Tag Archives: alcoholism

The Stress of Constant Noise

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Never underestimate the effect of unwanted sound on your stress levels. Although many of us live in cities and are used to a certain level of noise, when that noise reaches a certain threshold, the symptoms of stress will begin to manifest. These symptoms can be as simple as a headache and increased bodily tension resulting in sore muscles at the end of the day. Alternatively the stress of continual noise can manifest as irritability, moodiness, crying fits, emotional eating, and jangled nerves. Ultimately prolonged exposure to uncontrollable noise can result in chronic free-floating anxiety and/or depression. Although you may … Continue reading →

Is Your Support Group Supportive (3)?

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In previous articles we looked at problems caused by sexual relationships between members of the same mental health support group and also the destructive role of the group dominator. Today we look at the role of another very common factor in support groups: that of the group saboteur. The group saboteur comes in various guises, all of which are destructive. Ann had come to the group suffering from depression, but it soon became obvious that she had considerable problems other than depression. Problems that threatened the stability of the group. An accomplished academic, Ann liked to talk about her problems, … Continue reading →

Adoption of Adults

Did you know that it is legal in all 50 U.S. states for one adult to adopt another? I didn’t! The most common reasons given for adults legally adopting other adults are: to make official a long-standing parent-child relationship, and/or to ensure that the adults involved will inherit from each other. (The state of Illinois specifically notes that an adopted person does not inherit from the adoptive parents if he/she was over 18 when adopted and had never resided with the adoptive parents before turning 18. This refers to adoptive parents who die without a will; of course adoptive parents … Continue reading →

Controversial Device Repels Teenagers

In a previous article, we wrote about a ring tone that only teenagers can hear. They use it to fool adults into thinking that they aren’t using a cell phone, such as in school where cell phones may be banned. Now, it seems, the adults are getting back at the teens, taking advantage of the sound to repel teens from hanging out in places where they are not wanted, such as in front of an apartment building, at the street corner or on school grounds after hours. But the device is highly controversial. Human rights activists and civil liberties unions … Continue reading →

Dementia, Depression, and Therapy Dogs

Since my mom is now living with us, I’ve been trying to better understand how to negotiate her dementia. One of the things I knew would help would be Murphy, Mr. Meow, and Tabby. That’s how it was that we launched an informal but very personal pet therapy project. Homework Assignments Another thing I’m doing is reading anything and everything I can on the subject. One book I stumbled across at the library was Keeping Busy: A Handbook of Activities for Persons with Dementia. It was the “outcome of a program of activities for persons with dementia, developed at the … Continue reading →

Book Review: The Post-Adoption Blues

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The Post-Adoption Blues, subtitled “Concerning the Unforeseen Challenges of Adoption”, is written by a husband and wife team. Dr. John R. Thompson, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist. His wife, Dr. Karen Foli, PhD., is a registered nurse and a medical writer who has written extensively about children with special needs. Together they are the parents of two sons by birth and one daughter by adoption. Their daughter arrived from India at the age of five months. Karen Foli experienced many emotions upon meeting her daughter. These included some emotions which she had never expected, such as guilt, confusion, … Continue reading →

The Reasons for Scrapbooking From a Real Life Scrapbooker

In the many years that I have been scrapbooking, I have been asked more than once, my reasons for scrapbooking. While my main reasons haven’t ever changed, my goals and layouts and what they reflect have changed. Most people scrapbook to preserve their memories. Some people scrapbook because it is a creative outlet that allows them to be artistic and utilize photographs in the process. While both of these hold true for me, there is a deeper meaning for me, and I hope that my real life scrapbooking will make you reconsider your own layouts and moments that you choose … Continue reading →

Depression and Sex

In a surprising report, an Australian study has shown that women who are depressed have more sex than women who describe themselves as “happy.” This phenomenon occurs in both single-status women and those who are in committed long-term relationships. The survey was conducted among women in Melbourne, Australia, and was presented at a recent mental health conference. The researchers concluded that women suffering from mild to moderate depression have over 30% more sexual activity than their happier counterparts. They also reported that their sex lives consisted of a more varied range of sexual activities, and, if single, were more likely … Continue reading →

Parental Motivation

Recently a relatively new parent shared with me that she was having a “motivation problem”—you would think that an old crusty mom like me would have heard it all, but for some reason, this was the first time I’d chatted with someone who was having a hard time getting up and getting going at all in the mornings or doing any of the parental tasks at hand. Most people I’ve known might complain that they don’t know where the time goes and they feel as if they are spinning their wheels all day—but motivation and “oomph” are not the problem. … Continue reading →

Your Beliefs and How They Can Make You Unhappy (2)

Ever wondered why some people are happier than others? Most of us tend to put it down to the fact that these happy people have more money, better jobs, better behaved children, no children, close family, etc, etc. Sure, these factors do play a huge part in how happy a person has the potential to be. But they are not the controlling factor. It is what we believe about ourselves and the world we live it that largely determines how happy or otherwise our lives are. We have all heard the stories of the wealthy yet unhappy socialites, so it … Continue reading →