Articles from the Week of May 16, 2025

Explanation: Although I scan the Internet primarily for counseling articles, in the process I run across quotes and interesting facts that I sometimes include in these first two sections. If you’re just interested in the counseling articles, you can skip these first two sections and go directly to the section called Counseling Articles. HV

Interesting Quotes

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."

Nelson Mandela

"If you always do what interests you, at least one person is pleased."

Katharine Hepburn

"Everybody has the choice of being a hero or not being a hero every day of their lives."

George Lucas

“You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."

Desmond Tutu

Fascinating Facts

World’s First Mass-Produced Flying Car Prototype Unveiled

In what looks like science fiction, the world’s first mass-produced flying car (AirCar) has now had its maiden flights. To see what it looks like in flight and how it converts from a car to a plane and back again, see the video. However, it may be a little more expensive than some of you are ready to spend on a car.

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The Longest Long Words List

For your tidbit of trivia for the day, the longest word in the English language is 189,819 letters long, fills 50 pages, and takes three hours to pronounce. This article will introduce you to other long words, none as long as that one.

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Why I pray with presidents

Not a counseling article, but some of you may be interested in this article by Greg Laurie. Interestingly, he says only one President has asked him to pray for him and you may be interested in who it was.

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Counseling Articles

A Soft Place to Land: The Uniqueness of a Mother’s Love

In honor of Mother’s Day, this article, written by a counselor, writes thoughtfully of how a mother’s love often provides the launching pad for a child’s emotional health and journey into healthy adulthood.

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Most Moms Are Happy—Despite What Parenthood Critics Claim

“Chappell Roan caused quite a stir on social media following her appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast where she made a few bold remarks about parenthood. ‘All of my friends who have kids are in hell,’ she said, adding: ‘I don’t know anyone who’s happy and has children at this age . . . anyone who has light in their eyes, anyone who has slept.’

There has been quite a response to Roan. This author shares several of those responses and research that confirms the point that although being a mother has its challenges, happiness and fulfillment often comes through working through those challenges. In a secular culture that often tells women they will be most happy if they remain single and childless, it’s important to help them be aware of this research.

In a sentence that summarizes 75 years of a Harvard study on happiness: “Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”

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Prescription Stimulant Misuse Alarmingly Common

Stimulants can make huge improvements in the lives of those with ADHD. However, there is the potential for misuse of these medications. This Medscape article discusses this potential problem.

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Substance-Induced vs Primary Psychosis: Are They Different?

People who use cannabis regularly may present with substance-induced psychosis that is difficult to differentiate from the first episode of schizophrenia. Differentiating between the two may have important legal implications, at least in some countries, but more importantly, in all countries, differentiating between the two has important treatment implications. One definite take-away: if a person using cannabis continues to use, the chances of a psychotic relapse increases, so counselors can warn them of this danger.

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10 Ways My Child with ADHD Has Made Me a Better Parent… to All My Kids

This parent talks insightfully about 10 ways that her child with ADHD has made her a better parent to all four of her children, including the three who do not have ADHD. I think all parents could benefit from reading this article, even if they do not have a child with ADHD.

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ADHD Makes Me (and You) a Cool Mom

Having ADHD certainly adds challenges to motherhood. But this mother reflects how her ADHD helps her be a better Mom. An insightful article and might be particularly helpful to a mother or father who has some OCPD tendencies.

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Get Help If You Have Heart Attack Symptoms

Although not a counseling article, this article by my former cardiologist shared the following research: about ½ of more than 300 people who had a heart attack waited three or more hours before alerting anyone, and sometimes serious medical complications resulted. It gives the reasons people delay, some things that might cause you or one of your clients to do the same. If you or they experience symptoms, it’s important to call 911 immediately.

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Whistleblower Doctor Reveals Transgender Procedures on Minors

Dr. Eithan Haim risked his own job to report that his hospital was continuing to do transgender surgeries even though his state had outlawed such procedures. As a result, he lost his position at the hospital, but he stands as a model that we may sometimes need to take difficult stands, and possibly even pay a cost (at least temporarily) to follow what we believe is right.

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Shocking majority of Gen Zers would marry AI, think it could replace human connection: poll

Last week we looked at an article about adult women who had AI boyfriends. They said they realized that the relationships were not real. But in this study of Gen-Zers (people between the ages of 13 and 19) who are very digitally connected, 83% said they could develop a deep emotional relationship with an AI bot, and 80% said they would consider marrying one if that were legal.

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8 Famous Historical Figures with Bipolar

Read about 8 famous historical figures, at least 4 whom you will readily recognize, as having made significant contributions to our modern life.

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Some Further Comment on the Transgender Debate

I mentioned a week or two ago the HHS 409-page report asserting that the research on the positive effects of “gender-affirming care” (i.e., puberty blockers, cross-gender hormones, then sex-change surgery) was empirically weak, and the research on negative effects was much stronger, and so the authors of this article argued that these treatments should be restricted until further research is completed. Many transgender advocates dismissed this study as Trumpian propaganda. However, other factors are supporting this move toward caution until further research is done. The Cass Report, done in Great Britain last year after a four-year study, is considered an objective study, and came to the same conclusion as above. It caused that country to stop transgender procedures and completely dismantle Tavistock, which had been overseeing transgender treatments. The fact that seven of the other European countries that had been supporting transgender treatments have all recommended that these treatments only be provided in research settings suggest that the medical establishments of Western countries are agreeing that this transgender movement needs further research before we continue to encourage young people in this direction.

Two important newspapers just had editorial statements that are interesting. You won’t be able to read these editorials without subscriptions to the papers, so I’ll summarize their points. The Wall Street Journal, which typically is more conservative, had a headline The U.S. Catches Up on Gender Medicine and supported the conclusions of the HHS report and the Cass Review, and the movement of the European countries that have been urging restraint on transgender procedures. And even the Washington Post editorial board, which usually takes a progressive view on most issues, concluded that we need better research before we continue to support transgender treatments. So I think the consensus is moving in the direction of offering supportive counseling to those young people struggling with gender issues rather than moving immediately to medical treatments.

Your Brain Craves Beauty, Here’s Why

I had seen this headline several times before I finally decided to read the article, but when I did, I found it interesting, and one that could have some application to counseling. There are now numerous studies that show our brains are attracted to experiences of beauty, and that absorbing beautiful scenes can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, and can have a calming effect. Something to consider suggesting as part of your treatment plan for some clients.

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Teenagers With Mental Health Disorders Spend an Extra Hour on Social Media

This study of several thousand teens in the U.K. found that teens with mental health issues spend an hour more per day on social media than other teens, and while doing so, are likely to compare themselves more negatively to others they see on social media. So if you are working with a troubled teen, you could talk about these two issues with them.

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Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious

Twenty to thirty years ago, authors like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens were proudly proclaiming the demise of religious belief. But in recent years we have seen many people abandon the emptiness and sterility of atheism and secularism and even some of our very respected political leaders have become public about their faith that there is something (or Someone) beyond our natural universe. Ross Douthat is a respected reporter and commentator and writes thoughtfully about why he believes religion is not a retreat from reality but is a wise existential decision to make. The review of the book and Ross Douthat's other writings have intrigued me enough that I have ordered the book for myself. Here is a review of his book that might tempt some of you to read it.

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The Costs and Consequences of Sexual Liberation

Many have argued that the freedom from any sexual restraints will give both men and women the freedom for which they have been longing. In her book A New Guide to Sex in the 21st Century, Louise Perry, who was once enamored with and involved in this movement herself, takes another look at how this philosophy has affected women. Perhaps you are working with young women who are considering this for themselves or have tried it and are having second thoughts.

To give you a sample of the argument of the book this reviewer says: “Perry questions whether a culture of casual sex—where the expectation is that most women will engage in (if not enjoy) commitment-free hookups—is of benefit to women. Her verdict is certain: It is not. ‘Hook-up culture demands that women suppress their natural instincts in order to match male sexuality and thus meet the male demand for no-strings sex,’ she argues.”

If you think this book might provide healthy discussion with one or more of your clients you could suggest it to them.

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How curiosity rewires your brain for change

A fascinating article about how we can either respond to change with fear or with curiosity, and some practical steps for changing the fear response to a curiosity response. As someone who’s nearly 80 years old, I think curiosity (the primary reason why I compile these Friday mailings) is one of the things that keep me feeling excited about life.

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“I Never Felt Like an Adult. A Late ADHD Diagnosis Explained Why.”

A woman who wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until later in her adulthood explains humorously why she never felt like she was an adult (and sometimes still doesn’t). But she ends the article by identifying some of the things she likes about her ADHD.

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My secret formula to get my husband to do more housework

Many women complain that their husbands don’t share the housework, even when both partners are working full-time. This article is in the Telegraph, a British newspaper which you probably won’t be able to read without a subscription. Since I know that most women would like to know the answer to it, I’ll summarize it. Her formula is to offer sex every Friday night. What she found was that not only was their romantic life much improved but that her husband also helped with the housework much more. So you could share this formula with clients who might want to see if it would work for them.

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Why Women Lose Interest in Sex -- and What Helps

Probably many women of middle age and older do not have a strong interest in sex and may wonder if their lack of interest is unusual. This article will probably answer some of those questions.

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FDA Issues Warning on ‘Gas Station Heroin’ Tianeptine

Tianeptine has not been approved to treat any medical issue here in the U.S., but it is more and more frequently being sold here in gas stations and used, particularly by young people. It can cause serious problems. If you have a client whom you think might be attracted by it, read this article for more information.

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How to Stop Watching Porn: 6 Essential Steps to Quit

Some of you have clients (sometimes females as well as males struggle with this problem) who may struggle with the temptation of porn. This article, from Covenant Eyes, gives 6 practical steps that may be helpful to such clients.

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Parental Report of Remission in ADHD: Results from a Community-Based, Nationally Representative Sample

How often do children diagnosed with ADHD remit and no longer have those symptoms? Here is a summary of those parental reports. You and I can’t read the full report without paying a fee, but here’s a summary of the results. The mean age of remission reported by parents in ADHD was around 14 years old and only about 7% of those who had previously been diagnosed were considered to have remitted. Several variables found to be significantly associated with remission in ADHD included the presence of a comorbid disorder, lower symptoms of ADHD, sex of the child (being female), and the receipt of behavioral treatment.

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Underaged Drinking

If parents have a teen, the chances are near 100% that they will be offered alcohol sometime during their teen years. Helping them be prepared is important: here’s good advice from Mark Gregston.

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I hope you enjoyed this week’s news articles.

Have a wonderful week!

Henry Virkler