If you’re on the FBI’s list of suspected terrorists, you can be be prevented from flying in and out of the United States. You can also be prevented from receiving health benefits provided to 9/11 first responders. Know what you’re not prevented from doing, though? Owning a handgun.
Last year in America, 247 people on the FBI’s “terrorist watch list”—which includes more than 450,000 names—purchased guns. It was totally legal for them to do that, and they could probably buy more this year if they wanted to. It’s something Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) calls the nation’s gun law “terror gap,” and it’s something he’s working to change.
The problem? At least one problem is the NRA, which doesn’t want the government to decide who can and can’t get a weapon. Also, according to a counterterrorism official who spoke to the AP, banning people on the terrorist watch list from owning a gun would require telling them they’re being watched. Do that and a smart criminal is going to change his behavior drastically, thereby mitigating any investigation into his movements.
We’ve often questioned the wisdom of almost anyone being able to buy a gun at will in this country. This seems like just another case of “basic American freedom” superseding common sense.
There’s a way depression affects people that often goes unspoken because it doesn’t look exactly like sadness. For some, depression isn’t about overwhelming emotion. It’s the baffling, painful absence of feeling anything at all.
Anhedonia affects up to 90% of people suffering from severe depression. This inability to feel pleasure, along with a basic lack of interest in life, is closely linked to chronic mental illness and suicide risk.
Most depression treatments understandably focus on reducing pain, calming anxiety, and interrupting spiraling thoughts. This approach has helped millions of people and remains important.
But the researchers behind PAT started asking different questions: What if recovery isn’t about feeling less bad? What if it’s also about relearning how to feel good again?
A treatment that targets the brain’s reward system
The therapy is designed to target the brain’s reward system. By retraining attention to focus more on positive experiences, researchers saw greater improvements than with traditional therapies that focused mainly on reducing negative emotions.
Culminating more than a decade of research, psychologist Alicia E. Meuret, who co-led the study, believes targeting positive emotions is a more powerful treatment.
“When people feel hopeless, they don’t believe anything will change. That’s what anhedonia can look like, and taking away negative emotions doesn’t fix it,” Meuret said in a story on the university’s website.
“Treatment needs to ask: Is this activity meaningful to you? Will it give you joy or a sense of accomplishment? Does it foster connection?” Meuret added.
Participants who received PAT treatment showed greater improvements and reported feeling interested in life again.
A couple on an afternoon walk. Photo credit: Canva
Depression is on the rise
The National Center for Health Statistics reported in 2025 that there has been a sharp increase in the prevalence of depression over the past decade. The COVID-19 pandemic, worsening socioeconomic conditions, social isolation, and increased feelings of loneliness are likely key contributors to America’s growing depression crisis. The demographics most affected are younger adults, women, and financially vulnerable groups.
In 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released youth mental health statistics showing that 40% of high school students in the United States experience persistent sadness and hopelessness. Depression rates among Americans have increased by nearly 60%. Modern lifestyles have left many people feeling stuck, mindlessly doomscrolling, and isolating themselves.
That’s part of what makes this therapy feel so unexpectedly hopeful. Joy, wonder, and excitement may be skills the brain can rebuild. Teaching people to look forward positively and find gratitude by noticing little things, like sunlight through a window, may seem small. However, the study suggests this simple practice can feel revolutionary.
As many couples aim for more equal partnerships, dividing responsibilities isn’t always straightforward. In households where both partners work full-time, figuring out how to share chores has become an important part of maintaining balance at home.
A new study published in The Journal of Sex Research examined whether couples dividing household chores is linked to a woman’s sexual desire. The researchers found that the relationship between the division of household labor and sexual desire varies based on beliefs about gender roles.
This pattern has long been explained in narrow ways. Low sexual desire among women in long-term relationships is often treated as an individual issue: stress, relationship dissatisfaction, or hormonal changes. Instead, this study examined a broader social dynamic: how work is divided at home compared to perceptions of what that balance should look like.
Focusing on two different survey samples, the researchers found that women generally reported lower sexual desire than men while also indicating that they perform more household labor than their male partners. Mothers who took on a greater share of household responsibilities reported the lowest levels of sexual interest.
The study also examined the impact of benevolent sexism, which refers to beliefs that reinforce traditional gender roles, such as women as caregivers and men as providers. A couple’s attachment to these beliefs significantly influences how household labor and sexual desire are connected.
A woman is cleaning while her child plays. Photo credit: Canva
Belief systems sway the balance of sexual motivation
Women who held more egalitarian beliefs and preferred equal partnerships reported the highest levels of sexual desire when chores were split evenly. But when they found themselves doing a greater share of the household labor, they reported the lowest levels of sexual motivation.
For women who endorsed more traditional gender roles, the pattern was different. In those cases, taking on more household responsibilities was not associated with the same decrease in sexual desire.
Leading the research was Alexandra Liepmann, a PhD student in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. “Although women who endorse more traditional gender roles may not experience these costs in their sexual desire for their partner when doing more household labor, they may still experience costs in their personal and professional lives,” Liepmann told PsyPost.
Husband and wife are working from home. Photo credit: Canva
Studies that connect the dots
Adding to the evidence of this imbalance was a 2023 study focused on the distribution of household labor. It found that many relationships still adhere to unequal standards for women’s responsibilities compared to men’s.
Another 2023 study found that women’s sexual desire tends to be more sensitive to the context of a relationship, particularly how things are going at home. This supports the idea that a woman’s perception of expected equality can affect her level of desire.
Taken together, these findings indicate that household labor and beliefs about fairness may directly affect sexual desire for some women. Couples who divide chores more evenly may experience better intimacy outcomes regardless of their personal beliefs about gender roles and responsibilities.
Sometimes the biggest moments in our lives might slip by unnoticed. That’s exactly what was happening to Airman Joel Usher. At his United States Air Force graduation ceremony, he stood alone, already knowing that no family members were coming to celebrate the occasion.
Many people know what it feels like to hit a major milestone and wish someone were there. Usher was visibly emotional as fellow graduates reunited with cheering family members. Suddenly, a friend he made during training stepped forward. Phone in hand, recording the moment, he walked up to “tap him out.”
1 year ago today. it’s been a journey man still can’t believe i’ve made it this far but is only the beginning more blessing to come💫#fypシ#militarytapout#explorepage
Caught completely off guard, a teary-eyed Usher smiles, turning what could have been a lonely memory into one defined by friendship. He posted the video on TikTok with a title overlay reading, “i had no one at my graduation to tap me out but that one good friend i met during training found me and come through for me…”
At military graduations, there’s a tradition known as “tapping out.” Family members or close supporters step forward at the end of the ceremony to officially greet and escort the graduates away. According to the AF WingMoms, it can be an emotional experience, but the Air Force views its military purpose as a productive way to maintain orderly disbursement.
In an exclusive interview with People, Usher described how important that kind act was, leaving him holding back tears:
“When my friend tapped me out, I was overwhelmed in the best way possible. It wasn’t just about finishing, it was about having someone there who truly had my back in that moment.”
Usher went on to explain that the achievement was important, but the friendship and support shown to him are what he remembers most. After sharing the moment online, he was surprised by all the feedback. He believes the overwhelming response was a strong reminder of the beauty behind meaningful acts of kindness.
Best friends take a group selfie. Photo credit: Canva
TikTok post resonates
After 4.6 million views, people flooded the comments with emotional reactions. For some, the small gesture perfectly captured the kind of bond people form while going through difficult experiences together. This wasn’t a performative moment—just someone refusing to let another person experience an important occasion alone.
For others, it was heartbreaking. Often, soldiers don’t have family members who are able to make the trip, or they find themselves on a solitary journey. Either way, the idea that people can accomplish something amazing and still be left to stand alone afterward can be difficult to swallow.
Here are some of the comments:
“i’m glad you made a good friend along the way who came looking for ya. those are the meaningful connections you make while in the military”
“now this just broke my heart”
“Those teary eyes”
“This just breaks my heart! Everyone should have someone tap them out. So much respect for the military”
“The pain in bros eyes. Went to my soul. Brother we are here for u! Ty for serving”
“sometimes thats all we need! Just one good friend”
“I’m so sorry no one from your bloodline was there for you in that moment but you have all of TikTok cheering you on and we are so proud of your accomplishments”
“Ex military that tap means more than you think.”
“i really wish they had a volunteer program for something like this… let other mamas and dads come and be there for these young men and women.. we never know how bad they just need SOMEONE to be there for them”
“Been there my man. But you’re going to be an amazing soldier. Use that to be the best you can be”
The mix of responses shows why meaningful moments shouldn’t be faced alone. Friendship and community are defined by simple choices: stepping in, showing up, and refusing to let a proud day also become someone’s loneliest. These small acts turn milestone accomplishments into memories carried forward with a tearful, joyful smile.
