as they state in the movie with the same title, to create a list of things you hope to do before you “kick the bucket....

In research published in May 2020 by the United States Postal Service (USPS), 65% of people agreed that receiving mail lifted their spirits. About 67% said they have sent or would send mail to family and friends. Letter writing may have gained more interest because it’s a reflective, slowed-down activity, rather than another quick chore. You can dash off a text in seconds, without paying much attention. But it takes time and purposefulness to send letters....

Books can be a very helpful tool on the road to recovery. They give us stories to relate to, and a format in which to document and record our experiences and insights to help promote more in-depth discussions during therapy sessions. Here are the best books for PTSD, according to a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. Price at time of publication: $16 for paperback Therefore, optimal resources used to navigate resolving the effects of trauma incorporate nervous system regulation in order to seek and establish safety and connection in the mind and body....

Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts How Exercise Improves Mood When you engage in high-intensity exercise, your body and brain produce hormones and neurotransmitters that have a positive impact on your mood, memory, energy levels, and sense of well-being. Some of these are known as endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals. They can result in the “runner’s high” that joggers talk about. After a good workout, your muscles are tired, but you feel more relaxed....

Because of the nature of the condition, panic disorder can often cause social isolation. If you have a loved one or an acquaintance who has panic disorder, there are things that you can do to be a supportive friend. Social Relationships and Panic Disorder For a person with panic disorder, social relationships can be an important way to cope with symptoms of the condition. Some of the ways that social support can help include:...

CBT uses a combination of techniques that may vary depending on the disorder being treated. For example, CBT for depression will be different from CBT for SAD or other anxiety disorders. Because there are so many different techniques, it is important to look for a therapist that has experience with the techniques that are most effective for treating SAD. This article discusses the goals of CBT as a therapy for social anxiety disorder....

That means teens are experiencing significant levels of chronic stress and feel their stress levels generally exceed their ability to cope effectively. Roughly 30% report feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or sad because of it. Stress can also affect health-related behaviors. Stressed students are more likely to have problems with disrupted sleep, poor diet, and lack of exercise. This is understandable given that nearly half of APA survey respondents reported completing three hours of homework per night in addition to their full day of school work and extracurriculars....

We had to suspend our service due to recent updates from Instagram. We have tried everything in our power to continue providing a high-quality service to our users, but unfortunately, the changes made by Instagram have made this impossible for us. Although we will no longer be offering our story-viewing service, we want to continue to support our community by sharing the best tools for viewing Instagram stories and helping our users find what they need....

Antidepressants are grouped into classes based on how they affect the chemistry of the brain. While the antidepressants in a class will tend to have similar side effects and mechanisms of action, there are differences in their molecular structures, which can influence how well the drug is absorbed, disseminated, or tolerated in different people. There are five major types of antidepressants and several others that are less commonly used:...

One of these methods that were described by an early psychologist is known as accommodation. Accommodation is part of the learning process that allows us to change our existing ideas in order to take in new information. Part of the Adaptation Process Initially proposed by Jean Piaget, the term accommodation refers to the part of the adaptation process. The process of accommodation involves altering one’s existing schemas, or ideas, as a result of new information or new experiences....

This article discusses how stimulus discrimination works, when it occurs, and how it can affect behavior. It also covers how it differs from stimulus generalization. Discrimination in Classical Conditioning Classical conditioning is a type of learning that involves forming associations between two stimuli. In this process, discrimination is the ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that have not been paired with an unconditioned stimulus. For example, if a bell tone were the conditioned stimulus, discrimination would involve being able to tell the difference between the bell sound and other similar sounds....

Understanding Video Game Addiction Video games include computer games, console games, arcade machine games, and even cell phone, and advanced calculator games. Games can be embedded in social networking sites, such as Facebook. Since the 1950s, gaming has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Some people are concerned about the long-term effects of video game playing, particularly in children. Concerns center on the following questions: “Are video games harmful?” “Do violent video games cause aggression?...

A report published in the journal JMIR Serious Games reviewed research on the impact of commercial video games on depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. It found that there’s mounting scientific evidence supporting the potential for video games to improve mental health outcomes, especially for people who can’t access other types of treatment due to cost or location. That could give the world’s 2.7 billion gamers opportunities for major emotional wellness benefits....

What Is Vyvanse? Vyvanse is a once-a-day treatment for adults and children age 6 to 12 with ADHD. It’s also approved to treat binge-eating disorder in adults. The main ingredient in Vyvanse is lisdexamfetamine dimesylate. The drug acts on the brain to boost the levels of two neurotransmitters: dopamine and norepinephrine. This, in turn, improves focus and attention and decreases impulsivity and hyperactive behavior. Vyvanse for ADHD Vyvanse is unique in that it’s a prodrug (or forerunner) of the drug dextroamphetamine, an amphetamine that’s one of the main ingredients in Adderall, Adderall XR, and Dexedrine Spansule....

History of Moral Principles The history of moral principles dates back to Ancient Greece and Ancient China. Moral principles were important in these societies because they believed that to be successful, people needed a clear sense of right and wrong. Research on moral principles began with Ancient Greek philosophers like Aristotle who wanted to figure out the meaning of virtue. Later, moral principles were studied by philosophers like John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Immanuel Kant....

By creating these strategies, life coaches target your unique skills and gifts. By helping you to make the most of your strengths, life coaches provide the support you need to achieve long-lasting change. Who Should Consider Working With a Life Coach? Many people seek out life coaches for guidance in navigating a significant life change, such as taking on a new career. In plenty of cases, however, people turn to life coaches simply for help in building a happier, more meaningful life....

To a patient, the presenting problem is the reason you’re seeking professional help. To your healthcare provider, the presenting problem is one initial piece of information they will use for evaluation. As such, the presenting problem is often a key section of an intake and inquiry form mental health professionals write up and save as part of your medical record. When discussing your primary concerns with your therapist during the initial patient interview, you will explain your symptoms and your healthcare provider will further assess you to make a diagnosis....

Many people have an idea of what traditional talk therapy looks like with adults, and they might have an idea of what play therapy looks like with young children. Adolescents are a distinct group, no longer children but not yet adults, and as such have unique needs. Working in adolescent psychology means considering the specific needs of someone whose brain has developed past the childhood stage but has not fully matured into adulthood....