Cocaine is the second most commonly used illegal drug (following marijuana) in the United States. It’s the fourth most commonly used illicit drug overall, coming in after prescription painkillers and prescription tranquilizers. An estimated 0.7% of Americans, or 1.9 million people aged 12 or older, were using cocaine in 2019 according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). This article includes photographs, many from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), of cocaine and crack cocaine in various forms and stages....

These are common thoughts in people with PTSD - but they’re not true and they can make matters worse for you. We’ll share strategies for learning how to be more compassionate toward yourself. Why a Lack of Self-Compassion is Dangerous for People With PTSD A lack of self-compassion can have a huge impact on recovery from PTSD. Here’s why: This way of thinking and living may decrease your motivation to continue through difficult moments in treatment....

This article will discuss the qualities to look for in a BPD therapist and how effective therapy is for this condition. Types of Therapy for BPD Several effective therapy options for BPD exist, including: Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): DBT was created specifically to treat borderline personality disorder. This form of therapy focuses on teaching you how to cope with and regulate strong emotions. Mentalization-based therapy: Mentalization-based therapy aims to teach you how to see your mental state, thoughts, and emotions as separate from your actions....

Babies bond with adults who provide them with consistent, loving care. They recognize the adults who protect them and calm them when they’re feeling stressed. In most cases, they develop healthy, secure attachments to their primary caregivers, like their parents, daycare provider, or perhaps a grandparent who is very involved. When babies struggle to form healthy relationships with a stable adult, they may develop reactive attachment disorder. This can have profound effects on a child’s development and future bonds....

What Is Assertiveness? Assertiveness is the ability to express your feelings and assert your rights while respecting the feelings and rights of others. Assertive communication is appropriately direct, open, and honest, and clarifies your needs to the other person. Being assertive comes naturally to some, but it is also a skill that can be learned. And there are many advantages of becoming more assertive, making it worth the effort. Benefits of Being Assertive Assertive people tend to have fewer conflicts in their dealings with others....

This article explores the processes involved in social cognition and how this ability forms. It also explores how psychologists study the processes involved in social cognition. What Is Social Cognition? Social cognition encompasses a range of processes. Some common factors that many experts have identified as being important include: The processes involved in perceiving other people and how we learn about the people in the world around us.The study of the mental processes involved in perceiving, remembering, thinking about, and attending to the other people in our social world....

How to Join a Conversation 1. Prepare Topics for Conversation Before ever trying to join a group in conversation, do some reading on topics so that you will be up to date and be able to share your opinions. Read the news every day. Follow popular topics like sports and entertainment. At the very least, be aware of any current events that are likely to come up in conversation. All of these strategies will help you when you join a conversation....

Since young people have struggled with grief during the pandemic, research like this will be useful in addressing mental health concerns among this group. As college students prepare for return to classes this fall, it will be crucial to ensure that mental health outreach efforts prioritize self-esteem building. Understanding the Research For this study, AI algorithms were used to analyze 70 potential suicide predictors based on data that had been collected for at least a year between 2013 and 2019 regarding over 5,000 university students in France....

If habits are that powerful, how much influence can they have on the way we act? New research suggests that too often we underestimate the role habit plays in our behavior. The Research Research on behavior characterizes a habit as something that’s efficient, unintentional, uncontrollable, and that you’re not fully aware that you’re doing. And the amount of time it takes to form a habit is something that’s heavily debated—some research states a habit is formed in four weeks, while others argue it can take much longer....

Overview Depressed teens experience significant emotional and sometimes physical pain, but they may not know how to make it better or find the help they need. Only a doctor or mental health professional can diagnose teen depression, but parents are usually in the best position to begin the process. The clinician will consider all aspects of your teen’s depression to develop a treatment plan. Symptoms of Teen Depression The signs and symptoms of depression in teens are often different than in adults....

Research shows that various smells have a profound effect on mood swings and changes. It is believed that mood is a direct result of what the senses take in, and therefore the more pleasant the sensory experience, the more pleasant the mood. This is the theory behind pairing the use of aromatherapy and essential oils with other therapeutic techniques to help decrease symptoms of depression, anxiety, trauma, insomnia, racing thoughts, and even improve meditation practices....

According to the National Institute on Aging, about one-third of all people above the age of 85 have some form of dementia. Dementia can stem from various causes, the most common being Alzheimer’s disease. Some of the other causes include Parkinson’s disease, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal dementia. Dementia progresses in stages, ranging from mild to severe. In 1982, Dr. Barry Reisberg created the Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), consisting of seven stages, to help clinicians categorize the progression of dementia....

The jury is still out on how, exactly, screen time affects us—and what we should do about it. But many people have turned to blue-light-blocking glasses as one potential way to mitigate screen time’s more negative effects. Blue light blocking glasses promise to filter out some of the high-range blue light emitted by our screens. And some research has linked blue light blocking glasses with enhanced mood, improved sleep quality, increased activity, and reduced retinal damage....

Have you experienced a traumatic event that has left your beliefs shaken? Are you possibly dealing with PTSD? Find out how traumas shape our religious beliefs—and how you can get help for your lasting pain. How 9/11 Affected People’s Religious Beliefs The 9/11 terrorist attacks brought on feelings of anxiety and vulnerability as many Americans had their sense of safety and comfort threatened. Given the traumatic nature of 9/11, it’s not surprising that this event would also test people’s religious beliefs....

Today, pagans and witches have religious freedom in most countries, but fears remain. Modern Wiccaphobia may have a connection to xenophobia, or fear of those who are different, and to religious concerns. This article discusses the history of Wiccaphobia and factors that play a role in causing this phobia. It also discusses the signs of this phobia and treatment options. History of Wiccaphobia The Burning Times began with the 1487 release of the Malleus Maleficarum or Witches’ Hammer....

1. Gradual Pace There are no quick fixes when it comes to self-improvement. Focus on self-improvement approaches that involve a gradual change to increase your odds of success. These approaches typically have you focus on one change at a time, and you only move on to the next change when you’ve become comfortable with the earlier change in your life. For example, simply planning to go to the gym three times a week to improve your mental health might feel like too big of a step at the beginning....

Alcoholics Anonymous’ (AA) 12-step program as described in the “The Big Book,” AA’s guide for people recovering from alcoholism, has many references to God and religious themes, and step 11 is no exception. In a nutshell, step 11 calls for discovering the plan your higher power has for your life, and to find the power to carry it out. This article discusses how step 11 works and how it relates to the other 12 steps....

Gambling Disorder So, what is gambling disorder? According to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, gambling disorder is considered an addictive disorder. It includes the following symptoms: A preoccupation with gambling. A need to gamble with more and more money in order obtain a certain level of excitement. Repeated efforts to stop or reduce gambling that are unsuccessful. Feeling restless and irritable when trying to stop gambling....

What Is the Optimism Bias? Your brain has a built-in optimism bias. The phenomenon is also often referred to as “the illusion of invulnerability,” “unrealistic optimism,” and a “personal fable.” This bias leads us to believe that we are less likely to suffer from misfortune and more likely to attain success than reality would suggest. We believe that we will live longer than the average, that our children will be smarter than the average, and that we will be more successful in life than the average....