Transitioning a Loved One to Assisted Living

 

 

Moving into an assisted living facility is a huge change for a loved one, as well as for family members. However, there are some things you can do so the switch is as hassle-free as possible for everyone. There’s no foolproof way to help someone you love adopt to a new living environment, but the tips below can make the process much less stressful.

 

Recognize When the Time Is Right

There are often many strong and very personal emotions associated with determining whether now is the appropriate time for your loved one to move into an assisted living facility. However, for the safety of your loved one, plus your own peace of mind, it’s important to learn some of the telltale signs that strongly suggest it’s time to get help.

For example, if you notice your loved one starts displaying aggression that gets worse as the day progresses, he or she may be displaying a symptom called sundowning. It can be extremely taxing for caregivers. Also, if you feel your loved one is no longer safe in his or her own home and you cannot adequately offer the necessary assistance, it’s time to think about approaching an assisted living facility.

 

Have Open Conversations

Elderly loved ones can become embarrassed or bitter if they feel their wishes are not being respected during the transition process. Take time to listen to fears and concerns, as well as any specifics they have about how they’d like to live.

When loved ones feel you’re respecting their freedom of choice, they’ll be less likely to get defensive. At the heart of your conversations, try to convey you’re concerned about his or her well-being and are responding out of love.

 

Do Your Research

It’s often best to choose a facility that offers a wide range of assisted living options for clients. Whereas you may have initially decided residential assisted living is the best option for the one you love, it might become clear that for now, a supervised environment during daytime hours is actually a better choice.

The Internet is a great way to start searching for a facility, but you should also take time to do in-person tours when possible. Asking trusted friends for recommendations about elderly living options is a great avenue to pursue, too.

 

Figure Out Financing

Many well-meaning family members of elderly loved ones decide to move them into very upscale facilities that are ultimately too pricey. If a person is residing at an assisted living facility but then runs out of funding options, he or she will likely have to move. That could be extremely stressful and overwhelming. To avoid that possibility, talk honestly about budgeting, and err on the side of caution.

 

Be Respectful

Whether you are at the point where you’re helping a loved one move into a new place or are still surveying the options, remember that anxiety and uncertainty are common emotions during any major life change. If you can make it clear you want to be respectful and supportive, loved ones will be more likely to confide in you.

Transitioning to assisted living is not a straightforward decision, nor should it be one made in haste. The suggestions above should make it easier to be sensitive to your loved one’s desire for as much independence as possible, while also being mindful of health and safety concerns.

 

Categories: Advice, aging, assisted living, Family

Wellness Programmes: How To Build And Sustain Them

Workplace wellness schemes are becoming increasingly popular in companies, but there are unforeseen challenges in creating a successful programme which benefits everyone. Both employers and employees benefits from having a wellness scheme in place, such as better morale in the workplace, lower rate of absences and a higher rate of employee productivity. In particular, for employees, wellness programmes can become an important part of being physically active and leading a healthy lifestyle. There are often cases where a wellness scheme triggers an interest in healthier living, such as yoga sessions bringing a personal sense of satisfaction to an employee or cycling to work improving one’s health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, there is no right way to approach developing a wellness scheme, but there are many common factors in programmes which are currently very successful. The main factors to remember are a commitment from management, involvement from employees, adequate resources and a focus on policies regarding workplace health, wellness and safety. Careful planning is required if you are to set up a successful scheme. Why not invite employees to input their ideas? A suggestion box or staff meetings can be a great forum for these ideas. You may need to develop a business case to convince senior members of staff that a wellness programme would be useful within your company. There are many stats to support the benefits of having a wellness scheme but it’s important that you make it clear why your company should develop one to help both employees and employers.

 

Your messages to management should communicate the benefits of such a programme, including the facts and figures on employee health and job satisfaction, and how this affects productivity. Be sure to collect information to prove that the scheme is beneficial; establish a planning committee to represent the views of different departments; be sure to know the facts on what your company is already offering in the way of health benefits and such. You should put activities into place, such as those which increase awareness and knowledge, develop skills and provide social interaction. These could be activities such as walking clubs, golf tourneys, corporate challenge events and national campaigns which your company can get involved in. Healthy eating should also be part of the plan so develop a policy on food catering for the meetings, so that healthy foods are available – perhaps you can look to develop a healthier menu in the company cafeteria. Your wellness programme should take steps to regularly monitor the progress of employees and evaluate how successful the programme is. You can do this, for example, by tracking the number of participants in a given activity, or the number of employees who support some or all components of a programme. It’s important that you identify all areas of excellence, as well as looking at the factors which affect the participation in your programme. Mistakes will happen but the important thing is that you learn from them and develop a stronger programme for the future. As the scheme develops, continue to evaluate it and make changes as you and the company require them. If you pay close attention to the key elements of a wellness programme within your company, and you ensure that the lines of the communication remain open at all times, you can develop a strong foundation from which to sustain an effective wellness programme which will leave a lasting legacy.

Categories: Advice, company, Corporate, employees, Programme, scheme, Wellness, Wellness Programme, Wellness programmes, wellness scheme

What You Learn As a Sexual Health Advice Columnist

Have you ever written into a newspaper or magazine with a relationship or sexual health problem? Not only do you learn a lot from writing in or reading other people’s wellness dilemmas; you learn from answering them! We’ve spoken to three agony aunts and uncles, who shared what they have learnt from giving out advice.

 

1. Rupert Smith: According to the author of several books, including Man’s World, Grim and The Hardest Thing, ‘I’ve always assumed people writing in to a newspaper want advice, not sympathy. They don’t write unless they’re really stuck and, to an outsider, the reasons are blindingly obvious. If I’m having trouble, I don’t want someone saying: “There there, dear.” I want help. As a middle-aged gay man who reached adulthood at a time when my sexuality and aspirations were illegal or stigmatised, I’ve had to stand up for what I wanted and wait for the rest of the world to catch up. One of the common problems we get concerns people who are afraid of what their family will think of their relationships for religious or cultural reasons. I always say one of the hallmarks of becoming an adult is telling your parents you’re going to make your own decisions; if you spend your life soliciting their approval, you’re still a child. So what if your beloved is from the wrong faith group, class or ethnicity? You don’t get many shots at happiness, so don’t let prejudice screw it up.’

 

Smith adds, ‘The other big worry is a lack of sex: one partner wants it, the other doesn’t. One ends up feeling frustrated and bitter, the other threatened and harassed. Should the frustrated one play away and jeopardise the relationship? Should the other lie there and take it, hating every minute? It’s easy to say: “Talk to each other. Reach a compromise.” But in practice, this is hard. I totally understand people who look elsewhere for sex: it’s horrible if you’re being ignored and shut out. Most problems can be dealt with via a bit of advice from someone who’s been round the block. But sometimes we get letters from people with serious mental problems. I want to march round to their houses and rush them to the nearest A&E and stay with them until they’ve got the help they need. It’s inappropriate to be glib or funny in these cases and I worry about the ones that might fall through the net.’

 

2. Dr Cecilia d’Felice: ‘What I have learned about human behaviour is that it’s enacted so unconsciously, we often don’t even notice what is really happening in our lives until after it has been staring us in the face,’ says the author of 21 Days To A New You. ‘The stories are always of the same epic motifs: love that’s found, lost, stolen, abandoned, unfulfilled and misunderstood. All these issues reflect hidden feelings that come down to the fact many of us believe we are not truly and unconditionally lovable…None of us set out to generate conflict but until we understand the true nature of love – which can only ever be real love if it is unconditional – and until we understand why the ego is afraid to give that love unconditionally, then conflict we shall have.’

 

3. James McConnachie: ‘I’ll never forget Ms Pony Play,’ the author of Sex recalls. ‘I know a few things about human sexuality, thanks to my books, but I had to look up that fetish. She wanted to groom and ride her boyfriend. Maybe use a bridle. He wasn’t keen…Often, it’s women writing in. Many tell us “my partner does this…” and then ask “…and is that OK?” My answer, typically, is “no!” It comes better from a man, I think. Porn is often the problem. Many women are deeply upset by their partner’s use of it – and by his refusal to see why it’s a problem. My thoughts on porn have provoked some cross comments. I’ve said porn often objectifies, degrades and mistreats women, and I’ve warned it’s addictive. A man who eats free-range eggs and watches pornography, I’ve gently suggested, is a hypocrite. I’ve even argued a man who secretly uses porn is cheating on his partner.’

Categories: Advice, agony aunt, love, nbsp, partner, people, Porn, sexual health

Secret Weight Loss Tricks You May Not Be Aware Of

Weight loss can be difficult for some people, regardless of how much they try to amend their diet or workouts in the gym. Maintaining a healthy weight and an active lifestyle is important for good health, and we’re reminded all the time how obesity can lead to a number of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. But there are problems which can lead to weight gain itself, such as thyroid disorders and many more. The choices we make affect directly our weight and health, as we all know. But there could be aspects to your lifestyle that you hadn’t considered could affect your weight, such as your iron levels. Iron deficiency anaemia could be leading to your weight problems – it could be impacting why you can’t lose weight as easily as you’d like to.

Iron is essential for carrying oxygen to the bloodstream, and when you’re exercising it can make you feel weak and tired if your iron levels are low. Your battle with being tired and lacking energy could be affecting the intensity of your workouts, and as a result you could be impacting your weight loss without even realising it. If you feel like you’re always exercising but never getting anywhere, this could be why. The harder you can work out, the better results you’ll see and your body shape will be a testament to that. Iron, it seems, could be the hidden key to weight management success that you may be ignoring to your detriment. But why is it that this secret weight loss trick not promoted more, and how do you know if you’re a member of the iron-deficient club?

 

There are some important things to bear in mind if you think iron could be missing from your diet and affecting your weight management. One of the biggest causes of iron loss is due to bleeding, and this is often because of heavy and frequent menstrual periods in women. For people with coeliac disease, Crohn’s diseases and people who have had gastric bypass surgery could be impacted by iron absorption. Furthermore, your diet could be the problem – people following vegetarian diets could find that their iron intake isn’t what it should be – plant-based iron sources are non-heme which is why the RDA for iron is higher in vegetarians than meat eaters. Vegetarian men and post-menopausal women need 14mg daily or pre-menopausal vegetarian women should aim for 33mg daily. Often, people forget that forty per cent of iron found in meat, fish and poultry is heme, with the other sixty per cent falling into the category of non-heme.

 

All plant-based sources are non-heme. It’s also important to remember that non-heme iron isn’t absorbed as easily as heme iron. Sources such as rhubarb, spinach and beet greens contain an oxalate acid which binds with iron to make it unavailable for the body, which is why getting the right amount from plant-based sources is difficult. If you’re in doubt as to what your iron take is like and if it’s enough, you should speak to your GP. A sign that you could be iron-deficient are finding yourself low on energy, tired or winded, but you should be tested properly before taking supplements or upping your iron intake substantially.It could be the difference between years of weight loss struggle and a healthy management of weight loss, as well as better health overall.

Categories: Advice, based sources, heme iron, iron deficient, iron intake, iron levels, iron sources, plant based, secret weight, Weight Loss, Weight Management

Don’t Miss These Important Weight Training Variables

Weight training is critical to your success as an athlete, and by becoming stronger and increasing your muscular endurance, you’ll be able to perform more efficiently. It also lowers your risk of injury, along with a number of other benefits to your workout regime. The strength of your tendons and ligaments will be increased, your bone density gets higher so you’ll be less susceptible to fractures and breakages, and your maximal heart rate will be improved, which increases your metabolism. All in all, any workout regime you do should include some weight training. There are various variables to consider though when designing a weight training programme, which include a needs analysis, exercise selection and training frequency, among others. Here are some to consider when you begin weight training.

Needs Analysis

This refers to a two-stage process which considers the activity or sport you’re doing and the history of your training record. The unique characteristics of the sport you’re training for needs to be considered in your planning, so that you can make your training as specific as possible. Specific muscular patterns, cardiovascular endurance levels and your flexibility requirements are all things to think about. Likewise, your current level of fitness, training experience and medical history should all be taken into account. If you’re training with a personal trainer, these are things that you can discuss with them when setting up your programme.

Exercise Selection

This deals with choosing the exercises which reflect your needs, whilst considering the training history you have. There are two different types of weight resisted exercises; core exercises and assistance exercises. Core exercises use larger muscles which are primary movers at one or more joints, and these stabilise your proximal segments of the body. Assistance exercises use smaller muscles, such as the biceps or calf muscles, which are considered less important in athletic performance. Exercise should be as sport specific as possible, so that it can be transferred to the athletes performance. For example, forward and lateral lunges would be a sports specific exercise for tennis or baseball players – be sure to set the right exercises to your needs.

Training Frequency

Training frequency looks at the number of training sessions in a given period of time, where the goals and experience of the athlete should be taken into consideration. Traditionally, three workouts each week are recommended for many athletes, as the intervening days are used to recover and rest. If you have less experience with weight training, you should begin with fewer sessions and build up slowly.If you’re new to exercise in any capacity, you should speak to your GP to ensure you’re safe to embark on physical activity and then you should take things slowly so as not to put too much strain on your body and risk injury.

 

Rest Intervals

This refers to the amount of time between your exercises, and generally rest intervals are based on your experience and goals of the training itself. Typically, an athlete with a limited amount of weight training exercise will need more time for muscle recovery between sets. The other thing to consider is the goal of training. When you’re training for power or strength gains, you should set your rest interval between two to five minutes. But if muscle endurance is the goal, the rest interval should be 30 to 90 seconds. Be sure to know your goals before embarking on your regime so that you can make the correct choices for your needs.

Categories: Advice, core exercises, exercise selection, exercises core, fitness, rest interval, rest intervals, training, training frequency, Weight Training, workout regime

Is Sex More Important To Your Wife For A Reason?

It’s a common myth that men never turn down sexual advances from women, but there are cases where the opposite is true. In fact, some men are so desperate to turn down these advances that they become incredibly angry at the thought of having sex with their partner. So why are magazines and TV programmes promoting the concept that men are always the ones eager for a sexual relationship when the opposite is sometimes true? Male passivity towards physical intimacy is a real problem in 20 to 30 per cent or more of couples, according to researchers. For many couples, the woman is the person initiating sex and trying to get her partner aroused, and the male partner is the one ignoring those advances. It’s a common problem that sex counsellors are greeted with on a regular basis – women feel as though the roles have been reversed in the relationship, and that they always feel the need to initiate intimacy and sex, a role traditionally taken on by the man.

If you’ve been rejecting your wife’s advances, it’s easy to feel guilty about your reasons but have you really considered why you’re doing it? And also, the effect it has on your wife? When a man feels a lack of interest in sex with his wife, she will feel several emotions. In the first instance, she will feel undesirable and wonder if she’s still attractive, both to you and in general. She will wonder if you still love her, and she will feel profoundly rejected. According to the Bible, God’s design is for a man to be ‘united to his wife, and they will become one flesh’ – sex in marriage is meant to be shared, not withheld. And when that romance and intimacy is not shared, it creates a void in the relationship that can become difficult to repair.

Physical intimacy is not optional in marriage, and when you ignore the needs of your wife to cultivate that intimacy and passion, you’re opening up the relationship to a big void. Romance and sex, just as it does for anyone, affirms a woman and helps her to feel confident and loved. Imagine how you would feel if your advances were repeatedly rejected – it would hurt and after a while you would begin to wonder what value you have within the relationship if you’re no longer desired by your partner. Sex and intimacy holds enormous power within a couple’s private life, and has the power to strengthen or destroy the relationship. So it’s important that you find out why you’re feeling this way. Has your wife made you angry or do you resent her for something? Perhaps this is something a counsellor could help you work through as a couple, so that you can get back to building a strong union. Perhaps you have lost the desire to have sex entirely, not just with your wife, and this may be based on a hormonal issue that your GP could help with. Or maybe you need to make an effort to rekindle the romance and spark between you and your wife – maybe you’ve got so used to the habit of rejecting her advances that you worry you won’t be able to go back to how your relationship used to be. It’s important to be honest with your wife though and communicate why you’re feeling the way you do, so that you can both begin to resolve the issue rather than ignoring it and letting it perpetuate.

Categories: advances, Advice, feel, Intimacy, physical intimacy, relationship, Relationships, Sex, wife

Are You In A Sex Slump? Here’s How To Escape It

If you’re in a long-term relationship, you may have found your sex life bearing the brunt of your familiarity and comfort levels. It can be difficult sometimes to make sex exciting and passionate when you spend all of your time with someone, but the effort is well rewarded when you do! There are loads of ways to make sex more passionate, and one of the easiest ways to get back in the mood is to talk about when you first met and the things which made you fall in love in the first place – these feelings of nostalgia almost always bring the passion back to your relationship immediately. Once you’re there, what can you do to make things more interesting? Here are some tips on how to combat those excuses for why the passion has gone, and how to make sex feel more exciting again.

There’s too much else going on

In between, work, the kids and your social life, sex is invariably the last thing on your mind. But while it may sound counterintuitive, eyeing up a handsome stranger could be just the thing to spike your libido. Checking out other people puts sex back in your mind, getting you thinking about the next time you’ll have the chance to get steamy in the bedroom with your partner. So don’t be afraid of eyeing up that cute barista at your local coffee place or flirting with the guy on the bus – it could be the best thing that’s ever happened to your sex life. Just remember that the rule is to look, not touch!

You’re never in the mood

There’s always an excuse, such as a headache, a deadline at work or looking after the kids all afternoon that’s made you tired. It’s no surprise that with so much going on, we’re not really interested in having sex. But sometimes the best thing to clear your mind and help you relax could be just that. Sex is renowned for being a great stress buster, it can perk you up, and it can help you to feel more connected to your partner as well which is great for increasing intimacy. No-one ever feels bad having sex once they’ve done it, so next time you feel the excuses piling up, just ignore them and do it anyway – you won’t regret it!

You’re in roommate mode

When you’re spending all your time doing chores around the house, dealing with the finances and taking care of the kids, you wind up feeling more like housemates than lovers. That’s to be expected, but there are ways you can overcome this and get back to being the passionate couple you once were. Making out with your partner can help you feel like love-filled teenagers again, and can remind you that you’re in a relationship rather than a friendship. Often, the amount of time people spend kissing when they’re in a relationship decreases over time as they settle into a long term relationship. So make the effort to keep up the make-out sessions and enjoy the feeling of romance entering your relationship again.Regular date nights are a great way to do this, as it strengthens your relationship and the passion, and also forces you to make the effort to set time aside for each other each week – something that can be easier said than done when you’re in a long-term relationship.

Categories: Advice, feel, Long term, mind, relationship, Relationships, Sex, sex life, term relationship, time, ways

Sex School: What Does It Teach You?

Carrie Bradshaw did it, sexual researchers have done it, and now you can do it. ‘It’ refers to sex classes to improve your skills on everything from hand jobs to erotic massage. In today’s sexual revolution, grown-up sex education is becoming increasingly popular. They give you the chance to refine your technique and improve your skills in the bedroom for a better sex life overall. And it’s not just sexy singles opting for this form of education; couples are taking the leap at working on their sex life in a proactive way. These classes are popping up in major cities all over the place, and they’re causing quite a stir. People feel more confident when they’re informed, and there’s nowhere where that counts more than in the bedroom. Sex school could be the answer to every question you’ve ever had about sex, or even as just a way to stay abreast of the latest trends and tricks in sex. Learning about sex can also be embarrassing for people, so this creates a neutral and unbiased environment for your sexual education. But what are the best tips to take from this kind of class? We’ve compiled three of the best to begin your journey into the (not so) unknown.

Tap into all your senses

Exploring your partner and your own body sensually is important for pleasure in the bedroom. Try blindfolding yourself to take the emphasis off the visual, and then let them touch and talk to you while you’re blindfolded. You may find it useful to touch them with something other than your hand, such as a feather or a silk scarf. Becoming a sensory explorer and seeing your partner in a different way, and having them explore your body in more ways than just looking at it, makes for a more intimate and arousing experience. It’s important to take the importance off of looks and place it on other more sensory experiences, which is what sex boils down to after all.

Touch “everything but”

Imagine being incredibly aroused but not being able to act on your urges – the sexual tension would be through the roof. That’s what some of these classes teach – to do this deliberately and experience a heightened orgasm as a result of your efforts. Begin by touching everything except your partner’s genitals, starting with a feather-light touch and lightly touching parts of the body to heighten the sensitivity. Keep going until your partner can’t wait anymore, then move on to sex – you’ll be amazing by the reaction.

Use both hands

When you’re giving your partner a handjob, you shouldn’t be afraid to use both hands. Get your hands well lubed up and slippery, then experiment with different sensations such as using your palms to apply light but firm pressure, and stroking up and off in one swift motion then immediately sliding your palms downwards slowly. You want to mimic penetration as best you can. Try lubing up your hands and lightly gripping both hands around the penis, gently turning them in opposite directions as you slide them up and down. There are multiple ways to arouse your partner in this way; in fact, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your partner what they like and then practice it with them.Take a little class of your own in your bedroom and talk about what turns each of you on, then act on it – it could be the best bit of education you’ve ever had!

Categories: Advice, bedroom, Couples, Education, hands, partner, Sex, sex life, sex school, sexual

Cancer: What Effects Does It Have On Your Sex Life?

Cancer patients are the first people to admit that uncertainty of side effects, both during and after treatment, is one of the most difficult things to cope with. Medical teams specify the timing of hair loss, the ways to cope with nausea and the foods which may appeal to you once your taste buds become altered. But one of the things very rarely discussed is the effect of cancer on one’s sex life, despite it being something that affects a number of people. Whether it’s a direct result of the illness itself, or a side effect of the treatment, sexual dysfunction is something which affects a large proportion of people with cancer.

Sexual function and the distress related to it are included in a number of studies looking at the quality of life in female cancer survivors currently being carried out. However, the problem lies in that the topic is usually left out of conversations between patients and medical professionals when talking about cancer care and the preparations.  While it may seem obvious that women who suffer from gynecological cancers may experience problems during sex afterwards, the prevalence of these disorders is surprising. As many as 70 per cent of women with breast cancer still face some form of dysfunction as long as two years after their diagnosis. In men, it’s more likely that doctors will counsel them on sexual matters than they will with women. Research suggests that time and worry about stress are common barriers when discussing sex with women facing cancer.

 

Research also shows that 25 per cent of men who survived cancer as children also suffer from testosterone deficiency as adults, which could not only affect their sex drive but also lead to depression, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Cancer diagnosis and the various treatments that brings with it greatly affect sexuality, and this is often neglected in talks about the issue, particularly in young adults. The cancers which affect the pelvic area are more likely to affect sexual dysfunction in men, such as bladder, colon, rectal and prostate cancers. Furthermore, the protocols used to treat these illnesses could also cause life-long changes and sexual side effects. For example, surgery could result in damage to the nerves which control the blood flow; chemotherapy and hormone therapy could lower the levels of testosterone in the body; and radiotherapy can delay sexual dysfunction by as much to a year after treatment has taken place. Typical problems in this area include erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive, dry orgasms, pain during sex and a smaller penis.  In women, the problems are similar – pain during sex, vaginal dryness and a loss of sexual desire are all commonly associated with female cancer patients.

 

People tend not to discuss these issues with their GP so it goes untreated, but these are important side effects that really need to be discussed with a medical professional. The best way to ensure these conditions are treated is to keep an open mind and to get your partner on board when looking at ways to rekindle your sex life, such as trying new positions and ensuring that you don’t lose physical contact with each other, even through kissing and caressing one another. Keep the channels of communication open so that you can discuss issues as they arise. Furthermore, if there is something you’re worried about, talk about it with your doctor as well as your partner – there may be a treatment available to you that can help resolve the problem.

Categories: Advice, cancer, cancer patients, Dysfunction, female cancer, Sex, Sex Drive, sex life, sexual, sexual dysfunction, Women

Are You Thinking of Visiting a Sexual Health Clinic?

Sexual health clinics are very important for those who want to look after their wellness and wellbeing whilst enjoying an active sex life. They are often invaluable for young people in particular, who can visit them for contraceptive advice, sexual health advice, testing or treatment. Some places are for all ages and some are specifically for young people. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic, and many places also offer pregnancy testing, contraception prescriptions and advice and testing for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

 

If you have never visited a sexual health clinic before, you will probably be a little nervous, but there is really no reason to worry at all. Sexual health clinics will be friendly, welcoming and non-judgemental of you; the staff are trained professionals who just want to help.

 

No matter what age you are when you visit the sexual health clinic, your visit will be confidential, which means that nobody else will have to be informed that you have visited the clinic. If you are under 16, however, the staff will probably want to make sure that you have understood any information which could relate to your ongoing wellness. The only time that staff may have to break your confidentiality is if you tell them something which could mean that they have serious concerns about your safety or the safety of someone else, but even in these cases they will explain to you why further action needs to be taken, and why.

 

Relationship abuse is also something that a sexual health clinic can help you deal with. If you are worried that you are in an abusive relationship, you can talk to staff without fear of judgement and they will direct you towards further help and support.

Categories: Advice, clinic, health, health clinic, health clinics, Sex, sexual, sexual health, staff, young people

Common Condom Mishaps You Could Be Making

Condoms are a popular contraceptive as they are cheap, effective and easy to buy. They’re also the only way to protect against sexually transmitted diseases. But it seems that the male condom is only effective 94 per cent of the time, when used properly, at protecting against HIV and other STIs, and 98 per cent against unwanted pregnancy. If condoms are not used consistently and properly, this rate immediately drops. While consistently is easy enough to manage, it seems that ‘properly’ is less easy – many people get this wrong. They ought to be foolproof given their ease of use, but you would be surprised how many people don’t use them in the right way. Here are the most common mistakes people make that could be putting their health at risk or increasing the chance of conception.

Getting the wrong size

While it may be an ego-boost to have an extra large pack of rubbers on your bedside table, getting the wrong size could put you at risk in more ways than one. Firstly, friction can occur when you’ve picked a big condom that doesn’t fit but blisters aren’t the problem here. Friction can cause the condom to rip, and that leads to leaks. Worst of all, when a condom is too big, it can come off completely during sex. Beyond simply awkward, it leads to you having protected sex to unprotected in seconds. Latex condoms are stretchy and should be a snug fit, so for most people standard sizes are the best choice.

Using a wallet as a condom storage unit

For most men, using a wallet as an emergency condom storage is the easiest choice. But walking around with a wallet full of condoms isn’t the smartest idea, particularly if they are in your back pocket as they’ll be susceptible to friction, heat and pressure. None of these are the best home to latex, as it makes them weaker. The same rule applies when it comes to glove compartments, or anywhere else that’s subject to extreme temperatures. You need to store condoms in a cool, dry place in order for them to be at their best.

Using condoms that are out of date

Best before dates don’t just apply to food – condoms expire and after that date, they’re no longer effective. Old latex becomes brittle which makes it easier to split and rip, and the spermicide it is coated in will also be ineffective. Firstly, check the date on the packet and stick to it, and if the condom itself is brittle and dried out, get rid of it.

Opening a condom with you teeth

It may look cool but opening a condom with your teeth puts you at risk of damaging it and ripping the delicate latex. Even if it’s not visibly punctured, a bitten condom could still be damaged enough to break. Beyond that, lube tastes revolting and isn’t something you want in your mouth! Likewise, don’t look to scissors or knives to open the packaging. The serrated edges make the packaging very easy to get into with just your hands, so there is no need to use any sharp implements.

 

Putting it on wrong The classic reason why condoms fail is that they haven’t been put on properly. The most common reasons are putting them on inside out, flipping it inside out and using it again, picking a condom that’s too tight or too big, or only partially unrolling it. It’s important that you get a condom that fits properly, and that you squeeze the excess air out before you begin having sex. Roll it fully along the shaft of the penis and ensure that it is in date.

Categories: Advice, Condom, condom storage, Condoms, latex, people, properly, sexual health

Can You Encourage A Healthy Attitude Towards Sex In Kids?

Having a good and healthy attitude towards sex can be difficult to promote in children, as often the topic is shrouded in embarrassment and anxiety. But you don’t need to worry – there are plenty of easy ways to broach the subject of sexuality for a really positive attitude. The best way to achieve this is to go little by little as they get older. And it can begin as young as two years old! By the age of two, you can teach your children the correct names for their body parts. By three and four, many children begin to exhibit an interest in sexuality such as touching their genitals, or playing ‘doctor’ with other children. They may even ask where babies come from – this interest in sex and sexuality is perfectly normal. By the age of eight, you can begin to prepare your children for the changes of puberty that lie ahead. This means explaining the basic facts of sex and reproduction, as well as what puberty entails. This may be a useful time to begin explaining the messages about sex that the media portrays, so that children understand these aren’t always an accurate portrayal of what sex is. By the late primary or early high school stage, preteens might need help in dealing with body image, sexual feelings and peer pressure. Finally, during their teens, your kids may need guidance with regards to relationships, communicating sexual limits, and protection from unsafe situations.

The most important aspect of encouraging a healthy attitude towards sex is sharing your family values with your children. While they’ll learn the facts of sex in biology classes and sex education at school, the values you want to pass on need to come from within the home. There are a range of issues within sex, from sexual orientations and family roles to body image and gender roles, and how you seek to share these values is entirely down to you. Ultimately, how you raise your children will determine much of how they view these issues themselves. The best way to do this is to use everyday tasks as a great way to start up the conversation you want to have. For example, as you’re giving your toddler a bath or changing a nappy, you could help them learn the names of their body parts. Or maybe, as you’re watching TV with your primary school child, and a couple on the show moves into the bedroom, you could talk about relationships and intimacy. If you’re driving home from school with your teenager and a sex-related topic arises on the radio, why not take that opportunity to discuss your values and feelings towards the subject and share those with your child.

 

It’s not always easy to discuss sex and sexuality with your children, but there is an easy process that makes the whole subject a little easier. Firstly, find out what your child already knows, such as asking where they think babies come from. Secondly, take that opportunity to correct any misinformation and offer up the true facts – for example, if your child thinks that babies grow in a woman’s stomach, you can advise that they actually grow in the uterus. Lastly, use the conversations you have with your children as a chance to convey your values. For example, explaining that getting pregnant is great when you’re ready to take care of a baby. Keep the conversations you have with your kids open and light-hearted – you want to create a relaxed environment so that your children feel comfortable discussing issues with you if they have worries and anxiety in the future.

Categories: Advice, body, Body image, Children, healthy attitude, School, Sex, sexuality, Values

Sex: How Do You Broach The Subject With Your Kids?

Talking to your kids about sex can be difficult and embarrassing for many parents. However, it is an important issue and something that every child needs to know about when they reach a certain age. These are some useful conversation starters to help you ease into the conversation without any worries or embarrassment for either one of you, so your kids stay well informed throughout puberty and beyond.

1 – Answer your child’s questions honestly

You may be surprised the first time your kids ask you about sex and sexuality, but instead of asking them about their reason for questioning, respond by saying ‘I’m glad you asked me about that’. By rewarding them for asking questions, they’ll feel more comfortable in asking again if they have any other questions in the future and it will strengthen the bond between you both.

2 – Introduce the topic yourself

You don’t have to wait for your kids to bring up the topic of sex – you can start the conversation yourself. Many parents put off talking to children about sex, assuming that the child will ask when there is something they want to know. But some children feel embarrassed or reluctant to talk about sex with adults, so they may not want to ask questions even when there is something they want to know. You wouldn’t wait for your child to bring up questions about other topics, such as personal safety or religion, so why sex? It’s a parents responsibility to discuss sex with their children, and its an important issue. You don’t need to cover all ground in one go, but bringing it up in little sections can make it more manageable and will keep your child informed.

3 – Be honest at all times

You won’t always have an answer to the questions your children face you with, but you don’t need to lie to them. If you don’t know, say so and explain that you’ll find out and get back to them with an answer. If you think you’ve misinformed your child, don’t hesitate to tell them and say that you’ve had a better answer now that you’ve had time to think about it.

4 – Discuss your feelings

There’s no doubt you will feel awkward discussing sex with your children, but it’s ok to explain to your kids why you feel uncomfortable. It’s a good idea to do this as it helps to explain to your child that it isn’t their questions making you uncomfortable necessarily, but that your parents didn’t discuss it with you so you feel ill-equipped, for example.

5 – Make sure they talk to both men and women

Many parents focus on informing their daughters about menstruation and puberty, but assume that their sons will pick it up as they go along. This isn’t always the case, and it’s important that both genders receive sex education from their parents. In many households, it’s also the job of the mum to talk about sex, but both parents should be involved. Children should hear the viewpoint of both men and women, as it teaches children that men and women can talk about sex together, which is an important communicative skill in adulthood. If your child is raised in a gay or lesbian household, it’s a good idea to ask for help from close relatives or friends of the opposite gender, so that your kids get the benefit of both viewpoints when they’re learning about this topic.

Categories: Advice, Child, Children, feel, Kids, Parents, Sex

How to Rebuild Relationships when Suffering with PTSD

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) takes its toll on your emotional health, and also your relationship wellness. Trauma survivors often have trouble maintaining or establishing intimate and family relationships or close friendships, as PTSD can interfere with your ability to trust, communicate, solve problems, be assertive or achieve emotional closeness. We humans were made to be together and in relationships with one another, so this outcome of PTSD can further damage your wellbeing, and begin a negative cycle.

 

When you survive a trauma, you can experience a great deal of emotional and physical pain, be it from the trauma itself or the emotional trauma afterwards. Not only does this impact you as the victim, but also the loved ones that surround you. You might not be interested in anything social or sexual, you may feel distant from others, or you may be numb to what’s going on around you. You may experience problems relaxing, socialising or being intimate without being tense or demanding, because you’re often in a state of irritation, anxiety, worry, nervousness or distrust. Plus, avoiding reminders of the trauma, reliving painful memories and struggling with the emotions that come out of them can interfere with your ability to concentrate, listen and make decisions.

 

All of the above emotional and mental problems mean that PTSD survivors and their loved ones often go through problems that aren’t resolved for a long time, as your friends and family struggle to communicate with you, and feel it’s impossible to work as a team. They might be hurt, alienated or discouraged by your lack of progress, or even feel angry and distant towards you because of how you’ve been acting. Then, if the PTSD is interfering with your sleep patterns, your partner may also suffer from a lack of sleep and, as a result, the emotional problems grow. In fact, living with someone with PTSD can cause the partner to experience vicarious or secondary traumatisation, which is similar to having PTSD.

 

PTSD is caused by a number of traumatic events, including childhood sexual and physical abuse, rape, domestic violence, combat, terrorism, genocide, torture, kidnapping, and being a prisoner of war. Understandably, survivors often report feeling a lasting sense of terror, horror, vulnerability, and betrayal that interferes with relationships. This means that you can be resistant to let down your guard and be emotionally or sexually intimate with another person, even if you feel a strong bond of love or friendship towards that person.

 

So how can you let down your PTSD guard, and create and maintain successful intimate relationships?

 

1. Establish a personal support network: You need a strong team of professionals around you to help you cope with the PTSD while you maintain or rebuild relationships with family and friends. However, the support network can’t do the job for you; you need dedication, perseverance, hard work, and commitment to get your relationship wellness back on track.

 

2. Create a safe environment in which to share your feelings: You and whomever you’re building a relationship with need to be able to sharing feelings honestly and openly. This should be done with an attitude of respect and compassion. When sitting down to discuss your relationship or the PTSD, it may be helpful to lay down these ground rules, in order to set the tone and ensure everyone is on the same page.

 

3. Work on yourself: Recovering from the emotional trauma of PTSD can be a lengthy process, and will take more that just a few conversations. You need to continually strengthen your relationship skills, with particular regard to cooperation, problem-solving and communication.

 

4. Have fun: Relationships aren’t all about feelings and deep chats; they’re also about enjoying life together. Make sure that you make a special effort to include playfulness, spontaneity, relaxation, and mutual enjoyment in the relationship, and the rest will come out of that.

Categories: Advice, emotional, emotional trauma, nbsp, ptsd, rebuild relationships, relationship, relationship wellness, Relationships, support network

Could Your Sex Problems be a Sign of Other Health Issues?

There are many sexual health problems that can affect your wellbeing, but so often we sweep them under the rug. Research scientist Debby Herbenick, author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, explains, ‘Sex and health do reflect each other, but because sex is still often seen as taboo, as something we don’t talk openly about, people often separate the two in their lives.’ So let’s take a look at you sexual wellness, and what these problems are telling you.

 

1. You’re avoiding sex because it hurts.

According to a 2010 survey by Indiana University’s Centre for Sexual Health Promotion, 30% of women had experienced mild to moderate pain during their most recent sexual encounter. Herbenick notes, ‘That’s a striking number – we didn’t expect it would be that big.’ This pain may be because of insufficient foreplay or the penis striking your cervix, but if it’s a more general pain, like burning, stinging or even knife-like, this could be vulvodynia (pain syndrome). Six million women are affected by this syndrome, and the causes are unknown, but a vulvovaginal specialist can help you find the right treatment.

 

2. You have trouble climaxing.

If you take forever to climax, if at all, you might have diabetes. This disease can damage your nerves – including the ones your brain uses to send unconscious signals for involuntary responses, such as sexual stimulation – and small blood vessels, which restricts blood flood to your sexual organs. Whether you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or not, go to your doctor and mention all your worrying symptoms, as he or she can help your glucose control (which can improve you responsiveness) or refer you to a gynaecologist.

 

3. You’re not menopausal, but you still don’t lubricate much when aroused.

Vaginal dryness is a common side effect just before menopause and afterwards, due to shifting hormones, but if you’ve been affected by dryness before the age of 45, your heart health may be to blame. Herbenick notes, ‘Lubrication comes from hormones but also from fluid in your bloodstream. If there’s impaired blood flow for any reason, it could reflect early signs of a cardiovascular issue.’ If you have other signs of heart trouble – such as fatigue, shortness of breath and heartburn – go for a check-up. While you’re there, ask about other causes of vaginal dryness, like early menopause, perimenopause and medication side effects. You can also buy vaginal lubricants over the counter in the meantime.

 

4. You’re never in the mood for sex.

If sex is hardly ever on the menu, you might be short on testosterone. This hormone is linked to desire in both men and women, and your levels decline dramatically in the years between you 20s and 40s. Elizabeth G. Stewart, a vulvovaginal specialist in Boston and co-author of The V Book, advises supplemental testosterone if the problem is mainly hormonal, but tread carefully, as the long-term consequences of testosterone-replacement therapies aren’t yet well studied. Stress, fatigue, boredom, and relationship woes can all contribute to your low sex drive, so working on those other factors can also help.

 

5. Urine leaks out when you have sex.

You might wet yourself a little when you orgasm, but this isn’t just part of the excitement run amok. Herbenick urges, ‘Peeing at any point during sex, whether foreplay, intercourse, or climax, is not normal.’ Leaking during sex is a form of stress incontinence, which is the most common form of incontinence in women. However, there are many ways to prevent this from happening. Avoid liquids for the hours leading up to sex and experiment with different positions; rear or side entry, for example, take pressure off your bladder and urethra. You can also consult a urologist who specialises in incontinence, as he or she will be able to provide pelvic floor exercises, medications, or even a surgical fix.

Categories: Advice, health, herbenick, herbenick notes, nbsp, Pain, Sex problems, sexual, sexual health, underlying issues, vaginal dryness, vulvovaginal specialist

How to Cope When Your Partner Experiences Sexual Problems

If you’re in a long-term relationship, the chances are that one or both of you will experience sexual health issues. Whether the reason is physical or psychological, your sex life can come to a halt, or end altogether, and this can take its toll on your relationship wellness, as well as your own sense of wellbeing. If your partner seems to no longer want to have sex with you, what do you do?

 

The partners of people with sexual dysfunction have three options:

 

1. Suppress your own urges. Deprive yourself of sex and feel frustrated as a result. This will inevitably lead you to resent your partner over time, and even develop a stress-induced physical or psychological disease such as hypertension, peptic ulcer, ischemic heart disease, hysteria, psoriasis and migraine.

 

2. Get out of the relationship and/or start a new one. You may want to leave your partner, or else indulge in sex outside of marriage. A lot of people use their partner’s sexual dysfunction to justify having an affair, as their “valid” needs aren’t being fulfilled. However, I’m not sure your partner will see it that way.

 

3. Understand, accept and cope with the situation. This is really the only option you have if you want to come out the other side happy and strong in your relationship. You need to understand this is an inevitable part of your journey as a couple, and, when you evaluate the relationship as a whole, there are strong aspects of it – full of genuine love – which are worth staying and fighting for. There are resources available to help you get your sex life back on track, and other ways to share intimacy in the meantime.

 

The truth is that everyone goes through sexual problems, and it’s not the be-all and end-all of a happy relationship or marriage. Researchers at the Family Therapy Centre of the Western Psychiatric Institute at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania asked 100 married couples about their sex life. While at least 80% of these partners described themselves as “very happy” or “happy”, over 90% reported having a less-than-perfect sexual relationship. Moreover, not one couple expressed a need for change.

 

The problem is that it’s easier to isolate and focus on a small aspect of the problem – sex – rather than look at the relationship as a whole. More often than not, other factors are at work in your relationship, and just fixing your sex life won’t solve these underlying issues. Sexual dysfunction, be it problems with arousal, desire or with your sexual organs, is often a symptom of a deeper emotional problem, especially if you’ve not experienced any problems with your sexual functioning before. You may have unexpressed anger or disappointment, unresolved conflicts, a fear of failure or a lack of trust, and that is what’s keeping you from enjoying a healthy sexual relationship.

 

While there are medications you can take to help with sexual issues, and things you can do to spice things up in the bedroom, the problems won’t go away if you try to hide or suppress the underlying weaknesses in your relationship. By discovering the real problems and working on them with your partner, you will see your sexual problems diminish and eventually disappear. You might want to seek the help of a therapist, who can help to open the channels of communication, and find the cause of your sexual problems. The important thing to remember is that sex is a mirror or barometer of the rest of your relationship, telling you how well your relationship is working, and when it needs more attention.

Categories: Advice, Deeper Issues, nbsp, partner, problems, relationship, sex life, sexual, sexual dysfunction, sexual problems, sexual relationship

Could learning how to train your brain, fight your pain?

Ongoing pain – is there anything more difficult to cope with? Finding yourself in chronic pain can be totally debilitating and it can also be hard to know how to deal with. Do you really want to take pain killers on a long-term basis, for example?

Chronic pain is frustrating and upsetting, and according to a report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies approximately 100 million Americans suffer with chronic pain on a daily basis. To put it in perspective, this figure is higher than the total of people who have heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined. Chronic pain can last for months or even years, and often the cause is unknown. This either means that the source cannot be traced, or that the source is traced but the healing does not appear to happening in the way that you might expect.

Voicing health concerns to your doctor when there is no diagnosable explanation can be difficult, and you may feel that your wellbeing is disregarded as ‘all in your head’.

Taking control of your own wellness could be the first step to overcoming pain on your own terms. The first step is to recognise what causes pain: when you come into contact with something that injures you, your nerves send signals to the brain telling it that there is a problem. This pathway between your mind and your body is something that can then be re-activated even in times when there is not a physical pain present – this is thought to be the cause of some cases of chronic pain.

So, what can you do about it? In theory, you should be able to break the cycle of faulty neural pathways. It will take some practice but the more you work at it, the easier it will become, and eventually the pathway will become disused and your body will adapt to being pain free.

The most important step is to make sure you get enough sleep. Lack of sleep makes it much harder to get to grips with your own pain control, and makes life harder in general. Keeping calm is another important step – anger and anxiety are closely linked, and learning to manage your anger will help keep your anxiety in check. Finally, you need to work on detaching your mind from the pain. You can do this by writing down what you’re thinking or feeling (to have a physical representation of it so that it’s not bottled up), by meditating and by visualisation. When doing a visualisation, imagine yourself totally pain free, and really believe it.

Categories: Advice, Brain, training

Big Business Gives Back with Social Enterprise Support

The results from the first year of corporate social enterprise support programmes seems promising, as companies such as Deloitte, Santander, Ernst & Young and Goldman Sachs are helping new companies to boost their corporate wellness; linking social ventures with potential overseas franchisees and helping social enterprises bring in specialist overseas tradesmen using their immigration teams.

According to Kresse Wesling, founder of upcycled products company Elvis & Kresse, ‘We’ve entered so many of these awards now, but we were really, really impressed with Deloitte. With most others programmes, the company has an idea of what it wants to do for you. But, Deloitte asked what we needed help with and for us that was much more suitable. Young companies all need help with totally different things. So far they’ve arranged for us to work with a surveyor and also helped us bring a Romanian craftsman to the UK using their immigration team.’

Ben Ramsden, fellow pioneer of the first cohort and founder of fairtrade underwear company Pants to Poverty, is equally full of gratitude for Deloitte. He commented, ‘Deloitte is up there with the best pro bono programmes around. It’s structured and focused. They’ve been working on creating a 3D profit and loss module for us, which is very exciting.’ But the positive stories don’t stop with Deloitte.

In Santander’s current cohort, Lorraine Powers, founder of the Welsh glass and textile recycling social enterprise, Ten Green Bottles, has been enthused by what’s been offered. Santander’s Social Enterprise Development Award programme gave Powers’ enterprise the medium-level financial award of £30,000, and Powers explained, ‘We get access to great advice and state-of-the-art training that we’d have to pay a lot of money for. The business planning help has been great, as have the webinars, and we are working on a job plan for the intern that Santander is funding.’

Social Enterprise UK, the sector’s membership organisation, works with a number of corporates on their programmes. Charlie Wigglesworth, head of business development, noted, ‘There has been a bit of cynicism. People ask, “What can this massive company really do for me?” They say they want actual business rather than what they feel will just be some free advice. We think the best ones offer financial help, advice and the opportunities to trade and be introduced to new clients. But we’re generally very happy with what these firms are providing.’

 

Big Business Gives Back with Social Enterprise Support

Categories: Advice, corporate social enterprise support programmes, opportunities

How to Carry on As a Couple after Infidelity

Part of the problem with dealing with infidelity is that every situation is different. Family wellness can be affected in different ways, and so there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to building your relationship back up again. However, by taking a look at other people’s experiences, you can at least learn something of what it means to restore relationship wellness, even after infidelity, and work out how best to proceed as a couple.

Let’s take the example of Anna (not her real name). Anna’s boyfriend of five years had cheated on a previous girlfriend twice before, though he had never cheated on Anna when they were together. A year ago, the couple took a break, during which Anna’s partner (let’s call him Nathan) slept with someone twice. He said he could have done it more often but didn’t, and Anna said she knew it would happen if they went on a break, but now she’s worried about others will think of her choice to get back together with Nathan.

So what can Anna do? Firstly, the fact that she expects disapproval from her loved ones indicates that she has her own doubts which she’s denying to herself. Also, expecting her partner to cheat, even during a break, signals to Nathan that Anna would accept this, and he’s allowed to carry on as he wants. If this sounds like your situation, taking it slow is advisable, especially if you are yet to speak honestly about why you needed the break, what mistakes you both admit to, and what negatives each believes the other contributed. Once you and your partner are happy – really happy – with how things are, you won’t have to prove it to anyone.

When an old classmate of Holly’s husband moved to town, Holly thought nothing of it when they went out together a few times. Each time, James brought his sister along with him, but Holly said that he acts strangely when James comes home, immediately going to bed without saying anything. When Holly confronted James, he admitted he was smitten although nothing has happened, but Holly is upset by his emotional cheating, and worried that forgiving him will make him think it’s ok to carry on.

However, calling him on it straight away will stop him feeling like it’s ok to pursue anything further. James admitted to it, which is a good thing, but he also needs to openly explain his attraction, and the couple both need to look at their relationship together. Equally, Holly needs to share how sensitive and insecure this makes her feel, and insist that they go out together, work on their intimacy, and hang out with James’ sister when she’s around.

How to Carry on As a Couple after Infidelity

Categories: Advice, case studies, cheating

Learn and Educate: Life after Your ADHD Diagnosis

An ADHD diagnosis can be an overwhelming blow to your emotional wellbeing. On the one hand, there are positive feelings that come out of finally explaining certain behaviours, and there’s comfort in knowing that many of your bad habits are just the result of a different neurological arrangement of brain tissue – it’s just biology! Adjusting to your treatment plan, on the other hand, can be stressful.

The key to maintaining emotional wellness after an ADHD diagnosis is to go slowly, and find what makes you feel comfortable as you adjust to your new definition of normal. Start by taking a few days to think over your diagnosis. Consider all of your questions for your doctor, write them down, and head back in to create a treatment plan. This tends to involve some or all of the following: a healthy diet, exercise, good sleep habits, meditation, coaching and medication. Ask your doctor to explain why he recommends certain factors, and be honest if you disagree. It’s fine to be interested in a second opinion or a doctor with more experience of Adult ADHD.

Next, arm yourself with information. When you have ADHD, you have rights you should know about, like the fact that you are protected against job discrimination by federal law. There is a wealth of resources and helpful tips online, whether you prefer reading articles, watching videos, or interacting in a support group or an ADHD coach. Any resource can give you a broad selection of advice on treatment plans, changing bad habits, modifying negative behavioural issues, minimising the secondary ADHD symptoms in your life, and more.

When it comes to sharing your diagnosis, it is a delicate situation and deserves special attention. In general, it’s a good idea to reveal your ADHD diagnosis to family members and close friends, as the changes you make to your habits and routines will impact their lives as well, so they deserve an opportunity to know what’s going on.

Plus, your loved ones will want to support you in any way they can, so sharing the information you have learned about ADHD with them can help them move past any outdated stereotypes they might have in their minds and give them the tools they’ll need to cheer you on. You’re under no legal obligation to reveal your ADHD diagnosis at work, and it might be best to simply dive in to your treatment plan privately and let your job performance naturally improve and speak for itself.

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Learn and Educate: Life after Your ADHD Diagnosis

Categories: ADHD, Advice, Education