It has long been known by every scientist and autism specialist that autism strikes boys more often than girls. In fact, boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism. But when girls do get autism, they tend to be at the more severely affected end of the spectrum. What has never been clear is why. But now, a ...
Continue Reading →Many people get nervous or feel self-conscious now and then, especially before giving a speech, attending a job interview or meeting their significant other’s friends and family. But social anxiety disorder, also called social phobia, involves intense fear of certain social situations—especially situations that are unfamiliar or in which you think you’ll be watched and judged by others. But even those with severe social anxiety disorder can learn to overcome it and be comfortable in social situations.
But is it just ...
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a common condition that affects both children and adults. Most people have heard of ADHD and its common symptoms: inability to focus, being easily distracted and having difficulty finishing tasks. These symptoms can be treated with regular visits to your Orange County therapist, behavioral modification and medication, if needed. But ...
Continue Reading →It’s one thing to take care of your own mental health and well-being. If you have healthy habits, stay away from addictive substances and see your Costa Mesa therapist, you’re probably feeling good about your overall health. Unfortunately, you can’t control the mental health of others, and you’re bound to come across some difficult people in your everyday life. Whether it’s a colleague, a family member or someone in your social circle, here are five tips for dealing with ...
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Childhood bullying is a real problem in our country. According to Bullyingstatistics.org, an estimated one in four children is bullied at school on a regular basis. While childhood bullies are far from new, there are few studies that have been done to determine just how much being bullied as a child will impact that person as an adult. But ...
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Recently, researchers studied playground interactions between children with autism and their peers. They found that peer solicitation—specifically, a child inviting another child to play—can improve reciprocal social interaction among autistic children. The study was published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
While the children with autism did engage in less play than their typically developing peers, other children facilitated and increased their ...
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 ...
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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 ...
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 →One of the most frustrating things about Alzheimer’s Disease is the inability to cure or prevent it. Until we find a way to stop it from happening, the best we can do is attempt to slow its progression. A new pilot study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center suggests that brain changes associated with meditation may play an important role in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
It is well known that meditating causes change ...
Continue Reading →Over the last several years, the world watched as former child actress Amanda Bynes went from a seemingly normal teenager to a young woman in serious mental distress. Hints of trouble began in 2010 when Amanda was fired from the movie Hall Pass due to her erratic behavior. Later that year she announced she was retiring from acting. In 2012, a DUI and string of minor car accidents caused her to lose her driver’s license. A year of strange behavior and even ...
Continue Reading →Since October is Depression Awareness Month, the goal within the health community is to spread knowledge and understanding to the general public. Depression affects around 19 million American adults every year, some of which may go untreated otherwise. Anyone who thinks they may have depression is highly encouraged to participate in National Depression Screening Day on October 11.
Health screenings provide a quick and simple way to spot the first signs of serious illness. Clinical depression is a common mental illness, ...
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