As much as friends have problem-solved with me, empathized with me, and tried to figure things out with me, one of the most helpful things they've done is keep me company-sitting beside me, containing, not fixing. It's not a glamorous way to support someone. And it's certainly not a very strenuous way to support someone. But for me, often, it's all I need.
In today's world, there are a lot of people who like to intensely criticize others while rarely taking responsibility for their own behavior. They often have traits of Cluster B ( narcissistic, antisocial, borderline, and histrionic) personality disorders, which tend to be "dramatic, emotional, or erratic" 1 and have strong associations with "domineeringness, vindictiveness, and intrusiveness." 2 If you have to deal with such a person, either occasionally or every day, there is a simple way to minimize the impact of their negative words on you.
The first thing the interviewer asked me was, "Why the name Running on Empty? Where did that come from?" To be honest, I was somewhat unprepared for this question, and I stumbled a bit. The only answer I could think of at first was: "Because that's what childhood emotional neglect makes you feel." It made such intuitive sense to me that I had never even thought about how to explain it.
Shadowloss describes the grief we carry in our day-to-day lives that we often don't share with others. It reminds us that the physical death of a loved one is not the only kind of loss. We may experience grief when we lose a job, a relationship, or a way of life; when we experience a health challenge; or when we must give up on a dream.
When Anthony Owens lost his first child Arthur shortly before birth, he noticed that women in grief support groups were talkers while men were doers - so, with Féileacáin Fathers, he focused on helping fellow dads remember their babies through physical challenges Losing a loved one is always a traumatic experience, but when a parent loses a child, the grief can be immeasurable, regardless of the circumstances or how long they were on this earth for.
Families serve as the connective glue for many people, providing a sense of belonging and acceptance while forming a framework for relationships throughout their lifespan. Despite their potential to nurture security and intimacy, however, some families fall short, and certain interaction patterns can be harmful-not just at yearly family get-togethers, but on a personal level as well. Toxic family dynamics-from belittling to exerting power and control to manipulation-have been well-established by research as damaging and destructive.
Last week, someone asked me, "Did you always want to be a mom?" My instinct was to say yes - but then I paused. Sitting on the floor with my 15-month-old daughter, I realized I'd never actually asked myself that question before. I'd always imagined what kind of mother I'd be, but not whether I wanted to become one. Motherhood, I would soon learn, has a way of undoing everything you think you know about yourself.
"While they're very good at solving problems in a rational way, they can be less well practised at processing feelings. And due to the nature of their jobs, there are a lot of intense and difficult situations they'll be dealing with every day. Using the art therapy method helps people to communicate with colleagues in a very different way and to share feelings that might otherwise be difficult to express."
"If a new vaping product or soft drink hits the market and 1 in 20 consumers report suicidal thoughts, public outrage would be swift. Investigations would follow, regulations would tighten, and headlines would be flooded with concern for public health. But when political stress yields similar numbers, the reaction is far more muted; politics doesn't seem to register in the same way," says Smith.
Loneliness is a universal human experience. We are living in a loneliness epidemic. Loneliness isn't the problem. It's the meaning we make and the story we tell ourselves about it. Loneliness happens for a no-fault reason. It is there to help us honor what we are missing or grieving. Taking action means both fact-checking automatic statements and finding small ways to reconnect with others.
In July of 2024, Butler had surgery in Redding to remove the blockage in his urethra. But the pain and discomfort continued through the summer. In September, he was admitted for three days to the emergency room in nearby Weaverville with a severe urinary tract infection. Frost said that during this time she tried to call her dad's urologist several times to reschedule a follow-up appointment he missed while in the hospital, but she could only reach an answering machine.
I am someone who believes it is never too late to change. I think you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks, as long as the old dog is open-minded and willing to learn. As long as the old dog is willing to admit when it was wrong, and work to become a better dog. OK yes, I am the old dog. And the trick I am trying to learn, even though I am decrepit?
A much-loved Christmas story tells about the journey of the Magi-the three Wise Men who came seeking the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" they ask. "For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." The essence of the tale is their unshakable faith in a worldly sign-a star in the sky-which the Magi trusted would guide them to the savior of the world.
I am at my first of several doctors appointments intentionally scheduled during the winter holiday season. Not because I'm sick. Because it's the only week of the year when nothing work-related is fighting for my time. The office is closed. The investors aren't emailing. The product update notifications have stopped. For seven days I can put my body first. So I schedule the bloodwork.
I've been practicing massage therapy for almost 30 years. I'm aware, likely more than most, how important touch is. Social affective touch: the kind massage therapists offer ― the kind we get from a friendly hug or a compassionate hand on our shoulder ― has been shown to reduce feelings of social isolation. In our increasingly disconnected world, this kind of touch is becoming even more essential.
Lottie is looking forward to spending time with her family this Christmas, but says one of the only ways she'll manage to get through it is by wearing her earplugs - especially during Christmas dinner. For the 23-year-old Christmas can be a particularly difficult time as the sounds of other people, chewing, slurping and sniffling make her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Split by age group, there's a preference towards one's present where those in their 20s said their 20s, those in their 30s said their 30s, and so on. This recency lean appears to carry over to the older age groups, but subtract that, and you can see a second lean favoring three decades earlier. Those in their 50s favored their 20s. Those in their 60s favored their 30s.
[Narrator] Developing tools to overcome trauma. When we began to become confident that we really had identified something real, this resilience trajectory I've talked about, we've identified it in many studies at this point. It's been identified convincingly in the majority and over 100 research studies by other people than myself, lots of other people. So it's very much a real thing.
There is great irony in the fact that we tend to associate the winter holiday season with busyness, stress, and overwhelm. While we are rushing and doing, the natural world around us is in a completely oppositional state-resting, slowing down, cooling, hibernating, restoring itself.
In a small company, culture moves faster than policy. When new technology enters daily life, it doesn't wait for HR manuals to catch up. Employees bring habits into the workplace: how they communicate, how they vent, how they cope with stress, and how they use personal devices during breaks. AI companionship sits right at the intersection of mental health, privacy, and brand trust. And those are not abstract issues for SMEs:
In healthy relationships, people tend to feel safe and respected. You may argue, but you don't fight. A level of respect and care is maintained, and the past is not brought up as a weapon. Over time, your nervous system learns that this person is reliable. In unhealthy relationships, especially those involving emotional abuse, attachment works differently. Instead of safety, the bond forms around chaos and survival. This process is known as a trauma bond.
I heard her story during field conversations connected to research, education, and community accompaniment work in Medellín. She did not come to denounce anyone, nor did she ask for help. She came with a story already shaped by repetition, by hours that mattered too much, and by days that never fully ended. She spoke as someone whose life had learned to count time differently, not in weeks or months, but in what could still be protected until tomorrow.
Despite its real, devastating impacts across the United States, road rage is only explicitly penalized in a few states, like Utah. The scarcity of not only legal but also clinical treatment guidelines is unsurprising when research remains limited. As a psychiatrist, for example, I have met patients with histories of such behaviors, but not yet colleagues in my profession with expertise on this issue. One thing appears clear, however: Road rage is multifactorial and not traceable to any single cause or diagnosis.
The hotline is a public art project created by West Side Elementary, a K-6th public school in rural Healdsburg, California. It's called PEPTOC and you can give it a call for free by dialing 707-8PEPTOK (707-873-7862). The program was started in 2022 by two teaching artists at the school, Jessica Martin and Asherah Weiss. According to their website, they have received over 25 million calls since its creation and have a higher call volume than 911 calls to Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Miami combined.
When it came time to pack, I slowly deconstructed my apartment over the course of a month. I made endless trips to the thrift store, posted on Facebook Marketplace, and even hosted a move-out party where I made snacks for my friends while they raided my closet. After all that, I still found myself frantically sitting on my suitcase, trying to zip it right up until my ride to the airport arrived.
Although single-victim parricide by both adult and juvenile offenders has been studied, relatively little is known about the slaying of both mothers and fathers. One of the first systematic studies using a national database took place only 10 years ago (Fegadel & Heide, 2015), examining the characteristics of the offender, the victims, and the incidents themselves. In the period between 1991 and 2010, 45 incidents were identified, 35 of which were committed by offenders acting alone.
I was in kindergarten when the teacher asked us to rhyme something with the word 'hill.' Another girl and I raised our hands at the same time, but the teacher called on her. She said 'Bill' - which was exactly the word I was going to say - and I immediately burst into tears. I spent the rest of the day complaining that she had 'stolen' my word.
Susie Wiles has the gimlet eye of an alcoholic's daughter. She is always on edge, vigilant to the slightest movement, fearful of sudden danger, and has learned to withdraw herself from the chaos in order to survive. She is keenly observant, sees through people around her who are not drinkers to decipher their underlying motives that might flare into unexpected menace, and practiced in passive aggression of which her interview with Vanity Fair is a classic case study.
One of them handed Juan Giron a letter written by Kimberly, the trans woman he met when he was going to the bathroom and who called out to him, Hey, girl, pssst, hi. Now you might say that he and Kimberly are friends. He gave her a devotional scapular, and they get emotional when they see each other in the yard during the hour of sunlight they're allowed each day,
For many people, the holidays are described as joyful, festive, and full. For those in eating disorder recovery, they can also be complicated, emotionally charged, and exhausting. From Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve, food is everywhere, routines are disrupted, bodies are on display in photos, and cultural messages about indulgence and "starting over" grow louder by the day. Even when moments are meaningful or joyful, they can coexist with heightened anxiety, body image distress, and a sense of emotional overload.
Most people work to live, not live to work. But considering the amount of time most people spend in the workplace, over time, many employees come to value morale over money. Not surprisingly, job satisfaction is often directly tied to workplace culture: Employees survive and thrive when they feel supported, leave when they feel devalued. A main complaint from employees who have traded salary for satisfaction is not overt discrimination or harassment; it is incivility.
But what happens when the parent is the source of the fear? That's the paradox at the heart of disorganized attachment. The very person who should be a safe harbor becomes, unpredictably, a source of alarm. For example, a mother lost in her own grief for years, staring through her infant with a trance-like look. Or a father, struggling with depression, jerks away when his toddler reaches for a hug, because he has no energy for hugging.
