Tag Archives: alcoholism

Who Is Justin Bieber and What Has He Done With My Daughter?

I have only one daughter who is just about to turn 13-years-old. My youngest son is about to turn 11 and my oldest son will be 16-years-old. So far the teen years have been fairly easy with my teenage son, nothing I can’t handle. When he developed his first interest in a girl I thought it was cute. I thought it would help prepare me for my daughter’s first interests in boys but it didn’t. There is just something about girls that raises your alert level a bit higher. While girls in her middle school had already begun “going out,” … Continue reading →

New Year’s Blues

For most people, New Year is a happy time. A time of new beginnings and a fresh start. An opportunity to change ourselves, to lose weight, to take that evening course, to change jobs, houses, even partners. The “newness” of the New Year gives people a sense of buoyancy and a child-like hope that things will be better once that calendar rolls over. Of course, the New Year is merely a man-made event and means nothing in the real sense, but it is so entrenched in our thinking that this makes little difference. It is time for a new start. … Continue reading →

Risk Factors for Addiction

I’ve talked a bit about alcoholism here at the Families.com Health Blog, and my own fears about addiction. There are some factors that can increase your risk of developing an addiction — but it is important to remember that a risk does not mean a guarantee. Still, it can be helpful to identify risk factors. Family history (or you can call it genetics if you like) is a big risk factor for addiction. If a family member has shown signs of trouble with addiction, you may want to be careful. My grandfather was an alcoholic, and I tend to avoid … Continue reading →

A Day in the Life of a Relaxed Homeschooler with Teens

Some time back, I am my fellow homeschool bloggers all discussed what a day in the life of homeschooling looked like from our perspective. I wrote A Day in the Life of a Relaxed Homeschooler part 1 Part 2 , and Part 3 Valorie Delp Wrote A Day in the Life of a Highly Regulated Relaxed Homeschooler part 1 and part 2 Karen Edminsten gave a peek into her homeschooling life with More Charlotte Mason: An atmosphere, a discipline, a life. I highly recommend you read these posts. It has been several years since I wrote my “Day In the … Continue reading →

Antidepressants for Dogs: Canines Inadvertently Subjected to Myth

Regular readers of my articles will know that I have strong views on the use of antidepressants. These drugs are marvelous lifesavers for extremely depressed people but were never intended to be used long-term. That is, until the pharmaceutical companies started the myth that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. The idea that depression is caused by an imbalance in the brain’s chemistry is unproven. It is merely a theory. And yet it continues to be spoken about as it if were a given. You can read about my previous articles on this subject at The … Continue reading →

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s wort is one herbal remedy that has been (and continues to be) under a lot of scrutiny by modern science. Also known as hypericum and goat weed, use of St. John’s wort for treating mental and mood disorders dates back to ancient Greece. The plant may get its name from historical and religious figure John the Baptist, because the yellow flowers bloom around the time of the feast of St. John the Baptist in late June. The herb was traditionally used to treat nerve pain and a host of mental disorders. It was also used as a balm … Continue reading →

Allowing Teens to Drink?

A Cobb County GA mom was recently sentenced to a year and a half in jail, plus community service and a $1,300 fine. Her crime was supplying teenagers with alcohol. Apparently, she was in the habit of giving alcohol to her teenage stepson which led to another teen consuming alcohol in her home and having a fatal accident. While it is illegal for anyone under 21 years of age to consume alcohol or to be served alcohol, too many parents are ignoring the law and serving it anyway. Their reasoning in most cases is that they are going to do … Continue reading →

Fight Feelings of Hopelessness with Activity

Feeling hopeless? Maybe you’ve got the economy on your mind. Maybe it’s the crummy job market in your area, or worries about losing your job. We live in stressful times! New research from Kuopio University Hospital in Finland shows that an active lifestyle may help improve your outlook on life. Researchers interviewed nearly 2500 men between the ages of 42 and 60. Participants were asked about their mood and physical activity levels and were tested for physical fitness. The more active the men in the study were, the less likely they were to experience feelings of hopelessness. The more vigorous … Continue reading →

Who’s More of a Pain to Travel With–Teens or Toddlers?

Here I thought traveling cross-country with a toddler would do me in. I was wrong. While a 2-year-old can be placated with a bottle, pacifier, soggy Cheerios or empty DVD case, calming a cranky teen requires quite a bit more finesse… and patience. It’s true; the one thing worse than dealing with an irritable toddler on vacation is finding ways to handle a crabby teenager. I learned this a couple of weeks ago when I hitched a ride to Chicago (for a “working vacation”) with a pal and her teenage sons. I won’t get into the gory details regarding our … Continue reading →

Depression in the Elderly (1)

Posted on by

Depression is not an uncommon illness across the most of the lifespan and the elderly are no exception. Sometimes elderly people visit their doctor with a series of ailments only to be told they are not physically ill, but are suffering from depression. So what are the symptoms of depression in the elderly? Mostly, they are much the same as those of any age group, yet because of the nature of some of the symptoms, elderly people may assume that something more serious, such as dementia, is causing the symptoms. Below is an outline of the symptoms of depression as … Continue reading →