As much as we associate the holidays with happiness and warmth, not everybody can get into the holiday spirit. Some people may be dealing with difficult family members or grieving a loss — while others may be suffering from a form of depression known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Estimates suggest as many as 10 […]
Sometimes called manic depression, bipolar disorder is a mental health condition which causes someone to experience extremely low and high moods. Sufferers go through periods of time when they feel overly joyful and happy, and then other periods when they feel extremely sad or angry. Due to the low and high moods, which are polar […]
There are two forms of the eating disorder known as Anorexia. Usually, when we think of this condition, we think of Anorexia Nervosa, however Anorexia Athletica is its other form. Anorexia is recognized by the APA (American Psychiatric Association) as an eating disorder, and while Anorexia Athletica is not yet recognized as its own distinct […]
Facing insecurity about our bodies from time to time is part of being human. But what happens when concerns about body image become pervasive — or even all-consuming? Eating disorders are just one of the many consequences of the overwhelming societal pressure we face to adhere to a certain standard of beauty. In the United […]
Although most people think of eating disorder sufferers as being teenage girls, this isn’t always the case and many people are affected by eating disorders. It’s true that those who are at the highest risk of developing eating disorders are aged between 13 and 18 years, older people can be susceptible too. From going through […]
We can all relate to the feeling of over-indulging in our favorite snacks — but what happens when over-indulging becomes severe and even life-threatening? Binge eating disorder (BED) is one of the newest eating disorders recognized in the DSM-V, according to the National Eating Disorder Association. It’s also the most common eating disorder in the […]
Lots of parents struggle to persuade their child to eat a range of healthy foods. It’s very common for preschoolers to refuse vegetables in favor of bland and boring items such as bread, chicken nuggets and fries. All too often, mealtimes become a battleground with bribes, pleading and even threats. Usually, however, children eventually grow […]
When we face difficult situations in our lives, we rely on our coping mechanisms to get us through. When we have to handle trauma, stress or difficult emotions, we turn to the coping strategies that we’ve learned and developed over our lives to help us to adjust. While in some cases those coping mechanisms are […]
Over the last four decades, fast food has increasingly encroached on everyday life. The hot dog or the hamburger have become just as much as symbol of American culture as the Statue of Liberty or the Star-Spangled Banner. Fast food certainly has its place in today’s society. With our ever-more hectic lifestyles, longer working hours […]
It has been recognized for some time that athletes are much more likely than other people to suffer from an eating disorder. Increasing amounts of research have been carried out into this area, and recently a term has been adopted to define one sub-group of athletes suffering from symptoms of an eating disorder but who […]
