In addition to preparing physically, families can prepare for extended physical distancing efforts. This can be the most challenging of all. It will require engagement of the family at many levels.
health
Staying mentally healthy during a pandemic
We are psychologically vulnerable to the grim news of mounting death tolls around the world, in our cities, and towns. Years ago, I would have been trembling in my skin with each breaking news report, thinking the world was coming to end — but not anymore.
How to deal with stress during (and after) a pandemic
Be kind to yourself during such traumatic times. Allow time for rest, for calm, and for comfort to re-enter your life.
Weight Bullying: Body Image Q&A
We need to understand that people naturally come in all shapes and sizes; diets are ineffective for the majority of people; weight does not equal health, and; healthful behaviors can be practiced at any size.
Talking to Teens About Sex: Q&A
By Brenda C. Wade, MSW, LCSW Amy Schalet is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a specialist on adolescent sexuality and culture in comparative perspective. Her book, Not Under My Roof: Parents, Teens, and the Culture of Sex...
Living With Scoliosis: Q&A
Interview with Leah Stoltz, founder of Curvy Girls of Long Island, a scoliosis support group, and social work student Silas Kelly.
Excerpt from “Worried Sick”: Food and Mood
When we feel this fatigue, we may turn to quick sources of energy, such as caffeine and sugar, to keep going. Because the effects of those foods are short-lived, and they give us a fast boost but not a sustained one, we turn to them again and again.
Taking Pills to Treat Cancer: Doing It Right
By Stacy Collins, MSW The Changing Landscape of Cancer Treatment Treating Cancer With Pills What Is Adherence? Why Is Adherence to Cancer Medication So Important? The Challenge of Adherence Ways to Incorporate Medication-Taking Into a Busy Life Special Considerations...
Establishing Healthy Eating Habits in Families
By Caroline Kay Bires-Cook, MSW Introduction Family Role Parent-child Relationship and the Division of Responsibility for Feeding Intuitive Eating Normal Eating Food as Reward or Punishment Family Mealtimes Tips - What Parents Can Do to Promote Healthy Eating...
Diabetes in Older Adults Q&A
By Vaughn DeCoster, PhD, LCSW, and Holly Dabelko-Schoeny, PhD, MSW Living with Diabetes Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Without adequate insulin, the body is unable to use food for energy. There are three major types...
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Recent Articles
During the Shutdown, Federal Employees Need Time to Relax and Regroup
As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history lingers, many workers may be wondering how to make ends meet and use the downtime wisely By Faye Beard In the last 50 years, the U.S. government has shut down 23 times, according to the Harvard Kennedy School. At this...
Queer People Should Have Queer Friendships
By Faye Beard Feeling connected may be more important now than ever. For queer people, those connections are potentially life-saving. Last year, the Trevor Project’s U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People showed the link between anti-LGBTQ+...
Surviving Survival Mode
By Faye Beard Flight, fight, freeze and fawn are the body’s common psychological responses to stress, experts say. Survival mode, according to the Mental Health Association in Delaware, is a “prolonged state of stress and is marked by both mental and physical...