Psychology Blogs This is an OPML file. It can be used to export all the MedWorm RSS feeds on this topic into your personal RSS reader (usually you have to save this file to your own computer before clicking on an Import OPML command in your own feed reader to upload the file which will then import all the feeds) or it can be used by webmasters to integrate MedWorm feeds with their own website. This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory. This is page number 14.

What Many People Don’t Get About Mental Illness
A few years ago one of my favorite bloggers and authors Therese Borchard penned this powerful post about the people in her life who just couldn’t grasp the pain of her depression. She recounts the story of sending an article about her severe depression and suicidal thoughts to a family member who said “Thanks.” She shares another story of a good friend who implied she should stop taking medication that supposedly blunted her emotions — and “tough it out like the rest of humanity.” Borchard also writes: …I was both enraged and saddened that friends and family were shocked to hear that two doctors sliced me...
Source: World of Psychology - November 4, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Depression Disorders Family Friends General Medications Mental Health and Wellness Parenting Psychology Self-Esteem Treatment Anxiety Disorder Blood Sugar Level Borchard Clinician Common Myths Desperation Emergency C Sect Source Type: blogs

Article: The kids' empathic development scale (KEDS): a multi-dimensional measure of empathy in primary school-aged children - Reid - 2012 - British Journal of Developmental Psychology
The kids' empathic development scale (KEDS): a multi-dimensional measure of empathy in primary school-aged children - Reid - 2012 - British Journal of Developmental Psychologyhttp://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjdp.12002/abstract;jsessionid=062B1C02BA2A94542E6D0D2ED2C0C7FE.d02t01Sent via Flipboard
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - November 4, 2012 Category: Neurologists Source Type: blogs

Police Officers More Likely to Shoot When Anxious
Oscar Grant was fatally shot by a BART police officer while allegedly resisting arrest. Police were responding to reports of a fight on a crowded train when they detained Grant and several other passengers. The incident, in which a police officer shot an unarmed Grant, was captured on digital footage and cell phone cameras. It was released to the media and has been watched by millions. The next day saw protests. The officer involved in the shooting was later found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. A recent study in the journal, Emotion, investigated the effect of anxiety on police officer’s shooting decisions (August...
Source: World of Psychology - November 4, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christy Matta, MA Tags: Anxiety and Panic Brain and Behavior General Industrial and Workplace Research Stress Violence and Aggression Anxiety Levels Anxiety Test Bart Critical Moment Emotion Face Situations Fire Fighters High Anxiety Involuntary Man Source Type: blogs

How to Have the Sex Talk with Your Kids
This guest article from YourTango was written by Stacy York. I met Jay when he was four years old. He came into my office because he said, “She’s a bitch and I would like to f. her” to a preschool girl. He was four. I truly believe that he had no idea what he was saying and what the actual words meant. However, he had been exposed to these words and had even witnessed many things that he never should have. Jay had been recently removed from his parents custody and sent to live with his grandfather. Why am I telling you this? Your kids are going to school with other Jays now. He’s the little boy wit...
Source: World of Psychology - November 3, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: YourTango Experts Tags: Children and Teens General Parenting Sexuality YourTango Bitch Boys And Girls Brain Connections Comfy Gauge Girls On The Bus Guest Article How To Talk To Your Kids About Sex Lifetime Many Things Maturity Notion Recent Art Source Type: blogs

How I Create: Q&A with Media Producer & Performer Jen Lee
I love learning about another person’s creative process. I wonder how they stitched together seemingly disparate ideas, how they constructed a beautiful sentence, how they were able to see and capture the tiniest detail in a photo, how their brush could paint my emotions. Creativity comes in countless forms. But I think the running thread is vulnerability. It takes courage to let your creativity hang out. Specifically, I think one of the toughest and bravest acts is sharing your story – and doing it on stage. That’s exactly what Jen Lee does on a regular basis. Lee is a beloved performer in New York City’s storytel...
Source: World of Psychology - November 3, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Creativity General Interview Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Courage Creative Expression Creative Process Creativity Booster Daily Routine Emotions Finding Your Voice Firs How I Create Inspirations Media Source Type: blogs

DOES AMERICAN PSYCHIATRY MATTER?
The blogmeister of 1boringoldman.com has done it again. A semi-retired psychiatrist in rural Georgia, he has done more than anyone to document the follies and the ethical challenges of contemporary American psychiatry. His site is required reading for all who care about behavioral health issues. In his latest posting he compared the domain of American psychiatry to Yugoslavia. Cast Melvin Sabshin as Marshal Tito. Sabshin was the medical director of the American Psychiatric Association in the late 1970s, the period leading up to DSM-III. Tito and Sabshin each strong-armed a confederation of sorts but failed to deal with the...
Source: Health Care Renewal - November 3, 2012 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Source Type: blogs

U.S. & State Attitudes on Mental Illness
This study found that most adults (>80%) in the states surveyed agreed that mental illness treatment is effective, but substantially fewer adults (35%–67%) agreed that people are caring and sympathetic to people with mental illness. Some population subgroups (e.g., black, non-Hispanic adults, Hispanic adults, those with less than a high school education) were more likely to strongly disagree that treatment is effective. Women, adults with chronic disease (e.g., arthritis, heart disease), and adults who were unemployed or unable to work were more likely to strongly disagree that people are caring and sympathetic to peop...
Source: World of Psychology - November 2, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: Disorders General Mental Health and Wellness Policy and Advocacy Adults Ages Arthritis Attitudes Behavioral Health Behavioral Risk Factor Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Burden Of Disease Carter Center Cdc Centers For Source Type: blogs

Networked Flow: Towards an understanding of creative networks
Gaggioli A., Riva G., Milani L., Mazzoni E.Networked Flow: Towards an understanding of creative networksSpringer, New York, 2013.Identifying ‘networked flow’ as the key driver of networked creativity, this new volume in the Springer Briefs series deploys concepts from a range of sub-disciplines in psychology to suggest ways of optimizing the innovative potential of creative networks. In their analysis of how to support these networks, the contributing authors apply expertise in experimental, social, cultural and educational psychology. They show how developing a creative network requires the establishment of an optimal...
Source: Positive Technology Journal - November 2, 2012 Category: Technology Consultants Tags: Creativity and computers Social Media Telepresence & virtual presence Source Type: blogs

Just thinking about the cost of Christmas might cause real pain - Telegraph
The thought of adding up the cost of presents, decorations and food for Christmas could be genuinely painful for more than half the population, researchers concluded.Millions of people suffer from high levels of "maths anxiety". Brain scans of people waiting to carry out a maths test showed a higher than normal activity in the posterior insula, a region linked to physical and emotional discomfort.There was no elevated level of activity when people actually carried out the numerical problems, suggesting that the pain was linked to nervous tension.Dr Sian Beilock, of the University of Chicago, one of the study's authors, sai...
Source: Psychology of Pain - November 2, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs

Me :)
I love this. My lovely and talented friend, Sarah, who I have known since she was a 12 year old fencer, is now a biomedical engineering college graduate and roller derby superstar! :) I gave her a picture of me (at a time when I was having a rough time when she was still in high school) and she re-drew the picture in marker. I adore it. I didn't think about until later that the picture showed a pretty classic pose for me, hand-wise. I tend to have a lot of flexion poses that I don't realize are so unusual or different until I see them in pictures. People who have had strokes or brain damage often have some pretty str...
Source: Occupational Therapy Students (B)e(LO)n(G) - November 2, 2012 Category: Occupational Therapists Source Type: blogs

Review of "Self Comes to Mind" by Antonio Damasio (BSP 90)
Discussion Forum on Goodreads, Facebook Fan Page, Google+ page. Don't forget to get some high quality Brain Science Podcast Logo gear from Printfection. Sign up for the Brain Science Podcast newsletter so you never miss a new episode. Send me feedback at gincampbell at mac dot com or follow me on Twitter (@docartemis).
Source: the Brain Science Podcast and Blog with Dr. Ginger Campbell - November 2, 2012 Category: Neurologists Authors: Ginger Campbell, MD Tags: Antonio Damasio Body maps Books Brain Evolution Brain Research Consciousness Embodiment Emotion Mind Mind and Body Neuroscience Podcast Show Notes Self Comes to MInd Source Type: blogs

Do Your Fears Hold You Back? 3 Simple Strategies to Ease Fear
Are you paralyzed at the thought of public speaking? Shaky in meetings with your boss, or find yourself tongue-tied in social situations? Fear can occur in any number of situations. It can be both effective — for instance, when it compels us to run from a burning building — and a blockade that can keep us from living our lives fully. In a recent article in GQ Magazine, behavioral neuroscientist Mona Lisa Shultz, PhD, describes illogical fear — that is fear of things that are not a threat to our lives or well-being — as a “corrupted file that you downloaded by accident that keeps coming up.” ...
Source: World of Psychology - November 2, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christy Matta, MA Tags: Anxiety and Panic General Habits Men's Issues Motivation and Inspiration Phobia Self-Help Blockade Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Conversation With Someone Emotion Enemies Excitement Fear Fears Fundamental Strategy GQ Head Source Type: blogs

Best of Our Blogs: November 2, 2012
Most people run from hardship. It’s why the news can be so addicting. We all want to know what not to do to prevent the latest newsworthy predicament from happening to us. In fact, it’s normal to want to avoid pain and suffering. It’s inviting them in that often indicates a problem. Why then do people sing words of gratitude after coping from diagnosis hell, natural disasters and unimaginable trauma? Human beings are made to be resilient. It’s during difficult moments when we are given the opportunity to not just rise to the occasion, but learn something profound about ourselves. We may discover, fo...
Source: World of Psychology - November 2, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Brandi-Ann Uyemura, M.A. Tags: Best of Our Blogs Adhd Aficionado Amp Cancer Cherry On Top Compassion Dark Clouds Depression Diagnosis Difficult Situations Equine Few Moments Hardships Hell Human Beings hurricane Informal Formality Light At The End Of Source Type: blogs

York University Study Joins Ranks Of Those Raising Questions About The DSM5 Autism Do-Over
In Autism diagnosis change questioned by York University study Toronto Star Science & Technology Reporter Kate Allen interviews Dr. Adrienne Perry and York University undergraduate student, Azin Taheri, about a study designed by Taheri, with assistance from Dr. Perry, which had been intended to look at how the new DSM-5 criteria applied to kids already diagnosed with Autistic Disorder and PDD-NOS. No subjects with Asperger's Disorder were included in the study. "The York study looked at case histories of 131 children aged 2 to 12. All had either autism or pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise spe...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - November 2, 2012 Category: Autism Authors: Autism Reality NB Source Type: blogs

Link feast
In case you missed them - 10 of the best psychology links from the past week: 1. Sam McNerney published a thought-provoking essay about aesthetic judgments and expertise. Is the taste of a connoisseur in some way superior, more "correct" than the taste of a naive observer? I was reminded of the under-appreciation of Michael Jackson's later music by non-fans. I reckon this is because they weren't there for the journey, they can't feel the progression and maturation in his art. 2. Breaking habits with a flash of light - Ed Yong reports on a truly fascinating rat experiment. There are interesting insights about ha...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - November 2, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christian Jarrett Source Type: blogs

Coping with the emotional aftermath of Hurricane Sandy
One of the frustrations of Hurricane Sandy is that even our best efforts could not prevent a huge amount of destruction. Consider my friend Adam Wexler, owner of Resolution Audio Video in the waterfront section of Red Hook in Brooklyn. Before the storm he moved all his equipment up to 5 foot high scaffolding and thought it was safe. But when he arrived at work on Tuesday, he found the steel doors to his building had been caved in by the force of the water, which reached a high water mark of 8 feet. His equipment was scattered and soaked. As a clinical psychologist, I urge Adam and the millions of others affected by the hu...
Source: Consumer Reports Health Blog - November 1, 2012 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Consumer Reports News Tags: Storm & Emergency Health Source Type: blogs

PEBS Neuroethics Roundup (JHU)
Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. Last Edition's Most Popular Article: The Psychology of Edgar Allan Poe, Neuroskeptic In The Popular Press This Is Your Brain on Politics, ScienceDaily Asian Elephant Says 'Hello' in Korean, Nature News...
Source: Neuroethics and Law Blog - November 1, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Adam Kolber Source Type: blogs

What to Do When You Feel Blah About Your Job
You open your eyes, and a feeling of dread washes over you. It’s a weekday, which means it’s a workday, which makes work one of the last places you’d like to be. Or maybe you don’t feel dread, exactly. Instead, it’s a vague feeling. Something between despair and delight – perhaps indifference. You’re not particularly excited about your job. But you’re also not running for the hills. Either way, your job isn’t doing it for you: You’re feeling blah. And you’re not alone. According to a 2011 survey by consulting company Accenture, 57 percent of women and 59 percent of men were dissatisfied with their ...
Source: World of Psychology - November 1, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: General Happiness Industrial and Workplace Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Self-Help Accenture Blahs Career Career Path Computer Screen Consulting Company Despair Feeling Something Finding A New Career I Source Type: blogs

Gratitude Research Delivered: Diagnosis Day, Part Two
Jen Cunningham Butler uses a highly proactive and inspiring approach in dealing with the anniversary of her cancer diagnosis. At once it was corrective and intuitive; courageous and simple; heartfelt and effective. Jen prepares for the day by honoring her health and recovery: She actively demonstrates her gratitude toward the physicians, nurses and support staff involved in her treatment. Her story is detailed in Part One. Part One chronicles Butler’s ongoing effort to demonstrate gratitude to all of those who helped during her treatment. These are simple acts of gratitude such as writing notes, bringing a tray...
Source: World of Psychology - November 1, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Daniel Tomasulo, Ph.D. Tags: Depression Disorders General Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Proof Positive Psychology Research Self-Help American Psychological Association Anxiety And Depression Cancer Diagnosis Cornerstone D Day Former President Foun Source Type: blogs

Don Kinder on the Role of Race in the 2012 Election – Today
“He’s Still Black: The Role of Race in the 2012 Presidential Election” With Dr. Don Kinder, University of Michigan Political Science Thursday, Nov. 1, 12 pm Austin North Free Chinese food! In 2008, Americans chose Barack Obama to be the 44th president of the United States. The following morning, The New York Times proclaimed that Obama had succeeded in “sweeping away the last racial barrier in American politics with ease.” With ease? No. There are good reasons to believe that Obama was elected president in spite of his race. But that was then. Four years later, are we any closer to post-racial...
Source: The Situationist - November 1, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: The Situationist Staff Tags: Events Ideology Implicit Associations Politics SALMS Social Psychology Source Type: blogs

Introverts use more concrete language than extraverts
Your personality is revealed in the way you speak, according to new research. Introverts tend to use more concrete words and are more precise, in contrast to extraverts, whose words are more abstract and vague. Many previous studies have looked at the links between personality and language, but usually this has been about the content of what different personalities choose to talk about. It's been shown, for example, that extraverts are more likely to talk about family and friends, and to use words like "drinks" and "dancing", which makes intuitive sense given that people matching that personality type are expected to spen...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - November 1, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christian Jarrett Source Type: blogs

Watch the Webcast of the 2012 Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy
Tomorrow I head down to Atlanta to attend the 28th Annual Rosalynn Carter Symposium on Mental Health Policy at The Carter Center. This year’s meeting will bring together more than 200 mental health leaders, stakeholders, and providers to discuss moving beyond stigma and prejudice, and how we can take steps to build social inclusion of people living with mental illnesses. While it’s a closed event, they do a live webcast of the event throughout the day, allowing anyone to gain from its presentations. The stigma and prejudice surrounding mental diagnoses and mental health care remain a huge issue in the U.S. and ...
Source: World of Psychology - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: General Mental Health and Wellness Policy and Advocacy Treatment Advocates Carter Center Center Co Co Founder First Lady Foundations Health Center Health Leaders Live Webcast Mental Health Care Mental Health Policy Mental Hea Source Type: blogs

Hurricane Sandy: How to Cope with Disaster
In light of the devastation and suffering from the aftermath Hurricane Sandy, this list is offered to help individuals understand Disaster Reactions.Having a direct or indirect traumatic experience sets into motion a variety of psychological reactions. These psychological reactions have physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral presentations. This list is not exhaustive but will help show some of the reactions people may experience.Psychological Reactions•Anger•Anxiety•Apathy, diminished interest in usual activities•Appetite change•Avoidance•Blame•Confusion•Criticalness•Decreased sexual inte...
Source: Dr. Deborah Serani - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs

Just Another Day at the Office: Boehringer Ingelheim Settles Allegations of Deceptive Off-Label Marketing, Kickbacks
Legal settlements by pharmaceutical companies for less than $100 million now seem to barely rate as news in the US. The best report, albeit short, of a by Boehringer Ingelheim for a mere $95 million, seems to be in the Hartford (CT) Courant. The summary was: Boehringer Ingelheim, a German company with U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield, has agreed to pay $95 million to settle allegations that it promoted four drugs for uses unsupported by research, and that it paid kickbacks to doctors to prescribe the drugs, the U.S. Department of Justice has announced. It included most of the usual elements.Off Label Marketing Two of the dr...
Source: Health Care Renewal - October 31, 2012 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Tags: Boehringer Ingelheim deception kickbacks marketing legal settlements fraud conflicts of interest Source Type: blogs

Doing What Doesn’t Come Naturally
When you’re feeling miserable, it’s the most natural thing in the world to want to wallow in your misery. Angry people do it by obsessing about what others have done to them. Sad people do it by summoning up their disappointments. Worried people do it by anguishing about the “what ifs” of life. Frustrated people do it by giving up their goals as soon as the going gets tough. Though there is something to be said for feeling miserable from time to time (how else would you appreciate feeling great?), many people hold on to negative emotions for way too long. They don’t just feel their emotions, they embrace...
Source: World of Psychology - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Linda Sapadin, Ph.D Tags: Anger Anxiety and Panic Depression Disorders General Habits Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Psychology Self-Esteem Self-Help Act Adage Creative Ideas Delve Despair Disappointments Dr Linda Dumps Source Type: blogs

How Memory Works: 10 Things Most People Get Wrong
"If we remembered everything we should on most occasions be as ill off as if we remembered nothing." ~William James It's often said that a person is the sum of their memories. Your experience is what makes you who you are. Memory, then, shapes the very core of human experience. Despite this, memory is generally poorly understood, which is why many people say they have 'bad memories'. That's partly because the analogies we have to hand—like that of computer memory—are not helpful. Human memory is vastly more complicated and quirky than the memory residing in our laptops, tablets or phones. Here is my 10-point guide to ...
Source: PsyBlog | Psychology Blog - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Jeremy Dean Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs

Why Some People Love Horror Movies While Others Hate Them
Some people can’t get enough of scary movies. They’ve seen scores of scary films – over and over. They catch horror flicks on opening night. They have DVD collections at home. Personally, I wouldn’t be caught dead watching a scary movie. They freak me out, leaving me unsettled for days — the images a record player in my mind. In fact, I have a hard enough time sitting through the scarier scenes of “Sons of Anarchy.” (I watch it with my boyfriend, and sometimes need to leave the room.) With Halloween upon us — the prime season for horror films — I was curious to find out why some people savor s...
Source: World of Psychology - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Children and Teens General Memory and Perception Men's Issues Mental Health and Wellness Psychology Research Violence and Aggression Women's Issues Adrenaline Rush Associate Head Brian Lamb Car Accident Flick Frightening Films Source Type: blogs

Some terrifying psychology links for Halloween
Wishing you a thriller of a Halloween! How to make a Halloween brain cake (ht @mocost). What do young children know about managing fear? How to make a zombie brain (See also this related video). The Lure of Horror, where I explore horror's appeal and why it takes the form it does. From BBC Radio 4 (now on iPlayer) - The Sound of Fear. Why fear is fun: Halloween special from Psychology Today. Why you should watch a horror film before going to the art gallery. Some people urinate when they're frightened. Other people can't urinate when they're nervous. What's going on? At what age do babies enter the uncanny ...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - October 31, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christian Jarrett Source Type: blogs

Do You Have the Compulsion to Take Notes?
One of my Secrets of Adulthood is: People are more alike than we think, and we’re less alike than we think. For instance, for years, I thought that my habit of constant note-taking was quite peculiar. But since I’ve written about my love of note-taking I’ve discovered that many people share this passion. In her essay “On Keeping a Notebook,” in Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Joan Didion describes this drive: The impulse to write things down is a peculiarly compulsive one, inexplicable to those who do not share it, useful only accidentally, only secondarily, in the way that any compulsion tries to justify itself. Sh...
Source: World of Psychology - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Gretchen Rubin Tags: General Happiness Psychology Self-Help Adulthood Books Churchill Compulsion Creativity Habit Happiness Quotes Impulse Joan Didion Many People Moment Of Happiness Notebook Odd Juxtapositions Organize Notes Passion Quot Source Type: blogs

Determinants of Substance Abuse
Several biological, social, environmental, psychological, and genetic factors are associated with substance abuse. These factors can include gender, race and ethnicity, age, income level, educational attainment, and sexual orientation. Substance abuse is also strongly influenced by interpersonal, household, and community dynamics. Family, social networks, and peer pressure are key influencers of substance abuse among adolescents. For example, research suggests that marijuana exposure through friends and siblings was a primary determinant of adolescents’ current marijuana use. Understanding these factors is key to reducin...
Source: BHIC - October 30, 2012 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Patricia Devine Tags: Low Income Minority Health Concerns Websites Source Type: blogs

Psychology In The Presidential Campaigns
Sasha Issenberg: "The left has significantly broadened its perspective on political behavior," says Adam Schaeffer, who earned graduate degrees in both evolutionary psychology and political behavior before launching a Republican opinion-research firm, Evolving Strategies. "I’m jealous of them." Schaeffer attributes the imbalance to the mutual discomfort between academia and conservative political professionals, which has limited Republicans’ ability to modernize campaign methods. The biggest technical and conceptual developments these days are coming from the social sciences, whose more practically-minded scholars regularly...
Source: Dr. X's Free Associations - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: DrX Tags: Front Page Source Type: blogs

Are You or Someone You Know Almost Addicted to Drugs?
Just because someone doesn’t meet diagnostic criteria for substance abuse or dependence doesn’t mean drugs aren’t damaging their world. There’s a space between normal behavior and an official diagnosis called “almost addicted” that has serious consequences, according to Dr. J. Wesley Boyd, MD, Ph.D, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and author of the book Almost Addicted: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Drug Use a Problem? People who are almost addicted still struggle because of their drug use. They may have problems in their personal or professional lives. They also might meet criteria for drug abus...
Source: World of Psychology - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: Addiction Alcoholism Disorders Family General Health-related Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Substance Abuse Treatment Abusing Prescription Drugs almost addicted almost addiction Assistant Professor Cambridge Health Allian Source Type: blogs

Best of Our Blogs: October 30, 2012
How did we let our external situations get so intertwined with the way we perceive our self? The belief that what we create, for example, is equated with our self-worth or the way we look is linked with self-love. Instead of celebrating our uniqueness, we’re more likely to use our quirks as justification for self-hate or bullying. On a logical level we all know that what we look like, how much money we have or our social status has nothing to do with our worth. But it’s difficult to convince our vulnerable selves of this fact. When people tease us, point out our imperfections, or when we don’t get the val...
Source: World of Psychology - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Brandi-Ann Uyemura, M.A. Tags: Best of Our Blogs Amp Belief That bloggers Bully Co Worker Compassion Counselors Depression Disconnection Endless Possibilities External Situations Fun Happiness Health Care Professionals How Much Money Imperfections Inse Source Type: blogs

Peer Pressure and Voting
From The Harvard Gazzette: Many people believe that idealism motivates them to open their wallets for a favorite candidate or that civic duty motivates them to go to the polls to vote. But don’t discount peer pressure as an important factor in elections, a political scientist says. “We operate as a family, a neighborhood, a team,” said Betsy Sinclair, an assistant professor at the University of Chicago. “Family, friends, and neighbors affect” choices involving “the candidate, issues to support, the political party to identify with, whether to donate to political candidates, and whether we turn out to cast a bal...
Source: The Situationist - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: The Situationist Staff Tags: Ideology Politics SALMS Source Type: blogs

Paranormal believers and religious people are more prone to seeing faces that aren't really there
Our brains are so adept at detecting faces that we often see them in random patterns, such as clouds or the gnarled bark of a tree. Occasionally one of these illusory faces comes along that resembles a celebrity and the story ends up in the news - like when Michael Jackson's face appeared on the surface of a piece of toast. A new study asks whether some people are more prone than others to perceiving these illusory faces. Tapani Riekki and his team collected dozens of photos that judges in pilot work agreed did or did not have the appearance of faces in them (this included pictures of furniture, places, and natural s...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - October 30, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christian Jarrett Source Type: blogs

Hidden Meanings in Children’s Fairy Tales
Cinderella is mistreated by her wicked stepfamily, which gives her an awfully hard time about going to the ball and meeting her Prince Charming. Dorothy finds herself following a yellow brick road as she journeys to Oz and encounters evil along the way. Alice falls down a rabbit hole into Wonderland, a completely mystical world. Classic fairy tales are actually not as child-like as we may presume. While some may take the stories at face value, for the sole purpose of entertainment, other researchers tell us that these are wise stories infused with meaning and symbols. A printable version of an oral story guide (as retol...
Source: World of Psychology - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Lauren Suval Tags: Children and Teens General Parenting Psychology Research Cinderella Classic Fairy Tales Correlates Dark Undertones Face Value Flying Monkeys Hansel And Gretel Inner Beauty Inner Fears Jonathan Young Joseph Campbell Journeys Source Type: blogs

The University of Akron Center for the History of Psychology
URL: http://www.uakron.edu/chp/The CHP includes a museum of psychology that highlights artifacts, documents, films, and photographs from the history of the human sciences. It is also home to the Archives of the History of American Psychology, comprised of a vast collection of artifacts, media, and documents, including the personal papers of many important psychologists. For: AnyoneTopics: Foundation Website, General PsychologyFeatures: Advertising, Community and Social Networking, Conferences, Societal or Organizational MembershipThe Center for the History of Psychology (CHP) is located at The University of Akron in Akron,...
Source: PsychSplash - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Psych Central Resource Editor Tags: Advertising Anyone Community and Social Networking Conferences Features For Foundation Website General Psychology Societal or Organizational Membership Topics Source Type: blogs

Baseball and Clinical Psychology
Nate Silver got his professional forecasting start in baseball. He devised a successful performance forecasting system based on complex statistical algorithms, but he also saw that systems that also incorporated the subjective judgments of scouts fared better. Silver devotes a section of his book, The Signal and The Noise, to a discussion of baseball scouting versus number crunching. Here's Silver commenting on statistician biases: [S]tatheads can have their biases too. One of the most pernicious ones is to assume that...
Source: Dr. X's Free Associations - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: DrX Tags: Front Page Source Type: blogs

Introducing Why Do I Do That?
One of the primary reasons Intro to Psychology classes are so popular in college is because students are trying to figure themselves out. They believe that by taking the class, they might be able to shed some insight into their own behaviors and emotions. Unfortunately, most Intro to Psych classes cover such a wide breadth of material, they’re practically useless in answering this question. But many people gain a spark during those classes, and go on to do more research into their own psyche, habits, and underlying motivations. A big part of how we act and react in our world is captured in the psychodynamic theory o...
Source: World of Psychology - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: Books General Mental Health and Wellness Psychotherapy Self-Help blogger Breadth Burgo Difficult Concepts Emotional Lives Emotional Pain Emotions Glasser Human Experience Motivations Personal Relationships Psyche Psychody Source Type: blogs

Preparing for Hurricane Sandy Emotionally, Psychologically
While most people who are likely to bear the brunt of Hurricane Sandy have already bought all of their bottled water and batteries, you can’t purchase peace of mind at Walmart (well, maybe you can, I haven’t checked lately). So what can you do to prepare yourself for Hurricane Sandy from an emotional and psychological standpoint? How can you ensure you keep your calm and wits about you — especially if others are depending on you? Here are some tips from our past combined articles on coping (mostly) emotionally and psychologically with a hurricane. These selections come from our article last year about 5...
Source: World of Psychology - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: General Green and Environment Mental Health and Wellness Stress Batteries Big Sandy Bottled Water Brunt Calm Dwellings Easters Family Member Family Members Family Preparedness Fears Forces Of Nature Frenzy Hurricane 1 H Source Type: blogs

How to Complete (or Junk) an Unfinished Project
So that brilliant new idea that washed over you in a hot rush of genius? It didn’t feel so hot once you put in a few hours. That big assignment that you fueled with caffeine and shook your finger at pointedly? It paid no mind to your stern threats of completion. You’re left sitting at your desk (your couch) with a cold keyboard, a warm remote, and a stomach full of gummy bears. We right-brainers, project-non-completers, and coffee-hoisters know all too well how the thrill of a spark gets dampened by time and our inner-critic. What yesterday felt like a breakthrough in human ingenuity, today feels like yet ano...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - October 29, 2012 Category: Life Coaches Authors: Brad Waters Tags: creativity motivation productivity tips self improvement success achievement determination goals ideas pick the brain Source Type: blogs

5 chances to win Total Addiction The Life of an Eclipse Chaser
We have five copies to give away of Total Addiction The Life of an Eclipse Chaser, by Kate Russo. Here's a teaser from the news pages of The Psychologist magazine: "For a few eerie minutes on Wednesday14 November local time, just after sunrise, people living in Northern Australia will be shrouded in darkness as the Moon falls into perfect alignment with the Sun. One person who will be returning to her homeland to witness this total eclipse is the Chartered Psychologist Kate Russo, of Queens University Belfast. Since 1999, when she experienced her first total eclipse, Russo has become hooked. Like ot...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - October 29, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Christian Jarrett Source Type: blogs

Finding Mr. Right Makes All the Mr. Wrongs Make Sense
This guest article from YourTango was written by Amy Johnson. “Someday, someone will walk into your life and make you realize why it never worked out with anyone else.” — Anonymous As a relationship coach, I talk to a lot of single women. It’s pretty rare to find one who wants to be in a relationship, isn’t in one and is perfectly relaxed about it. There is usually some fear lurking under the surface. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that single women are living in fear ; most are not. They have busy, happy lives just like coupled people. But when many of these successful, self-assu...
Source: World of Psychology - October 28, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: YourTango Experts Tags: General Relationships Women's Issues YourTango Amy Johnson Control Expert Finding The Right Job Guest Article Independent Women Job Finding Living In Fear Lot Marriage Moments Of Doubt Nbsp Online Dating Sites Pregnant Source Type: blogs

The Endless, Irrational Political Campaign
Sometimes I’m not so sure what the point of democratic elections are. After living in one of the largest democracies in the world all my life, I get more and more disillusioned with each passing year. Why? Because each year the same pattern repeats itself. Endlessly. This is especially true every four years when we go to the polls to elect our next President. Presidential candidates regularly make promises and pledges about what they can do to “fix” every problem afflicting us today. One politician says he can “lower gas prices” and “turn around” the economy. But when asked how ...
Source: World of Psychology - October 28, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: General Minding the Media Personal American Federal Government Bipartisanship Capitalist Society Circular Argument Democracies In The World Democratic Elections Gas Prices Human Nature Leadership Strength Oil Producer Pledges P Source Type: blogs

How to Handle Hyperactivity in Kids with ADHD
Hyperactive kids with ADHD are always on the go, according to Roberto Olivardia, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and clinical instructor in the department of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. It’s like they have a motor winding them up. “Words like ‘Energizer Bunny,’ ‘Speedy Gonzalez’ and the ‘Roadrunner’ are common nicknames to describe the never-ending vessel of energy ADHD kids exhibit,” he said. For instance, rather than sitting at their desk, they might jump up several times to sharpen their pencil, said Ari Tuckman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and author of Understand Your Brain, Get More Done...
Source: World of Psychology - October 28, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: ADHD and ADD Brain and Behavior Children and Teens Disorders General Parenting Self-Esteem Self-Help Adhd Kids Brains Clinical Instructor Clinical Psychologist Dinner Table Energizer Bunny Executive Functions Hard Time Hard Source Type: blogs

Politics from another angle
If you are anything like me, you will be glad when this election is over. I am glad I don't live in one of the battleground states but even here in Maine, the cacophony of political ads is wearying. So how about looking at politics from a different angle? First, the Asheville Jung Center recently offered a 6 hour webinar, The Citizen's Dilemma in Divisive Times | Four Voices, which, if they follow their usual practice will be available for a very reasonable fee soon. Those of us who get our bearings from the “Spirit of the Depths” as well as the “Spirit of the Times”—who pay attention to politic...
Source: Jung At Heart - October 28, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Source Type: blogs

Breaking the Patterns of Dysfunction
Cutting Loose: An Adult’s Guide to Coming to Terms with Your Parents” Howard M. Halpern calls the interactions that develop between the inner child in us and the inner child in our parents “songs and dances” because, he explains, they have a “repetitious, almost rhythmic, pattern. The same words, the same music and the same dance steps are performed over and over again.” Writes Halpern: There is no underestimating the difficulty in modifying the song and dance routines you have developed with your parents, but as you become aware of just what the song and dance is that you and your paren...
Source: World of Psychology - October 28, 2012 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Family General Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Motivation and Inspiration Relationships Self-Esteem Body Doesn Choreographer Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Dance Routines Dance Steps First Five Years Gestures Howard M Halper Source Type: blogs

Fight Aging! Newsletter, October 29th 2012
Discussion - Latest Headlines from Fight Aging! - Gut Microbes in Aging - The Cost of Smoking - Reporting on the 2012 Singularity Summit - A Report from the Alcor-40 Conference - Persistent Infection Harms Long Term Health and Life Expectancy - Simulating the Grandmother Effect - Generating Cells to Treat Vascular Disease - Exercise Beneficial for the Aging Brain - More on Establishing an Australian Cryonics Pr...
Source: Fight Aging! - October 28, 2012 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs