Behavioral & Mental Health

The U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI) system, a measure used by the EPA to determine daily air quality (AQ), categorizes air quality via these six colors: Green: good AQ Yellow: acceptable AQ, but with a slight risk for individuals who are especially sensitive to air contaminates Orange: unhealthy for sensitive ... Read More

Openly discussing one's mental health no longer carries the same stigma it did in times past when people often avoided the subject. Throughout history, individuals with mental illness had difficulty finding acceptance and support from family members and others. Mental illness was a condition to be hidden or ignored. ... Read More

What are you worrying about today in between worrying about the usual daily hassles? A possible global recession? Climate change? Gun violence? Police violence against people of color? Where the next mass shooting may occur? A civil war in the U.S.? The horrifying rise in racism, antisemitism, and transphobia over the ... Read More

We've all heard about being hangry. You go without eating for a while and suddenly every little thing irritates you and it just won't stop until you get some food in your belly. If just going without eating for a little bit is enough to affect your mood, what does dieting do? Making that big of a change in what you ... Read More

You've probably heard phrases like, "making my hair fall out" or "I had hair before my kids," but is there any truth to them? Can stress cause hair loss? Long-term stress, often called chronic stress, can make you vulnerable to a wide range of issues like anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, and—of course—hair ... Read More

Religion is a shared experience across virtually all cultures, countries, and ethnicities, with about 85 percent of the world's population identifying with a religion. At its best, religion can help people build vital social connections, provide a sense of structure, and promote self-improvement, empathy, and learning. ... Read More

Bipolar disorder is a lifelong mental health condition that's characterized by extreme mood swings. These mood swings include periods of deep depression and manic, high-energy periods. People with this condition also experience periods between these two extremes when they feel quite "normal," but various factors can ... Read More

Sleep disorders involving night terrors, nightmares, and sleepwalking are clinically referred to as "parasomnias." A parasomnia interferes with non-REM and REM sleep by causing a person to awaken themselves with sometimes vigorous physical actions or verbal outbursts. While parasomnias are common, especially among ... Read More