MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'delusion'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:27:58 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984498&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F29%2Fthe-illusion-of-confidence%2F We often overestimate our abilities, and overestimate the abilities of others who exude confidence.  Are we correct in thinking the athlete who radiates confidence must be competent in her/his sport?  The salesman who speaks with extensive knowledge and confidence must know what they are talking about, right? These scenarios are often manifestations of the illusion of confidence. Confidence is often considered a “true” signal of the extent of one’s memory, knowledge, skill, and ability.  However, confidence is often misleading and not congruent with ability.  This type of unwarranted confidence leads to “epistemic irrationality,” or more commonly known as simply delusion and self-deception. The illusion of confidence has two distinct but related aspects.  Fi... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984498 Wed, 29 Jun 2011 19:12:36 +0100 4984498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734208&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F19%2Fwant-a-happier-marriage-unrealistically-idealize-your-partner%2F If ignorance is bliss, then delusion is even better — if you’re in a new marriage, anyways. So says new research from investigators at the University at Buffalo, who examined 193 newly-married couples over three years to see what kinds of variables might predict greater marital satisfaction. How could this be? Weren’t we always told the common wisdom — that we needed to be realistic in our relationships, and not look for that Knight in Shining Armor who comes to our rescue (or a Maiden trapped in a castle tower who needs rescuing)? Apparently the common wisdom may need to be revisited, because continuing to idealize your partner long after the glow of the wedding fades away seems to help keep you happy. Read on to learn more… This isn’t the first resear... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734208 Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:59:56 +0100 4734208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3339809&cid=t_101104_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Fb8d4aGjDTNI%2F What is the purpose of the 12 Steps? All addicts, alcoholics, compulsive gamblers, sex addicts and codependents have the following focus – Me, Myself and I. This one of the main motivations for seeking treatment or recovery. This ‘me, myself and I’ focus is hurting too much. The addiction no longer works to relieve the pain. It’s like a piece of glass in your pocket Imagine you have a piece of glass like that below and carried it around with you at all times to help keep you focused. The edges of the glass are constantly chipped at, with each sharp edge cutting us. And, we are aware of that pain, except sometimes when drinking/ drugging. The pain of addiction gets worse over time. That’s what any compulsive behaviour does, including addiction. It keeps one focused on ‘Me, Myse... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3339809 Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:13:29 +0100 3339809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212611&cid=t_101104_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Fb8d4aGjDTNI%2F What is the purpose of the 12 Steps? Coming into 12 Step Fellowships and recovery all people have the following focus – Me. myself and I. Imagine you have cut out the piece of glass on the dotted line and carried it around with you at all times to help keep you focused. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has a lot to say about this self focus; … Is he not really a self-seeker even when trying to be kind? Is he not a victim of the delusion that he can wrest satisfaction and happiness out of this world if he only manages well? Is it not evident to all the rest of the players that these are the things he wants? And do not his actions make each of them wish to retaliate, snatching all they can get out of the show? Is he not, even in his best moments, a producer of confusion rather than ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212611 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:13:29 +0100 3212611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3200670&cid=t_101104_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FNaTib26OKWA%2F Cicero The Six Mistakes of Man by Cicero Marcus Cicero was a prominent philosopher who was born in 106 BC. He was a statesman, poet, orator and a philosopher all combined into one. I think he had a tendency to hit the nail on the head with his philosophical writings. Here are what he thought were “The six mistakes of Man”: The delusion that personal gain (emotional, sexual or money) is made by crushing others. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we cannot do it ourselves. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences or prejudices. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind, and not acquiring the habit of reading and studying. Attempting to compel others to believe and live as we do People in recovery... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3200670 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 10:44:04 +0100 3200670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3124530&cid=t_101104_90_f&fid=36413&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dcscience.net%2F%3Fp%3D2584 There is no topic more widely discussed than what one should eat in order to stay healthy. And there are few topics where there evidence is so lacking in quality. This post isn’t about quackery, but about something much more important. it is about the real science (if it merits that description) behind dietary advice.  I’m not an expert in nutrition, but I do know a bit about the nature of evidence. I’m continually astonished by the weakness of the evidence for some things that have become received truths, and nowhere is that more true than in nutrition. The BMJ used my review of Gary Taube’s book, The Diet Delusion, to start off their new Round Table feature [full text link to BMJ]. The published version had some big cuts so I publish the original version... DC's goodscience blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3124530 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 13:10:39 +0100 3124530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1960642&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F13%2Fshedding-light-on-a-dark-side-of-online-community%2F Today, The New York Times has a look at mind control websites and online communities that reinforce the delusional beliefs of its members: Identified by some psychologists and psychiatrists as part of an “extreme community” on the Internet that appears to encourage delusional thinking, a growing number of such Web sites are filled with stories from people who say they are victims of mind control and stalking by gangs of government agents. The sites are drawing the concern of mental health professionals and the interest of researchers in psychology and psychiatry. Well, yes, of course. The Internet is a large place, so The New York Times could write a new article every week on the bizarre and strange communities that exist on topics you didn’t even know existed. Some are odd, ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1960642 Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:03:47 +0100 1960642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674834&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F01%2Fbe-careful-while-you-text%2F It must be time to go back to school, because The American College of Emergency Physicians has issued a warning to all kids and young adults — be careful where you text. Too many people are texting on their cell phones and PDAs while walking, biking, rollerblading and even while driving. While you’re unlikely to get into too much trouble while walking and texting, driving and texting can be as deadly as drinking while driving. “People are texting and they trip and fall on their faces — usually people in their 20s,” noted Dr. James Adams, chair of the department of emergency medicine at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine tells the group. “We see a lot of face, chin, mouth [and] eye injuries from falls.” Why do people feel the need t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674834 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 14:03:27 +0100 1674834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642635&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F21%2Fdsm-vi-reality-tv-disorder%2F You know how I like to pick apart professionals who make all sorts of logical fallacies when suggesting new diagnoses off the cuff because they’ve personally seen a rise of such cases. Sorry, it’s my failing, and I’m working on it. But in the meantime… It’s funny, but once you start thinking you’re an expert on a new disorder (that you either created from your imagination — or your patients’ imaginations, or helped to do so), suddenly people start flocking to you for help. I call it the “moth to the light” phenomenon. Then you think it’s a “real” diagnosis, because suddenly of all the people who come to see you. Can you say “self-fulfilling prophecy?” Meet Joel and Ian Gold — brothers and psyc... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642635 Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:12:04 +0100 1642635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=810000&cid=t_101104_107_f&fid=36045&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbayblab.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fstem-cell-delusion-are-they-still-stem.html On a previous episode of the bayblab podcast, I argued (rather poorly) that so-called mammalian "stem" cells are not so magical and deterministic as we think (ie they do not "exist"). Rather, I attempted to argue, the stem cell illusion is an emergent property of fundamental cell population dynamics and is even exhibited by the lowly unicellular prokaryotes, as exemplified by the phenomenon of bacterial persistence. A new PLOSone paper explores the theoretical basis of bacterial persistence as population bet-hedging:"Within a population of bacteria there exists a subgroup of cells that do not grow at the normal rate but exists in a quiescent, non-growing or slow-growing state. These cells are sometimes called persister cells [1], because they are able to persist in the face of catastrophic... Bayblab blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=810000 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:52:00 +0100 810000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=472285&cid=t_101104_109_f&fid=34794&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadseg-shu.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F03%2Fwhen-tv-talks-to-you.html Two out of the four patients I saw today experienced something called "ideas of reference." This is a paranoid delusion of schizophrenia where someone believes that things said by strangers, or in these cases on TV, are intended for them; i.e. when they watch TV, they believe that the people reporting the news, acting in a sit-com, or in a movie are speaking directly to them. Likewise, they often can hear the message from a stranger as the stranger thinks them, rather than actually verbalizes them. This can be overt or covert. This is distinguished from "thought broadcasting," which is a paranoid delusion that people can hear your thoughts. One young man gave the example of having just come from his psychologist's office yesterday, where they had discussed issues that were very painful to ... Turn Your Head and Scoff blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=472285 Sun, 12 Mar 2006 18:29:00 +0100 472285