I was five years old when my uncle drove me to the mental hospital. He was taking me to see my father who had suffered “a nervous breakdown.” Later I learned that he had become increasingly depressed because he couldn’t make a living supporting his family. Like me, he was a writer, and found it...Continue reading
Category: Mental Health
When to Stand up for Your Views–and When Not To
Dear Mr. Dad: With all the talk about #MeToo these days, I want to teach my children about the importance of standing up for themselves and what they believe in. When do you think is the right time to start, and how should I do it? A: Teaching children to stand up for themselves and what...Continue reading
Should You Worry When You Take Ibuprofen?
Is anything good in excess? Most of us can make the argument that excess has its place in life: pets, shoes, cars, art, love. Others, like Mahatma Ghandi, prefer the ascetic existence in which material things are roundly denounced. Throughout history even the greats can’t agree about excess: Hippocrates espoused that “everything in excess is...Continue reading
When–and How–to Fight In Front of the Kids
Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I have always had a loud relationship. There’s never any physical violence, but we do tend to argue a lot. One recent source of disagreements is whether it’s okay to argue in front of our kids, who are 5 and 8. What’s your take? A: Conventional wisdom says that you...Continue reading
Meditation Isn’t What You Think
Dear Mr. Dad: A few years ago, you wrote about the benefits of meditation for children. I honestly thought you were joking. But a counselor at my son’s school just recommended it, saying it could help my son’s severe anxiety. When I asked how to do it, he handed me a copy of your article!...Continue reading
The Little Prosthesis That Could
What’s one of the best ways to improve a man’s sexual health? Get him to stop worrying about his “junk.” And one of the best ways to wring out the worry is to ensure that things look normal down there. It can be that simple. Worry Warts About a decade ago, we published a paper reporting that 80-90% of...Continue reading
How Problems at Home Can Affect Your Health and State of Mind
You found the love of your life early on and feel lucky compared to others who remain single around you. And, then suddenly, you notice subtle and then drastic changes in your relationship. There are many reasons a relationship can fall apart. Lifestyle changes like a loss of a job, or a lack of communication...Continue reading
March Madness and the Yogic Vasectomy
It’s time of the year again! A time of tournaments and TV, massive couch potatoing and a general dumbing down of fatherly responsibilities. All in the name of sports. But men also tend to do something very unique during tournament month. They get snipped. A recent health insurance study found that during the first round of the NCAA tournament, 30% more...Continue reading
Three Ideas to Help Create a Less-Stressful Work Environment
As a business owner, you may at times feel like a circus performer trying to juggle several plates in the air at once while on a unicycle. While you’re doing everything in your power to not fall off the unicycle — or break any plates in the process — it’s almost inevitable that at least...Continue reading
Erectile Dysfunction Solutions
These treatments can help restore your sex life. Sexuality is an important part of the human experience, which is why a diagnosis of erectile dysfunction (ED) can be troubling for men and many couples. The good news is that there are many options to consider. “As couples age, they may lose intimacy unnecessarily,” says urologist Stanton Honig, MD,...Continue reading