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Addressing the Stigma of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
When I had my son in 2024, I had more than a few medical professionals warn me that due to my anxiety pre-pregnancy, I was at greater risk for developing a perinatal mood disorder (PMD), specifically postpartum anxiety (PPA) and/or postpartum depression (PPD). I was warned to contact someone if I...
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From Silence to Support: Changing the Story on Maternal Mental Health
When I became a mother, I was prepared for a momentous life change. What I did not anticipate was the impact that pregnancy and postpartum could have on my mental health, in addition to my physical recovery. After giving birth to my first daughter, I dismissed my stress and sensitivity as the...
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for Teens: A Breakthrough Treatment for Adolescent Depression
Adolescence is a critical time for emotional and mental development. During this period, a variety of factors influence mental well-being, including family dynamics, peer relationships, school environments, and community support. Positive connections with others promote resilience, while struggles...
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The Kids Are Not Alright: How Seismic Changes in the Childhood Experience Have Undermined the Health of a Generation
Our nation’s youth are in crisis. Such a sweeping characterization of an entire demographic would ordinarily border on hyperbole, but as Robert F. Kennedy proclaimed when he announced his candidacy for the Presidency nearly 60 years ago, “These are not ordinary times.” In October 2021, the...
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The Impact of Social Media on Youth Mental Health: Risks, Benefits, and Family Approaches
In recent years, the conversation around social media and youth mental health has become urgent and deeply personal for many families. Parents are increasingly wary of the role smartphones and social media play in their children’s lives, fueled by the spotlight on growing evidence linking...
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The Burden of Being the “Good Child”: How South Asian Kids Suppress Mental Health Struggles
In many South Asian immigrant families, the eldest child is often expected to set an example for younger siblings, excel academically, and fulfill responsibilities that extend beyond their years. These expectations are heightened by the struggles their parents face as immigrants, navigating a new...
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Technology is Always Evolving – So Should Our Approach to Youth Mental Health
From smartphones and watches to social media platforms, the world we live in today is much different than the one from twenty or even ten years ago. Technology continues to grow at a rapid pace as do the impacts these new devices are having on our mental wellbeing. Specifically, we are...
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Aging Vision: How Social Workers Can Help Address Vision Loss
What happens to someone who wakes up one morning and can no longer see? It could happen to any of us at any time – clinician or client. Stoic wisdom might suggest that one prepares for loss by imagining it has already happened and resolving to accept the change, to embrace life fully, whatever...
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Anxiety and Psychosomatic Symptoms in Schools
Psychosomatic symptoms are the physical and physiological experiences caused by mental or emotional conflict or distress, such as anxiety. Often, they are dismissed as being imagined or exaggerated, likely because they are part of someone’s internal experience. It is important to note...
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What is Imposter Phenomenon and How Can it Result in Anxiety and Depression?
Have you ever felt like an imposter in your own life? People who experience this phenomenon express the feeling that they might not be as talented or intelligent as others might believe them to be. They hesitate to credit their experience or problem-solving skills when responding to compliments or...
