MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'divorce'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:52:57 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5169551&cid=t_104523_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fweight-gain-associated-with-years-following-marriage-and-divorce%2F2011.08.26 Women gain weight after marriage and men after divorce, especially among those over 30, likely the result of “weight shock” to people’s routines in physical activity and diet, sociologists reported. The research, led by a sociology doctoral student at The Ohio State University, was presented at a roundtable on Marriage and Family at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association. They used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth ’79, a nationally representative sample of men and women ages 14 to 22 in 1979. The same people were surveyed every year up to 1994 and every other year since then, reported a press release. Data on more than 10,000 people surveyed from 1986 to 2008 was used to determine (more…) *This blog post was or... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5169551 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 18:00:00 +0100 5169551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159200&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F24%2Ffrom-end-to-beginning-navigating-a-transition-well%2F I’ve had transitions on my mind recently. A lot of clients I work with feel stuck in the middle of a transition they didn’t quite anticipate, or that felt thrust upon them, or whose ramifications they just couldn’t calculate at the outset of the change. Marriage, divorce, childbirth, graduating college, losing a job, moving back home: whether positive or negative, transitions can be messy. And they can also give birth to previously unforeseen opportunities for growth. Therapy is, after all, about change, so I guess it is no surprise that as a therapist I should be witness to transitions galore. William Bridges, author of a book aptly titled Transitions, writes that moving from here to there involves three distinct stages: endings, the middle ground, and beginnings. He emphasizes that... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159200 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:21:17 +0100 5159200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086580&cid=t_104523_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F01%2Fwoah-where-the-fuck-have-i-been%2F Wow. It’s been almost 2 years. A lot can happen in 2 years. Lives can change, people can grow, horrible tragedies can happen…. …yeah some of that happened but let’s not get crazy here. It’s really not all that exciting. In fact it’s kinda downright boring. So last I posted I was moving to Seattle. Yay for me! Holy crap that was a long time ago. Sorry I just can’t get over that. Yeah I moved to Seattle for 10 months and decided that I would be insane to continue living there. Depressed infertile divorcing people should not move to Seattle. There should be a law about it. The sky is a unique shade of grey. Let’s just leave it at that because there is good and bad up there but overall I had a hard time. (And to be fair to the lovely residents of... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086580 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 05:59:57 +0100 5086580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051332&cid=t_104523_180_f&fid=38612&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fpickthebrain%2FLYVv%2F%7E3%2F8uUSXeTYdpg%2F Each of us begins in total dependence: the womb. From the moment of ‘delivery’ into the awesome beauty and terror of the world we struggle to come to grips with separateness and the emotions that go with it. In this piece I raise questions and discuss what is not a frivolous question. I do this to help you assess where you are in your own emotional life journey. Those of you who have read my book The Three Word Truth about Love and Being Well might recognize that I have addressed parts of this topic under the headings: Relationship as Love Essence and Sexuality as Love Essence. Here, I look at these areas from the vertex of weaning. What follows can first be summarized in the old psychiatric saw: “Every patient is in therapy for one reason: to learn to separate from mother” (here m... PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051332 Mon, 18 Jul 2011 05:04:32 +0100 5051332 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934647&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FK-UCC0y577k%2F Jack White and Karen Elson‘s sixth anniversary is coming up, and they’re celebrating with a ho-down in Nashville. You know, like a celebrity couple would. Except that they’re also getting a divorce. And apparently, they’re mature enough to end things peacefully, in the company of friends. (But not without a healthy supply of alcohol.) On the one hand, I suppose we should all admire the singer and model/singer’s ability to let their hair down and celebrate their divorce; on the other hand, I’m not sure I’m ready to accept that divorce parties are part of a healthy breakup. Here’s their joint statement on the matter: We remain dear and trusted friends and co-parents to our wonderful children Scarlett and Henry Lee. We feel so fortunate for the ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934647 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:57:59 +0100 4934647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4911574&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F07%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-7-2011%2F Life lessons come in unexpected packages. Take yesterday, for example. I was peering into my nightly stack of “I’m-going-to-eventually-get-to-these-books,” when I came across the yellow covered copy of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. The only reason why I hadn’t finished yet, is that I did what I normally do when I’m infatuated with a book. I read it slowly as if each word were being analyzed with a microscope. I would ponder over an author’s choice of one word over another, for example or got lost in why a particular passage was so magical, so descriptively perfect. When I picked up where I left off, I was enchanted by the beginning of the last chapter, which started with this: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “[... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4911574 Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:32:53 +0100 4911574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803232&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F10%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-10-2011%2F A friend once asked me how to handle her disobedient son. She was going through a divorce and her son was taking out his pain, confusion and anger about his parent’s relationship on her. She wanted to distance herself from him because he was being so hurtful. But I told her to reconsider. My mom and I have an imperfectly perfect relationship. We’re close. But we rarely see eye to eye on anything. We’re as different as we are alike. I like to find good deals. She loves brand names. She chose a traditional 9 to 5 job. I went the opposite way and designed my own career. At the same time, we’re both sensitive and emotional, which is the perfect recipe for personal and sometimes heated debates. But I have to say one thing. I grew up as a child of divorce too. And I told ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803232 Tue, 10 May 2011 11:50:07 +0100 4803232 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4829167&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fq4hEisRC7l0%2F I read an interesting post this morning on Betty Confidential about whether or not lap dances can be considered cheating, which got me thinking about all the other murky, gray areas surrounding infidelity. Of course, when you or your partner actually have sex with someone outside your relationship, that’s generally recognized as being unfaithful, but are there other things we do all the time (perhaps without even realizing it) that border on having an affair? To find out, I caught up with Dr. Julie Elledge, a psychotherapist, sexpert, and friend of Blisstree who loves giving us the goods on solutions to all kinds of relationship dramas from her professional point of view: Should we consider porn cheating? Explicit sexual images have been around for as long as we can record the presen... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4829167 Thu, 05 May 2011 21:55:37 +0100 4829167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789491&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fq4hEisRC7l0%2F I read an interesting post this morning on Betty Confidential about whether or not lap dances can be considered cheating, which got me thinking about all the other murky, gray areas surrounding infidelity. Of course, when you or your partner actually have sex with someone outside your relationship, that’s generally recognized as being unfaithful, but are there other things we do all the time (perhaps without even realizing it) that border on having an affair? To find out, I caught up with Dr. Julie Elledge, a psychotherapist, sexpert, and friend of Blisstree who loves giving us the goods on solutions to all kinds of relationship dramas from her professional point of view: Should we consider porn cheating? Explicit sexual images have been around for as long as we can record the presen... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789491 Thu, 05 May 2011 21:55:37 +0100 4789491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4789496&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fw_kFMbC1EqE%2F Mother’s Day is coming up, and here at Blisstree we’ve been talking a lot about why we’re thankful for our Moms. They taught us to eat, drink, walk, talk; and at least in our cases, they’ve imparted some important health lessons, too. So before we take our moms to brunch and shower them in (healthy) gifts this Sunday, we’re taking some time to share those important lessons with you. Today, Blisstree’s Associate Editor Christine Estima shares how her mom’s difficult divorce taught them both a thing or two about health: In the early 90s, my mother went through a bitter divorce. I think she tried to hide how bad the situation was from my sister and I, by proclaiming that her and my father were still friends, and things were being split evenly and swi... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4789496 Wed, 04 May 2011 20:32:04 +0100 4789496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768178&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FXD9a7bY9GCI%2F Recently, psychotherapist, sexpert, and Blisstree friend Dr. Julie Elledge has talked to us about a slew of subjects relating to relationships including sexless marriages, open marriages, and sex addiction, not to mention other fun stuff like lying, cheating, and infidelity. Today I have some questions for her on sex and intimacy in a committed, long-term relationship including the deal with acting out sexual fantasies, and whether the term “meaningful sex” is always a part of marriage — and how maybe it really shouldn’t be. And because the weekend is almost upon us, I hope you’ll have the opportunity to personally experiment with some of Julie’s suggestions in the privacy of your own bedroom — and sexual fantasyland. How does a couple know when th... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768178 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:36:20 +0100 4768178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753885&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FzHeJwfl_a34%2F Right now, one of Blisstree’s most-viewed posts is one called Prince William Getting Married in 2010? (And the post itself is actually from 2009.) I’m guessing this means that a fair number of you harbor more than a casual interest in what’s going on in London this Friday, April 29. I’ll admit it: When Prince Charles and Lady Diana got married way back in July, 1981 (I was just a kid), but I remember that the entire beach town where we spent our summers came to a screeching halt. I also remember crowding into the living room of our next-door-neighbor’s house at the crack of dawn to watch the ceremony live on their tiny black-and-white TV set. (Most people in our shore town, including my family, prided themselves on choosing to not have a TV in their summer hou... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753885 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:00:02 +0100 4753885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753890&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FkhMH739H-Gg%2F Among the many relationship dilemmas we’ve tackled here at Blisstree, recently we’ve brought you When to Tell a White Lie: 10 Situations Where Honesty Doesn’t Pay, My Marriage Survived a Cheating Affair and So Can Yours, and, just yesterday, An Affair May Be the Best Thing That Happens to Your Marriage. You might say we’re a little obsessed with the idea of infidelity in a relationship, whether or not couples can ever get past it, and, perhaps more controversially, whether or not you should always admit an infidelity to your partner. Because if you don’t, that pretty much counts as lying, doesn’t it? And we’re never supposed to lie to our partners or spouses. Or are we? I have to admit that I found myself more than a little confused about these rel... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753890 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:00:24 +0100 4753890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753915&cid=t_104523_134_f&fid=35213&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fblogspot%2FYNchP%2F%7E3%2Fq8zQLokFDiw%2Fleaving-and-staying.html an email from a reader who made the choice to leave: Ya know...I have been reading your columns for quite some time.  I have been married for 23 years to a non compliant diabetic. I have supported him and tried to get him on the right track for years.  It seems to be a dominos effect.  He is continually tired, crabby and I have too much to offer in life to stick with him any longer.  I am happy to say, I have asked for a divorce 2 weeks ago and haven't been happier.  I am in the process of getting my own place.  He is devastated and wants another chance. Too late for me...he has had many chances for 23 years.  I have not been happier about my decision.  Yes, I have 3 teenage children and altho they are not surpised, one is very angry at me.  I... Wife of a Diabetic blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753915 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:02:00 +0100 4753915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753893&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FU9532KvDsKg%2F The Walkers are the worst communicators ever. If you’ve never had the dubious pleasure of seeing an episode of ABC’s Brothers & Sisters, featuring the Walker family’s antics and dramas, then you’ll just have to take my word for it. Odd that a big family who spends so much damn time on their cell phones talking to each other (often on irritating three-way calls) has such chronic difficulty actually saying anything important to one another, particularly when the timing really matters. Last night’s episode was a perfect TV example of how poor communication skills can really do a number on relationships in real life. Justin wasn’t being straight with Nora (his mom) about two major life events (involving her ex-boyfriend and an unknown grandchild), and, f... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753893 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:45:34 +0100 4753893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4747800&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fo3hmoU1fMWE%2F We recently published two controversial posts here on Blisstree, Domestic Violence Debate: It’s Not Wrong for Women to Hit Men and the follow-up, Women vs. Men: The Domestic Violence Double-Standard, but your heated comments told us that we weren’t quite finished with this often-taboo subject. However, I knew we needed a specific type of expert to weigh in on the tricky debates that surround issues of domestic violence. So, based on the recommendation of a clinical psychologist friend, I tracked down Dr. Linda G. Mills, who’s a professor of social work, public policy, and law at NYU, as well as a recognized authority on the subjects of violence and recovery. I asked her eight questions that challenge the typical perception of domestic violence (she prefers the term &#8220... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4747800 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 17:10:49 +0100 4747800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4724128&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FmbOUea0jr8w%2F Recently, psychotherapist and sexpert Dr. Julie Elledge has given us her take on controversial subjects including open marriages (yike) and sexless marriages (eww). Today I’m grilling her about that trendy new condition which the likes of David Duchovny, Tiger Woods, and Russell Brand have made famous (or infamous, as the case may be): Sex addiction. Personally, I think the whole concept of sex addiction is a fabricated scam perpetuated by serial philanderers who need a crutch on which to lean their lame-o domestic and relationship habits. Now let’s see what the good doctor has to say when we talk about being addicted to love: Recovering drug addicts are never supposed to do drugs again; recovering alcoholics are never supposed to drink again. So does that mean people suffering... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4724128 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:12:24 +0100 4724128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684626&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FVhlFz39_DHg%2F Last night on NBC’s Parenthood, Crosby learned a valuable life lesson the hard way. Or, rather, Crosby didn’t learn a valuable life lesson at all. He had cheated on his fiancee, Jasmine (pictured), in a sloppy one-night stand, which caused her to kick him out of their apartment, and pretty much say: It’s over. Crosby then reacted by doing what most men do when they realize that they’ve been caught or they messed up or they understand that they’re about to lose someone or something that’s very important to them: He panicked. When this kind of thing happens, the cheater (in this case a man, but could easily be a woman) tends to overcompensate. He acts rashly — kind of like he did when he had the one-night-stand in the first place. He’s suddenly... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684626 Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:38:55 +0100 4684626 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677006&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F3lNZokr2qqw%2F Last week I ran a post called An Open Marriage Can Save Your Relationship, which featured a Q&A with and advice from psychotherapist and sexpert Dr. Julie Elledge, who maintained that truly healthy open marriages are possible. But even though I published the post (and asked her the questions), I have to disagree with the good doctor about one thing and say: You open marriage will never work. And here’s why. I am married. But that doesn’t mean I think that lifelong monogamy is the only normal, healthy, feasible option out there. I don’t. In fact, on its worst day, lifelong monogamy seems pretty damn unsustainable; on its best day, it’s an utterly bizarre concept. Still, in most “unopened” (that is, not open) marriages, like mine, the monogamy issue is... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677006 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:23:41 +0100 4677006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658512&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FXF4kQ50gLgk%2F The TV really is something: Yesterday we ran a Blisstree post called My Marriage Survived a Cheating Affair and So Can Yours, and wouldn’t you know it that one of the plot lines on last night’s episode of the so-bad-it’s-almost-but-not-quite-good NBC serial drama Parenthood was about dealing with the messy fallout of infidelity in a romantic relationship. To help get you up to speed, Crosby and Jasmine have an adorable six-year-old son together whom Crosby never knew about. (It was kind of a one-night-stand thing.) But they’ve been a couple for a year or so now, and got engaged on a recent episode. Tensions and problems began to arise, as they have a tendency to do in relationships in life and art (if you can call Parenthood art; I can’t). Jasmine is being too... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658512 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:39:52 +0100 4658512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653487&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F-yMDsfekMH8%2F Last night’s episode of A&E’s Heavy featured a participant with a particularly disturbing set of life circumstances. Chad, a project manager from Decatur, Georgia, weighed in on day one at 509 pounds. On a typical day, Chad eats 5,000 calories. (But that number will decrease to 1,500 daily at Hilton Head Health.) Chad has sleep apnea. He breaks chairs and beds just by sitting on them. He has major abandonment issues surrounding his abusive, alcoholic father. (So does his fellow participant, Sallie, who wasn’t in much better shape; at just 29 years old, her blood pressure is so high that she requires daily medication for it.) Chad’s BMI is supposed to be between 19 and 25. It’s actually 71. Chad is just 28 years old. But the morbid obesity, boot-camp fitnes... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653487 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:50:02 +0100 4653487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653488&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FMXo7qJVq-pE%2F My marriage survived a cheating affair. At least, it’s survived so far. This episode of infidelity occurred less than two years into our marriage, though my husband, Paul, and I had been together for many years beforehand. And neither of us had ever cheated on each other before. It was a one-night, one-time indiscretion (not that I’m making excuses) that happened during a four-day work conference clear across the country (cliched, I know). Oh, and I wasn’t the cheater. He was. My husband didn’t know this other woman; they met at the work conference. As often happens at these kinds of boring functions, much drinking ensued during the post-seminar evening hours (again, not an excuse, just saying). Unpleasant story short: Paul got drunk. The woman got drunk. They ended... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653488 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 16:48:55 +0100 4653488 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4636595&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FqK1jajoVxsQ%2F photo: Thinkstock Recently, I wrote a Blisstree post called Domestic Violence: It’s Not Wrong for Women to Hit Men, which, based on some of your comments, seems to have struck a nerve (no pun intended). So, because you took the time and effort to make said comments, I thought I’d take a few of your most heated responses and answer them point by point. A Blisstree reader named “J” had this to say: What would be better is if weak, emotional women such as Valerie learned to express themselves in non-violent means. Violence of any sort is usually the response of a frustrated, angry person who lashes out. Certainly not the action of an intellectual adult. Hey, J. I’m not really sure where you got the idea that I ever express myself in violent means. I actually don&... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4636595 Fri, 25 Mar 2011 18:42:33 +0100 4636595 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4626867&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F23%2Fdoes-the-internet-promote-or-damage-marriage%2F PBS/This Emotional Life is hosting a webinar in two weeks about the internet’s impact on relationships and marriage, in particular. As a panelist on the webinar, I wanted to explore this issue a bit with my readers so that I can offer your viewpoints in addition to my two cents. Here’s my honest opinion, after reading hundreds of comments and emails from people who have been involved in online relationships or emotional affairs as well as the responses on the discussion boards of the Emotional Affairs support group on Beliefnet’s community site: Although the internet and social media can foster intimacy in a marriage, it seems to do more harm than good. Of all the comments I’ve read, 90 percent of the opposite-sex relationships that were damaging to the marriage happened online... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4626867 Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:40:41 +0100 4626867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605983&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FhON9jyw5YTc%2F Dr. Ruth Westheimer This afternoon I rode the elevator with Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Our brief encounter (if you can call it that) only lasted a minute, because I was riding up to the 9th floor, while Dr. Ruth got off on the second with a gentleman who appeared to be her assistant. (She’s almost 83, so I’ll give her a pass for skipping the one flight of stairs.) I grew up listening to the distinctive voice of this seminal sex therapist (no pun intended) on her radio show Sexually Speaking in my parents’ car (not sure how my conservative folks allowed that), and, more likely, on the portable stereo in my room — probably as I was wearing a Swatch watch and a Forenza sweater over a pair of Bongo jeans. At 4’7″, this German-born orphan (her parents were murdered... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605983 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:15:28 +0100 4605983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600726&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FX9uiN4j4K6k%2F Dr. Julie Elledge Since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, we’ve come a long way in terms of talking openly about women’s sexual health. Or have we? Let’s face it: Masturbation in our society as a whole (at least in the U.S.) remains a taboo subject, particularly with regard to women. Of course, when it comes to a guy jerking off, it’s perfectly acceptable for that image and act to be the recurring punchline in any number of movies and TV shows. But if women do masturbate, they certainly aren’t expected or encouraged to talk about it. This unfair double-standard has always bothered me, so I asked Dr. Julie Elledge — a psychotherapist for individuals and couples who deals with many issues of sexual health — about some of the physical and mental hea... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600726 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:47:28 +0100 4600726 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592602&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FocAGMI9hZ-Y%2F Owen Wilson, Jenna Fischer, Jason Sudeikis, and Christina Applegate in "Hall Pass" Hall Pass is basically the big-budget (and not nearly as entertaining) version of last fall’s indie flick The Freebie, which I blogged about on Blisstree a while back. The flawed, rom-com Hollywood logic in both films goes something like this: Couple has been married for a while, ennui sets in, husband’s eye wanders, wife gives husband a week off marriage in order to rekindle the spark (or, in the case of The Freebie, the couple gives each other one night off work/marriage), hilarity ensues, lessons are learned. On screen, this simplistic concept either works (couple realizes how good they have it) or it doesn’t (couple breaks up over infidelity and moves on), but in real life, th... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592602 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:01:14 +0100 4592602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592604&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F07YLpZYJY8M%2F photo: Thinkstock Usually I’m fiercely against double-standards, but I have to admit: I don’t think that a woman hitting a man is the same thing as a man hitting a woman. Don’t get me wrong: I’m anti-domestic violence (physical and emotional), or any violence for that matter, but I just don’t believe that if a woman hits a man, the ramifications are the same as when the reverse happens. Now, I’m not talking about slugging your boyfriend or husband with a brass-knuckled left hook. Or smashing him over the head with a portrait painting. Or bludgeoning him with a blunt object. Obviously these acts are wrong, violent, and possibly a felony. I don’t mean pulling a Lorena Bobbitt or a Phil Hartman’s wife or a Francine Hughes in The Burning Bed (alt... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592604 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:32:55 +0100 4592604 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592605&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FEp-DUw9o_8o%2F Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Spastic Colon. My large intestine needs to see a shrink. It could use some benzos, or at the very least, Haldol. Maybe a stint in the psych ward. Unfortunately, my colon doesn’t have a separate brain and I can’t take it for psychoanalysis. (I probably wouldn’t want to hear the diagnosis anyway.) Fortunately, my brain (addled and atrophied as it may be) has been able to uncover all the wonders and horrors of dealing with and treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In 1971, I was born a seemingly healthy, properly-pooping nine-pound baby. But things soon changed. In my terrible twos I was at least easily potty-trained. (You couldn’t get this kid on the toilet fast enough.) I skipped the entire Freudian anal-retentive stage. What was going on? Wa... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592605 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:58:36 +0100 4592605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4554652&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F06%2Fmy-mind-isnt-always-my-friend%2F Um. Before you say, “duh???,” let me just say that the title of this post is the title of an insightful book by Steven J. Fogel, business leader and Renaissance man, with Mark Rosin. A refreshing combination of psychology tips and motivational themes, the book outlines why our mind goes awry, leading down the slippery slope to depression and anxiety, and how we can try to better hold the reins. Now if you are so clinically depressed right now that you can’t get out of bed, I don’t think many of the chapters will help you. However, if you are at an okay place, functioning but pretty freaked out about the change that’s going on in your life like I am, well, I appreciated Fogel’s guidelines. He starts by examining our childhood (Yes, you get to blame mom an... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4554652 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 11:45:27 +0100 4554652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4536148&cid=t_104523_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FF75_wy2FKG0%2F Therese Borchard This is author Therese Borchard’s second post for Blisstree; she’ll be blogging for us on a weekly basis about all kinds of mental health, depression, and therapy issues. Find her debut post here. Have a question for Therese? Leave it in our comments section, below. Maybe it’s because I just turned 40 over the weekend, or maybe it’s because I was asked to be a “relationship expert” for a dating website a few days ago (LOL), or that TV writer Tracy McMillan’s recent HuffPo piece “Why You’re Not Married” got under my skin, but I can’t stop thinking about how I ended up married with two kids when I was the one labeled in college “most likely to become an old maid” because 1. I preferred a tiny closet of a room for me and only me over a roomy ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4536148 Tue, 01 Mar 2011 16:26:25 +0100 4536148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482917&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fa7R9Z_R-DJM%2F "The Boys From Brazil" (1978) It was simple: My husband and I were just supposed to go someplace warm for a long weekend in March. We had gone away over the Christmas holidays, but the trip was a total bust, thanks to a raging case of bronchitis I developed on the Eurostar from London to Paris. (I know, I know — luxury problems. But you try being 16 weeks pregnant and quarantined in a tiny rental apartment for four days with an incessant cough, a measly four TV channels (in French, obviously), zero medication allowed, and a dying laptop battery — no charger adapter, either). Merde. On the bright side? I had plenty of Vicks-VapoRub-scented tissues thanks to the well-stocked pharmacy on the corner. Our “babymoon” (a loathesome term, in my opinion) had morphe... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482917 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:09:48 +0100 4482917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4478022&cid=t_104523_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2011%2F02%2F14%2Fvalentines-day-love-2-0%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Valentine’s Day: Love 2. Love calls, like the wild birds It’s another day A spring wind blew My list of things to do away — “Spring Wind” by singer/songwriter Greg Brown We now know love is little more than a chemical imbalance. (Thanks a lot for the buzzkill, science.) Which explains a lot of the crazy behavior observed among those afflicted. People really do fall “madly” in love. Anthropologist Helen Fisher put it this way: There is no human culture on Earth that has been proven not to know the phenomenon of romantic love. Due to ethical concerns, much of what we know about love comes from animals. Researchers found a gene in the monogamous prairie vole that was not present in the libertine montane vole. But ... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4478022 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 17:15:39 +0100 4478022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464639&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F17TlkMs2XSw%2F photo: Thinkstock A few years ago, a friend of mine broke up with a terrific guy. Smart, funny, successful, and good-looking, he was, in anyone’s eyes, a great catch. So when I asked her why she let him go, I was completely and utterly shocked by her answer. “He’s just not romantic,” she said. My jaw hit the floor. Why? I’m just not a romantic. I don’t enjoy flowers. I hate candy. And I would quite literally cringe if someone ever attempted to sing me a love song or write me a poem. My husband is the same way. We don’t (and hopefully never will) stare lovingly at each other or whisper sweet nothings into each other’s ears. In fact, when we make an attempt at romance it usually goes completely awry. Case in point: Years ago, on our honeymoon, my husband set up a full can... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464639 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:02:56 +0100 4464639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464640&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FuRF9oFnD0iA%2F photo: Thinkstock I have a dirty little secret. As with many things, I blame it on my parents and my Catholic school upbringing. I went to an all-girls Catholic high school, and yes, we all wore bouncy little checked skirts of the variety that child molesters favor and yes, there were nuns, though it’s worth noting that we never washed our super sexy wool (winter) or polyester (spring) skirts, and that the nuns got called back to the nunnery shortly after I graduated due to some unspecified scandal. They never returned. In my high school, there were also bathrooms that smelled distinctly of vomit around prom time, and a strange importance placed on Valentine’s Day. It was a big, creepy deal in teen-girl prison. The flowers – mostly garish, generic red roses or carnation bouquets of t... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464640 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:36:50 +0100 4464640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4460104&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FYjQdcM2GQFM%2F photo: Thinkstock Couples may be ahead of singles when it comes to frequency of sex, but that doesn’t mean it’s good sex. In fact, we all know that when you’ve been in a relationship for long enough, sometimes sex is just…sex. And though we all have friends who are uninhibited when it comes to pushing the boundaries of bedroom behavior, I’m willing to bet that the majority of us aren’t ordering sex toys online on a regular basis. (But if you are, check out our 10 Eco-Friendly Sex Toys for Valentine’s Day.) For those of us with a shallow sexually adventurous streak, we called on Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., research scientist at Indiana University and author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, to give us her top five sex ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4460104 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:22:00 +0100 4460104 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4445788&cid=t_104523_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1_OcKxH7tnc%2F By David BoazIn today's Los Angeles Times I write that social conservatives are pointing to real problems, but the only policy solutions they discuss are completely irrelevant to what they call "the high cost of  a dysfunctional society": . . . Reducing the incidence of unwed motherhood, divorce, fatherlessness, welfare and crime would be a good thing. So why the focus on issues that would do nothing to solve the "breakdown of the basic family structure" and the resulting "high cost of a dysfunctional society"? Well, solving the problems of divorce and unwed motherhood is hard. And lots of Republican and conservative voters have been divorced. A constitutional amendment to ban divorce wouldn't go over very well, even with the social conservatives. Far better to pick on a small group, a gr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4445788 Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:23:34 +0100 4445788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433242&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FQd6J9PlIhk0%2F So it turns out love actually does mean having to say you’re sorry. But the good news is it doesn’t mean having to say: “I forgive you.” New research published from The Journal of Family Psychology says that absolute forgiveness may not always be the best route to a happy relationship. While forgiveness is often touted as the enlightened path to true happiness and peace, the study shows that “newlyweds who forgave their partner’s bad behavior were more likely to face additional bad behavior the next day compared with those who stayed mad.” Here’s the breakdown: Study author James McNulty, a psychologist at the University of Tennessee, asked 135 heterosexual newlywed couples to keep a diary for a week, including any instances of their partner upsetting them, and whether ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433242 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:14:52 +0100 4433242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424373&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F-Mm80qQwf3I%2F photo: Thinkstock With the most romantic day of the year (according to candy and card companies) just two weeks away, lovebirds across the country can celebrate more than their passion and romance on V-Day. Turns out, swapping spit with your one and only can help prevent tooth decay and keep your smile sparkly. Dr. Peter Gorden, a dental adviser to the British Dental Association, recently told LIVESTRONG: “After eating, your mouth is full of sugar solution and acidic saliva, which causes plaque build-up. [Kissing] stimulates saliva flow and helps bring plaque levels down to normal.” Smooching is a lot more interesting than picking up floss and a toothbrush to prevent cavities, but kissing every day has even more benefits than just keeping the dentist away. Cosmo mag fitness consult... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424373 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:23:37 +0100 4424373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424374&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F9a5xieC6fnA%2F This Valentine’s Day, you could be a boring old traditionalist and go the dinner, flowers, chocolates, lingerie, perfume, or teddy bear route. Or you could step things up in the bedroom with the We-Vibe II couples vibrator – which will give pleasure that lasts a lot longer than any of the aforementioned gifts, except for maybe the teddy bear. And to celebrate hearts, store-bought cards, and made-up holidays, we’re giving away a We-Vibe II couples vibrator to one lucky Blisstree reader, just for commenting on this post. Read on for details on how to enter. This compact, colorful (ruby, purple, or teal) sex toy fits inside her during vaginal intercourse, providing maximum pleasure by stimulating both the G-spot and the clitoris. Oh, and there’s plenty of room for him, too... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424374 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:03:47 +0100 4424374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4414548&cid=t_104523_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F30%2F5-steps-to-a-more-resilient-you%2F Resiliency is what makes some people able to bounce back after a particularly traumatic or difficult time or stressor in one’s life, while others fall apart. It is a component of positive psychology, in that researchers try and figure out what makes resilient people different than others. And then seeks to help others learn some simple skills that may be able to help build resiliency in one’s own life. There are no secret short-cuts to building greater resilience in your life. Most skills you can learn to help build resiliency are things that are going to take lots of time and lots of practice. Practice is one of the things people often forget when it comes to changing one’s behavior or one’s life. You didn’t become this way overnight. It took years — a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4414548 Sun, 30 Jan 2011 11:40:39 +0100 4414548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405956&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FmisZofMHif8%2F photo: Thinkstock Seems like we hit a delicate nerve with our recent post Celibacy In Marriage: Pros and Cons, which featured expert sex and relationship advice from well-known psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig. Hundreds of readers have commented on our celibacy posts, which likely means that there are hundreds more of you who have kept your mouths shut about this subject. But we want to know about your relationship, and we want the truth. Is it sexless sometimes? All the time? How long has it been that way? Take our (anonymous) poll: Now tell us (also anonymously, don’t worry) why you think your sexless or sort-of-sexless relationship is the way it is, and how you feel about it, in our comments section, below: Post from: BlissTree Poll: How Celibate Is Your Marriage or Relationship? ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405956 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:41:07 +0100 4405956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399739&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F6nk3-YcS4ck%2F Dr. Robi Ludwig So many of you have commented on Marye Audet’s post from 2008, The Celibate Marriage: Living Without Sex, that we thought it was high time for a follow-up. So I picked out six of your most intriguing, disturbing, and thought-provoking comments on the subject, and asked renowned psychotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig (you’ve probably seen her on TV), to weigh in on them. Of course, despite being a relationship expert, Dr. Robi can’t diagnose anyone’s relationship problems (be they physical, emotional, or sexual) via the Web, but in this case, her advice about celibacy in marriage is pretty spot-on. See what you think, and then sound off (anonymously, if you like) in our comments section, below. Blisstree Reader Comment: By Stuck
, 87 days ago I have been s... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399739 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 15:55:39 +0100 4399739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377720&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FL9zJM63rZEs%2F photo: Thinkstock Yesterday, contributor Tracy Wholf blogged about turning 30 in 2011, and while I appreciated (and published) the post, as someone who will turn 40 during the same year, I definitely have a few things to say on that particular subject. But first I’d like to address some of the anxieties that women who are moving into their 30s often face, which Wholf brought up in her post: Since when do women think that they need to have everything in life figured out by age 30? It’s absurd that society has pressured us into thinking that the start of each new decade must also usher in a superior age of enlightenment. It’s simply not possible. Putting that kind of absurd pressure on ourselves is completely pointless and counterproductive. And do women really still feel p... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377720 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:14:00 +0100 4377720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372193&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FOrHgpUU4o0A%2F photo: Thinkstock I’ve been 30 for one week. I have a new driver’s license. Thanks to my age, I now check a different box on questionnaires. Thirty doesn’t feel that far removed from 28 or 29, but the fact that I’ve entered a new decade has given me the heebie-jeebies and has me asking, “Now what?” Lately, I’ve find myself concerned about weird things, like anti-wrinkle skin cream and decreasing metabolism. But beyond the vanity-related anxieties about aging, a few serious thoughts also have been bothering me, like the status of my professional career and motherhood — issues I thought would be resolved by my 30th birthday. Exactly one month prior to “the day,” I sat on my couch wide-awake at 1 a.m., struggling with a range of emotions about exiting my 20s. As so... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372193 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:17:35 +0100 4372193 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4343273&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F4FE6UEhL7Cs%2F photo: Thinkstock My husband and I are in couples counseling. We’ve been married for almost a decade, and have been seeing a therapist together for three of those years. The twist? We don’t hate each other. We don’t fight any more than most couples. And we’re not separated or contemplating divorce. In short, our marriage really isn’t in trouble. So if there’s nothing wrong, why on earth have we been dropping our hard-earned dollars once a week (or sometimes every other week) on a pricey clinical psychologist with a PhD who specializes in solving relationship issues between committed couples? Because our marriage really isn’t in trouble, that’s why. And we’d like to keep it that way. Most people probably think of couples counseling as a ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4343273 Thu, 13 Jan 2011 21:15:32 +0100 4343273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338179&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FFoY8kRvlcQI%2F photo: NFL.com Last Monday night men and women across America faced a serious dilemma: The Bachelor or football? For couples without two TVs or DVR service, this could be a potentially relationship-ending argument. Not only do these broadcasts provide entertaining, high-stakes TV, but missing them is also a major setback when it comes to Tuesday’s water cooler and/or Facebook gossip fests. At first viewing, these shows sit on the opposite ends of the entertainment spectrum. The Bachelor is a money-making reality franchise for ABC where women self-destruct on national television under the pressure of dating a man with multiple girlfriends. The NFL (and college games) display gladiator-like athletes taking the field (or model-like, where the Patriots’ Tom Brady is concerned) in order... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338179 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 23:01:49 +0100 4338179 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338180&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FlDV9YKpJmsU%2F photo: Thinkstock Lately, we’ve been talking a lot about couples who live together and the taboo idea of having separate bedrooms. Several of you have made your thoughts on this controversial subject known, so we thought we’d give the rest of you a chance to air your opinions (anonymously) about whether you think couples who choose to have separate bedrooms are utterly enlightened (maybe your partner just snores loudly?) or completely nuts. (Can you say “heading for divorce court”?) Or perhaps the two of you are simply drifting apart, and separate bedrooms are an early sign of trouble. Regardless, take our separate bedrooms poll and sound off. You can also make more specific (anonymous) comments about separate bedrooms (and share your personal experiences) in the c... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338180 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:10:39 +0100 4338180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331163&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FmRDCUlAiUEM%2F photo: Thinkstock On Friday afternoon I wrote a post about my husband’s “dream” to have separate bedrooms, and several Blisstree readers have already made their strong opinions known about the subject in our comments section. (Keep them coming, people!) I’d like to address one specific reader’s comments in this follow-up post. I’m very grateful to this reader (Katie) for sharing her thoughts, because they bring up other important aspects of the separate bedrooms debate. Here’s Katie’s comment, which has been edited for clarity: A marriage or relationship is in trouble when a couple can’t even stand to be in the same room together while sleeping. The wife in this article wants to come to bed after her husband is asleep, then make the room no... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331163 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 19:04:09 +0100 4331163 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322635&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F_Oz4OgLel1w%2F photo: Thinkstock My husband has a dream: Separate bedrooms. It’s a dream he’s had for a while. It’s a simple dream, yet one that can create serious complications in a marriage. And two single beds in the same room a la Lucy and Ricky won’t do. In his dreamland, my husband requires his own bedroom with his own bed, and a door that closes. But the reality is that we live in New York City, where having an apartment with an extra room is the equivalent of winning a $300 million Powerball lottery (and as likely). Don’t get me wrong: My marriage isn’t in trouble (that I know of). My husband doesn’t want his own bedroom because we fight and slam doors and need to spend time apart. (Although we’re perfectly capable of doing all of the above.) He dre... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322635 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 22:00:44 +0100 4322635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309788&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FMRN8mohOs8E%2F Victor the Cat, Blisstree’s resident relationship columnist is back to help you with your relationship dramas and dilemmas in 2011, starting with this one about a crazy ex who can’t seem to let go of her ex-boyfriend, even when he’s your current beau. Hello Victor the Cat: I’ve got a frustrating dilemma. My boyfriend and I have been together for one blissful year. I have — literally — no complaints and plenty of compliments about our relationship. He and his previous girlfriend broke up about 1 1/2 years before we met. Theirs was a complicated relationship for about four years. In hindsight, my boyfriend feels that they were never really that well matched, and is very glad they broke up, although it was very painful for him when it happened. About a mont... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309788 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 18:44:34 +0100 4309788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4305029&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F7yB059TZPGo%2F photo: Thinkstock Judging from the almost 2,000 comments our readers have made on Sara Ost’s 2007 post How to Get Over a Broken Heart, we gather that this subject is pretty important to you. But, while I appreciate much of what Sara wrote in her post, I have a slightly different take on the whole “how to get over a broken heart” thing. Personally, I don’t believe that exercise, ice cream, breakup music, hanging out with friends, or avocados will help end your heartache. They may, however, make you feel physically or mentally better as a person (albeit temporarily), but they won’t lessen your emotional pain or help you get over the actual person. Unfortunately, nothing will. Except, perhaps, the one intangible thing that you wish you could speed up, just this o... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4305029 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:08:42 +0100 4305029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281456&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FvgHMzXDHL14%2F John Partilla and Carol Anne Riddell's photo in the New York Times "Vows" section. Last weekend’s New York Times “Vows” column featured a big, beautiful wedding much like any other, except for one unsavory detail: The bride and groom had fallen in love while married, and left their spouses in order to be with each other. Oh, and there were kids involved. (Homewreckers!) And their families had gone on vacation together. (Harsh.) John Partilla and Carol Anne Riddell’s scandalous story has provoked a cascade of user comments and blog posts, and even landed the couple a spot on The Today Show. (The couple was smart enough to turn down an actual appearance, but the show brought on psychologists to analyze their situation, below). The fact that the Times... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281456 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:00:25 +0100 4281456 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266091&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FYSGCqNnZ0iE%2F Can you safely (and regularly) sleep with your ex-husband without repercussions? (via The Frisky) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Genetics and Health) Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266091 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:00:08 +0100 4266091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266093&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fel966iX62Pc%2F photo: Thinkstock Check out this post about Facebook and divorce by Jennifer Barton on Lemondrop. Whatever happened to the good old days when a mysterious expensive jewelry purchase was evidence of cheating? Now, all it takes is a distinctly unglamorous poke on Facebook. In fact, the social networking site has been blamed for its involvement in one in every five divorces, according to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Many of these indiscretions involve past lovers reconnecting via the site. 80 percent of divorce lawyers surveyed also said that there’s been a sharp rise in the number of cases using social media as evidence of cheating, with flirty messages and photos cited as proof of irreconcilable differences or inappropriate behavior. Keep reading on Lemondrop. Post fro... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266093 Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:30:09 +0100 4266093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259093&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FmwQYciAdO_0%2F A recent New York Times Modern Love essay “Honey, Let’s Get a Little Divorced” by Rachel Zucker, was well-written and poetic, which makes sense, because the author is a published writer and poet. But I have issues with her column. I’m very glad that Ms. Zucker and her husband have outlasted the marriages of both their divorced parents. As anyone who’s ever been married for any length of time can tell you, this is an impressive achievement, to be sure. But the article’s clever angle of “let’s act a little divorced so we can become better partners” could just as easily have been couched as: “‘let’s pretend we’re both single and never got married in the first place.” That said, I completely understand the auth... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259093 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:16:43 +0100 4259093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4245478&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FWShIrZ9AvfQ%2F Not looking forward to the holidays so much? You may not be such a terrible person after all. TV commercials show perfect, ecstatically happy families next to a new car with a red bow around it, and we’re bombarded with these absurd images around this time of year. But the reality is that many of us have crazy dads or sisters we don’t talk to or a stepmom we, well, hate. And that’s actually okay. The more we face up to the truth that most families are far from perfect, the more we can embrace ours, however dysfunctional. Then we’ll be able to better cope with the holidays, and perhaps even enjoy them a little. “It’s important to recognize that families are complex and unique,” says Noelle Nelson, a licensed clinical psychologist and author of nine books. “You have to fl... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4245478 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:44:30 +0100 4245478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238059&cid=t_104523_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F-GH7iPJIVSQ%2F Dear Victor the Cat: I got back together with an ex about a year ago, but he didn’t want to commit to a serious relationship, preferring that we keep it casual (meaning he has freedom to sleep with other women). I thought our “relationship” would fade away when he moved to another city this fall to go to grad school. But he’s kept in constant contact, and we talk daily. He even still tells me that he loves me. But whenever I bring up the idea of us becoming exclusive, he refuses to discuss it. I’m dating other people, but it makes me feel guilty. And thinking of him being with another woman makes me feel sick. What should I do? Signed, Stuck and Sad Dear Stuck and Sad: You seem nice, so I’m going to give you some kitty-cat straight talk. Why is this guy ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238059 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:53:54 +0100 4238059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214210&cid=t_104523_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FLICtA03Zb1A%2F – Blisstree Editor-in-Chief Christine Egan calls bullshit on the dangerous concept of soulmates, in her post: Relationships: The Great Soulmate Debate Post from: BlissTree My wedding vows went something like this: “Hi there. So, I don’t believe that people are “meant to be together.” I also don’t think there’s only one person in the world for you, and if you don’t find that person you’ll never be happy. I’m not into destiny. I’m into choice. You choose the person you want to be with…and I choose him.” (Bride indicates groom.) While nervously gathering my thoughts the night before, I had a feeling this line of reasoning might make a few guests uncomfortable (i.e. mother, mother-in-law-to-be), which is one reason I asked the bartender to open up shop an hour before ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214210 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 13:00:26 +0100 4214210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197157&cid=t_104523_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FvoLufeM0-Zs%2F If you’re currently dating or in a relationship, enjoy it while it lasts. You’ll find the cause of its demise on this handy flow chart. Yes, dying old and married is one way your current relationship could end. But don’t worry — it will probably die way before you do. Click the image to enlarge. via Buzzfeed Post from: BlissTree Depressing Infographic: This Is How Your Relationship Will End (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197157 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:41:09 +0100 4197157