TresSugar

When Partners Get Sick, Women Less Likely to Split

TresSugar — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Cementing the stereotypical image of woman as caretaker, a new study shows that a man is seven times more likely than a woman to leave his spouse if she becomes seriously ill.

The study, which included 500 couples coping with illnesses such as cancer or multiple sclerosis (MS), found that of marriages in which the wife was ill, 21 percent ended in divorce while only 3 percent of marriages in which the man was ill ended in divorce. The researchers hypothesized that perhaps men are less able to take on the burdens of maintaining the family and caring for a sick spouse.

Why do you think (at least in this study) that women are less likely to leave their ill partner?

All About Anxiety

DearSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Everyone deals with stress; it’s just part of life. But when stress overwhelms your ability to function normally, it becomes something more. Anxiety disorder affects approximately 15 million people in the US, and like depression, it comes in varying degrees and with its own set of social stigmas. Anxiety disorder can begin early or late in life, but in most cases, it's closely linked to family history as well as severe stress.

To learn about the symptoms and treatments of this challenging and common disorder, read more.

Symptoms of anxiety disorders include:

Feelings of fear and panic
Obsessive thought processes and actions
Troubled sleep
Perceived shortness of breath
Heart palpitations
Nausea, dizziness, and muscle tension
Clammy hands and a dry mouth

The combination of these symptoms is often debilitating and can make even going outside a difficult feat. The treatment for an anxiety disorder can range from medication to cognitive-behavioral therapy, but is certainly manageable with the right treatment.

Dear’s Advice: If you think this sounds like you, consult a therapist or psychiatrist who specializes in anxiety to learn more. Most importantly, don't be ashamed; you're not alone, and there is help out there.

Source

You Asked: Can I Use My Dog to Get to My Ex?

DearSugar — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:00:00 -0700

Dear Sugar,
I realize that I am supposed to cut off all ties with my ex-boyfriend, but I've broken the rules. We didn't talk for a month and I haven't seen him since we broke up, but I just texted him about my dog, whom he had cared for a great deal. My dog just got diagnosed with cancer, and my ex about this opened the floodgates for communication. We have arranged for him to see my dog without me present. We haven't talked about ourselves or our lives, it has just about the dog, but I want more. Can I use this tragic situation to my advantage? - Pining Penny

To see DearSugar's answer, read more.

Dear Pining Penny,

Using your dog's condition to get to your ex will certainly do the trick, but I think it would behoove you to be honest with him from the start. While I'm sure he appreciates being able to see your dog, it just seems a little cheap to use the dog as a way to get close again. If you miss your ex, just tell him! If this situation does in fact bridge the gap between you, great, but make sure he's aware of your intentions or your plan could actually backfire - he could end up resenting you for using such a sad scenario to your advantage. Like I've said a million times before, honesty is the best policy. Good luck with everything.

Source

This or That: You Gave Him an STI or He Passed One on to You?

DearSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:30:00 -0700

After a few great weeks spending time together, you and your new guy have decided to take the plunge and become exclusive. Naturally, to celebrate, you get busy but just a few days later, you suddenly have something strange going on downstairs. An emergency trip to the gyno reveals it's an STI. Would it be worse if . . .

This: It turns out that you must have picked this up from your last boyfriend and inadvertently passed it along to your new guy? A quick conversation with your ex reveals that he had signs of it but never mentioned it to you before. You're very upset and utterly humiliated that you have to tell your new boyfriend this news.

Or . . .

That: When you spill the beans to the new guy, he blushes and confesses that his last girlfriend had it, too? Apparently, he didn’t think males could be carriers. You're beyond dumbfounded by his complete lack of knowledge.

Source

DearSugar Needs Your Help: My Father-in-Law Is a Permanent Fixture

DearSugar — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 09:00:03 -0700

DearSugar and Need Some Space Stacey need your help. Her ill father-in-law has become a permanent fixture at her house three nights a week, and she's feeling bad about being annoyed. How can she handle the situation delicately?

Dear Sugar,

I am writing for advice regarding a situation that is not in my control. I feel guilty feeling the way I do, and I don't want to come off as heartless. My father-in-law got very sick in January. For dialysis, he has to go to a hospital that's far from were he lives and close to where my husband and I live (we were recently married). His dad has made a habit of coming over to our house to stay the night three times a week due to his treatment appointments being at 5 a.m.

Initially I thought it was a great way of breaking up his drive, but now, it has become a problem. My father-in-law talks non-stop when he is here, while we are working (we think he is lonely). He also helps himself to our internet and our only television, and he makes his home on our couch. We are both incredibly busy high school teachers and coaches, and it's getting to the point where we hardly have time or space to ourselves.

I don't feel like I can say anything because it's disrespectful and insensitive, but deep inside, I wish he would stay with his other three children, who all live really close. Please give me advice! I'm desperate as to how to handle the situation.

-Need Some Space Stacey

Source

Dear Poll: Do You Self Diagnose?

DearSugar — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 13:00:00 -0700

We live in a time where all kinds of information is just a few clicks away. The Internet has provided us with a plethora of knowledge and while most of the information is helpful and informative, it can also backfire and cause more bad than good. Sites like Web MD provide answers to all kinds of medical related questions, but sometimes you can self diagnose yourself into an unnecessary frenzy. I have faked myself out over the Internet on more than one occasion, so ladies, what I want to know is, do you self diagnose?

Source

Do Tell: Do You Know Anyone With Mental Illness?

TresSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Earlier this week actress Glenn Close spoke up about her sister's bipolar disorder and her family's struggle to understand it. Glenn and her sister Jessie have started a public service campaign hoping to create awareness and acceptance of people with mental illness.

One in four adults deal with a diagnosable mental disorder in the US, and about one in 17 lives with a serious mental illness. Do you know anyone living with a mental illness?

Say What? Glenn Close Speaks Up About Sister's Mental Illness

TresSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700

"We didn't know that it wasn't Jess just being wild, there was something going on there. . . We come from the tradition that you hardly ever went to a psychiatrist - it just wasn't done. You certainly don't talk about depression, or alcoholism, or any mental illness. It's just not done, and I think a lot of people still feel that."

- Glenn Close went on Good Morning America today to discuss her family's struggle to understand her sister Jessie's mental illness. Jessie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was 47-years-old. The actress and her sister have filmed a public service announcement with hopes of challenging the stigma attached to mental illness.

Tressed to Ill: Amy Winehouse

GiggleSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:56:33 -0800

We've made fun of strange ~~hairdos~~ hair don'ts before in our Tressed to Ill posts, but I don't think we've ever featured a hairstyle that doubled as an accessory to a crime. Most of you have probably already seen this video of the talented but deeply troubled Amy Winehouse fishing something out of her beehive and snorting it - that's the speculation anyway. I've heard of hiding stuff in your bra, but in your teased beehive? Way bizarre . . . (Thanks, eBaum's World!)

Guess Who Is Dressed to Ill?

GiggleSugar — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:00:00 -0700

You know who the usual suspects are in the parade of the badly dressed. But with only their clothes to give them away, can you guess who is dressed to ill?

Question 1 of 7

Guess who looks like she crafted a dress out of a tie-top Hefty trash bag?