It’s been said that “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it,” but even if you know your own history, that doesn’t necessarily help you with self-control. New research done at Boston College and published in August 2015 in the Journal of Consumer Psychology shows the effectiveness of memory in improving our everyday… Continue reading Remembering Self-Control Failures Leads to Repeat Failures
Category: Mental & Emotional Health
Your mental health, including your psychological & emotional health, impacts our daily life. Learn more about the most common mental disorders.
Can We Calm America’s Road Rage?
Road rage – where flaring tempers mix with two-ton machines – continues to be a problem on America’s highways, leading to accidents, assaults and occasionally even murder. It’s a perplexing problem in part because it can happen at anytime and anywhere that roads and vehicles are involved, yet specific statistics on its frequency are hard… Continue reading Can We Calm America’s Road Rage?
The Aftermath of Caregiving
About a decade ago, Melvin, a long-time family friend, died of cancer. Catherine, his wife of more than 50 years, had cared for her husband during his many treatments and declining health. After Melvin’s death, Catherine fell into a deep depression. When she was her husband’s caregiver, Catherine’s days were hectic, but after Melvin’s funeral… Continue reading The Aftermath of Caregiving
Strengthening Self-Control Is Better Than a “Quit Date” to Kick the Smoking Habit
The desire to quit smoking — often considered a requirement for enrolling in treatment programs — is not always necessary to reduce cigarette cravings, argues a review of addiction research published July 30TH 2015 in Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Early evidence suggests that exercises aimed at increasing self-control, such as mindfulness meditation, can decrease the… Continue reading Strengthening Self-Control Is Better Than a “Quit Date” to Kick the Smoking Habit
Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
Numerous genes that regulate the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain have been found to be abundant in brain tissue of depressed females. This could be an underlying cause of the higher incidence of suicide among women, according to research done at the University of Illinois at Chicago and published in in July 2015… Continue reading Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
What’s Your Worry Quotient?
Do you always second-guess yourself and mentally run through every possible scenario and all the potential risks? Do you find that after resolving one worry, you immediately identify something else to worry about? Did these questions make you worry about whether you worry too much? If so, go ahead and laugh at yourself. Humor is… Continue reading What’s Your Worry Quotient?
Do Sex and Violence Sell? Maybe Not.
Advertisers hoping to sway consumers might want to rethink running spots within media with violent or sexual themes, and might do better if the ads themselves have a G-rating, according to a study published in July 2015 by the American Psychological Association in the journal Psychological Bulletin. Violent and sexual media content may impair advertising’s… Continue reading Do Sex and Violence Sell? Maybe Not.
The Science of Savoring Positive Emotions
Savoring a beautiful sunset and the positive emotions associated with it can contribute to improved well-being, according to research. But why and how are some people better than others in keeping the feeling alive? That’s what the authors of a study published in July 2015 in The Journal of Neuroscience set out to discover. A… Continue reading The Science of Savoring Positive Emotions
Some Vietnam Vets Have PTSD 40 Years After the War Ended
Although it has been 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, about 271,000 veterans who served in the war zone are estimated to have current full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plus subthreshold (meeting some diagnostic criteria) war-zone PTSD and more than one-third have current major depressive disorder, according to an article published online in July… Continue reading Some Vietnam Vets Have PTSD 40 Years After the War Ended
Another Bad Thing About Texting
Any signal from a cell phone – even a little “ding” that indicates a text – can weaken your ability to focus on a task, according to a new Florida State University study. In fact, the signal from a phone is comparable to the effects seen when people are actively using their own phone. “The… Continue reading Another Bad Thing About Texting
3 Reasons A Balanced Life Is A Better Life
Life sometimes can seem off kilter as responsibilities mount and people plow all their physical and mental resources into what seems to be the most pressing crisis of the moment. But Lumbie Mlambo says that’s a good time to take a step back. Everyone has the potential to shine in life’s darkest moments, but the… Continue reading 3 Reasons A Balanced Life Is A Better Life
Getting Over Summer Sadness
zSummer is often thought of as the most carefree season of the year, filled with sunshine, beach days and BBQs. However, for many people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition in which your mood is affected by the seasons, summertime is not when the living’s easy—about 10-25% of America’s 500 thousand SAD sufferers fall… Continue reading Getting Over Summer Sadness
6 Ways Reading Brings Joy To Our Lives
The options for latching onto a great book – whether a classic by Victor Hugo or the latest bestseller by John Grisham – appear limitless these days. Printed books remain popular, but e-readers provide additional choices. We can still visit bookstores and libraries, but a seemingly infinite selection of titles is available for ordering online.… Continue reading 6 Ways Reading Brings Joy To Our Lives
Cat Videos Are Good for Us
Watching cat videos isn’t just an idle pastime: It actually boosts your energy and emotions, according to a new study by an Indiana University Media School researcher. The study, by assistant professor Jessica Gall Myrick, was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. It surveyed almost 7,000 people about their viewing of cat videos… Continue reading Cat Videos Are Good for Us
Bipolar Disorder: What You Need to Know
Much attention is paid to the issue of depression, but there is another mental illness that people know much less about. They may be suffering from it, or living with a person who has it. And not being aware of borderline personality disorder in cases like that can lead to serious consequences. Here, from… Continue reading Bipolar Disorder: What You Need to Know
Doing Good Deeds Helps Socially Anxious People Relax
Being busy with acts of kindness can help people who suffer from social anxiety to mingle more easily. This is the finding of researchers Jennifer Trew of Simon Fraser University and Lynn Alden of the University of British Columbia, both in Canada. The study was published in July 2015 the journal Motivation and Emotion. A… Continue reading Doing Good Deeds Helps Socially Anxious People Relax
Trauma Nation
We don’t have to look far to notice the amount of negativity that surrounds us on a daily and consistent basis. Any one of us over the age of ten can recount the events of September 11, 2001, or any host of traumatic events that have taken place since that time. It seems our country… Continue reading Trauma Nation
Positive Memories May Cure Stress-Induced Depression
Artificial reactivation of positive memories can suppress the effects of depression induced by stress, according to scientists at the RIKEN-MIT Center for Neural Circuit Genetics, a joint collaboration of RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Japan and MIT. The research, published in the journal Nature, shows how positive and negative memories interact in mood disorders, and… Continue reading Positive Memories May Cure Stress-Induced Depression