Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Mom Learns Daughter Has ‘Never Said a Single Word’ at Daycare, Reveals the Moment She Knew Something ‘Was Wrong’
Category: Communicating
Friday Quote
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Friday Quote
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Friday Quote
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Building Support: Navigating Bipolar Stigma
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Essential Tips for Handling Denied Medical Treatment Claims
Subscribe to continue reading
Subscribe to get access to the rest of this post and other subscriber-only content.
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Daily Writing Prompt
Technology didn’t change my job until the mid 90’s because computers weren’t used where I worked. We didn’t even have voice mail, messages came on a pink message slip. The old days had it’s advantages, like no social media and the level of violence we have today.
I retired in 2005 and technology has made a big difference in my life and it has affected me negatively as well. I recieve a data breach letter almost monthly. How can can large corporation not have more knowledge than hackers?
Melnda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
CDC Issues Travel Advisory for 32 Countries, Including Several in Europe, Over Spread of Paralyzing Disease
The CDC is encouraging Americans traveling abroad to make sure they are up to date on their polio vaccines
A travel alert has been issued warning Americans to take precautions against polio, which is spreading in Europe and elsewhere across the globe.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control issued a level 2 alert, cautioning travelers to “practice enhanced precautions” before visiting 32 countries. The agency is advising people to make sure they’re up to date on their polio vaccines, adding that people who plan to travel to the listed countries are eligible for a single-dose booster of the vaccine.
The countries include European travel destinations like Spain, Finland, Germany, and Poland — as well as the U.K.
As the CDC explains, polio‚ which is caused by the extremely contagious poliovirus, is “a crippling and potentially deadly disease that affects the nervous system.” It lives in the feces of an infected person, but can also be spread via eating or drinking food that’s been contaminated.
Most people who contract polio do not exhibit symptoms — or if they do, they experience flu-like fevers, tiredness, nausea, headache, nasal congestion, and sore throat.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(958x622:960x624)/polio-vaccine-030426-6ae35fbe700b437f9771c2206db992da.jpg)
In some cases, polio can lead to paralysis, as it did with U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who needed a wheelchair after he contracted the disease.
The CDC says that “vaccination has helped eliminate wild poliovirus in the United States.” It’s a four-dose series of shots given throughout childhood.
The full list of countries where polio is spreading includes Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Finland, Gaza, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, Israel, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.
Melinda
Reference:
https://people.com/travel-advisory-issued-warning-of-spread-of-polio-11919347
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
February Awareness Months
Every month, there are national and international celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes.
Black History Month
Humpback Whale Awareness Month
American Heart Month
Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month
National Cancer Prevention Month
Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Pet Dental Health Month
Please visit their site for the remaining awareness days.
Melinda
Reference:
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/february-awareness-days-months
WordPress leaves Bloggers in the Lurch Again-Help
Since last week, I have not been able to add a link and when I paste the link, nothing shows up, it won’t let you add any link except for the link at bottom of page.
ARE YOU HAVING THIS ISSUE AND HOW DID YOU FIX IT?
I have cleared my cache several times, closed the laptop and even tried a different browser, nothing has worked.
Please leave any comments that may help me, posts are piling up.
Melinda
Looking for the Light
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
HAHA!
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Why Kids And Teens May Face More Anxiety Far More These Days: A Must Read For All Parents
When it comes to treating anxiety in children and teens, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook are the bane of therapists’ work.“With (social media), it’s all about the self-image — who’s ‘liking’ them, who’s watching them, who clicked on their picture,” said Marco Grados, associate professor of psychiatry and clinical director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital. “Everything can turn into something negative … [K]ids are exposed to that day after day, and it’s not good for them.”
“There is definitely a rise in the identification of kids with serious anxiety,” he said. They are “growing up in an environment of volatility, where schools have lockdowns, where there are wars across borders. We used to have high confidence in our environment — now we have an environment that anticipates catastrophe.”
The data on anxiety among 18- and 19-year-olds is even starker. Since 1985, the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA has been asking incoming college freshmen if they “felt overwhelmed” by all they had to do. The first year, 18 percent replied yes. By 2000, that climbed to 28 percent. By 2016, to nearly 41 percent.
The same pattern is clear when comparing modern-day teens to those of their grandparents’ or great-grandparents’ era. One of the oldest surveys in assessing personality traits and psychopathology is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, which dates to the Great Depression and remains in use today. When Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, looked at the MMPI responses from more than 77,500 high school and college students over the decades, she found that five times as many students in 2007 “surpassed thresholds” in more than one mental health category than they did in 1938. Anxiety and depression were six times more common.
Statistics on anxiety in children and younger adolescents aren’t easy to come by. The study published last month was based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, which the researchers noted “is the only national data source to evaluate the presence of anxiety and depression on a regular basis.” The findings were limited, though, and relied on the reports of parents and guardians as to whether a health-care professional had ever told them their child was suffering from one of those conditions.
Those responding yes were asked to describe the level of both anxiety and depression in their children: 10.7 percent said their child’s depression was severe, and 15.2 percent who listed their child’s anxiety at that level.
Among the study’s other findings: Anxiety and depression were more commonly found among white and non-Hispanic children, and children with anxiety or depression were more likely than their peers to be obese. The researchers acknowledge that the survey method — parents reporting what they were told by their child’s doctor — likely skewed the results.
Grados often identifies anxiety in the children and adolescents he sees as part of his clinical practice in Baltimore. “I have a wide range [of patients], take all insurances, do inpatients, day hospital, outpatients, and see anxiety across all strata,” he said.
The causes of that anxiety also include classroom pressures, according to Grados. “Now we’re measuring everything,” he said. “School is putting so much pressure on them with the competitiveness … I’ve seen eighth graders admitted as inpatients, saying they have to choose a career!”
Yet even one of the latest study’s authors acknowledges that it can be difficult to tease out the truth about the rise in anxiety.
“If you look at past studies,” said John T. Walkup, chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, “you don’t know if the conditions themselves are increasing or clinicians are making the diagnosis more frequently due to advocacy or public health efforts.”
Nearly a third of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, according to the National Institutes of Health, with the incidence among girls (38.0 percent) far outpacing that among boys (26.1 percent).
Identifying anxiety in kids and getting them help is paramount, according to clinicians. “Anxiety can be an early stage of other conditions,” Grados said. “Bipolar, schizophrenia later in life can initially manifest as anxiety.”
For all these reasons, Kendall said, increased awareness is welcome.
“If you look at the history of child mental health problems,” he said, “we knew about delinquency at the beginning of the 20th century, autism was diagnosed in the 1940s, teenage depression in the mid-’80s. Anxiety is really coming late to the game.”
Melinda
Reference:
Repost
Listening To Shame By Brene Brown
Her perspective on life and brutal honesty can help us live our best lives.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Top Search Topics & Lifestyle Trends For Men And Women
As we close out the end of 2025, it’s time to look ahead at what topics are trending as we move into the new year. The topics change reguraly and my goal is to stay current in what topics you want to read about.
Men’s Top Search & Lifestyle Trends
- Mindful Masculinity & Mental Fitness: Men are increasingly searching for ways to balance emotional resilience, mental health, and self-care, moving away from stoicism.
- AI as Creative Collaborator: Searches around AI tools for design, music, and personal branding are booming.
- Wellnesswear & Tech-Infused Fashion: Streetwear is merging with wellness and wearable tech, making style both functional and health-oriented.
- Quiet Luxury & Throwback Fashion: Men are gravitating toward understated luxury brands and retro-inspired looks.
- Digital Flex Culture & Streaming Shows: Entertainment searches highlight streaming series as cultural drivers, alongside a shift in how men present themselves online.
- Fitness & Longevity: Hyrox competitions, organ supplements, and holistic fitness routines are trending.
Women’s Top Search & Lifestyle Trends
- Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Fashion: Searches for eco-conscious clothing, retro-inspired sneakers, and TikTok-driven microtrends like Mermaidcore and Cowboycore are surging.
- Biotech Skincare & Beauty Innovation: Exosome serums, beef tallow moisturizers, and peel-off lip stains are among the fastest-growing beauty searches.
- Empowerment & Leadership: Women are increasingly searching for resources on entrepreneurship, breaking glass ceilings, and leadership opportunities.
- Mind-Body Wellness: Lifestyle searches emphasize holistic health, balancing career success with personal well-being.
- Retro & Hollywood Glam Revival: Old Hollywood beauty trends and maximalist prints are making a comeback.
- Tech-Enhanced Lifestyle: AI-driven athleisure and smart fashion are gaining traction
Looking for the Light is successful when posts are on topics you are interested in. Please drop a comment to add additional topics you want to read about. :)
I will delve into many of the topics in the coming year. Staying current on what topics you are searching for helps me learn and allows me share the knowledge with you.
Melinda
Reference:
In-House Photographer vs Commercial Photographer By Guest Blogger Prasenjeet Gautam Photography Blogs
Prasenjeet is a excellent photographer and what I love about his post is he often breaks down the technical aspects of the photo. I’ve learned so much from him. Please stop by his blog and say hello.
In-House Photographer vs Commercial Photographer
📌 Introduction In today’s digital era, visuals are not just photographs — they represent brand identity, customer trust, and the foundation of sales. This is why companies face a crucial decision: Should they rely on an in-house photographer or hire an expert commercial photographer? Many brands assume that in-house photographers are a cost-saving option. However, when growth, … Continue reading
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
What ChatGPT Had To Say About My Blog
It was by accident that I found myself on ChatGPT yet it presented me with the opportunity to see what it said about my blog compared to what CoPilot summed said. Some of the findings are the same but each had a little different spin. I found it interesting it could produce a list of some of my top post and pages.
✅ What the blog is
- The blog is run by someone named Melinda. Looking for the Light+2Looking for the Light+2
- It began in 2005 under the name Defining Memories and was later relaunched / renamed to “Looking for the Light” in 2014 when the focus shifted. Looking for the Light+1
- The blog covers health & lifestyle topics: mental health, chronic illness (including Lyme disease, immune deficiency, fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder), grief and caregiving, and advocacy. Looking for the Light+1
- Melinda describes herself as an “arm‑chair advocate” due to her own health constraints. Looking for the Light
- The blog also touches on travel, art, world history, world religion, ancestry, education for children, global warming, and animal abuse. Looking for the Light
🎯 Why you might like it
- If you’re interested in authentic first‑person writing about living through difficulty and finding hope/light, this blog has a strong personal voice.
- It’s not only about positive living but also about real struggles: abuse, illness, loss, caregiving. The transparency may resonate if you’re seeking depth.
- Because the author also addresses many interconnected topics (health, advocacy, lifestyle), it has breadth—not just one niche.
- The tone is quite reflective, healing‑oriented, and oriented toward finding light in dark times, which seems aligned with your phrase “looking for the light”.
📝 Things to keep in mind
- Some of the posts appear older and the blog structure may have some inconsistencies (e.g., Melinda mentions finding older posts that no longer display correctly). Looking for the Light
- Because it covers heavier topics (abuse, illness, grief) some posts may be intense or emotionally loaded.
- If you were looking for a blog about photography, spirituality only, minimalism, or travel‑only, this might have extra content beyond that. So it depends on how narrowly you meant “looking for the light”.
🔍 Quick check: Is this the blog you meant?
Here are a couple of questions you might ask to confirm:
- Is the blog lookingforthelight.blog (URL) the one you were referring to?
- Are you looking for Melinda’s blog specifically?
- Is your interest more in mental health & chronic illness topics, or were you referring to a different “looking for the light” blog (maybe spiritual, photography, etc.)?
- Do you want some of the blog’s articles (links) or a summary of the best posts?
Some of the tops post & pages
About Me – “Life is the Real Thing”
May 2022 – Suicide and Chronic Health Conditions
Book / product review (child’s picture book ‘Talk’ reference in June 2022)
Mental Health Awareness / Suicide Prevention
Recipe / memoir post (July 2024 family cookbook story)
Daily Writing Prompt – What are you passionate about?
Aromalief Has Released Two New Scents of Their Pain Relief Cream
Review of Aromalief Spearmint Hemp Pain Relief Cream
Introducing VitalField’s Pineal Detox FrequenCell
What would you add about my blog? I love to hear your feedback and while you’re leaving a comment, please tell me what topics you would like read about. I would truly appreciate it. :)
Melinda
Friday Quote
Thank you for joining me for this week’s Friday Quote.
Melinda
Looking for the Light 