http://cache.jezebel.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jezebel.com.png http://jezebel.com/tag/illness http://jezebel.com/tag/illness

You know how working moms are always taking time off because their kid is sick or there's a school play or something, and that's why they're just unreliable workers who can't be trusted with real responsibility. Yeah, that's bullshit — and there's data to prove it. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5884725&view=rss&microfeed=true

We all have those friends who are competitive or are constantly causing drama for one reason or another. It's tempting to just put up with them, but a new study has found that conflicts with those kinds of people could actually be irritating you physically—as in causing your immune system to fire up. This leads to your body to become inflamed, a state which has been associated with things like cancer and diabetes. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5880386&view=rss&microfeed=true

Since forever, suffering through chicken pox has been a childhood rite of passage to be suffered once and never again. Parents of children who hadn't had the virus would even go so far as to request playdates with diseased children in hopes that their child would get the damn sickness over with. Now, the internet is simplifying the process, allowing tech savvy parents to skip the whole playdate step and just focus on what counts— finding parents of children with chicken pox on Facebook and paying them to send contaminated objects to them through the mail. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5856546&view=rss&microfeed=true

As if the SAT's, ACT's, PSAT's, Driver's License Exam, and that weird scoliosis test where you have to stand topless behind a screen in the locker room wasn't enough, American teenagers have one more test to add to their to-do list: an HIV test. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5854802&view=rss&microfeed=true

When a doctor told me I had chronic fatigue syndrome, I was indignant: I'd always privately considered it to be what one might call "vague hypochondriacal BS," largely based on the dubious experience of a certain malingering relative whose bouts seemed to coincide suspiciously with unpleasant obligations. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5779852&view=rss&microfeed=true

A present is an opportunity to show how creative, thoughtful, and generous you are, all with a single well-wrapped package. Or it's a chance to look like a huge ass. Here's how to do the former and avoid the latter. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5652220&view=rss&microfeed=true

A new survey confirms a bit of wisdom some of us had to learn the hard way: don't try to diagnose your illnesses over the Internet. You'll probably just give yourself a heart attack. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5626507&view=rss&microfeed=true

Today in Social Minefield, we look at how to help a friend in need — or a friend in need of a swift kick. Follow the jump for tips on dealing with a friend's breakup, bereavement, or bad behavior. More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5605403&view=rss&microfeed=true

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized last night after she fainted on an airplane before leaving on a trip to London. She was reportedly suffering from "extreme drowsiness" and stayed overnight in the hospital as a precaution. [WSJ] More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5382450&view=rss&microfeed=true

A new study shows that 85% of women and 76% of men admit to exaggerating symptoms when they get sick. Women, though, at least make an effort to treat themselves before seeing a doctor. [Telegraph] More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5112780&view=rss&microfeed=true

Liz Taylor's rep says that Liz is "fine" and "surrounded by family, friends, and fabulous jewels." Don't believe the tabloids! • Verne Troyer, a.k.a. Mini-Me, is suing his ex-girlfriend and sex tape co-star Ranae Shrider for a cool $20 million for allegedly picking a lock on Troyer's door, picking up, and tossing him to the ground. Uh, ow. • LAPD Chief William Bratton held a press conference opposing stricter laws against those sweet, lovable, and always law abiding paparazzi. Oh, and he also decided to out Lindsay Lohan as "going gay." Hm, apparently someone follows the gossip blogs! [E! Online, TMZ, Perez Hilton] More »
]]> http://jezebel.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5031735&view=rss&microfeed=true