INPUT ARTICLE: Article: It will be even more difficult to have an honest discussion about your mental illness with a romantic interest if you have not fully accepted its reality yourself.  Any sense of doubt or shame that you still feel or stigma that you continue to place on your illness may be further amplified and “confirmed” by similar responses from your prospective partner.  Before being truly honest with others, you need to be honest with yourself.  Work to understand and accept your illness, with the help of mental health professionals and supportive loved ones.  At the same time, never doubt that you deserve to have a healthy, fulfilling romantic relationship. Especially if you have been recently diagnosed, you might possibly find it easier to start the dating process by seeking out others who have similar experiences with mental illness.  There are niche online dating sites focused on such individuals.  This may not be the best path for you, though, so consult your mental health professional first. While you may occasionally hear specific advice such as “the first date is always too early” or “don’t wait much past the fourth date,” the fact is that there is no universal “right” or “wrong” amount of time into a relationship at which to disclose your mental illness.  You can and should seek out advice from trusted sources, but only you can decide when your relationship is at the “just right” stage for this conversation. Generally speaking, you don’t need to disclose a mental illness right off the bat on the first date.  Wait until the level of commitment and/or intimacy builds to the point that it feels wrong to wait longer, then plan the discussion. You’ll want the conversation to feel natural and comfortable, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice the content and style of your delivery beforehand.  You will be hesitant and nervous when it comes time to reveal a mental illness, and adequate preparation beforehand can help you to navigate and push through those barriers to a healthy conversation. Consider practicing what you will say with your therapist or psychiatrist, who can give you guidance on how to approach the subject.  Practicing with a trusted friend or loved one, though, may be more comfortable for you.  Give both a try. This is a conversation that is best made in a calm, relaxed, private setting, not in a corner of a noisy bar or during an aggravating car ride together.  It doesn’t have to feel like a business meeting, but also shouldn’t be too romantic either — you should probably both be fully clothed, for instance.  A quiet evening on the couch may be just about right. Also, have the conversation during a time when you are managing your illness well, or consider delaying it for a bit if necessary. Revealing your mental illness should feel like a true back-and-forth conversation, not a lecture.  That said, you should have some informational materials (books, websites, etc.) about your particular condition at the ready.  Offer them when appropriate as per the flow of the discussion, but don’t foist them upon the other person. Have answers to some likely questions ready as well.  Think about the questions you had when you were first diagnosed with this condition.

SUMMARY: Consider how you perceive your mental illness. Determine the ideal time frame for the reveal. Practice your reveal. Choose the right setting. Prepare information and answers.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Mild anemia may not become noticeable until it has progressed to a more severe level. That is why it is important to take your cat for an annual checkup with a veterinarian to detect health problems early and treat them before they get worse. If you do not have a veterinarian where you take your cat, find one as soon as possible and take your cat for an initial appointment. Although cats are known to be a bit lazy, lethargy is not normal for a cat. If your cat is skipping meals because she is asleep, or you return home from work to find the cat in the same spot you left her, then your cat could be lethargic. A loss of appetite is another potential symptom of anemia in cats. Pay attention to how much your cat is eating. If she is eating less than is normal for her, then this may also indicate that your cat may be anemic. Pale gums indicate that your cat may be anemic. Your cat’s gums should be a rosy pink color, just like our gums. It is preferable to look at your cat’s gums in a room with natural lighting. Artificial lighting can give gums an artificial creamy or yellow tinge. To look at your cat’s gums, gently lift the upper lip and look at the gums. If your cat has pale gums, then this is a sign that your cat may be anemic. If your cat has pale gums and/or other symptoms of anemia, you will need to take your cat to see a veterinarian. The vet will examine your cat and check for problems such as fleas, lice, or other parasites. The vet will also check for unusual organ enlargement or masses within the abdomen that could indicate that your cat has a tumor. The vet will then draw blood to run lab tests. The lab tests will look at the cat's biochemistry and hematology, an examination of the red and white blood cells. These lab tests can tell the vet if the cat is anemic, as well as determine the severity of the problem, tell whether the problem is recent or long-standing, and confirm whether the cat is making new red blood cells or not.

SUMMARY: Be aware that mild anemia may have no noticeable symptoms. Watch for a severe lack of energy. Pay attention to your cat’s appetite. Check the color of your cat’s gums. Take your cat to see a veterinarian for a full exam.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Think of the stores you shop with the most and the stores you consider most reliable or inexpensive. The list of stores you come up with will likely vary depending on the type of product you are looking for. You may, for instance, check with various department stores when shopping for clothing, a mix of department and home goods stores when looking for small kitchen appliances, or a mix of department and home improvement stores if looking for large appliances or tools. If you do not know the store website address already, go to a search engine and type the store’s name in. The store’s website is usually the first hit to pop up. If you have difficulty, though, you could also try searching the store’s name with “official website” typed after it. You can either locate the product by doing a search, using the store’s search bar, or by browsing through the departments until you find what you are looking for. If you are looking for a specific product, doing a keyword search is the most efficient and practical means. If looking for a generic product, browsing through the departments might prove more useful. While a product may be cheaper at one store than it is at another, the difference in shipping costs can sometimes make the more expensive item cheaper to buy. Stores that offer free “in store pickup” are, understandably, the cheapest. As soon as you find the product you want on each store’s website, jot down the name of the product as well as the price. If the product is currently on sale, make a note of that fact along with when the sale ends, since the price will likely go up after the sale finishes. Saving the product page from each store to your favorites list will make it easier to go back to the product you decide to buy later. After you visit all the websites on your list, compare which ones had the best prices. Since all of these stores are, theoretically, ones you feel comfortable shopping at, the only things you really need to take into account are the cost of the product and the cost of shipping. Return to the product page of the store that had the best price and make your purchase. Alternatively, if the product is marked “Available in stores,” you can also drive to that store and purchase the product there.

SUMMARY:
Make a list of stores. Visit each store’s website. Locate the desired product on each website. Check shipping policies. Mark down your findings as you go along. Add each product page to your favorites. Compare your findings. Buy the item.