Monday, December 31, 2018

School Nutrition Programs May Slow Weight Gain in Teens

Preteens and teens who attend middle schools with nutrition policies and healthy-eating programs experience less of an increase in body mass index (BMI) compared to students who attend schools without such programs, according to a new study led by the Yale School of Public Health.

The findings are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More than one in five American teenagers are currently obese, and around half of teens are overweight. Being overweight or obese early in...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/31/school-nutrition-programs-may-slow-weight-gain-in-teens/141564.html

How Teens Handle Stress Can Yield Long-Term Health Effects

How a teen handles chronic stress — whether they bottle up their emotions or put a positive spin on things — can affect processes in the body like blood pressure and how immune cells respond to bacterial invaders, according to new research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

For the study, Penn State researchers looked at whether the strategies adolescents use to deal with chronic family stress can impact various metabolic and immune processes in the body.

Two notable...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/31/how-teens-handle-stress-can-yield-long-term-health-effects/141567.html

Podcast: New Year’s Resolutions from a Bipolar and a Schizophrenic

Just because your living with mental illness, doesn’t mean you don’t believe in all the weird superstitious customs our society loves so much. In this episode our hosts discuss their hopes for the new year, the resolutions they made, and how to have a good 2019 in spite of living with bipolar or schizophrenia.

Listen in now!

 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Google PlaySpotify

“If you’re not going to keep your resolutions, don’t beat yourself up by making them!”
– Gabe Howard

 

Highlights...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-new-years-resolutions-from-a-bipolar-and-a-schizophrenic/

School Nutrition Programs May Slow Weight Gain in Teens

Preteens and teens who attend middle schools with nutrition policies and healthy-eating programs experience less of an increase in body mass index (BMI) compared to students who attend schools without such programs, according to a new study led by the Yale School of Public Health.

The findings are published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More than one in five American teenagers are currently obese, and around half of teens are overweight. Being overweight or obese early in...


[Read More ...]

How Teens Handle Stress Can Yield Long-Term Health Effects

How a teen handles chronic stress — whether they bottle up their emotions or put a positive spin on things — can affect processes in the body like blood pressure and how immune cells respond to bacterial invaders, according to new research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

For the study, Penn State researchers looked at whether the strategies adolescents use to deal with chronic family stress can impact various metabolic and immune processes in the body.

Two notable...


[Read More ...]

Podcast: New Year’s Resolutions from a Bipolar and a Schizophrenic

Just because your living with mental illness, doesn’t mean you don’t believe in all the weird superstitious customs our society loves so much. In this episode our hosts discuss their hopes for the new year, the resolutions they made, and how to have a good 2019 in spite of living with bipolar or schizophrenia.

Listen in now!

 

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

Google PlaySpotify

“If you’re not going to keep your resolutions, don’t beat yourself up by making them!”
– Gabe Howard

 

Highlights...


[Read More ...]

Learning to Have Fun in Sobriety

After a while many people in recovery actually discover that the fun they thought they were having was really just an attempt to run away from their feelings of guilt, inadequacy and shame.


[Read More ...]

source https://www.thefix.com/learning-have-fun-sobriety

Learning to Have Fun in Sobriety

After a while many people in recovery actually discover that the fun they thought they were having was really just an attempt to run away from their feelings of guilt, inadequacy and shame.


[Read More ...]

How Therapists Can Become Seat-of-the-Pants Counselors

the best time to talk to your therapistI have been a therapist for four decades, working in a variety of settings, serving children and adults, individuals, couples, families and groups. My rolodex brain is filled to overflowing with ideas and interventions. Sometimes when I teach Continuing Education Classes for social workers, I am asked to offer more theory. Although I also have that stored in my cranium, I remind them that they can get theory from books. From me they get hands-on practical skills to incorporate into their...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-therapists-can-become-seat-of-the-pants-counselors/

25 Powerful Prompts to Help You Pick Your New Year’s Resolution

Often we pick resolutions that we think we should do. We should put ourselves on a diet and start going to the gym. We should do anything we can to lose weight. We should stop eating ______. We should get organized. We should have a capsule wardrobe. We should make more money. We should go for the promotion. We should read a book a week. We should be ________ or ________.

And, not surprisingly, we don’t stick to these resolutions.

Because who wants to follow some arbitrary goal? Who wants...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/25-powerful-prompts-to-help-you-pick-your-new-years-resolution/

How the Young and Old Make Financial Decisions for Others

A new study by Singaporean researchers shows that when people are asked to make financial decisions for strangers, older adults tend to make the same financial choices they would make for themselves, while young adults tend to take more risks with others’ money.

The findings are published in the journal Psychology and Aging.

“Our results demonstrate that decision-makers of different age groups have different motivational goals,” said team leader Assistant Professor Yu Rongjun, from...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/30/how-the-young-and-old-make-financial-decisions-for-others/141558.html

How Therapists Can Become Seat-of-the-Pants Counselors

the best time to talk to your therapistI have been a therapist for four decades, working in a variety of settings, serving children and adults, individuals, couples, families and groups. My rolodex brain is filled to overflowing with ideas and interventions. Sometimes when I teach Continuing Education Classes for social workers, I am asked to offer more theory. Although I also have that stored in my cranium, I remind them that they can get theory from books. From me they get hands-on practical skills to incorporate into their...


[Read More ...]

25 Powerful Prompts to Help You Pick Your New Year’s Resolution

Often we pick resolutions that we think we should do. We should put ourselves on a diet and start going to the gym. We should do anything we can to lose weight. We should stop eating ______. We should get organized. We should have a capsule wardrobe. We should make more money. We should go for the promotion. We should read a book a week. We should be ________ or ________.

And, not surprisingly, we don’t stick to these resolutions.

Because who wants to follow some arbitrary goal? Who wants...


[Read More ...]

How the Young and Old Make Financial Decisions for Others

A new study by Singaporean researchers shows that when people are asked to make financial decisions for strangers, older adults tend to make the same financial choices they would make for themselves, while young adults tend to take more risks with others’ money.

The findings are published in the journal Psychology and Aging.

“Our results demonstrate that decision-makers of different age groups have different motivational goals,” said team leader Assistant Professor Yu Rongjun, from...


[Read More ...]

Sunday, December 30, 2018

Schizophrenia May Disrupt Bodily Experience of Emotion

A new study shows that how people experience emotion through their bodies is radically altered in people with schizophrenia.

For the study, researchers at Vanderbilt University compared individuals with schizophrenia with matched control participants, asking each to fill in a “body map” in a way that correlates to the way they physically experience emotion. The researchers used a computerized coloring task to locate where participants feel sensations when they experience, for example,...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/30/schizophrenia-may-disrupt-bodily-experience-of-emotion/141546.html

Writing for Bliss in the New Year

One of the many beautiful aspects about the beginning of a new year is that it can serve as an inspiration for change, and a new way of doing and thinking about things. It can also be an excellent time to kick-start a daily writing practice. I say practice, because like meditation, when you’re starting to write, it’s best to do so every day so that you get in the rhythm of writing.

Why Write?

Many people write for themselves as a means of self-discovery and transformation. Others may...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/writing-for-bliss-in-the-new-year/

Schizophrenia May Disrupt Bodily Experience of Emotion

A new study shows that how people experience emotion through their bodies is radically altered in people with schizophrenia.

For the study, researchers at Vanderbilt University compared individuals with schizophrenia with matched control participants, asking each to fill in a “body map” in a way that correlates to the way they physically experience emotion. The researchers used a computerized coloring task to locate where participants feel sensations when they experience, for example,...


[Read More ...]

Writing for Bliss in the New Year

One of the many beautiful aspects about the beginning of a new year is that it can serve as an inspiration for change, and a new way of doing and thinking about things. It can also be an excellent time to kick-start a daily writing practice. I say practice, because like meditation, when you’re starting to write, it’s best to do so every day so that you get in the rhythm of writing.

Why Write?

Many people write for themselves as a means of self-discovery and transformation. Others may...


[Read More ...]

Is Your Attachment Style Leaving You Lonely?

If so, you can turn that around for good.

Are you dreading another weekend without plans? Do you wonder why your relationships keep ending and why eligible bachelors keep passing you by? Are you sick and tired of feeling lonely and just want to fill the hole in your heart with someone meaningful? I get that. Loneliness is real and painful.

What you may not realize is that the reason many people feel so lonely has much to do with their attachment styles in relationships.

According to...


[Read More ...]

Top 10 Tips on How to Beat the After-Christmas Blues

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Charles Dickens

After all the wrapping paper, bows and decorations are put away, all the big holiday meals a thing of the past, and the thought of all the credit card bills coming due to pay for everything, if you’re feeling a bit low, you’re not alone. The after-Christmas blues affect everyone in different ways, but it does seem to be hard to escape.

It doesn’t have to linger, though, and here are my top...


[Read More ...]

Is Your Attachment Style Leaving You Lonely?

If so, you can turn that around for good.

Are you dreading another weekend without plans? Do you wonder why your relationships keep ending and why eligible bachelors keep passing you by? Are you sick and tired of feeling lonely and just want to fill the hole in your heart with someone meaningful? I get that. Loneliness is real and painful.

What you may not realize is that the reason many people feel so lonely has much to do with their attachment styles in relationships.

According to...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/is-your-attachment-style-leaving-you-lonely/

Top 10 Tips on How to Beat the After-Christmas Blues

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.” – Charles Dickens

After all the wrapping paper, bows and decorations are put away, all the big holiday meals a thing of the past, and the thought of all the credit card bills coming due to pay for everything, if you’re feeling a bit low, you’re not alone. The after-Christmas blues affect everyone in different ways, but it does seem to be hard to escape.

It doesn’t have to linger, though, and here are my top...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/top-10-tips-on-how-to-beat-the-after-christmas-blues/

Saturday, December 29, 2018

Brain Seems to Reward Us Twice With Each Meal

A new study shows that the hormone dopamine is released two times during a meal: when the food is first ingested and when the food reaches the stomach.

“With the help of a new positron emission tomography (PET) technique we developed, we were not only able to find the two peaks of dopamine release, but we could also identify the specific brain regions that were associated with these releases,” said senior author Dr. Marc Tittgemeyer, head of the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism...


[Read More ...]

Cultural Activities May Reduce Risk of Depression in Middle and Old Age

Regular visits to the theater, art galleries or museums can dramatically reduce the odds of developing depression in middle and old age, according to a new U.K. study by researchers at University College London.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, show a clear link between the frequency of “cultural engagement” and the chances of a person over 50 developing depression. The study is the first to demonstrate that cultural activities not only help people manage...


[Read More ...]

Russian Study Finds Gender Norms Begin in Kindergarten

A new study from Russia shows that the beginnings of gender norms can be traced to kindergarten.

In the study, sociologists at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Russia found that kindergarten teachers transmit social norms to children, including conservative ideas of femininity and masculinity.

“Doing gender” — forming an understanding of masculinity and femininity — permeates every aspect of a kindergartener’s life, from games to showing an interest...


[Read More ...]

Psychology Around the Net: December 29, 2019

We’re ushering in the new year in just a few days and if you’re wondering whether I went the cliche route and focused this week’s Psychology Around the Net on resolutions (or goals, as I prefer to call them), then you’re absolutely right!

This week’s article explains the uncomfortable things you need to start doing for yourself, highlights podcasts to help you develop healthy habits, practice meditation, and beat procrastination, explains the best foods to eat for your mental...


[Read More ...]

Brain Seems to Reward Us Twice With Each Meal

A new study shows that the hormone dopamine is released two times during a meal: when the food is first ingested and when the food reaches the stomach.

“With the help of a new positron emission tomography (PET) technique we developed, we were not only able to find the two peaks of dopamine release, but we could also identify the specific brain regions that were associated with these releases,” said senior author Dr. Marc Tittgemeyer, head of the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/29/brain-seems-to-reward-us-twice-with-each-meal/141552.html

Cultural Activities May Reduce Risk of Depression in Middle and Old Age

Regular visits to the theater, art galleries or museums can dramatically reduce the odds of developing depression in middle and old age, according to a new U.K. study by researchers at University College London.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, show a clear link between the frequency of “cultural engagement” and the chances of a person over 50 developing depression. The study is the first to demonstrate that cultural activities not only help people manage...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/29/cultural-activities-may-reduce-risk-of-depression-in-middle-and-old-age/141571.html

Russian Study Finds Gender Norms Begin in Kindergarten

A new study from Russia shows that the beginnings of gender norms can be traced to kindergarten.

In the study, sociologists at the National Research University Higher School of Economics in Russia found that kindergarten teachers transmit social norms to children, including conservative ideas of femininity and masculinity.

“Doing gender” — forming an understanding of masculinity and femininity — permeates every aspect of a kindergartener’s life, from games to showing an interest...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/29/russian-study-finds-gender-norms-begin-in-kindergarten/141549.html

Psychology Around the Net: December 29, 2019

We’re ushering in the new year in just a few days and if you’re wondering whether I went the cliche route and focused this week’s Psychology Around the Net on resolutions (or goals, as I prefer to call them), then you’re absolutely right!

This week’s article explains the uncomfortable things you need to start doing for yourself, highlights podcasts to help you develop healthy habits, practice meditation, and beat procrastination, explains the best foods to eat for your mental...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychology-around-the-net-december-29-2019/

Why New Year’s Resolutions Are Vital to Our Psyche

I know, I know, you might be coming across this post and you might be thinking to yourself, ‘Oh boy, here is yet another article about new year’s resolutions.” But instead of writing about various resolutions and how we can try to keep them as the new year progresses (I immediately think of the classic ones — eating well and upping the exercise and endorphins for the body-mind connection), I’m more interested in discussing why resolutions became such a streamlined thought in the...


[Read More ...]

How to Deal with Anger When You’re All Too Good at Avoiding It

For many of us avoiding anger feels automatic and natural. Because anger doesn’t feel good. Because we associate anger with cruel words, broken glass and ruined relationships.

In other words, as psychotherapist David Teachout, LMHCA, said, we associate anger with destruction, and avoidance is how we attempt to maintain our emotional and mental safety and health.

According to Michelle Farris, LMFT, a psychotherapist and anger management specialist, if you grew up in a home where anger...


[Read More ...]

Why New Year’s Resolutions Are Vital to Our Psyche

I know, I know, you might be coming across this post and you might be thinking to yourself, ‘Oh boy, here is yet another article about new year’s resolutions.” But instead of writing about various resolutions and how we can try to keep them as the new year progresses (I immediately think of the classic ones — eating well and upping the exercise and endorphins for the body-mind connection), I’m more interested in discussing why resolutions became such a streamlined thought in the...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/why-new-years-resolutions-are-vital-to-our-psyche/

How to Deal with Anger When You’re All Too Good at Avoiding It

For many of us avoiding anger feels automatic and natural. Because anger doesn’t feel good. Because we associate anger with cruel words, broken glass and ruined relationships.

In other words, as psychotherapist David Teachout, LMHCA, said, we associate anger with destruction, and avoidance is how we attempt to maintain our emotional and mental safety and health.

According to Michelle Farris, LMFT, a psychotherapist and anger management specialist, if you grew up in a home where anger...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-deal-with-anger-when-youre-all-too-good-at-avoiding-it/

Friday, December 28, 2018

Twin Addictions And Parallel Recovery

In hindsight, we both had tell-tale signs of the addict – irrational fear, feelings of inferiority, flights of fancy. But there was no room for two troubled twins in our divided, post-divorce household.


[Read More ...]

Study IDs Risk Factors for Violent Sleep Disorder

New research identifies specific lifestyle and personal risk factors for a disruptive and sometimes violent sleep condition called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder.

Canadian investigators found that taking antidepressants for depression, having post-traumatic stress disorder, or a diagnosis of anxiety, increase risk for the disorder. Researchers also discovered men are more likely to have the condition.

The study is published in Neurology, the medical journal of...


[Read More ...]

Cutting Back on Heavy Drinking Can Help Smokers Quit

Heavy drinkers who are trying to quit smoking cigarettes may find that cutting back on alcohol can also help them quit their daily smoking habit, according to a new study published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

The findings show that as heavy drinkers began drinking less, their nicotine-metabolite ratio — a biomarker that indicates how quickly a person’s body metabolizes nicotine — was also reduced.

Use of both alcohol and cigarettes is widespread, with nearly 1 in 5...


[Read More ...]

Best of Our Blogs: December 28, 2018

It’s just a few more days until 2019. Can you believe it? Here’s that time when I write about your goals, what you want to accomplish and where you see yourself. Except that I won’t.

We often leap ahead to the new year wanting and willing it to be different. We do this without any regard to the one we’ve been through.

Even though it was a hard year, maybe even with loss, and challenges, I bet there was also something beautiful about it.

It could have been small and simple. It could...


[Read More ...]

Rethinking How to Assess Mild Head Impacts in Football

A new study finds that football players’ oculomotor response (eyeball and eyelid movement) — a function typically examined by doctors to detect symptomless brain injury — can be impaired by mild, repetitive head impacts, but the function returns to normal by the last quarter of the season, even as athletes continue to experience head impacts.

The findings are published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

Head injuries in sports have been a major focus of research throughout the world....


[Read More ...]

Twin Addictions And Parallel Recovery

In hindsight, we both had tell-tale signs of the addict – irrational fear, feelings of inferiority, flights of fancy. But there was no room for two troubled twins in our divided, post-divorce household.


[Read More ...]

source https://www.thefix.com/twin-addictions-and-parallel-recovery

Study IDs Risk Factors for Violent Sleep Disorder

New research identifies specific lifestyle and personal risk factors for a disruptive and sometimes violent sleep condition called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder.

Canadian investigators found that taking antidepressants for depression, having post-traumatic stress disorder, or a diagnosis of anxiety, increase risk for the disorder. Researchers also discovered men are more likely to have the condition.

The study is published in Neurology, the medical journal of...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/28/study-ids-risk-factors-for-violent-sleep-disorder/141509.html

Cutting Back on Heavy Drinking Can Help Smokers Quit

Heavy drinkers who are trying to quit smoking cigarettes may find that cutting back on alcohol can also help them quit their daily smoking habit, according to a new study published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

The findings show that as heavy drinkers began drinking less, their nicotine-metabolite ratio — a biomarker that indicates how quickly a person’s body metabolizes nicotine — was also reduced.

Use of both alcohol and cigarettes is widespread, with nearly 1 in 5...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/28/cutting-back-on-heavy-drinking-can-help-smokers-quit/141523.html

Best of Our Blogs: December 28, 2018

It’s just a few more days until 2019. Can you believe it? Here’s that time when I write about your goals, what you want to accomplish and where you see yourself. Except that I won’t.

We often leap ahead to the new year wanting and willing it to be different. We do this without any regard to the one we’ve been through.

Even though it was a hard year, maybe even with loss, and challenges, I bet there was also something beautiful about it.

It could have been small and simple. It could...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/best-of-our-blogs-december-28-2018/

Rethinking How to Assess Mild Head Impacts in Football

A new study finds that football players’ oculomotor response (eyeball and eyelid movement) — a function typically examined by doctors to detect symptomless brain injury — can be impaired by mild, repetitive head impacts, but the function returns to normal by the last quarter of the season, even as athletes continue to experience head impacts.

The findings are published in the journal JAMA Ophthalmology.

Head injuries in sports have been a major focus of research throughout the world....


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/28/rethinking-how-to-assess-mild-head-impacts-in-football/141518.html

Thursday, December 27, 2018

I Was Dumped Over My Depression

He found out by Googling me.

I’ve been writing candidly about my life for as long as I can remember.

I’ve never been able to pull off fiction, because my brain doesn’t work that way, but I’ve been able to, as Hemingway put it, “sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Or, since it is the 21st Century, sit down at a computer and just let it all out.

Maybe I’m a product of my 21st Century over-sharing generation, or maybe I just want others to feel less alone in their own struggles;...


[Read More ...]

New Study Shows Most Americans Are Lonely

If you are feeling lonely, you’re not alone. A recent study involving 340 San Diego County residents of various ages has found that loneliness is shockingly widespread.1 The study suggests that there is a 76% prevalence of moderate to severe loneliness in American society. This is a bombshell statistic. After all, our country has enshrined the pursuit of happiness in its constitution and prides itself on having a high standard of living (twelfth in the world), which apparently doesn’t...


[Read More ...]

I Was Dumped Over My Depression

He found out by Googling me.

I’ve been writing candidly about my life for as long as I can remember.

I’ve never been able to pull off fiction, because my brain doesn’t work that way, but I’ve been able to, as Hemingway put it, “sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” Or, since it is the 21st Century, sit down at a computer and just let it all out.

Maybe I’m a product of my 21st Century over-sharing generation, or maybe I just want others to feel less alone in their own struggles;...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/i-was-dumped-over-my-depression/

New Study Shows Most Americans Are Lonely

If you are feeling lonely, you’re not alone. A recent study involving 340 San Diego County residents of various ages has found that loneliness is shockingly widespread.1 The study suggests that there is a 76% prevalence of moderate to severe loneliness in American society. This is a bombshell statistic. After all, our country has enshrined the pursuit of happiness in its constitution and prides itself on having a high standard of living (twelfth in the world), which apparently doesn’t...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/new-study-shows-most-americans-are-lonely/

In Older Adults, Type 2 Diabetes Tied to Decline in Verbal Skills Over 5 Years

A new Australian study published in the journal Diabetologia shows that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is linked to a decline in verbal memory and fluency over 5 years in older adults living in the community.

Previous studies have shown that T2D can double the risk of dementia in older people. Yet contrary to earlier research, the new study found that the decrease in brain volume often seen in older people with T2D was not directly linked to cognitive decline during this time period.

Instead,...


[Read More ...]

How Attention Affects Decision-Making

Have you ever gone back and forth between two meals depicted on a menu, unable to make up your mind? If researchers had been tracking your eyes at that moment, they probably could have predicted which dish you would choose.

A new study published in the journal Psychological Science suggests our gaze influences our decisions when we are faced with two visible choices. But rather than simply choosing what we look at the longest, our gaze tends to intensify our desire for choices we already...


[Read More ...]

Alpha Brain Waves May Suppress Obvious Ideas to Foster Creativity

Creative thought requires that we break away from more obvious ideas, but how this actually happens in the brain has remained a mystery.

Now scientists from Queen Mary University of London and Goldsmiths, University of London, have discovered that alpha brain waves play a vital role in suppressing our habitual thinking modes in order to allow access to more unusual ideas.

The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that these brain waves — alpha...


[Read More ...]

Podcast: What Are Cognitive Distortions?

 

At some point or another, virtually everyone has fallen victim to cognitive distortions – lines of thinking that are based on things that are simply not true. This doesn’t mean to the level of conspiracy theories, but even the tiniest things. In this episode, Psych Central founder, Dr. John Grohol, explains many types of these distortions, as well as how to address them in order to improve our lives.

Subscribe to Our Show!
The Psych Central Show Podcast iTunes The Psych Central Show Podast on Spotify Google Play The Psych Central Show
And Remember to Review Us!

About Our...


[Read More ...]

In Older Adults, Type 2 Diabetes Tied to Decline in Verbal Skills Over 5 Years

A new Australian study published in the journal Diabetologia shows that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is linked to a decline in verbal memory and fluency over 5 years in older adults living in the community.

Previous studies have shown that T2D can double the risk of dementia in older people. Yet contrary to earlier research, the new study found that the decrease in brain volume often seen in older people with T2D was not directly linked to cognitive decline during this time period.

Instead,...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/27/in-older-adults-type-2-diabetes-tied-to-decline-in-verbal-skills-over-5-years/141462.html

How Attention Affects Decision-Making

Have you ever gone back and forth between two meals depicted on a menu, unable to make up your mind? If researchers had been tracking your eyes at that moment, they probably could have predicted which dish you would choose.

A new study published in the journal Psychological Science suggests our gaze influences our decisions when we are faced with two visible choices. But rather than simply choosing what we look at the longest, our gaze tends to intensify our desire for choices we already...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/27/how-attention-affects-decision-making/141472.html

Alpha Brain Waves May Suppress Obvious Ideas to Foster Creativity

Creative thought requires that we break away from more obvious ideas, but how this actually happens in the brain has remained a mystery.

Now scientists from Queen Mary University of London and Goldsmiths, University of London, have discovered that alpha brain waves play a vital role in suppressing our habitual thinking modes in order to allow access to more unusual ideas.

The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, show that these brain waves — alpha...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/27/alpha-brain-waves-may-suppress-obvious-ideas-to-foster-creativity/141491.html

Podcast: What Are Cognitive Distortions?

 

At some point or another, virtually everyone has fallen victim to cognitive distortions – lines of thinking that are based on things that are simply not true. This doesn’t mean to the level of conspiracy theories, but even the tiniest things. In this episode, Psych Central founder, Dr. John Grohol, explains many types of these distortions, as well as how to address them in order to improve our lives.

Subscribe to Our Show!
The Psych Central Show Podcast iTunes The Psych Central Show Podast on Spotify Google Play The Psych Central Show
And Remember to Review Us!

About Our...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-what-are-cognitive-distortions/

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Chronic Bullying May Alter Teen Brain

In a new study, U.K. researchers discovered structural differences in the brains of chronically bullied teens, and these changes may increase the odds of mental illness.

The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, is the first to show that chronic peer victimization during adolescence can impact mental health via structural brain changes.

For the study, researchers from King’s College London analyzed data, questionnaires and brain scans of 682 teens from England, Ireland,...


[Read More ...]

How to Cope with Tragedy and Loss

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell

People often ask me how I deal with tragedy and loss. I have experienced what many would say is an abundance of both. Yet I remain resilient, optimistic and happy with my life. I’m happy to share my thoughts here on what works for me. Maybe it will help others as well.

A 2018 study found that serious loneliness spans across human lifetime, with particularly acute periods in the late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s. The...


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How Stress Affects Your Memory

The relationship between stress and memory is complex. A little bit of stress can enhance your ability to encode, store, and retrieve factual information. Too much stress, however, can shut the system down. You may have had this experience studying for a test. A moderate amount of anxiety is motivating and will help you perform better. Too much on the other hand, especially while taking the actual test, can prevent you from recalling what you know.

The experience of trauma and chronic...


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Chronic Bullying May Alter Teen Brain

In a new study, U.K. researchers discovered structural differences in the brains of chronically bullied teens, and these changes may increase the odds of mental illness.

The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, is the first to show that chronic peer victimization during adolescence can impact mental health via structural brain changes.

For the study, researchers from King’s College London analyzed data, questionnaires and brain scans of 682 teens from England, Ireland,...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/26/chronic-bullying-may-alter-teen-brain/141476.html

How to Cope with Tragedy and Loss

“To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” – Thomas Campbell

People often ask me how I deal with tragedy and loss. I have experienced what many would say is an abundance of both. Yet I remain resilient, optimistic and happy with my life. I’m happy to share my thoughts here on what works for me. Maybe it will help others as well.

A 2018 study found that serious loneliness spans across human lifetime, with particularly acute periods in the late-20s, mid-50s, and late-80s. The...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-cope-with-tragedy-and-loss/

How Stress Affects Your Memory

The relationship between stress and memory is complex. A little bit of stress can enhance your ability to encode, store, and retrieve factual information. Too much stress, however, can shut the system down. You may have had this experience studying for a test. A moderate amount of anxiety is motivating and will help you perform better. Too much on the other hand, especially while taking the actual test, can prevent you from recalling what you know.

The experience of trauma and chronic...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-stress-affects-your-memory/

Take Inventory of Your Year in Recovery

This is the perfect week to reflect on your past recovery and look forward to the year ahead.


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The #1 Reason We’re Still So Stressed Out

Americans are drowning in financial troubles. Credit card debt hit a record high this year at more than $1 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. Student loan debt has jumped 150 percent over the span of just a decade. And not only are we drowning in debt, we’re also not saving, which further compounds the problem. About 1 in 4 Americans don’t even have a single dollar saved for an emergency. All of this takes a big toll on us, emotionally and physically.

A survey by the American...


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Take Inventory of Your Year in Recovery

This is the perfect week to reflect on your past recovery and look forward to the year ahead.


[Read More ...]

source https://www.thefix.com/take-inventory-your-year-recovery

The #1 Reason We’re Still So Stressed Out

Americans are drowning in financial troubles. Credit card debt hit a record high this year at more than $1 trillion, according to the Federal Reserve. Student loan debt has jumped 150 percent over the span of just a decade. And not only are we drowning in debt, we’re also not saving, which further compounds the problem. About 1 in 4 Americans don’t even have a single dollar saved for an emergency. All of this takes a big toll on us, emotionally and physically.

A survey by the American...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-1-reason-were-still-so-stressed-out/

The Nightmare of a False Accusation

You’re at a restaurant and your partner accuses you of being attracted to a man or woman sitting nearby. There has been distance in your relationship and your partner accuses you of having an affair. You’re late for a date and you’re accused of being irresponsible. Hearing such things, you’re left reeling and feel powerless to respond. 

Some accusations are more consequential than others. Being falsely accused of a crime is an Orwellian nightmare of unimaginable proportions. The...


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source https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-nightmare-of-a-false-accusation/

Transitions: Outward Appearances Do Not Always Reflect the Struggles Within

Transitions can be hard. All of us go through many uncharted periods during our lifetime whether it is going to college; changing a career; becoming a parent; caring for parents; enduring a breakup or grieving the loss of a loved one. These life shifts are unavoidable. Acknowledging and understanding them can help you navigate the changes.

One the most difficult times in my life was transitioning out of a sport I loved. I was a professional figure skater. My commitment and love for skating...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/transitions-outward-appearances-do-not-always-reflect-the-struggles-within/

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

The Nightmare of a False Accusation

You’re at a restaurant and your partner accuses you of being attracted to a man or woman sitting nearby. There has been distance in your relationship and your partner accuses you of having an affair. You’re late for a date and you’re accused of being irresponsible. Hearing such things, you’re left reeling and feel powerless to respond. 

Some accusations are more consequential than others. Being falsely accused of a crime is an Orwellian nightmare of unimaginable proportions. The...


[Read More ...]

Transitions: Outward Appearances Do Not Always Reflect the Struggles Within

Transitions can be hard. All of us go through many uncharted periods during our lifetime whether it is going to college; changing a career; becoming a parent; caring for parents; enduring a breakup or grieving the loss of a loved one. These life shifts are unavoidable. Acknowledging and understanding them can help you navigate the changes.

One the most difficult times in my life was transitioning out of a sport I loved. I was a professional figure skater. My commitment and love for skating...


[Read More ...]

Best of Our Blogs: December 25, 2018

‘Tis the season for arguing, old wounds being opened and overconsumption. It’s the fall before the new year and all those resolutions. I can already hear the footsteps of runners outside my window. I can already predict that there will be gyms full of people.

This could also be the year you embrace the gift of self-compassion and awareness. It’s the pause before you’re reeled in by that narcissistic relative. It’s the realization that you don’t have to get wrapped up in the...


[Read More ...]

Best of Our Blogs: December 25, 2018

‘Tis the season for arguing, old wounds being opened and overconsumption. It’s the fall before the new year and all those resolutions. I can already hear the footsteps of runners outside my window. I can already predict that there will be gyms full of people.

This could also be the year you embrace the gift of self-compassion and awareness. It’s the pause before you’re reeled in by that narcissistic relative. It’s the realization that you don’t have to get wrapped up in the...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/best-of-our-blogs-december-25-2018/

Monday, December 24, 2018

3 Tips for Better Communication During Difficult Conversations

Don’t make things harder than they have to be.

Communication is one of the core elements of healthy relationships, which is why learning how to improve your communication skills is critical.

Effective communication can stop arguments before they start, help you overcome misunderstandings, and leave nothing in the way of confusion about what you and your partner want or need.

One of the most upsetting feelings you could ever experience when you’re in a relationship or marriage is when...


[Read More ...]

The Surprising Meaning of Loneliness and How to Beat it

Loneliness is a common condition affecting around one in three adults. The prevalence of loneliness has also increased over the past few decades. Compared to the 1980s, the number of people living alone in the US has increased by about one-third. When Americans were asked about the number of people that they can confide in, the number dropped from three in 1985 to two in 2004. In the UK, 21% to 31% of people report that they feel lonely some of the time, and surveys in other parts of the...


[Read More ...]

Confidence in How We Interpret Facial Expressions Can Be Deadly

A new study shows that our past influences our interpretations of the facial expressions on the people around us, as well as our confidence in those interpretations.

Trusting our interpretations is essential to avoiding misunderstandings or even potentially dangerous situations, note researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) in Switzerland.

The researchers have been testing how confident we feel when judging other people’s emotions, and what...


[Read More ...]

3 Tips for Better Communication During Difficult Conversations

Don’t make things harder than they have to be.

Communication is one of the core elements of healthy relationships, which is why learning how to improve your communication skills is critical.

Effective communication can stop arguments before they start, help you overcome misunderstandings, and leave nothing in the way of confusion about what you and your partner want or need.

One of the most upsetting feelings you could ever experience when you’re in a relationship or marriage is when...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/3-tips-for-better-communication-during-difficult-conversations/

The Surprising Meaning of Loneliness and How to Beat it

Loneliness is a common condition affecting around one in three adults. The prevalence of loneliness has also increased over the past few decades. Compared to the 1980s, the number of people living alone in the US has increased by about one-third. When Americans were asked about the number of people that they can confide in, the number dropped from three in 1985 to two in 2004. In the UK, 21% to 31% of people report that they feel lonely some of the time, and surveys in other parts of the...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/the-surprising-meaning-of-loneliness-and-how-to-beat-it/

Confidence in How We Interpret Facial Expressions Can Be Deadly

A new study shows that our past influences our interpretations of the facial expressions on the people around us, as well as our confidence in those interpretations.

Trusting our interpretations is essential to avoiding misunderstandings or even potentially dangerous situations, note researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) in Switzerland.

The researchers have been testing how confident we feel when judging other people’s emotions, and what...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/24/confidence-in-how-we-interpret-facial-expressions-can-be-deadly/141379.html

Motor Skills & Cognition May Be Linked in Boys – For A Time

A new Finnish study found that boys with stronger motor skills — agility, balance and manual dexterity — at baseline exhibited higher cognitive scores throughout a two-year follow-up period compared to boys with poorer motor skills.

In contrast, the University of Eastern Finland researchers found no association between aerobic fitness or obesity and cognitive function in boys, a finding which differs from previous cross-sectional studies on the topic. A cross-sectional study compares...


[Read More ...]

College Binge Drinkers Who Post Drunk Show Signs of Social Media Addiction

College students who binge drink also frequently post on social media while intoxicated, showing signs of social media addiction, according to a new study.

Students often regret their drinking-related posts and experience other negative consequences from combining social media and alcohol use, according to lead researcher Natalie A. Ceballos, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology at Texas State University in San Marcos.

“During these times when young students are feeling disinhibited by...


[Read More ...]

Study Probes Mexico City’s Air Pollution And Alzheimer’s Pathology

A new study conducted by a team of international researchers raises concerns over the evolving and relentless Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology observed in young people living in Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC). The findings are published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Children growing up in Metropolitan Mexico City have lifetime exposures to concentrations of air pollutants above the current U.S. standards, including for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5).

Metropolitan Mexico...


[Read More ...]

Podcast: Can You Actually Recover from Bipolar or Schizophrenia?

“I’m in recovery from mental illness,” is a common phrase in our circles. Sure, mental illness is replaced with the specifics – schizophrenia, bipolar, or depression, to name a few – but the idea that people consider themselves to be living a life free from the symptoms of mental illness is a common one. However, is it true? Is recovery actually a thing? Or are all these people just deluding themselves?

Gabe and Michelle discuss this – and more – on this episode of A...


[Read More ...]

Motor Skills & Cognition May Be Linked in Boys – For A Time

A new Finnish study found that boys with stronger motor skills — agility, balance and manual dexterity — at baseline exhibited higher cognitive scores throughout a two-year follow-up period compared to boys with poorer motor skills.

In contrast, the University of Eastern Finland researchers found no association between aerobic fitness or obesity and cognitive function in boys, a finding which differs from previous cross-sectional studies on the topic. A cross-sectional study compares...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/24/motor-skills-cognition-may-be-linked-in-boys-for-a-time/141279.html

College Binge Drinkers Who Post Drunk Show Signs of Social Media Addiction

College students who binge drink also frequently post on social media while intoxicated, showing signs of social media addiction, according to a new study.

Students often regret their drinking-related posts and experience other negative consequences from combining social media and alcohol use, according to lead researcher Natalie A. Ceballos, Ph.D., of the Department of Psychology at Texas State University in San Marcos.

“During these times when young students are feeling disinhibited by...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/24/college-binge-drinkers-who-post-drunk-show-signs-of-social-media-addiction/141385.html

Study Probes Mexico City’s Air Pollution And Alzheimer’s Pathology

A new study conducted by a team of international researchers raises concerns over the evolving and relentless Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology observed in young people living in Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC). The findings are published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Children growing up in Metropolitan Mexico City have lifetime exposures to concentrations of air pollutants above the current U.S. standards, including for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5).

Metropolitan Mexico...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/12/24/study-probes-mexico-citys-air-pollution-and-alzheimers-pathology/141443.html

Podcast: Can You Actually Recover from Bipolar or Schizophrenia?

“I’m in recovery from mental illness,” is a common phrase in our circles. Sure, mental illness is replaced with the specifics – schizophrenia, bipolar, or depression, to name a few – but the idea that people consider themselves to be living a life free from the symptoms of mental illness is a common one. However, is it true? Is recovery actually a thing? Or are all these people just deluding themselves?

Gabe and Michelle discuss this – and more – on this episode of A...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/podcast-can-you-actually-recover-from-bipolar-or-schizophrenia/

Sunday, December 23, 2018

Psychological & Environmental Components That Lead to Behavioral Disorders in Teens

Even the most well-behaved teens can have moments where they’re difficult and challenging, pushing their parents’ buttons and testing boundaries. It’s a normal part of growing up and becoming autonomous individuals.

However, parents sometimes notice a much more serious pattern of ongoing negative behavior from their teens. The teenager becomes uncooperative, hostile, defiant and argumentative especially towards authority figures. These behaviors end up disrupting not only the teens’...


[Read More ...]

Common Threads of Well-Being: 5 Ideas that Influence and Integrate

The concept of well-being has many facets, yet themes weave through all stages of development and point to critical aspects of how and with whom we spend time. Money can’t buy love, but up to a certain level it is crucial to well-being. Health and relationships matter, and pursuing goals deemed personally worthwhile also impact well-being. While there are no formulas there are fundamentals that, when understood and applied, can improve the quality of being and integrate the roles and...


[Read More ...]

Psychological & Environmental Components That Lead to Behavioral Disorders in Teens

Even the most well-behaved teens can have moments where they’re difficult and challenging, pushing their parents’ buttons and testing boundaries. It’s a normal part of growing up and becoming autonomous individuals.

However, parents sometimes notice a much more serious pattern of ongoing negative behavior from their teens. The teenager becomes uncooperative, hostile, defiant and argumentative especially towards authority figures. These behaviors end up disrupting not only the teens’...


[Read More ...]

source https://psychcentral.com/blog/psychological-environmental-components-that-lead-to-behavioral-disorders-in-teens/