Let's Talk Health (Page 8)

If you are aware of your HIV status, it can be a nerve-racking experience to let a new partner know if you are positive. Some people are completely upfront on their dating profiles, and in life generally. However, others feel very insecure about telling people. Perhaps they haven’t told anyone or kept it secret from friends, family and work colleagues. Ultimately, when you tell is completely down to you. However,...

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found gay, lesbian and bisexual people who are married experience less psychological distress than their single counterparts. Looking at data coming out of the 2009 California Health Interview Survey, more than 47,000 heterosexual and homosexual men and women, ages 18 to 70, were asked about psychosocial distress, legal relationship status, education,...

Recently I was a guest of HuffPostLive, an Internet talk show that tackles the most tender topics with grace and an intellectual eye. The topic was entitled “When Predators Are Women” and my fellow guests were all survivors of female rape. These men were a brave bunch of dudes. They were brave because they spoke out against a cultural myth that all boys, teens and men like sex — any kind of sex under any kind of...

Violent relationships may be more common among teenagers than we like to think, and the psychological and behavioral fallout from that violence appears to last for a significant amount of time. A new study published by Deinera Exner-Cortens in the Pediatrics journal looked at more than 5,000 teenagers in the United States and asked them whether or not they were in a violent relationship. Twenty percent of...

Can having children help you live longer? According to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, couples without children may be two to four times more likely to die than couples with children--and that may be just the tip of the iceberg. The study also found childless couples were more likely to suffer from mental illness and substance abuse than their child-rearing peers, even when...

A number of recently published studies confirm what many have suspected for years — when couples engage in physical activity together, they strengthen their relationship while also improving each partner’s personal health. Not only is physical activity a factor within many successful relationships, the research suggests it’s easier to maintain a physically active lifestyle when that lifestyle is shared with a...

Think pouring your feelings on paper after a breakup will help you get over your ex? Think again. A new study suggests journaling after a breakup may actually prolong the emotional distress. Conducted by University of Arizona researcher David Sbarra, the study originally meant to determine what form of personal journaling helped individuals get over severed relationships faster. However, Sbarra found the journaling...

While they may not represent the ideal relationship structure, a “friends with benefits” relationship may promote safer sex than traditional monogamous relationships - at least as far as condom use goes. A recent online survey, conducted by Harvard researcher Justin Lehmiller, questioned 376 people on their dating and sex lives, approximately half of whom were in traditional monogamous relationships and the other...

Just how common is abuse in college relationships? Research indicates almost half of all college women have suffered abuse from one of their partners. Results from a survey initiated by Knowledge Networks aims to shine a light on a disturbing reality many college women find themselves experiencing, often without any idea how to end the abuse or how to seek the help they need. "Forty-three percent of college women...

Only one out of three individuals with depression seek the help they need, a number that may be improved by increased partner intervention. That’s according to research conducted by psychiatrist Dr. Mark S. Komrad, MD, who has been looking at the connection between depression and relationship partners. Komrad links the low percentage of depressed individuals actually seeking help to cultural concerns surrounding...

Can Facebook and other social media sites be used to promote positive habits, such as safe sex? An academic study aimed to find out, with surprising results. Conducted by University of Colorado School of Public Health professor Sheanna Bull, the study looked at the behavior of 800 high school and college students. For two months, some of those students were assigned to receive regular updates within their Facebook...

Free sex seems to be happening everywhere — free that is, if the romp isn’t with a married man and leaves a text trail. But it does seem like some women are living out the lives of the characters in “Sex and the City” — trying to think like men when it comes to relationships and hooking up. But there’s one big elephant in the living room: Most women weren’t biologically wired to hook up, and culture doesn’t trump...

I don’t have any studies to back it up, but I’m pretty sure 100 percent of women prefer to date men who are alive. They also look for men who will stay that way for a while, which means they want an active man with a positive mindset. The paradox is that the older we get, the more we want to relax, but at the same time, our vital organs and muscles need to be reminded more often that they still have a lot of work...

Researchers from the University Toronto claim they have evidence that indicates PMS is nothing more than a cultural myth. The researchers compiled 41 different studies conducted over 30 years and found only 15 percent of those studies noted a link between a woman’s mood and the pre-menstrual phase of her monthly cycle. Rather than connecting a woman’s mood with her menstrual cycle, 38 percent of studies determined...

A recent study indicates that “Facebook stalking” your exes makes it harder to get over them and move on with new relationships. The study explained how sustained contact with an ex after a breakup can be “detrimental.” Conducted by social psychologist Tara Marshall of Brunel University, the study determined that something as simple as remaining Facebook friends with an ex was enough to increase breakup-related...

Can your relationship’s dynamics make you fat? One study, funded by the National Institute of Health, aims to find out. Associate Professor at the University of Arizona Emily Butler is leading a study examining the way different relationship dynamics may influence habit formation. Butler suspects romantic relationships aren’t given enough credit when it comes to how individuals within those relationships develop...

A fascinating study suggests bisexual women have an increased risk of experiencing domestic violence from their partners compared with heterosexual women, lesbian women, and women who have had sex with other women but do not identify themselves as gay or bisexual. The study draws its conclusions by evaluating data from the California Health Interview Survey between 2007 and 2008. In addition to finding bisexual...

I read a funny joke the other day. A woman on a date said “I’m so happy that we’ve gotten close enough now that you can tell me all the things I read about you online.” It’s funny because it shows how our privacy has been invaded — by us — and our use of social networking sites like Facebook. And while Facebook can be a great way to stay connected, it can be really problematic when it comes to getting...

Reader Question: I've been dating a girl for a while, but she has a lot of problems with depression and hasn't wanted to see anyone for a while. She says she still wants to see me but that she's having a hard time at the moment. I'm trying to be patient with her, but I'm starting to find it hard and really don't know what to do. I really like this girl and don't want to give up. I'm pretty sure she is genuinely...

We all know that, unlike women, men do not have a “biological clock” when it comes to making babies. However, the drive tends to, well, fall down on the job once we reach a certain age. We may no longer have an interest in making babies, but every man still wants to go through the motions. Throughout all of human history until a decade or so ago, senior men looked at the loss of potency as the end of their sexual...

An erection requires a delicate balance of blood flow and blood pressure, along with the interaction of neural and endocrine factors that are beyond my expertise to understand or explain. Suffice it to say that his ability to perform is driven by a stimulant — you. Alcohol is a depressant that negates your stimulating effect. It doesn’t decrease his desire to make love to you, but it may lower his blood pressure...

Today’s easy access to pornography is a far cry from seamy video stores on the outskirts of town of yesteryear. Men today need only a smartphone and a little privacy to satisfy their cravings for sexual stimuli. In fact, when researchers studying porn at the University of Montreal attempted to find a control group of men in their 20s who had never consumed pornography, they were unable to find even one...

Reader Question: I'm 38 years old and was wondering how to start an intimate relationship with a man when I've never had sex. I was sexually violated when I was in high school, and I still have trouble getting over being violated. Can you help me? -Candice (Canada) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Your pain is real and your fears warranted. I often say there are two kinds of fears: Irrational fears based on...

Sex is a lifelong activity for both men and women. Don’t let any images from our youth-obsessed culture deter you from pursuing your birthright. If you have an able body and willing heart, follow your manly instincts and go for the gusto. There are always ways to have an exciting sex life after 50, so it's up to you to be aware of yourself and your partner. While it’s true the reality of aging does modify the way...

Does romance have an expiration date? Lots of older men find it difficult to continue feeling as passionate as they did when they were younger and resign themselves to believing those glory days are simply over. The good news is that this isn’t a permanent situation. You can regain those passionate feelings of youth once more. The bad news is that you’re going to need to put in a little work if you want to keep...

Looking for love is always a difficult and often intimidating proposition. When you are trying to get back into the game later in life with a health issue, chronic illness or limits to your mobility, it can seem like you already have a couple of strikes against you. No doubt, some women will avoid dating men with health issues, but the fact is that most will be open to the possibility. Before you decide to adopt...

Reader Question: I have been married for just under 15 years, but for the last 10 years, she has been abusing alcohol. She has been in two accidents while under the influence, and she has been to suicide watch several times. If she wants to be with her wine more than me, would you consider that being unfaithful? -Harvey (New Mexico) Dr. Wendy Walsh's Answer: Yes. She needs an intervention followed by strong...

Anyone who is sexually active outside of a monogamous relationship is at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI). That’s why it’s important to practice safe sex, get regular checkups at your OB/GYN and stay healthy — physically and mentally. For lesbians, STIs can be transmitted woman-to-woman through skin-to-skin contact, fluids and more. And certain STIs are more common in sexual activity...

Everyone wants to enjoy a healthy and fun sex life. While sex may not be the only important element of a relationship, it certainly ranks near the top. After all, humans are sexual in nature and that natural sexual charge represents the primary defining feature differentiating your romantic relationships from your close friendships. So read on and learn how you can experience an exciting sex life in a...