Another recall! Maybe it’s time to grow our own food and make everything from scratch.
Costco, which was among the impacted retailers, previously issued a warning in November
Thousands of cases of salad dressing have been recalled following concerns that a “foreign object” could be inside.
In a newly released exposure report from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency announced that 3,556 cases of various salad dressings from Ventura Foods had been affected in multiple states across the country.
The California-based company warned the public that “foreign objects (black plastic planting material) in granulated onion” might be found inside its products.
The alert was assigned a Class II label, which refers to “a situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
Impacted condiments include Creamy Poblano Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip, Ventura Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Regal Caesar Dressing, Pepper Mill Creamy Caesar Dressing and Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch.
Two Caesar dressings specifically sold at Costco are also impacted.
“Costco and Ventura foods are announcing the recall of select Sell By dates of Item #19927 Caesar Salad and Item #11444 Chicken Sandwich w/ Caesar Salad due to the possible presence of plastic foreign material in the salad dressing of the items,” the brands said in a joint statement in November.
After sharing the “sell by” dates of the affected products, customers were urged to “Please stop eating the product and return the item to your local Costco for a full refund.”
In the most recent recall, the FDA said Ventura Foods had distributed the products to seven retail customers across 42 locations.
Affected states include: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
Here are a few products my husband & I are using right now and a few main stays. I hope you find a product to add to your wellness routine. The list may also give you ideas for a surprise for friends, and family. Most products are found on Amazon however, I’m not an Amazon Affiliate and I make no commission from you using the links. Each link takes you directly to the items Amazon page.
Salonpas Pain Relief Patch
Up to 12 Hours Temporary Relief of Mild to Moderate Pain, Backache, Sore Muscle, Sprains, Bruises. Clinically studied & effective to temporarily relieve mild to moderate pain.
Contains two powerful pain fighting ingredients, menthol and methyl salicylate (an NSAID – a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug).
Rounded corners that resist peeling and flexible fabric.
Discreet and Comfortable: Thin, flexible design conforms to your body, making them suitable for use at home, work, or on the go.
Sleep Innovations Dual Layer 4 Inch Memory Foam Mattress Topper
Memory Foam
Dual Layer California King Size Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper: This luxurious 2 layer mattress topper features a 2 inch soft quilted pillow top cover with plush fiber fill and 2 inches of cooling gel memory foam for a medium feel
Featuring pressure-relieving TEMPUR-Material™ and our adjustable blend for the ideal balance of comfort and support. 5-Year Warranty, Adjustable fill for personalized sleep, and This item features a removable, machine-washable cover so you can refresh your sleep space as often as you like.
For Body Muscle Pain Cramps Relief, 6 Heat Settings Machine Washable Electric Heating Pad. Soft Multi-Function Heating Pad: Heating pads for women are made of ultra-fine plush and can be used on double sides, It is extremely soft and gives you unexpected gentle care. Electric heating pad can achieve rapid heating within a few seconds, and provides overheating protection, auto shut off, timing and other safety protection functions, allowing you to enjoy the happiness of pain relief without worry
6 Heating Levels & 4 Timing Settings: Warmth and pain relief in one heating pad with 6 heating levels from 104℉(40℃) to 149℉ (65℃) and 4 timer settings (1h/2h/4h/6h). Whether it’s a mild to strong and lasting hot compress effect, or keeping warm in the cold winter, large heating pad can help you choose the most appropriate heating temperature and timer according to the degree of physical discomfort at any time
ShiKai Borage Therapy Advanced Formula Body Moisturizer
THE DRY SKIN SOLUTION: Borage Therapy moisturizes dry skin while tackling the underlying problem to keep skin hydrated longer. Provides moisture and soothing to parched skin
SKINCARE FOR ALL: With soothing Rooibos extract, Vitamin E, Oatmeal and Shea Butter, Borage Therapy offers immediate moisturizing and soothe
Tights vs Sleeves: Get targeted relief for problematic areas rather than an all-over “squeeze” of the entire leg! This is extremely helpful for pulled hamstrings and overworked quadriceps to promote healthy blood flow, ensure optimized performance and minimize the risk of injury.
Enhances performance by promoting blood flow, reducing muscle vibrations, and decreasing fatigue while increasing structural support and combatting the annoying effects of DOMS. Compression is also beneficial for healing damaged or torn muscles after sudden injuries.
O’Keeffe’s Working Hands Hand Cream for Extreme Dryness
Get your hands back: O’Keeffe’s Working Hands is a concentrated moisturizing cream that heals, relieves, soothes and repairs extremely cracked, dry hands; From the #1 hand cream brand in America*
Guaranteed relief for extremely dry hands: A hand cream that creates a protective layer on the skin’s surface, locking in moisture and keeping even the driest skin hydrated and healthy
It’s the most wonderful time of the year — or is it? All the shopping, socializing, and holiday cheer can bring joy for some, as well as stress and anxiety. And for some, the memories linked to this time of year can bring about sadness and loneliness, too.
The holiday season can lead us to conjure up unreasonable expectations and extra stress if you try to make every aspect of the season picture-perfect, says Ken Duckworth, MD, the chief medical officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
If you’re feeling uncharacteristically down this time of year, you may have the “holiday blues.”
What Are the Holiday Blues?
“‘Holiday blues’ are feelings of sadness, isolation, low energy or motivation, or feeling out of sorts during the holidays,” says Anna Costakis, MD, the director of psychiatry residency training at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital in New York City.
If this describes how you’re feeling right now, you’re not alone. Nearly 90 percent of U.S. adults said they feel stress this time of year, whether because of financial constraints, missing loved ones, worries about family conflict at holiday celebrations, or other reasons, according to a 2023 poll from the American Psychological Association.
Holiday blues are different from clinical depression or anxiety, however, because the feelings aren’t as long-lasting or severe as those associated with the clinical diagnoses.
“The blues tend to be confined to a temporary situation like the holidays that triggers our down or cranky feelings, whereas clinical depression involves a more extended period of time with a cluster of depressive symptoms that can significantly affect our functioning,” says Vanessa Kennedy, PhD, the director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery, an addiction and mental health recovery center in Driftwood, Texas.
Triggers and Causes of the Holiday Blues
Many factors can lead to the holiday blues. These include:
Unrealistic expectations: “People have expectations of what the holidays should be,” Dr. Duckworth says. There’s an intense pressure to do it all and do it perfectly, and you could be left feeling down if you come up short. It can take the joy right out of the season, Dr. Kennedy adds.
Overcommitting to the season’s events: The holiday to-do list is long and filled with hosting and attending family parties and shopping for gifts, which can leave you feeling drained.[3]
Time spent at home: Many people stress over family time and worry about potential arguments or tense conversations, Duckworth says. This may be particularly difficult this year if there are varying political views within one family, Dr. Costakis says. You may also be grieving a loved one who has passed and is noticeably absent from the festivities, Duckworth adds — which can, of course, contribute to sad feelings.
Time to reflect on what’s missing in your life: The holidays tend to bring up opportunities for self-reflection, which can be troubling if there are aspects of your life that aren’t where you want them to be.[4] “We see all over social media that everyone looks so happy and content and picture-perfect,” Costakis says. “It makes people feel sad if they aren’t exactly where they feel they ‘should be.’”
Loneliness: You may feel lonely or sad if you’re spending the holidays away from family and friends because you can’t make it home — or you’re grieving friends and family that are no longer part of your life.[4]
Financial worries and over-commercialization of the season: Between gifts and hosting large dinners, there’s no shortage of opportunities to spend money during the holiday season, Kennedy says. That over-commercialization can add extra stress when money’s tight, Duckworth adds.
Changes in your usual routine: A stream of holiday parties and late nights means you’re likely to eat and drink more and sleep and exercise less than usual, which can leave you irritable and unprepared to deal with stressors.[3] The holidays also align with the seasons changing and daylight hours shortening, which can lead to feeling down and sluggish, Kennedy says.
Who Gets Affected by the Holiday Blues?
The holidays can get anyone down, no matter your age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.
Even those who have no history of anxiety or depression might find themselves feeling uncharacteristically sad. Still, those with an underlying mental health condition are at the highest risk of having holiday blues. “The more mental health struggles you have, the more predisposed you are to this,” Costakis says. Indeed, more than 40 percent of people who’ve been diagnosed with depression will have a recurrent episode.
8 Tips for Managing the Holiday Blues
Keep a few tricks in your back pocket to cope with the holiday blues or prevent them altogether. Here are eight best practices.
Set Boundaries
Know that it’s okay to decline an invitation, leave the party early, or avoid difficult interactions at the family dinner. Pick boundaries that will help you prioritize yourself and take care of yourself, and stick to them.
Learn From Past Holidays
The holiday season comes around every year, so if it hasn’t gone smoothly in the past, it’s time to adjust, Duckworth says. For instance, you can commit to drinking less or minimizing interactions with family members you find problematic, he says.
Maintain Your Usual Routine
Try to stick to eating healthy meals rather than overindulging on sweets, and limit alcohol. Considering avoiding alcohol altogether if you’re feeling down and prioritize following (or sticking as close as possible to) your typical routines when it comes to sleep, exercise, and taking time for yourself.
Talk Through Your Feelings
Whether it be to a close friend or a therapist, a good listener could be all it takes to help you feel better. And given that the majority of individuals experience some difficult feelings during the season, it’s likely that friends, family, or whoever you turn to will be able to relate to some of what you’re going through.
Limit Your Time on Social Media
Seeing all the cheerful moments shared by your family and friends can take a toll on your mental health if you feel your life doesn’t measure up, so limit your time spent scrolling. And remember: Social media is a highlight reel and not always a true depiction of someone’s day or happiness level. Spend time with people you care about rather than letting social media make you feel low.
Stick to a Budget
Proactively determine how much money you can spend during the holiday season and don’t exceed it. This will keep you from feeling financial strain by staying within your means.
Focus on Realistic and Meaningful Expectations
Be realistic about what you can achieve and don’t feel like you need to do it all. “Consider the possibility that you’re doing okay, even if you’re not measuring up to some media-driven, commercial-driven ideal,” Duckworth says. Focus on what makes you happy.
Plan Ahead
Schedule stress-reducers, like exercise, during the season. And look further out, too. Consider scheduling a vacation or staycation, so you have something to look forward to once the season is over, Costakis says.
When to Get Help for Coping With the Holiday Blues
For most, the holiday blues will subside once you’re back to your usual daily rhythm, Kennedy says. “These emotions will most likely pass, and if they don’t, there is help available,” she says.
It’s time to ask for help from a mental health professional if you feel tired, down, irritable, exhausted, or have trouble eating or sleeping, and the symptoms last for longer than a few days. “If you have persistent feelings of sadness and persistent sleep loss and persistent lack of interest in things — and that occurs for weeks — you’re into the spectrum of what could be a clinical depression,” Duckworth says.
If you’re already seeing a doctor or mental health professional, check in with them before the holiday season and see if they think you need to proactively adjust your treatment approach. “You may wish to increase the frequency of therapy sessions to talk through stressors and plan ahead for how to cope with holiday events or structure your time,” Kennedy says.
You can also call a “warmline” (a free and confidential number that allows you to talk through your feelings with a peer who has experienced challenges themselves; find the number for a warmline in your state on Warmline.org) or reach out to a crisis line (like 988, which provides free and confidential support if you’re in suicidal crisis or emotional distress).
The Takeaway
Not everyone views the holiday season as the most wonderful time of the year; many people deal with sadness, stress, and anxiety called the “holiday blues.”
Triggers for the holiday blues include family events, self-reflection, financial worries, and unrealistic expectations for the season.
It’s important to take care of your mental health during the holidays by managing your expectations, limiting time on social media, sticking to your usual routine and a budget, and setting boundaries where needed.
What fun SNL was in the past!!!!! Look at the success on a langly young man.
It’s the weekend!!!!!!
I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.
Have a great weekend!
Melinda
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
Food allergies cause 2,000 hospitalizations and 150 deaths in the U.S. annually
Holiday chocolate sold at Aldi stores across the U.S. have been recalled.
Silvestri Sweets Inc. announced a voluntary recall of its 5-ounce bags of Choceur-branded Holiday Barks sold at the stores, as it may contain “undeclared allergens,” according to a release from the Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Silvestri Sweets Inc. said the recall was initiated after it was discovered that the Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark had been packaged in Cookie Butter Holiday Bark packages and vice versa.
A subsequent investigation by the company indicated the problem may have been caused by a “temporary breakdown in the company’s production and packaging process.”
Due to the mixup, the company said its Choceur-branded Cookie Butter Holiday Bark may contain undeclared pecans. This means that anyone who may be allergic to pecans could have a “serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.”
That product comes in a light blue packaging and shows a piece of the light-colored bark surrounded by holiday-inspired illustrations. At the top, the words, “Choceur Cookie Butter Holiday Bark” can be seen. The company noted that the bag had a best buy date of “05/2026,” printed on the back.
The company also noted that its Choceur-branded Pecan, Cranberry and Cinnamon Holiday Bark may contain undeclared wheat, and those who are allergic to it could also run the risk of having a “serious or life-threatening allergic reaction” if they consume the product.
Those bags are a dark red color and have the words, “Choceur Pecan, Cranberry & Cinnamon Holiday Bark,” above a piece of light brown bark decorated with pecans and cranberries. The bag is framed with holiday decoration illustrations including pieces of cranberry and twigs. These bags have a best by date of “08/2026” printed on the back.
The company said that the products were distributed nationwide through Aldi grocery stores, and noted that as of Nov. 26, no illnesses have been reported in connection with this issue.
Customers who purchased the products are urged to discard them.
The lone star tick, notorious for spreading disease and causing a red meat allergy called alpha-gal syndrome, has long plagued the eastern United States.
Now, UC Davis researchers warn it may be edging closer to establishing itself in California.
Their study uncovered seventy-six lone star ticks reported across the state, including recent finds in the Bay Area and San Clemente. While field teams in 2024 and 2025 didn’t recover any during surveillance, climate models show coastal California offers prime conditions for the species.
Experts say the tick isn’t officially established yet, but the risk is real. With climate change and increased movement of animals and people, scientists caution that Californians should stay vigilant, check for ticks after outdoor activities, and report unusual sightings.
This is a great hostess gift, great for parties, or makes an inexpensive gift for someone at the office.
You will need
Tea sachet/Cheesecloth
Spices
Dry red wine
Pot/Slow cooker
Orange slices
Honey/Sugar (optional)
To make
For a cozy beverage to have by your side, fill the tea sachet (or a square of cheesecloth) with cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and peppercorns to simmer in some wine. Or attach these sachets to a bottle of wine for a holiday gift.
To make spiced wine, pour a bottle of dry red wine into a pot or slow cooker, and place the sachet into the wine. Add a few orange slices and simmer on low, do not boil, for about 45 minutes. Sweeten the wine with a few tablespoons of honey or sugar, if desired.
Serve in mugs with garnishes like cinnamon sticks or star anise.
This recipe sounds so good, I could use one right now!
Ingredients
2 black tea bags
2 cups full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. raw honey
1 tsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
How to make
Steep both tea bags in 1 cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Remove and discard
Meanwhile, warm the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium-high heat to your discard bags
Pour the warm milk into a high-powered blender and add the brewed tea, honey, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla extract. Blend until the latte is combined and slightly frothy, about 1 minute
Pour into two cups and enjoy.
Melinda
Reference:
The recipe is from Kristin Cavallari’s cookbook True Comfort.
Only Fans has some celebrity pages but there is more hardcore pornography on the site than regular content.
I’m sure you’ve heard the news about kids being expelled from school because the parents have an Only Fans sticker on their vehicle, the sticker is so big it covers the entire back window. One woman not only had the sticker but was advertising her page.
These parents are advertising a porn site at school and they know their kid will be expelled from school. How would you feel if your child was exposed to a porn site at school? I bet you would blow a stack!
The schools have told parents with the sticker to park on the street but they refuse. The school needs to call Social Services to visit the parents, if they determine that the kid is in an unhealthy environment they will take custody of the kid. The school needs to take photos of the license plate and the sticker to show Social Services. No telling what a visit from Child Services will find.
I don’t play around when it comes to kids, I go for the throat.
The kids are innocent. Can you imagine the stress, anger, and mental health of the kids? I want to know how many kids have committed suicide after being expelled. To kids, their world has crashed down on them. That’s my homework for today.
I can’t imagine a parent more interested in making money instead of the student’s education and the stress it causes. Today alone I’ve read two stories about kids being expelled for what their parents are doing.
What is wrong here?
One kid was expelled because he was looking up people on Only Fans on a school computer. In this case, the kid made a very bad decision and knew better. The school said they would reconsider having him back but not right now. That kid should be kicked out. In this case, it was a private Christian school with strict rules and the parents signed a document saying they would comply with the rules, which includes the student’s behavior.
They will go as far as showing up to pick up their kid, the parents are warned and the next day come back with the Only Fans stickers still on there and will continue to come back and their kid gets expelled from school. What is wrong with this picture? What kind of example are they teaching their kids.
I think it’s time to punish the parents, not the kids. There are many options like banning them from entering the school campus, having off-duty police at the entrance of the campus who will keep them from entering, a restraining order, and going to the police to report pornography and advertising to underage kids. I would also look to see if they can be charged for trespassing. When the police hear pornography and kids they will be very interested. I would also look to see if the parent can be charged for trespassing.
I would also call Child Services so the parents clearly understand they could lose custody if they continue. Harsh? Hell Yes!
That’s what it is going to take. We can’t let our kids be expelled from school because their parents are self-centered. The kid’s education and mental health will suffer.
The information in the video is on YouTube. I have not vetted the video as accurate information but that should not stop you from watching, it’s eye-opening. I had no idea who they were, I’ve seen the stickers but never went to their website until yesterday.
Even though the site says over 18, there are many ways kids are getting membership, including using their parent’s credit card or fake documents.
When I went to the site, on the first page it showed people having sex, it was hardcore pornography. They get paid based on how many people visit their page and it costs to look at their site, every time. The same goes for any page you look at. Some go as far as offering a membership to their site for a monthly fee.
I would not want my kid to be exposed to pornography until they leave home and they can make their own decisions. If they are old enough they already know about porn from their friends.
Parents who will not take the Only Fans sticker off the car or park off campus, are selfish and don’t care if their kid gets kicked out of school. What kind of logic is that? I
A letter needs to be sent to all parents saying if your vehicle has an Only Fans sticker you must park off the school campus and park on the street. The parents already know but use stronger language and tell them that if continue there are serious consequences. No exceptions. Many schools have this problem and need to punish the parent, not the kid.
I don’t know what can be done but I want to find out more. The link is to a story about a kid who committed suicide because other students were showing him photos of his mother.
My cognitive impairment is worse, today, if something doesn’t flow or half of a sentence is missing, be gentle with me.
Following Ribana is an all encompassing journey of travel, book reviews, creating recipes and so much more. When she shares a recipe, she walks you through the process in words and incredable photos. Be sure to visit her blog and go hungry!
I don’t hope for people to think or say nice things about me, that’s not important. What’s important is what I think about myself and it’s a bonus if people think kindly of me. I’m thrilled everytime a blogger sends me a nice comment or appreciates a post, it’s an instant smile every time. People judge or have a perception of you based on many factors and it’s beyond our control.
Living an authentic life is how I live and people will form their own perception of me. I’m mostly talking about blogging because my close family members are no longer here and it’s hard to make friends when you don’t leave the house.
Living life wishing or worrying about what other’s think of you is a waist of time. My reply is not meant to sound negative, it’s my reality and everyone’s is different. The difference it what makes the world go round.
I’m so glad you are enjoying Fun Facts. I learn something new each week, even if it’s weird. I love hearing your comments!
The different colors of Froot Loops cereal all taste the same—they’re not individual flavors. (time.com)
What’s inside a Kit Kat? Broken Kit Kats that are damaged during production—they get ground up and go between the wafers inside, along with cocoa and sugar. That’s a way to not let anything go to waste! (today.com)
Pound cake got its name because the original recipe required a pound each of butter, flour, sugar and eggs. That’s a lot of cake—but it was meant to last for a long time.
The difference between jam and jelly is that jam is made with mashed up fruit while jelly is made with fruit juice. (bonapetit.com)
Preserves are like jam but made with more whole fruit. Marmalade is preserves made from citrus fruit
I’m glad you joined me for another edition of Weekend Music Share this week.
Have a great weekend!
Melinda
Welcome back to Weekend Music Share, the place where everyone can share their favorite music.
Feel free to use the Weekend Music Share banner in your post, and use the hashtag #WeekendMusicShare on social media so other participants can find your post.
We’re back with another round of inspiring fibro bloggers who continue to write, reflect, and uplift despite the daily challenges of chronic illness. These storytellers offer wisdom, humor, and solidarity to the fibromyalgia community—and beyond.
💜Glenys at Australian Sacrificial Home Body
Glenys writes with gentle honesty about home life, aging, and the quiet rhythms of living with fibromyalgia. Her blog is a space of peace and acceptance, where chronic illness is acknowledged but not allowed to eclipse joy.
“I write about home keeping, aging, peace and acceptance. My blog is a place to reflect on the small things that make life meaningful—even when pain is present.”
Dale combines photography and storytelling to explore life with fibromyalgia. His YouTube channel and blog are filled with creative therapy ideas, including how photography can be a healing outlet.
“I use photography to express what words sometimes can’t. Living with fibromyalgia has taught me to see beauty in stillness and resilience in imperfection.”
Carrie blends advocacy, art, and lived experience to illuminate life with fibromyalgia and also axial spondylarthritis. Her blog, My Several Worlds, is a vibrant hub for chronic illness awareness. From her home in Taipei, she writes with clarity and compassion, offering both practical resources and emotional resonance within Asian healthcare and the wider world.
“Blogging is a great coping tool because it allows me to vent when I need to. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other people in the chronic illness community.”
Her work is especially powerful for those seeking validation in complex medical systems, and for anyone who needs to hear: you are not alone, and your story matters.
💜 Melinda at Looking for the Light
Melinda’s blog is a blend of advocacy, interviews, and personal reflection. Her “Blogger Highlight” series lifts up other voices in the fibro community, and she writes candidly about mental health and invisible illness.
“I want to shine a light on the stories that often go unheard. Fibromyalgia is invisible, but our voices don’t have to be.”
Windy writes about her experience with fibromyalgia and physical therapy, weaving in reflections on faith and healing. Her blog is heartfelt and grounded, offering hope to those navigating similar paths.
“My connection to God has helped me through the hardest parts of this journey. I write to share what I’ve learned and to remind others they’re not alone.”
We hope you’ve enjoyed meeting these five fabulous fibro bloggers. Their voices are part of a growing chorus of resilience, creativity, and advocacy. Stay tuned for the next spotlight in our Focus on Five Fibro Blogs series or review the previous one.
Sending a special thanks you to all the Fibro Warrior’s who contribute to Fibro Directory, speading awareness is critical.
Fibro Bloggers Directory is the brainchild of Lee Good, the community of Fibro Warriors contribute post focused living with Fibromyalgia. If you are interested in learning about how to join the group, reach out Firbo Directory for information.
If you don’t want to join at this time, you can visit for invaluable resources.
If you want to stay on top of Recalls, Safety Alerts and Adverse Reporting you can turn to FDA.gov for the most current trusted source for information.
On the FDA.gov website, all recalls are tracked to keep the public safe. Three key sections to look under are:
There was a time when giving awards to other bloggers was common place and were fun to participate in. Many bloggers may not have seen the old awards so I thought it would be fun to share. This post is not about me, it’s about blogging history.
Have you noticed that some older post no longer include the image? WordPress why?
Blogger Recognition Award
The Sunshine Blogger Award
Dragon Loyalty Award
Once a Victim Now a Survivor Award
Brave Heart Award
Most Influential Blogger Award
The Creative Blogger Award
No Strings Attached Award
Treasure Trove Award
Word Press Family Award
The Disability Award
It’s a shame the images are not available anymore, some were very creative.
The awards date from 2015 to 2020, here’s to the good old days.
It’s critical to remember AI pulls information from all souces and can’t be relied on as factual information.
AI offers quick information, yet it lacks the human insight required for safe, individualized mental health care.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly become part of our daily lives. Whether it’s a chatbot answering questions online, an app offering mental health “coaching,” or a website summarizing medical information, the presence of AI in healthcare is growing rapidly.
For many, these tools feel like an easy, convenient first step when they’re worried about a symptom or seeking information. And used wisely, AI can indeed be helpful. It is essential, however, to recognize the limitations and pitfalls of AI.
What AI Can Do Well
AI tools are very good at providing general information. If you want to know the common side effects of drug “A,” the difference between two medications, or the meeting times for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in your community, a quick query can often bring up what you need. A Google search uses AI. These tools can scan large amounts of digital information and summarize it in seconds.
They can remind you of questions to ask your clinician or point you toward community resources you might not have known existed. As an educational tool, AI can help us feel more prepared and informed for a medical visit.
Where AI Falls Short: It Cannot Replace Human Insight
Problems arise when we begin using AI as a replacement for the clinical judgment of an experienced care provider. Clinical skills are developed over years of training and experience in patient care. The expertise acquired involves integrating judgment, logic, and reasoning on a background knowledge of the patient and circumstances. AI lacks this “lived and learned” experience and the insight that emerges only through direct clinical practice.
AI cannot understand the nuances of your personal history, context, values, or medical complexity. It cannot look you in the eye, notice subtle changes in your mood or tone of voice, or sense when you need extra reassurance or immediate intervention. These human qualities are a cherished and vital part of the clinical appointment.
AI Can Make Mistakes — and Miss Warning Signs
Most importantly, AI tools can, and do, make mistakes. They may sound confident and reassuring while giving incomplete, misleading, or even inaccurate health information.
It can be hard to know whether information, even when it sounds plausible, is outdated, incorrect, or completely made up (an AI “hallucination,” a term for when the system invents information that sounds believable but isn’t).
AI also lacks the ability to recognize emergencies. Someone searching phrases like “I can’t go on,” “I feel hopeless,” or “how to hurt myself” may receive generic wellness advice rather than the urgent, clear direction to reach crisis services. For individuals in distress, delays or misdirection carry serious risks.
Human emotions and suffering are enormously complex, and it must be recognized that a significant number of individuals who die by suicide have seen a care provider in the weeks prior. Suicide is notoriously difficult to predict.
Chronic and pervasive thoughts of wanting to pass from this world are common among those living with mental health conditions. What are the signs of imminent action? Many who spend time with a provider in the weeks before death by suicide do not reveal a plan. If they had, the provider would be expected to put in place the process for immediate help.
What they wouldn’t have done is what AI did in the past year, namely, helping write an explanatory letter about their upcoming suicide.
Privacy Risks Are Real
There is also the major concern of privacy. Most AI systems collect data, more than we users realize. What you type into a chatbot is likely stored, used in some way, and may be shared with other systems. It’s important to be thoughtful and cautious about sharing personal details.
Using AI Safely: A Helpful Tool, Not a Decision-Maker
So what is the safest way to use AI in mental health? Think of these tools simply as what they are: tools. Use them to gather background information, learn about treatment options, or locate community resources. AI can help you understand the vocabulary of mental health care, remind you of questions to ask your clinician, and empower you to participate more fully in your treatment.
But when it comes to making diagnostic decisions, adjusting medications, interpreting symptoms, or determining whether a treatment is right for you personally, AI should never replace the guidance of a trained clinician.
Mental health care involves listening, observing, collaborating, and understanding people within the context of their lives. Follow-up questions for clarification are the hallmark of an experienced clinician. No matter how sophisticated the technology becomes, these human dimensions cannot be automated.
A Helpful Companion, With Careful Limits
AI is a useful tool, and I use it daily, as do many of my patients. But like any tool, it must be used carefully and wisely. Stay curious, stay informed, and above all, stay connected to the professionals who can provide the clinical judgment and personalized care that AI cannot.
Remember AI is a tool for basic information but is not factual.
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Looking for the Light 
