The problem is when feelings of stress and anxiety get out of control. Then these feelings cannot only impair your performance—they can also make you sick. Chronic stress can have a number of serious health consequences including decreased immunity, decreased longevity, and a higher risk for anxiety disorders. Stress is a response to a potential threat, while anxiety is the reaction to that stress. Unfortunately, both are incredibly common among U....

Luckily, you don’t need an in-house masseuse (or a spa appointment) to reap these advantages. Instead, add an at-home massager like a gun or a mat to your self-care routine for some instant relief. Ask yourself if a manual or electric massager is preferable, and with electric options what kind of battery life to expect. Noise is also a factor to consider, depending on where you plan to use your massager....

There are also situations where a person might think they’re sleeping well, but, following observation, find out that their sleep is disturbed regularly by everything from nightmares, temperature fluctuations, or conditions like sleep apnea. Whatever the cause, it can be helpful to be able to track your sleep to see what you get up to at night and what adjustments you can make to improve your overall sleep quality and potentially even your mental health....

Not only do these websites and forums equip you with knowledge of what to expect when you quit smoking and provide guidance for the best smoking cessation methodologies, but many also have networks of everyday people to help hold you accountable even when things get rough. Informational Resources for Smoking Cessation Consider these online informational resources a rich portal of advice, guidance, and knowledge. This information is often put together in the form of articles, but each of the resources below also provide hotlines and chatlines for real-time support....

Mood Stabilizers Lithium was the first mood stabilizer used to treat bipolar disorder and it is still used today. Anticonvulsant medications, originally used to treat seizure disorders and eventually found to help stabilize moods, are used for this purpose as well. Other medications, such as antipsychotics and less commonly calcium channel blockers also have mood-stabilizing effects and may be used to treat bipolar disorder. Lithium: The First Mood Stabilizer Lithium is an excellent treatment for both mania and hypomania and it also has antidepressant effects....

How the Primary Process in Freudian Theory Works In Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality, the primary process works to resolve the tension created by the pleasure principle. The pleasure principle is what drives the id and seeks instant gratification of all needs, wants, and desires. When the pleasure principle creates tension, the id must find a way to discharge this energy. As you may recall, Freud believed that the id was the most basic and primitive part of personality....

Overview While we can now investigate sleep and related phenomena, not all researchers agree on exactly why we sleep. Sleeping patterns tend to follow a fairly predictable schedule and experts agree that sleep plays an essential role in health and wellness. A number of different theories have been proposed to explain the necessity of sleep as well as the functions and purposes of sleep. The following are three of the major theories that have emerged....

Non-suicidal self-injury can take many different forms including cutting, burning, scratching, abrasion, punching, and headbanging. More severe cases have involved bone-breaking, self-amputation, and permanent eye damage. Self-injury is a symptom associated with different forms of psychiatric illness, including major depressive cycles of bipolar disorder. Other causes include borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and dissociative disorders. Demographics of Self-Injury Self-injury is seen more frequently in younger people with as many as 17 percent of teens and about 15 percent of college students engaging in self-injurious behavior....

They may include certain types of prescription medications as well as nonprescription substances. Nootropics purport to improve mental functioning, including thinking, memory, mood, attention, creativity, and motivation. In some instances, these substances are FDA-approved to treat symptoms of specific conditions. For example, stimulant medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and medications to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s are considered nootropics. History of Nootropics The term nootropics was coined by C. G....

Many synthetic drugs simulate the feeling you get when you use illegal drugs, such as cocaine or marijuana. Here’s what you should know about synthetic drugs and why using them can pose a threat to your overall well-being. History of Synthetic Drugs Synthetic drugs are made to mimic the effects of illegal drugs. Unlike some illegal drugs, such as marijuana, they are entirely created in laboratories. Manufacturers do this to prevent the drugs from being classified as illegal and enable the makers to sell the drug legally....

An example of this is “depressive disorder NOS.” A doctor using the DSM-IV to diagnose a patient may have chosen this label if it was clear that the person’s symptoms showed they were dealing with a particular type of depression (rather than, say, a panic disorder or an anxiety disorder), but there wasn’t enough information to identify a specific type of depression, such as persistent depressive disorder or bipolar disorder....

As you might expect, this degree involves study in an area related to the sciences, such as chemistry, biology, or engineering. Another type of master’s degree is a Master of Arts (MA), which involves study in topics such as English, the fine arts, or history. A master’s degree in psychology, for example, is one step below a doctorate. While many people who earn an MS in psychology choose to pursue a doctorate, you don’t necessarily need a master’s to go for a Ph....

Some individuals who join cults remain lifelong members. Others break free and share how it felt to be brainwashed by a charismatic leader. But there are also some individuals who leave a cult and report that their experience was positive. Studying cults is difficult for a few different reasons. It’s nearly impossible to study active cult members due to their unwillingness to let others into their closed societies. Quite often, they are suspicious of outsiders....

If something in your life shifts, you and your therapist do not have to wait. Your treatment plan can change as needed in order to continue serving your needs. How Is a Treatment Plan Developed? A treatment plan is often discussed in the first therapy session or a session early in therapy. A common question your therapist will ask you is some variation of, “What do you hope to get out of coming to therapy?...

ADD Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a term previously used for what would now be diagnosed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Predominantly Inattentive Presentation. ADHD: predominantly inattentive presentation is a neurodevelopmental diagnosis that manifests as problems with attention, including: Difficulty focusing on school or work tasksDifficulty paying attention to detailDisorganizationBecoming distracted easilyDifficulty completing tasksLosing thingsForgetfulnessDifficulty listening when spoken toAvoiding tasks that require sustained focus...

What Happens During Deep Sleep During deep sleep, your body goes through many essential processes for the optimal functioning of your brain. When you are in deep sleep, you’ll find that you are not easily awakened, and even when you are, you’ll feel disoriented and groggy. Some research shows that for several minutes or even hours after you’ve been awakened from the deeper stages of sleep, your mental performance will be impaired, and you’ll have a strong desire to go back to sleep....

This branch of psychology focuses on the learning process of early childhood and adolescence. However, it also explores the social, emotional, and cognitive processes that are involved in learning throughout the entire lifespan. The field of educational psychology incorporates a number of other disciplines, including developmental psychology, behavioral psychology, and cognitive psychology. Approaches to educational psychology include behavioral, developmental, cognitive, constructivist, and experiential perspectives. This article discusses some of the different perspectives taken within the field of educational psychology, topics that educational psychologists study, and career options in this field....

While many people express themselves in ways that are aligned with social stereotypes related to sex and gender, other people may choose expressions that are different than what people may expect of their gender identity. For many years, there has been an assumption that sex and gender were inextricably entwined and fixed. Today, people increasingly understand that this is not the case and that gender expression does not necessarily align with a person’s biological sex....

This article explores what gender identity is, definitions of various gender identities, and where individuals can find support. What Is Gender Identity? Because a person’s sex and gender identity are separate, it’s essential to know the difference between them. Gender The World Health Organization (WHO) perceives gender as a social construct that people typically describe in femininity and masculinity. In many Western cultures, people associate femininity with women and masculinity with men, but this social construct varies....