Mental & Emotional Health – Page 10

Worrying: It’s Not All Bad

Worrying has a bad reputation. But in fact there’s an upside to it, according to Kate Sweeny, Ph.D., a psychology professor at the University of California Riverside. “Not all worry is destructive or even futile,” Sweeny said. “It has motivational benefits, and it acts as an emotional buffer.” In her latest article, “The Surprising Upsides… Continue reading Worrying: It’s Not All Bad

Aha! Study Examines People as They Are Struck by Sudden Insight

Everybody loves those rare “aha moments” when you suddenly and unexpectedly solve a difficult problem or understand something that had previously perplexed you. Yet researchers had not had a good way to study how people actually experienced what is called “epiphany learning”. In 2017 research, scientists at The Ohio State University used eye-tracking and pupil… Continue reading Aha! Study Examines People as They Are Struck by Sudden Insight

Lack of Focus or is it Adult ADHD?

Twenty years ago, we hardly heard of ADHD, an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Today, the term ADHD is so loosely used that anytime anyone feels they are unfocused, overly scheduled or mentally cluttered they may say “I’m so ADHD”. But are they? When is it just a simple lack of focus due to stress or… Continue reading Lack of Focus or is it Adult ADHD?

The Sounds of Nature Help Us Relax

The gentle babbling of a brook or the sound of the wind in the trees can physically change our minds and bodily systems, helping us to relax. Research done in 2017 at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) in the UK explains how, for the first time. A release from the university explains that the… Continue reading The Sounds of Nature Help Us Relax

Aligning Depression Treatment to Patients’ Needs

Depression looks different in every person, making it a challenge to ensure that each receives the appropriate care. According to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, many patients get treatment too intensive for their condition while others don’t get enough. A release from the university reports that by taking into account five predictive indicators, including… Continue reading Aligning Depression Treatment to Patients’ Needs

Tackling Depression by Changing the Way You Think

Depressed people “don’t need to worry and ruminate,” says Professor Roger Hagen at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Psychology. “Just realizing this is liberating for a lot of people.” Hagen and NTNU colleagues Odin Hjemdal, Stian Solem, Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair and Hans M. Nordahl have recently published a scientific… Continue reading Tackling Depression by Changing the Way You Think

Spring into Spring! 7 Ways to Be More Optimistic

We set the clocks ahead for daylight savings and many of us woke up to a darker sky feeling sluggish thanks to a one hour loss of sleep. If you hit the snooze, pulled the covers up over your head still feeling bummed out about your waistline, bank account, career or love life, you’re not… Continue reading Spring into Spring! 7 Ways to Be More Optimistic

6 Ways to Live an Inspired Life

Many baby boomers today are disheartened by the divide that seems to have arisen in this country and across the globe. This discord affects everything from family relationships, friendships, relationships with the neighbors and others we see on a regular basis. It can often lead to a feeling that there is nothing they can do… Continue reading 6 Ways to Live an Inspired Life

Is It Past Time to Reprogram the Software In Your Brain?

We all fall into habits and routines – it’s the nature of being human. But even when you realize your daily behaviors are inhibiting you from achieving your goals, that doesn’t mean you can just vow to change one day and all will be well. Every single behavior that you demonstrate – good, bad or… Continue reading Is It Past Time to Reprogram the Software In Your Brain?

8 Steps That Can Lead You to a More Fulfilling Life

There’s a reason people love the start of a New Year – or the first day of spring, or maybe the first day of school. The idea of a clean slate – of making changes or starting over fresh – can be exhilarating. It isn’t necessarily that you don’t like the life you live. It’s… Continue reading 8 Steps That Can Lead You to a More Fulfilling Life

Do You Need A Therapist? These 5 Signs Point to Yes

You lose a loved one, a job, a relationship, a pet or get into an accident, have an injury, gain weight, have a baby, return from war or experience something else that just rattles you to your core. You know something isn’t right, you feel a bit off, but continue living your life thinking you’ll… Continue reading Do You Need A Therapist? These 5 Signs Point to Yes

Is There a Link Between Pain and Depression?

Pain and depression are closely related. Depression can cause pain — and pain can cause depression. Sometimes pain and depression create a vicious cycle in which pain worsens symptoms of depression, and then the resulting depression worsens feelings of pain. In many people, depression causes unexplained physical symptoms such as back pain or headaches. This… Continue reading Is There a Link Between Pain and Depression?

Eight Steps to Squash Struggle Forever

Almost everyone struggles with something, whether it’s the kids going off to college, an unfulfilling job, divorce, looming retirement, or simply not having enough fun. All of these situations can lead to struggle, but what if it doesn’t have to be that way? I believe that it is possible to face life head on, go… Continue reading Eight Steps to Squash Struggle Forever

3 Strategies For Living a Life That Makes a Difference In 2017

It’s common for people to think about putting their mark on the world and leaving it a better place than when they arrived. But in many cases people fail to put those thoughts into action – possibly because they’re hesitant to step outside their comfort zones. Too often we’re taught to be fearful and that… Continue reading 3 Strategies For Living a Life That Makes a Difference In 2017

Five Practices to Help You Thrive in Perilous Times

Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, where you live, your age, marital status, race, religion, sexual orientation or profession, we are experiencing unprecedented political upheaval. America has never been more divided, and many people are feeling alienated and anxious. The key to remember is this: Thriving is our birthright. So now, more than ever, it’s… Continue reading Five Practices to Help You Thrive in Perilous Times

Loneliness and Serious Illness

Loneliness and social isolation take a substantial toll on the human body, researchers say, in some frightening ways. But they are beginning to find out exactly why that is. Studies show that people who are chronically lonely have significantly more heart disease, are more vulnerable to metastatic cancer, have an increased risk of stroke and… Continue reading Loneliness and Serious Illness

Is There Such a Thing as an “Emotional Hangover”?

Emotional experiences can induce physiological and internal brain states that persist for long periods of time after the emotional events have ended, according to a team of New York University scientists. The study, which appeared in December 2016 in the journal Nature Neuroscience, also showed that this emotional “hangover” influences how we attend to and… Continue reading Is There Such a Thing as an “Emotional Hangover”?