For overweight maestro, it was the pot calling the kettle black

Leopold, a retired symphony conductor, came into my office to go over lab results from his recent physical exam. Most of them looked...

Study links teenage bullying to social status

Scientists have confirmed an axiom of teenage life: Kids intent on climbing the social ladder at school are more likely to pick on their...

In search of lasting happiness

As last year drew to a close, I found myself struggling with whether I'd draft resolutions for 2011. For years I've made commitments to...

More college freshmen feeling overwhelmed, survey finds

This year's college freshmen report feeling higher levels of emotional and financial stress than their predecessors did, according to a...

Abortion does not increase risk of mental health problems, study says

Women do not suffer mental health problems such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of having an abortion,...

Two Guys Lose Weight: How to dismiss the negative thoughts in your head

Racial stereotypes can follow us to the grave, researchers say

Can cause of death determine race?

Food depression: Eating bad may make you sad

Eating food containing trans fats and saturated fats could contribute to depression, scientists reported Wednesday.

Parenting experts weigh in on 'Tiger Mother'

In "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" (Penguin Press, 2011), Yale Law School Professor Amy Chua describes child-rearing techniques that, as...

Recession-related dreams on the upswing

House foundations are crumbling in our dreams. Instead of the proverbial sheep guiding our sleep journey, dangerous thugs lurk in the...

Families worry mental health cuts will send kids spiraling

A week before Christmas, Judy Powelson was awaiting her son's first visit home in nine months with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

Doctors and nurses' weight biases harm overweight patients

I'm quite thin now, but that wasn't always the case. As a child, I carried around extra weight for many years — and my brothers...

Retirement is restful, if not healthy

Is retirement the start of a downward spiral in mental, physical and emotional health or is it good for you? Many surveys show that people...

Buyer beware — of how you're being coaxed into spending

Chances are, given the time of year and all, you're about to go shopping (and shopping and shopping and shopping and shopping).

Dear Oprah: Those health guests may not be so healthful

Dear Ms. Winfrey:

ADHD gene may be the link to daydreaming

Attention deficit-hyperactive disorder includes difficulty with mental focus. People describe it as daydreaming or mind-wandering instead of...

Job stress hikes risk of heart disease for women

Stress takes a toll on women's heart health. A study released Sunday found that women who report high stress on the job have a 40% increased...

A look at four psychology fads

Now and then, a new psychology movement bursts onto the popular scene and shakes up the mental health establishment. Typically these efforts...

Happiness may depend, in part, on focus

Being happy apparently requires significant concentration skills. The authors of a study on happiness found that while daydreaming -- or...

Parents' stress filters down to kids, not that Mom and Dad notice

Parents' stress can take a toll on their kids. Ask children, not Mom and Dad, how they are affected by their parents' stress.

Obesity rate will rise to 42% of the population based on contagion

Obesity rates in the United States, which some health experts have suggested may be stabilizing at about 34%, will continue to rise until at...

Treating people who intentionally swallow foreign objects can be costly, a study finds

Most hospitals have their share of weird cases, but Rhode Island Hospital may win some kind of prize for having an abundance of instances of...

What's it like to struggle with eating disorders? Portia de Rossi tells all in 'Unbearable Lightness'

Body Image 101: Like it or not, studies show attractive people have an edge in everything from being hired to being set free (yes, they...

A little superstitious? You're not alone

How would you like to see an honest-to-goodness witch flying by your place at midnight this Halloween? Just put your clothes on inside out,...

A look at the mind's natural shortcuts

Wray Herbert is thinking about your brain. He concludes that your thinking may be so ancient that you're making more mistakes than you'd...

Respecting a 'non-compliant' patient's choices

I saw Margaret recently. I was happy that she came in, as she was overdue for a visit. She is a delightful, middle-age woman who has been on...

Busy bodies, happy minds

With unemployment idling near 10%, the negative effect of job loss on mental health has assumed a sharp relevance. Losing work has been...