Perfectionism may be the ultimate self-defeating behavior. It turns people into slaves of success—but keeps them focused on failure, dooming them to a lifetime of doubt and depression. It also winds up undermining achievement in the modern world. You could say that perfectionism is a crime

When Joe Livernois was a child, his father sometimes spent days racing around giddily and talking non-stop — then he’d crash, become severely depressed, withdraw into his room and spend most of his time sleeping. If anyone talked about his father’s increasingly erratic behavior, they

Two new studies shed additional light on two different aspects of autism: One tried to pinpoint a risk factor for development of the disorder, while the other looked at the financial toll that having an autistic child takes on a family. Both studies were expected to be published in the April

Journal writing provides a way to put thoughts down on paper where they can be seen and read, and gives shape and substance to feelings. Journaling is an effective and powerful means for self expression, fosters personal growth, and can be a valuable companion on the road to self discovery. A

Some who react to smell go to extreme lengths to stick up for their noses Karen Kraig has been known to raise a stink about strong smells. The Sept. 11 attacks caused the Manhattan financial consultant’s already acute sense of smell to go both ballistic and bronchial, leaving her wheezing

“I can never decide whether my dreams are the result of my thoughts, or my thoughts the result of my dreams.” -D.H. Lawrence The origins of the word “dream” are rooted in several languages. Words from which “dream” is likely derived, including “draugmas” (illusion,

According to the proponents of color psychology, there is close affiliation between colors and emotions. Different colors connote different emotions. Red color implies anger and rage. The lowest of the colors in the spectrum, red is warm and typically stands for danger, violence and anger. On

Staggering SSRI and benzodiazepine use during the first and third trimesters may help reduce potential risks to the fetus. Ms. K, age 25, is 6 weeks pregnant and is taking medications for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). When she was diagnosed with GAD at age 19, her symptoms included 6

“If the dream is a translation of waking life, waking life is also a translation of the dream.” -Rene Magritte Research has shown that there are differences in dream content between men and women and among children of different ages. The Gender Differences in Dream Content: The

A new book sheds light on the fact that it is not social conditioning rather biology that makes men and women different. There is, of course, a glass ceiling that women have to shatter to get to the top. But recent research seems to indicate that it remains intact because most women have no

Parents who teach “tough love” by disciplining their children with spankings could be making them more likely to have sexual problems as teenagers and adults. According to Professor Murray Straus, of the University of New Hampshire, children who are spanked or experienced other

New research and city efforts offer hope in sorting out destructive disorder For actress Delta Burke, it was antique furniture and porcelain dolls — enough to fill 27 climate-controlled storage units. For Roger Gorman’s father-in-law, it was books, newspapers, plastic grocery bags and

Not getting sleep hurts, literally. New research shows that lack of sleep can increase injuries among toddlers and preschool children. This study, published in the latest issue of Public Health Nursing, found that children who don’t get enough sleep were twice likely to hurt themselves than

A recent article in the Archives of General Psychiatry reports that older men with depression have lower total and free testosterone levels in their blood, but a randomized controlled trial is necessary to determine whether or not the association is causal. Researcher Osvaldo P. Almeida, M.D.,

We are social animals, relying heavily on our ability to form relationships with others to help us negotiate our way through life. People who find relationships difficult often become unable to participate in the ordinary give-and-take of everyday life. They may become hostile towards others,