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Category Archives: Mental Health
Straight, No Chaser: Learning the Risks and Signs of Abusive Head Trauma
This part of the conversation is not about spanking. It’s not even about abuse. It’s about learning who is most likely to cause harm to your child, intended or not, and what pl
Straight, No Chaser: Abusive Head Trauma aka Shaken Baby Syndrome
The discussion regarding the line between parental discipline and child abuse has proven to be a passionate one. Without wading into opinions, let me elaborate and give a concrete
Straight, No Chaser: The Emotional Signs of Child Abuse
In a previous Straight, No Chaser, we provided a pictorial demonstration of the physical signs of child abuse. Unfortunately for many, the emotional signs are even more dangerous.
Straight, No Chaser: Battered Woman Syndrome and Why Victims Stay In Abusive Relationships
Domestic violence has been in the news quite a bit lately, and among the many questions asked, perhaps the most frequent is beguiling to many: “Why do the victims stay in the abu
Straight, No Chaser: Self-Assessment for Signs of Early Dementia or Alzheimer's
Each of us has elderly family members for whom we may be concerned about their memory or other possible signs of dementia. You don’t have to stand by powerless and let them
Straight, No Chaser: Dementia – When Brain Health Goes Bad
In case you didn’t pick up on it, the posts regarding brain health served two purposes. The first is to ensure you give yourself the best opportunity to live a healthy, happy men
Straight, No Chaser: Depression – How to Avoid It, When to Get Help
This is the third post in a series on depression and suicide. In our first post, we focused on the magnitude of clinical depression and suicide. In the second post, we provided
Straight, No Chaser: Are You Depressed and/or Suicidal?
In our first post on clinical depression and suicide, we looked at the scope of the disease, and in the next post we will provide tips for you to address depression and an inclinat
Straight, No Chaser: Suicide Data – Understand the Threat
The death of beloved comedian Robin Williams has hit many like a lead balloon. So successful was he, with seemingly so much for which to live. He was enjoying ongoing success with
Straight, No Chaser: Brain Health – How Your Brain Works
Everyone at Straight, No Chaser and www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com is into brainpower. This is the first of a series of posts on brain health and brainpower. The purpose of these po
Straight, No Chaser: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
The irony of the name “irritable bowel syndrome” (IBS) is found in the connection between stress (in some cases, irritability) and symptoms. This can become a vicious cycle. Yo
Straight, No Chaser: Domestic Violence – How to Get Out of an Abusive Situation
Remember: You are not to blame, and you need not face domestic violence alone. With the recent attention in the news on domestic violence and debates about responses and responsibi
Straight, No Chaser: Sexual Deviances and Perversions (Paraphilias)
This is a serious conversation that I won’t sensationalize or joke about. The mental health disorders known as paraphilias (commonly referred to as sexual deviancies or perversio
Straight, No Chaser: Personality Disorder Screening Quiz – Now It's Your Turn!
It’s been an interesting week of responses from you on the series of personality disorders. The most common comment was a request for an ability to test oneself. I’ll p
Straight, No Chaser: Obsessive-Compulsive, Avoidant and Dependent Personality Disorders
The final group of personality disorders we will review involves excessive fears expressed through thoughts or behaviors. They include avoidant personality disorder, dependent pers
Straight, No Chaser: Narcissistic, Histrionic, Antisocial and Borderline Personality Disorders
Again, I need to start with a disclaimer, lest all the armchair psychiatrists out there start diagnosing everyone you know. The Cluster B personality disorders are defined by drama
Straight, No Chaser: Paranoid, Schizoid and Schizotypal Personality Disorders
I’d imagine that if you’re reading this, it’s not necessarily because the topic is interesting but because you may be wondering if these are applicable to someone you know. W
Straight, No Chaser: Understanding Personality Disorders
Mental health really is taken for granted. Your ability to cope and exist within your environment is a fundamental determinant of your quality of life. Psychoses are severe, unheal
Straight, No Chaser: Suicide and Suicide Risks in College Students
I just had the privilege of engaging many wonderful students at my alma mater. Among many other things discussed, I was shocked by the extent to which college suicides have become
Straight, No Chaser: Amnesia and Severe Memory Loss
In a previous post, we discussed forgetfulness and mild memory loss. We’ve also discussed Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. If you noticed and remember (no pun intended), we di
