There are times in life when things fall apart, when we lose someone or something deeply important that made us feel connected, grounded, or safe. Sometimes many things fall apart at the same time, and it feels like our foundation has been lost, and we are bereft of security. A friend of mine recently went through a…

A victim, according to Webster’s dictionary, is a person who has been attacked, injured, robbed, killed, cheated, or fooled by someone else, or harmed by an unpleasant event. Everyone gets attacked, injured, cheated, fooled, and harmed during their life — if not physically, then emotionally. And everyone gets harmed by unpleasant events. We’re all victims,…

COVID exacted a huge toll on the well-being of health care workers, a new survey shows. Already struggling with high levels of emotional exhaustion going into the pandemic, the problem grew even worse after two years of managing the crisis. Nurses have been especially hard hit. Researchers conducted surveys over three years with more than…

Influenced by prolific social media and reality TV show, which showcase unrealistic and distorted images of finding love, Australian teenagers lack healthy role models for both friendships and intimate relationships, according to an expert. The situation has worsened amid a rise in domestic violence, mental health challenges, and the increase in separation and divorce rates…

Not all stress is bad for you. In fact, research continues to support the idea that certain kinds of mild stress can be beneficial to your health and well-being in a myriad of complex ways. It turns out your grandmother might have been right all along— if it doesn’t kill you, it could make you…

When adults age 70 to 90 report more frequent, pleasant social interactions, they also have better cognitive performance on that day and the following two, research finds. The findings, published in PLOS ONE, may have special relevance now due to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, says study leader Ruixue Zhaoyang, assistant research professor at Penn…

Excerpts from our conversation with Dr. Cole, who heads the NIH-funded Social Genomics Core Laboratory at the University of California, Los Angeles Dr. Steve Cole. (newsinhealth.nih.gov) NIHNiH: Why is feeling lonely so damaging to people? Cole: People haven’t evolved to live alone. We’re highly dependent on others from birth on. Humans aren’t like other animals. We’re not…

John Bufalini remembers clearly the first time he witnessed what music can do, as a first-year medical student at Penn State College of Medicine. He watched as the room of an assisted living facility was transformed as an older woman danced to the music from her youth. When her husband later took her hands and…

We focus a lot on diet, therapies, and a wide range of alternative natural treatments for cancer, but one area that doesn’t often get the attention it deserves is the state of our relationships with those closest to us. But the data are in. Research proves that our social relationships directly influence our physical health—for…

Abuse can be difficult to see, especially when it’s in your own relationship. It can start slowly, and it’s not always physical. You may not realize that the small comments a loved one makes to you are doing harm. You may even make excuses for them. They’re stressed from work or the pandemic. But abuse…