What Is Agoraphobia? Agoraphobia—derived from the Latin “fear of the marketplace”—is a type of anxiety disorder. It arises from an acute, persistent fear of being somewhere that’s difficult or impossible to escape from or of experiencing an embarrassing event in a public place. Many people with agoraphobia fear simply leaving home. About 1.3% of U.S. adults experience agoraphobia at some point. According to The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), agoraphobia is frequently diagnosed along with panic and other anxiety disorders....

A master’s degree in psychology is a graduate-level degree that generally involves two to three years of study after you complete your undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree. The two most common types of psychology master’s degrees are the Master of Arts (M.A.) and the Master of Science (M.S.). An M.A. degree may indicate a stronger liberal arts focus, while an M.S. usually means there’s a stronger concentration on research and the sciences....

What Is Social Psychology? According to psychologist Gordon Allport, social psychology uses scientific methods “to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied the presence of other human beings.” Essentially, social psychology is about understanding how each person’s individual behavior is influenced by the social environment in which that behavior takes place. You probably already realize that other people can have a dramatic influence on the way you act and the choices you make....

Many stimulants can also be addicting. Stimulants share many commonalities, but each has unique properties and mechanisms of action. Drugs that are classified as stimulants include: CaffeineCocaineMethamphetamineNicotinePrescription stimulants Caffeine Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, found in coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate candy, and soft drinks. While caffeine has several positive effects such as increasing energy and mental alertness, heavy use can cause symptoms such as anxiety and insomnia....

Financial and Emotional Commitment In a similar way to becoming a drug user, becoming a tattoo collector involves considerable financial commitment, physical discomfort, and social stigma, so, as with drug addiction, it requires devotion to the process. This level of commitment is an important part of all addictions and was explored in detail in the excessive appetites theory of addiction. Not only is a good deal of money invested in the addictive behavior, but the individual will often experience financial difficulty meeting the level of financial commitment required to maintain the addictive behavior....

But there is just as much alcohol in a can of beer as there is in a standard mixed drink or a 5-ounce glass of wine. Each represents a standard drink when determining whether you are drinking at a safe level or at a high-risk level. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can occur when someone stops drinking alcohol. Those symptoms can range from mild, moderate or severe, but the severity of the symptoms has nothing to do with the type of alcohol the person was drinking....

The research, published in the American Psychological Association’s Health Psychology, builds on previous research about how sleep impacts both our physical health and our emotional well-being. Much of sleep research has focused on the negative impacts of not getting enough sleep. But the new study adds to the growing body of research about the positive impacts of getting more sleep. “After a person has had more sleep than usual, then they’re much more likely to perhaps create opportunities where they might experience something positive,” Nancy Sin, PhD, assistant professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia who led the study, tells Verywell....

Zimbardo has also conducted important research on the psychology of heroism and is the founder of the Heroic Imagination Project, a non-profit organization aimed at understanding and promoting everyday heroism. His Early Life Philip Zimbardo was born on March 23, 1933, in New York City. He attended Brooklyn College where he earned a BA in 1954, triple majoring in psychology, sociology, and anthropology. He then went on to earn his MS in 1955 and his PhD in 1959 from Yale University, both in psychology....

The signs and features of bipolar mania can vary from person to person and can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Variations Mania fits into the bipolar puzzle in different ways depending on the type of bipolar disorder involved. Broadly speaking: Bipolar I disorder involves severe episodes of mania and commonly, episodes of depression. Bipolar II disorder has hypomanic episodes that alternate with periods of severe depression....

History and Development Historically, children were often viewed simply as smaller versions of adults. When Jean Piaget suggested that children actually think differently than adults, Albert Einstein proclaimed that the discovery was “so simple that only a genius could have thought of it.” Experts differ in their responses to some of the bigger questions in child psychology, such as whether early experiences matter more than later ones or whether nature or nurture plays a greater role in development....

Though not all people living with addiction are the same, there are some communication strategies that can help you show support and compassion. Be Kind Show that you care by speaking with kindness and understanding. Addiction is so stigmatized in our society that people who have addictions often expect others to criticize, insult, belittle, and reject them. Thoughtfully Choose Your Words Remember that language matters, and communicate as respectfully as possible....

Because conflict is virtually inevitable in relationships (and not necessarily a sign of trouble), you can reduce a significant amount of stress and strengthen your relationships at the same time if you build the knowledge and skills to handle conflict in a healthy way.​ Here are some examples of negative and even destructive attitudes and communication patterns that can exacerbate conflict in a relationship. It’s much healthier to address and resolve conflict....

Withdrawal nausea and vomiting are uncomfortable and unpleasant symptoms that occur among people who have been addicted to some drugs, particularly alcohol and opiates, or after developing a dependence after a period of intense substance use. Symptoms may range from mild to severe. This article provides helpful tips on how to cope with nausea and vomiting. It also discusses when it’s time to seek medical attention during alcohol or drug withdrawal, as well as the other symptoms of withdrawal....