Smartphones and online platforms have transformed gambling from a physical trip to a casino or betting shop into a round-the-clock activity that fits in a pocket. Researchers tracking this shift warn that easier access, faster play cycles and constant notifications are intensifying the emotional highs and lows that characterize problem gambling. Clinical specialists describe contemporary […]
A California civil jury earlier this year concluded that Meta Platforms Inc. and Google LLC bear responsibility for mental health harm linked to Instagram and YouTube, awarding a young woman $6 million in damages. Jurors determined that the companies designed platform features with the intent to foster compulsive engagement, a finding that marked a notable legal first for […]
Voluntary abortion and the deliberate choice to remain child-free occupy a largely unspoken space in discussions about motherhood, often surrounded by cultural taboos that discourage open reflection. Recent reflections by writer Maggie Rowe and decades of academic work on the maternal psyche point to a shared theme: some women experience ongoing feelings of longing after […]
Mental health professionals are increasingly distinguishing self-trust from the broader notion of confidence, outlining practical steps that help individuals combine honesty with consistent self-kindness. While common language often equates confidence with bold behavior, current guidance emphasizes that authentic self-trust depends on two parallel beliefs: the expectation that a person will tell themselves the truth and […]
New York, NY — A growing collection of recent and older publications is challenging the value, scope and societal effects of contemporary psychotherapy, setting off vigorous debate within mental-health circles and among the general public. Critiques Question Widespread Therapy Use Several authors contend that modern therapy culture may create more problems than it solves. In […]
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) plans to end reimbursement for mental-health services delivered by limited licensed clinicians working under supervision beginning in 2027, a move that mental-health providers warn could tighten already strained access to care across the state. The insurer confirmed that, once the policy takes effect, outpatient clinics will no longer […]
Passive aggression and schadenfreude often surface in everyday interactions, yet the two concepts describe distinct psychological phenomena. Passive aggression is a pattern of indirect behavior that obstructs, delays or quietly undermines another person, while schadenfreude is the private emotion of pleasure that arises when someone else experiences disappointment, humiliation or loss. Although both can be […]
Historian Stephanie Coontz, a long-time analyst of family patterns, returns to center stage with “For Better and Worse,” due from Viking in 2026. The volume traces the historic roots of contemporary marriage and explains why, despite expanding legal equality, gender segregation in the workplace remains pronounced in many of today’s most progressive nations. Drawing on […]
Health professionals are increasingly urging the public to view alcohol problems as a continuum that ranges from mild risk to severe dependence, replacing the long-held idea that people are either “normal drinkers” or “alcoholics.” This perspective, grounded in criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), reframes how individuals […]
Planning a wedding can amplify stress for anyone, but brides who experience panic attacks face a distinct challenge: controlling sudden waves of extreme fear while standing at the center of attention. About six million U.S. adults live with panic disorder, and roughly 40 million meet criteria for an anxiety disorder each year, according to data from the […]
Resilient communities tend to grow out of strong interpersonal networks that cut across age, gender, and socioeconomic lines. Current research and local examples suggest that when residents know and trust one another, rumors and false narratives struggle to gain traction. In the United States, however, participation in common gathering spots—often called “third places”—has been falling, […]
Frequent contact and shared routines can forge close friendships, but those bonds often weaken when the context that sustained them disappears, according to a body of psychological and sociological research. Experts say the natural fading of relationships created at work, university or other transitional settings does not negate their significance, highlighting the concept of “chapter […]