Many of the products that treat cold symptoms are available over-the-counter (which means you can get them without a prescription from your doctor). While these products can be safe and effective, they can also interact with other kinds of medicine. Prescription medications that treat mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder are among the most common types of drugs that can interact with common cold medicines. Here’s what you need to know about using OTC cold and flu remedies if you take antidepressants....

Subscribe Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts 10 New Year’s Eve Celebration Ideas We have curated a list of fun and safe ways for you to ring in the New Year in a way that is not only memorable but also responsible. Here are some ways you can celebrate the end of 2021. Host a Virtual Event Eventbrite says it has hosted more than 1 million virtual events so far in 2021—a trend that is likely to continue even post-pandemic among many providers....

Eleven common signs of cheating include: Changes in communicationIncreased interest in appearance More time spent away from homeAttitude changesLyingAvoidanceThey accuse you of cheatingIndifferenceChanges in your sex lifeMoney issuesChange in technology use As you can see, some of these signs actually are at odds with one another. This range of possibilities, which is certainly not all-inclusive of everything, shows just how different signs can be from one person to the next....

The best rule of thumb is to deal with cravings as they come, one by one. This approach requires that you interrupt your thought pattern the moment the craving hits. Simply shift gears and do something entirely different for a few minutes. By changing your focus, you can redirect your focus from the physical or psychological craving as opposed to allowing it to consume your thoughts. Types of Cigarette Cravings There are two types of cravings people experience in the early days of smoking cessation:...

BiologicalLearning-basedPsychoanalytic It is unlikely that these three categories are mutually exclusive as chances are that multiple causes interact in individuals to cause phobias. For example, it may be that biological differences in the brain are triggered by an experience or something in that person’s environment, or that a negative experience may lead to a learned response. Look at these theories and you’ll see how complex the development of a phobia is, and why it likely stems from a combination of many factors....

Successful recovery involves learning how to identify the urge to smoke and the trigger behind it, and how to respond with better choices, such as a nap, a meal, or exercise, for instance. The Association Between Activities, Emotions, and Smoking Years of smoking have taught us to react to literally everything by lighting a cigarette. When we were happy, we’d celebrate by lighting up. When we got angry, smoking would calm us down—or so we thought....

No matter where you live or where you fall on the political spectrum, mental health is one topic that’s important to all of us. With the midterm election this week, it’s a good time to reflect on what the federal government is doing—or trying to do—to expand mental health education and care for all. It’s no secret that mental health is impacting Americans seemingly more than ever before. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five adults and one in six youth experience a mental illness in a given year....

I would have never imagined I’d grow up to become a professional speaker. Now, I can stand on stage in front of thousands of people without much anxiety at all (usually). But conquering the fear of public speaking didn’t make all my anxiety go away. Now, I get anxious about other stuff—like my loved ones’ well-being. There are still times when my anxiety spikes, just like it did when I was a kid....

We Don’t Just Use 10% of Our Brains Have you ever heard that we just use 10% of our brains? It’s an oft-cited statistic, but constant repetition does not make it accurate. People often use this inaccurate stat to imply that the mind is capable of much greater things, such as dramatically increased intelligence, psychic abilities, or even telekinesis. If the 10% number were true, brain damage would be far less likely—after all, we would only have to worry about that tiny 10% of our brains being injured....

Examples of Abstract Thinking Examples of abstract concepts include ideas such as: Humor Imagination Friendship Freedom Jealousy Success Love Growth Happiness Hope Wisdom While these things are real, they aren’t concrete, physical things that people can experience directly via their traditional senses. You likely encounter examples of abstract thinking every day. Stand-up comedians use abstract thinking when they observe absurd or illogical behavior in our world and come up with theories as to why people act the way they do....

One of the most potentially debilitating difficulties students with ADHD often experience is chronic academic underachievement relative to their intellectual abilities. The high school years can be especially challenging for a struggling student with ADHD. Adolescents with ADHD tend to experience even greater levels of academic impairment, with lower grade point averages, placement in lower-level classes (for example, remedial vs honors) and failure in more courses compared to students without ADHD....

Twentieth century Swiss psychologist and genetic epistemologist Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development outlined four stages of learning. These stages include sensorimotor (0 to 2 years old), preoperational (2 to 7 years old), concrete operational (7 to 12 years old), and formal operational (12 years old and up)—however, the age each stage starts can vary. According to Piaget’s theory, adaptation is one of the important processes guiding cognitive development. The adaptation process itself can take place in two ways: assimilation and accommodation....

To get a clearer picture of the dependency risks associated with benzodiazepine use, it is important to make the distinction between drug dependence and drug addiction. Is physical dependence on a benzodiazepine the same as addiction? If withdrawal symptoms occur upon discontinuation of a benzodiazepine, does this mean addiction has occurred? Dependence The physical dependence on a drug can be identified by withdrawal symptoms if the drug is abruptly stopped or decreased....

Amaxophobia is also sometimes known by other names including ochophobia, motorphobia, or hamaxophobia. Symptoms Symptoms specific to amaxophobia include: An intense fear of getting into an accident Being afraid of the injuries or fatalities that would result from the accident A fear of being trapped in the vehicle Physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, racing heart, and nausea Avoidance of situations that involve being in a vehicle Panic attacks...

If your answer is yes, then you’ve probably been hijacked by your amygdala. Overview The term “amygdala hijacking” was first used by psychologist Daniel Goleman in his 1995 book, “Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ” to refer to an immediate and intense emotional reaction that’s out of proportion to the situation. In other words, it’s when someone “loses it” or seriously overreacts to something or someone. Goleman’s term aims to recognize that we have an ancient structure in our brain, the amygdala, that is designed to respond swiftly to a threat....

Many studies have shown a correlation between anxiety, depression, and functional GI symptoms. Generally, study results have demonstrated that people who have at least one GI symptom are more likely to have an anxiety disorder or depression than those without any GI symptoms. Unexplained physical complaints as a whole—including fatigue, headache, stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, and musculoskeletal pains—are more commonly reported in individuals with an anxiety disorder and/or depression....

Do they continue as though nothing is happening in the world, jump on the bandwagon of socially conscious advertising and media messages, or do something in between? These are transient passing concerns that will leave us once the current focus on social issues wanes. Rather, socially conscious advertising has always been a part of business; or at least, for businesses that have been paying attention. At no time in history has this been more relevant than now; we’ve been inundated with these types of ads in 2020....

Change the Situation It sounds like you’re getting worn out hearing your friend’s problems, which is understandable. It also sounds like you’ve considered ending the relationship but you feel obligated to keep talking to her. Changing your behavior might range from not answering her calls to simply listening to her without offering advice (if that’s what you’ve been doing). You can also be selective about when you talk to her. You might decide not to answer the phone when she calls....