What is empty nest syndrome?

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I get so many headaches every month. It could be chronic migraine, 15 or more headache days a month, each lasting four hours or more.

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Botox, autobotulinum toxin A, prevents headaches in adults with chronic migraine. It's not for those who have 14 or fewer headache days a month. Prescription Botox is injected by your doctor. Effects of Botox may spread hours to weeks after injection causing serious symptoms. Alert your doctor right away as difficulty swallowing, speaking, breathing, eye problems, or muscle weakness can be signs of a life-threatening condition. Patients with these conditions before injection are at highest risk. Side effects may include allergic reactions, neck and injection site pain, fatigue, and headache. Allergic reactions can include rash, welts, asthma symptoms, and dizziness. Don't receive Botox if there's a skin infection. Tell your doctor your medical history, muscle or nerve conditions including ALS Lou Gehrig's disease, myasthenia gravis or Lambert-Eton syndrome, and medications including botulinum toxins, as these may increase the risk of serious side effects.

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**SPEAKER_4** (1:35)
What is empty nest syndrome?
Thanks for asking.
With the summer holiday season drawing to a close, many university students are preparing to leave home for the first time and head to campus accommodation.
While they're enjoying Freshers Week, chances are their parents may be finding it unsettling that their child is no longer present at home. That's even more likely when it's their last child who's just left. This form of grief is known as empty nest syndrome, and it disproportionately affects mothers who statistically tend to spend more time taking care of children than men when it comes to heterosexual couples. Why would that be a cause of sadness though? Shouldn't parents be happy to see their children moving forwards in life? That's right. And of course, parents are mostly happy to see their children becoming independent. In fact, empty nest syndrome is often overlooked precisely because an adult child leaving home is seen as a healthy and normal development. Nevertheless, it can lead to feelings of worthlessness, uncertainty and a lack of meaning. For a great number of people, parenthood is the most meaningful role they will ever have and central to their life story. After 18 or more years spent raising children, suddenly having an empty nest can feel like a momentous change. It's almost like being made redundant from a job. What can parents do to cope with empty nest syndrome? Planning ahead is important in order to make the transition as simple as possible. Parents can look for new challenges in their own careers, social lives or recreational activities to reduce the sense of loss when their children leave. It might seem obvious, but it's important to shape your own personality beyond identifying as a mother or father. For parents who still live together, having an empty nest is an opportunity to get reacquainted with life as a romantic couple. It's time to rediscover what made you fall in love in the first place and rekindle that bond. Feelings of desire can dissipate over time, especially between parents who spend a large proportion of their free time devoting attention to kids. Bear in mind, empty nest syndrome isn't a clinically recognized condition, but the feelings of loneliness and loss can last for up to two years, according to psychologists. Gradually, you'll likely come to enjoy the greater freedom of having a quieter home and freer schedule. Nevertheless, if you're feeling overwhelmed or experiencing increased anxiety, don't hesitate to seek professional help.
There you have it.
Now you know what empty nest syndrome is. In under three minutes, we answer your questions. What would you like to know about? Use the comment section to ask your questions on the podcast platform.