What exactly is the purpose of having so many psychological theories? Why Psychological Theories Exist These theories serve a number of important purposes. Let’s look at three key reasons why psychological theories exist. They Provide a Basis for Understanding the Mind and Behavior Theories provide a framework for understanding human behavior, thought, and development. By having a broad base of understanding about the how’s and why’s of human behavior, we can better understand ourselves and others....

This article explains what a phobia is and details which ones are the least common. Specific Phobias According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), specific phobias affect approximately 12.5% of adults in the United States at some point during their lives, making them among the most common mental health conditions. In order to be diagnosed with a specific phobia, a person must: Experience severe fear or anxiety about the object or situationHave an immediate fear responseThe fear must be excessive and out of proportion to the actual riskSymptoms must last six months or longerFear must cause distress and impairments in functioningThese symptoms must not be better explained by another mental health condition...

In reality, cigarettes are full of toxins. If you’ve been smoking for a while, however, you may have learned to use cigarettes as a coping mechanism for everything from excitement and happiness to boredom or even anger. How can you quit for good when you’ve become emotionally attached to cigarettes? This article explains the reasons why smoking feels pleasurable and why people crave nicotine—even when their bodies are experiencing the negative health effects of cigarettes....

Most recently, a study published in the journal Substance Use and Misuse discovered that childhood trauma may increase the likelihood of performance-enhancing substance use in young adults. What the Study Found For the purposes of this study, the ACEs included childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, two neglect indicators, and cumulative ACEs. The specific substances sutdied were both legal (such as creatine monohydrate) and illegal (such as non-prescription anabolic-androgenic steroids) substances....

Finding out which type of psychotherapy is best for you will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your symptoms, your own personal preferences, and your therapy goals. The therapeutic modalities described below have evidence supporting their benefits as treatments for depression. What Is Psychotherapy? Most types of psychotherapy foster a relationship between therapist and client to help individuals identify and overcome negative thoughts or behavioral patterns....

While this season is meant to bring feelings of love and cheer, it’s also the harbinger of holiday stress for many. In fact, according to a poll conducted on this site, more than 80% of us find the holiday season to be ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ stressful—that ranks navigating the holidays right up there with asking for a raise! What is it that has us all so hot and bothered?...

According to the American Meteorological Society, environmental phobias like chionophobia are the second most prevalent phobia subtype. Overview Chionophobia is not just a dislike of snow or a rational fear of severe weather forecasts. It is an irrational fear of snow that is typically linked to a fear of death or bodily harm. Though phobias can and do manifest themselves differently in different people’s experiences, there are typically two primary fears behind chionophobia: the fear of becoming snowbound and the fear of being stranded in snow....

Unipolar vs. Bipolar Depression The term unipolar depression is used to distinguish major depressive disorder from bipolar disorder, which is characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression. Sometimes bipolar disorder is misdiagnosed as unipolar depression. In these cases, treatment is not successful, as treatment for the two disorders differs. Unipolar depression has distinct differences from bipolar disorder, including lack of manic/hypomanic episodes; however, depression is also a symptom of bipolar disorder....

Traditionally, the main reason exercise has been recommended for those trying to quit alcohol and drugs is because it keeps them focused on something other than their withdrawal symptoms or cravings. Now, however, there may be evidence that exercise has additional benefits to those who want to avoid drinking and using drugs. Research Shows Exercise Can Help The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has set aside $4 million for scientific research to explore a possible role for physical activity in substance abuse and relapse prevention....

What It Looks Like On a survey or questionnaire, a typical Likert item usually takes the following format: It is important to note that the individual questions that take this format are known as Likert items, while the Likert scale is the format of these items. In addition to looking at how much respondents agree with a statement, Likert items may also focus on things such as likelihood, frequency, or importance....

Whether people with this condition think co-workers are sabotaging their work or they believe the government is trying to kill them, persecutory delusions vary in severity. Some people with persecutory delusions believe they have to go to great lengths to stay safe—and consequently, they may struggle to function in everyday life. While everyone may experience some false beliefs about people being “out to get them” at times, for people with persecutory delusions, their beliefs take a serious toll on their lives....

For some people, a tidy room can be soothing, an orderly retreat in an often disorderly world. For others, such rooms can be sterile, bland, and uninspiring. Some people feel anxious in a cluttered room, while others feel they’re most creative amid the chaos. Organization is big business these days. From books to seminars to organizational systems, everyone seems to want to find some way to perfectly arrange every aspect of their lives....

What happens when you quit smoking? Certain improvements take time, but some positive changes start to occur within minutes, hours, and days of quitting. The benefits of quitting smoking are meaningful and worthwhile. What Happens After You Quit Smoking If you’re a smoker, it may seem like the damage has been done and it isn’t worth quitting—but that’s simply not true. Your body will begin to heal itself shortly after you quit, and the sooner you give up smoking, the greater the benefit is to your health....

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, a serious mental illness is a mental, emotional, or behavioral condition leading to substantial impairment in a person’s ability to function in their daily life and activities. This may include major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). History of Mental Hospitals The first institution for the mentally ill was Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg, Virginia, established in 1768....

Studies about the brain differences of superagers are still being conducted, and while there is likely a biological element to why a person does or does not become a superager, lifestyle habits can improve a person’s chances of becoming one. The History of SuperAgers The term “superager” was coined by The Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease, which is located at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine....

What Is a Vivid Dream? Researchers aren’t completely certain why we dream but they’ve figured out that it’s something to do with how we store our memories. There are two recognized stages of sleep: A cycle of sleep consists of both these stages, starting with NREM and ending with REM periods. It takes around 90 minutes for a cycle of sleep to complete. On a typical night, your brain will undergo four to six cycles....

Diagnostic Criteria for Anhedonia The fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic & Statistical Manual (DSM-5) defines anhedonia as “markedly decreased interest or pleasure in almost all activities.” This isn’t the same as losing interest in an activity because you’re bored and want to try something new. Instead, it entails a lack of pleasure in most or all activities you once enjoyed. Anhedonia has two distinct components: A motivational component that entails a decrease in the drive to seek out once pleasurable experiences (e....

Bondage: physically restraining a partner during sex, such as with handcuffs, cords, or some type of tiesDominance: exerting power or control over a partner during a sexual experienceSubmission: being dominated during sex, or willingly submitting to the power or control of a sexual partnerSadomasochism: deriving sexual gratification from either inflicting or receiving physical pain or humiliation BDSM usually involves partners taking on specific roles in which one is dominant and the other is submissive....

When you compress or tense your muscles, they detect and communicate sensory information about movement and posture. This sense is also sometimes referred to as muscle memory. Note that kinesthesis is not the same as equilibrium. The ability to detect and maintain balance involves different sensory inputs and is linked to the functions of the inner ear. Signs of Kinesthesis Through your sense of kinesthesis, you can tell where different parts of your body are located, even if your eyes are closed or you are not looking at your body....