Childhood is a very important part of a person’s development, affecting everything from the way they learn to how they form attachments with others. Because of this, children can form an attachment disorder, a disorder that affects the way in which they interact with other people, making it extremely difficult…
A delusion is someone’s unshakable belief in something untrue. It’s not a part of the person’s culture or subculture—and almost everyone else knows the belief is false. Delusions can also be linked to a mental health condition, known as delusional disorder. While delusional disorder is a single condition, people with…
There is a wide number of conditions that look very similar to others, and they can often be confused during the diagnosis process. Certain conditions can even co-occur, or happen at the same time, in certain patients, making it even more difficult to mark what separates one from the other. …
Exhibitionistic disorder is a condition that causes someone to compulsively expose their genitals to unsuspecting passersby, typically in a public setting. This behavior elicits sexual stimulation and pleasure but is a significant source of distress for the exhibitionist. Exhibitionistic disorder is classified as a paraphilic disorder, which means it’s a…
Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health condition that affects less than 1% of Americans. Symptoms of schizophrenia are often severe and can include hallucinations, non-linear speech and thought patterns, as well as mood swings and social challenges. While there is no current cure, psychiatric medication forms the backbone of treatment…
Most of us regularly have sexual thoughts and urges; sexuality is a unique and personal part of life. Our physical desires can manifest themselves in specific ways, and sometimes in the form of a sexual fetish, which is an attraction toward an inanimate object (or objects) or part of the…
People have different sexual preferences and fetishes are common, which create sexual excitement. In fact, they might be more common than you think: A survey conducted by CalExotics at Harvard Sex Week saw that 43% of respondents have (or believe they have) a fetish, and more than half have shared…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, marijuana is the most commonly used federally illegal drug in the United States (though it is now legal on the state level in the majority of states) – with 48.2 million people, or 18% of Americans, reportedly using it at least…
Nicotine-containing products, alongside caffeinated beverages like coffee, are some of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the U.S.—though we rarely think of them as drugs. Even though tobacco and nicotine use has steadily dropped in the U.S. since 2005, many of us know someone who smokes, chews, or uses…
Ruthless attacks on both sides of the political aisle, in hopes of persuading voters. Nonstop alerts about the latest campaign news, like who’s projected to win the election or who has had the latest political blunder. Fights between “friends,” for all of Facebook and Twitter to see. Misinformation that begs…
Personality disorders are characterized by problematic thought and behavioral patterns. Sometimes, these thoughts and behaviors appear odd or eccentric – at others, they’re dramatic and unpredictable. But with dependent personality disorder, and other cluster C personality disorders, they’re rooted in anxiety and fear. Let’s learn more about what dependent personality…
Your 12-year-old son keeps getting in trouble at school — for picking on his classmates, lying to his teacher, and even stealing other kids’ things. You think he’s just “acting out.” Until you find out he’s been sneaking out at night for the last 6 months. It becomes apparent that…
