The holiday season can be a trying time for people in recovery for alcoholism or drug abuse. New Year’s Eve is especially difficult, as the holiday is known for drinking. If you’re in recovery or planning to stay sober, here are some tips to help you make it to 2014 without a slip:
Posted by: Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D.
The holiday season is a busy time. Between traveling to visit family, entertaining guests and going to seasonal events, your family routine is bound to be disrupted. To a child with ADHD, the excitement and anticipation surrounding holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah can be overwhelming. The combination of your ADHD child’s excitement and the schedule changes can lead to behavioral issues.
Here are some tips for helping your child enjoy the holiday festivities on their best behavior.
There are all kinds of facts and speculations about the autism spectrum. Unfortunately, many Americans are either somewhat misinformed or simply don’t know much about it. Since more and more children and adults are getting diagnosed with autism each year, it’s important that people at least have a basic understanding of what it is and how it affects people. The sooner someone ...
As this year’s football season draws closer to its end, professional players will get a chance to rest and recuperate for awhile. Unfortunately, they may not be the same as they were when the season started. A new study shows that repeated blows to the head during a season of contact sports may cause changes in the brain’s white ...
We are always advised to “pay it forward,” meaning commit random acts of kindness for strangers and friends. Not only does a random act of kindness make the recipient feel happy and grateful, but it has been said to make the givers feel better about themselves, too. The holiday season is a time when people are especially encouraged to pay it forward ...
Continue Reading →It is much easier to diagnose a child with autism than an adult. Distinguishing autism from other psychiatric conditions can be difficult since adults’ symptoms often overlap and can be similar to things like ADHD and schizophrenia. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet have developed a new screening tool to facilitate the diagnosis of autism in adults.
Screening methods used for diagnosing adults with an autism spectrum disorder can be time-consuming and require a great deal of expertise from an autism ...
Continue Reading →
Living with a mental illness means battling more than the illness itself. Having a mental disorder can wreak havoc on a person’s confidence and self-esteem. Having high self-esteem is not only important for achieving optimal mental health; it is vital for reaching important goals in life and having healthy relationships. Every mental health therapist knows that addressing the issue of self-confidence ...
It is a well-known fact that the earlier a child is diagnosed with autism, the sooner they can get autism treatment that can lead to a fairly normal life. However, autism can be difficult to diagnose before a baby is one or two years old due to the lack of signs. But now, some U.S. researchers are claiming that a sign of autism may be present in the first months of life: a steady decline in attention to other ...
Continue Reading →As siblings grow and learn together, they are bound to have conflict. And while arguments between siblings are common, a new study on the long-term effects of negative interactions between siblings has garnered surprising results. Researchers found that sibling rivalry can be filled with psychological and physical aggression. This can lead to higher instances of anger, depression and anxiety later in life.
There are a lot of factors involved in sibling rivalry. The oldest child may feel burdened with responsibilities for ...
Continue Reading →The most wonderful time of the year can certainly wreak havoc on our mental health if we’re not careful. In addition to the short-term depression known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), the winter holidays can bring on bouts of sadness and despair. Part of what causes holiday depression is the stress and anxiety present this time of year. Overeating, drinking too much alcohol and not exercising enough can also contribute.
The demands of the holiday season are many. We’re expected to ...
Continue Reading →When a child is diagnosed with autism, certain traits are to be expected: sensory issues, language development delays and lack of social skills, for example. Unfortunately, there are also a number of other conditions that can accompany someone on the autism spectrum. While these conditions are rare, they are certainly worth mentioning to your child’s Orange County psychiatrist and pediatrician if you have any concerns.
Seizures. One in four children on the autism spectrum will develop seizures, often starting early ...
Continue Reading →The holiday season can be a wonderful time. Families are reunited, parties are thrown, meaningful gifts are exchanged and there is an abundance of delicious food available. But to someone prone to stress and anxiety, or anyone with a mental illness, the holidays can be terribly triggering and can lead to some unhealthy behaviors. It’s very important to form healthy habits, both for our physical and mental health, that carry us through the holiday season.
First, if you have an eating ...
Continue Reading →