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Close We often associatehormoneswith physical changes in our bodies. However, they play a major role in regulating our moods and emotions as well, saysJennifer Dragonette, PsyD, clinical services instructor at Newport Healthcare. Hormonal changes or disorders can cause you to experience irritability, stress, mood swings, anxiety, and depression, according to Dr. Dragonette. In this article, we explore how hormones and the endocrine system affect mental health. We also suggest some tips that can help you maintain a healthy endocrine system....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Menstruation?The Follicular PhaseThe Ovulation PhaseThe Luteal PhaseUnderstanding Your Cycle Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents What Is Menstruation? The Follicular Phase The Ovulation Phase The Luteal Phase Understanding Your Cycle Close If you’ve ever felt sluggish and exhausted on certain days of the month, you might have wondered when you are most tired during your menstrual cycle. During your menstrual cycle, you will likely feel the most tired during the luteal phase (post-ovulation) when estrogen levels drop....

Close According to a study inBiological Psychiatry,a specialized eye exam may help determine whether a child is at a higher than normal risk of developing a psychiatric disorder likebipolar disorderorschizophrenia. Eye Exam as a Predictor of Risk for Bipolar Disorder In this small study, a test called an electroretinography (ERG) was used to examine the retina and how well it functions. The retina is part of the central nervous system and is located at the back of the eye....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFriday Fix: Episode 98More About the Podcast Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Friday Fix: Episode 98 More About the Podcast Close The Verywell Mind Podcast’s“Friday Fix” is a short episode that features a quick, actionable tip or exercise to help you manage a specific mental health issue or concern. You’ve likely heard people say things like, “Money can’t buy happiness.” But, it’s no secret that money does affect your happiness to an extent....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsType AMore Laid BackPeople-PleasersWorrywartsDistressedIntrovertsWhat It All MeansA Word From Verywell Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Type A More Laid Back People-Pleasers Worrywarts Distressed Introverts What It All Means A Word From Verywell Close Could your personality type be harming you, or is your personality actually helping you live a longer life? Our personalities play such an important role in determining our behaviors and habits, so it is little wonder thatpersonality typehas a connection to your health....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Happens During the Stress Response?Stages of the Stress ResponseWhat Triggers the Stress Response?How the Stress Response Can Affect YouHow to Manage Your Stress Response Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents What Happens During the Stress Response? Stages of the Stress Response What Triggers the Stress Response? How the Stress Response Can Affect You How to Manage Your Stress Response Close The stress response refers to the physiological and psychological changes that happen in your body as a result ofstress....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Does Zoloft Work?How to Tell if It’s WorkingDosageTimelineInteractionsPrecautionsSide EffectsStopping Zoloft Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents How Does Zoloft Work? How to Tell if It’s Working Dosage Timeline Interactions Precautions Side Effects Stopping Zoloft Zoloft (sertraline) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Although it is most commonly used to treat depression, it is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Zyban WorksHow to Use ZybanContraindicationsCommon Side EffectsSerious Side EffectsEffectiveness Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents How Zyban Works How to Use Zyban Contraindications Common Side Effects Serious Side Effects Effectiveness Zyban was originally marketed as anantidepressant drugunder the brand nameWellbutrin. It became apparent that bupropion was an effective quit aid because people who smoked who used it to treatdepressionalso lost interest in smoking....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsGatekeepingNo Point of ReferencePathologizingDefining Others' ExperiencesInaccuracies Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Gatekeeping No Point of Reference Pathologizing Defining Others' Experiences Inaccuracies Close If you’re in therapy and feel like you’re making progress, you might be eager to show the people you love what you’re learning about yourself. However, it’s important to consider the way you talk about yourself and others. Using “therapy speak” in everyday life—for example, terms like “boundaries,” “attachment,” or “triggered”—might have the opposite effect of what you intend....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBiographyGardner’s Contributions to PsychologyAwardsContrasting Views Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Biography Gardner’s Contributions to Psychology Awards Contrasting Views Close Howard Gardner is a developmental psychologist whose best-known contribution to psychology is histheory of multiple intelligences. He believed that the conventional concept of intelligence was too narrow and restrictive and that measures of IQ often miss out on other “intelligences” that an individual may possess....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Does Hyper-Independence Look Like?What Causes a Trauma Response?The Mind and Body’s Response to TraumaHyper-Independence as a Trauma ResponseTreatment OptionsFinal Thoughts Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents What Does Hyper-Independence Look Like? What Causes a Trauma Response? The Mind and Body’s Response to Trauma Hyper-Independence as a Trauma Response Treatment Options Final Thoughts Close Independence refers to beingself-sufficientor taking care of yourself. It is often necessary to function independently as an adult, such as making and keeping your appointments, completing assignments for work, or maintaining a healthy and safe living environment....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentCoping Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Symptoms Causes Treatment Coping Close People who are hypervigilant are constantly on guard and prone to overreaction. They maintain an intense and sometimes obsessive awareness of their surroundings, frequently scanning for threats or routes of escape. Hypervigilance is about more than just being extra vigilant. It is a state of extreme alertness that undermines the quality of life....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesUses and Potential BenefitsImpactTipsPotential PitfallsHistory Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Types Uses and Potential Benefits Impact Tips Potential Pitfalls History Close Hypnosis is a trance-like mental state in which people experience increased attention, concentration, and suggestibility. While hypnosis is often described as a sleep-like state, it is more accurate to say it’s a state of focusedattention, heightened suggestibility, and vivid fantasies....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHypnotherapy TechniquesUsesBenefitsDoes Hypnotherapy Work?WarningsHow to Get Started Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents Hypnotherapy Techniques Uses Benefits Does Hypnotherapy Work? Warnings How to Get Started It is sometimes used as part of atreatment planfor phobias and otheranxiety disorders.It is also sometimes used for pain management, weight loss, smoking cessation, and a variety of other applications. Formal explorations in the therapeutic uses for hypnosis began in the late 1700s but did not gain scientific credibility until much more recently....

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are Mania and Hypomania?SymptomsMania vs. HypomaniaDiagnosisHypomania and Mania TriggersCausesTreatmentCoping Table of ContentsView All View All Table of Contents What Are Mania and Hypomania? Symptoms Mania vs. Hypomania Diagnosis Hypomania and Mania Triggers Causes Treatment Coping Close Mania involves extreme, elevated changes in mood, emotions, energy, and activity levels that occur in people with bipolar disorder. Hypomania is a form of mania that involves the same symptoms but is milder and usually shorter in duration....