Anger: How much anger is enough?

As humans we experience a lot of different emotions.  Most of them are necessary for survival, but some overwhelm us and affect our daily lives.  For example, have you ever seen someone sitting in traffic, angry and cursing up a storm? Or seen someone get mad over the smallest mistake?  Those are common signs of anger issues.  Some people are good at expressing their anger, while some aren't. 

The American Psychological Association breaks down a lot of information about anger, including the normal ways to express it.  They state that there are different ways to express this anger, and when or if they fail, then help is needed. 

The three ways to express anger properly are, to first be aggressive about it, second suppressing it and third to control and calm internal responses.  If the proper ways to express anger don’t work then there are always alternatives and help provided. 

The biggest problem our society faces, is that no one likes to admit that they have an issue.  We tend to see the consequences of the denial every day.  The shootings and current violence in Ferguson is a perfect example.  If we analyze it we’ll realize that violence emerges from anger that hasn't been expressed properly.  Not only that anger affects each individual, but it also affects the relationships with people that we care about. 

Now that we understand that improperly expressed anger can result in negative consequences, it would be wise for someone with anger issues to consider counseling.  The American Psychological Association states that, a psychologist or other licensed mental health professional can work with individuals to help develop a range of techniques for changing your thinking and your behavior.

Source: http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx?item=5

Treatments for Heroin Addiction

 

By: Jillian Curry

 

 

With the recent death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman due to a heroin overdose, one may wonder how his death could have been avoided.  Heroin is an opiate drug that is highly addictive.  Treatment for heroin addiction is most successful when it is sought early.

The most successful treatment for heroin addiction involves a combination of therapy and medication.  The most common therapeutic techniques include cognitive-behavioral therapy and contingency management therapy.  Cognitive-behavioral therapy involves changing the thought processes that occur before a behavior in order to prevent the problem behavior from occurring, while contingency management therapy involves a reward and punishment approach for good and bad behaviors.

Effective medications for heroin addiction include Methodone and Suboxone.  Methodone is primarily used as a painkiller, but is also very effective in reducing the withdrawal symptoms of heroin.  This medication lasts 24-36 hours and does not have effect on daily activities.  Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, which work together to reverse the effects of narcotic drugs, like heroin.

Either of these medications, in combination with therapy, provide great hope to those suffering from heroin addiction.  When sought early, treatment could mean the difference between life and death.


Sources:

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/heroin/f/herion_faq09.htm
http://www.drugs.com/misspellings/methodone.html
http://www.drugs.com/suboxone.html

 

Obsessive-Compulsive

By: Riddhi Patel 

"I couldn't touch any doors or counter tops in public areas. I knew it didn't make any sense, but I was terrified of getting germs that could kill me. I almost couldn't go out in public, I was so afraid. If I thought I touched anything, I would have to wash myself for hours. Sometimes I washed so much that my skin would get red and raw and I would start to bleed."

One of the most commonly misused words in today's society would have to be the word obsessed. Phrases such as, "I am so obsessed with your shoes!" and "My current obsession is Greek yogurt" completely distort the actual meaning of the word. More often than not, this word is thrown into conversations when someone describes something they simply like. However, it has a much deeper meaning than that. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means "to have a persistent disturbing preoccupation with an often unreasonable idea or feeling."

When a person is obsessed with an idea or feeling it can indicate the presence of a mental illness known as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). If you have OCD, you have repeated, upsetting thoughts. You may do the same thing over and over again to make the thoughts go away. You feel like you are not in control of either your thoughts or your actions. The disturbing thoughts and images are called "obsessions" and the actions you repeatedly take to relieve your anxiety are called "compulsions".

"At first I was too embarrassed to get help, but a friend told me to call the doctor. I'm so glad I did."

Talking to psychiatrist, psychologist or psychotherapist helps many people with OCD. A type of psychotherapy known as cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly useful for treating OCD. It teaches different ways of thinking and reacting to certain situations that help you feel less anxious. A psychiatrist or a nurse practitioner could also prescribe medication that help you get rid of these symptoms.

"I took medicine my doctor gave me. I also worked very hard in therapy with a psychologist. I learned to cope with my fear of germs and to stop washing so much."

Substance Dependence vs Substance Abuse

By: Samantha Santo

Is there really a difference between substance dependence and substance abuse?  It might seem like there isn't, but there actually is.

Substance dependence is when a person relies on a certain drug to make them feel a certain way, to essentially feel "normal".  You can tell a person is dependent on a substance if he or she develops a tolerance, meaning it takes a great amount of a substance to feel normal.  A person is considered to be dependent when it is hard to manage drug use and he or she spends a great deal of time trying to obtain the drug.

Substance abuse is when a person misuses a substance.  The person typically consumes an excessive amount of the drug.  When a person abuses a substance, he or she tends to put himself or others in dangerous situations.  A person abusing a substance is also inclined to neglect certain obligations, such as work, school and even relationships.

Substance dependence and substance abuse may be different, but both can have detrimental effects on a person as well as on his or her loved ones. 

Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms and Treatment

 

 

By: Jillian Curry

 

 

Bipolar Disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a psychological disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function.  Thought to be caused by genetic factors in unique combination with environmental, as well as other personal factors, bipolar disorder affects more than 2 million American adults every year.

The defining symptoms of bipolar disorder are its mood swings.  These refer to feeling overly energetic (manic) at a given time, and then sad and hopeless (depressed) at another given time.

Signs and symptoms of a manic episode include: increased energy and activity, restlessness, excessively “high” euphoric mood, extreme irritability, racing thoughts, talking fast, jumping from one idea to another, distractibility, sleeplessness, poor judgment, spending sprees, unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers, increased sex drive, abuse of drugs, provocative, intrusive, and aggressive behaviors, and denial that anything is wrong.  A manic episode is diagnosed when elevated mood occurs with at least 3 of these symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 1 week.

 

Signs and symptoms of a depressive episode include: sad mood, feelings of hopelessness, pessimism, guilt, worthlessness, helplessness, a loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, decreased energy, difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions, restlessness, irritability, change in sleep, change in appetite, and unintended weight loss or gain.  A depressive episode may also include chronic pain that is not caused by physical illness or injury, and thoughts of suicide.  A depressive episode is diagnosed when 5 or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks.

 

Despite these symptoms, most people with bipolar disorder can be relieved of their symptoms with the proper treatment.  Treatments for bipolar disorder include mood stabilizing medications and various other newer psychiatric medications.  Along with psychotherapy, these medications can alleviate the often troublesome bipolar symptoms.

 

 

Source:  National Institute of Mental Health





Can Religion Protect Us From Depression?

By: Riddhi Patel 

Nowadays, depression is commonly associated with having the “blues” or feeling “down in the dumps”. Although this association is not too far-fetched, depression is much more serious than that - it is a medical illness that involves the brain. A person can be diagnosed with depression when the feeling of unhappiness negatively starts to impact their daily life for at least 2 weeks. Anyone can have depression regardless of how old they are or where they are from. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 6.7% of the U.S population is diagnosed with this illness.  

Furthermore, studies have associated depression with thinning of the brain cortex. What if there was something out there associated with the thickening of the brain cortex and could possibly protect against depression?

A recent study conducted by Lisa Miller, professor and director of Clinical Psychology and director of Spirituality Mind Body at Teachers College, Columbia, included 103 adults at either high or low risk of depression. After being asked how much they valued religion or spirituality, the participants got MRI’s done and the results indicated that those who placed high importance on religion had a thicker cortex than those who placed low importance on religion. The findings suggest that there is a negative correlation between religious people and depression. In other words, religious people seem to be less susceptible to depression. 


Sources:

Lisa Miller, Ravi Bansal, Priya Wickramaratne, Xuejun Hao, Craig E. Tenke, Myrna M. Weissman, Bradley S. Peterson. Neuroanatomical Correlates of Religiosity and Spirituality. JAMA Psychiatry, 2013; 1 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.3067
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/depression/

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing. 

Foundation For an Adolescent's Trust

By: Samantha Santo

During the teenage years, it is often hard to establish and maintain a trusting relationship with your adolescent.  It is not uncommon for an adolescent to stray, but it is important for you to let him or her know you will always be there.  If your adolescent knows you are always available to listen, he or she is more likely to feel comfortable talking to you.

Another important element for the foundation of trust is understanding your adolescent.  Adolescents are going through a period of change which can be difficult.  If he or she knows their parents understand this, they will be more inclined to communicate with you.

Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Symptoms and Treatment

By: Jillian Curry

This winter has already proven to be a harsh one.  With its recent snow storms and frigid temperatures, many people may find themselves feeling tired, unable to concentrate, and depressed.

These feelings may be signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or “the winter blues”, which according to Psych Central, affects as many as 14 million Americans every year.  Its cause is thought to be related to a disruption in the body’s circadian rhythm, or “sleep-wake” cycle.  While the body is asleep, assuming there is darkness, a hormone called melatonin is produced in order to create the drowsiness associated with sleep.  As the winter days grow shorter, the increased amount of darkness confuses the body’s melatonin regulation, leading to feelings of drowsiness, lack of energy, and even depression. 

The key to treating SAD is to help the body recognize and regulate the proper time to produce melatonin.  For some people, this can be done by taking melatonin supplements before bed.  Other people respond better to taking the supplement when waking in the morning.  This signals the brain to stop producing melatonin during the day, by suggesting that the right levels have been reached.

Other forms of treatment for SAD include light therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and antidepressant medications.  With all these options, it is very possible to relieve the symptoms associated with SAD until the spring months arrive again.

Sources:

http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/articles/cold_weather_mood_shock_how_to_avoid_the_winter_blues1/

http://psychcentral.com/library/seasonal_affective.htm

http://psychcentral.com/lib/are-you-sad-this-winter-coping-with-seasonal-affective-disorder/00010241

Suicide: Rational or Irrational?

By: Jillian Curry

Common reasons for suicidal acts result from psychological disturbances.  For example, many people contemplate suicide as a last resort to end the feelings of sadness and hopelessness that come with depression.  Other people may use suicidal acts as a way to alert those around them that they are feeling troubled and are in need of help.  Motivations may also include the desire to end physical pain, or to shorten an inevitable death after receiving a serious medical diagnosis.  In rare cases, suicidal thoughts may result from psychosis, as hallucinations may command self-destruction.

With the recent suicide bombings taking place in Afghanistan, the latest occurring on January 17th in Kabul, many people are wondering what could be responsible for causing such horrible acts.  It may be surprising to learn that the motivations behind these suicide bombers are quite different from what we commonly think of as motivations for suicide.

In the case of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan, many are psychologically healthy.  What then is it that motivates these healthy young men and women to contemplate suicide?  It turns out that because these individuals are deeply rooted in their community and their sense of identity is tied to their terrorist organizations, dedication is their main motivation for suicide.  They sacrifice their lives to promote their group's religious and political agendas.

In this way, while we may commonly think of the motivations behind suicide as being individually based, those of the suicide bombers in Afghanistan are largely community-based.  This shows just how powerful group dedication can be, as it has the power to influence such an extreme personal decision to end one's life.

Sources:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/afghanistan-suicide-  bombing_n_4617809.html#slide=2706341
- http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/what-motivates-suicide-bombers-0
- http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/happiness-in-world/201004/the-six-reasons-people-attempt-suicide

Mutiple ways to successfully quit or moderate alcohol consumption

By Irada Yunusova

     Cold turkey is often considered the only clear solution for reducing alcohol consumption. Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization which offers support and a single plan of abstinence, surrendering one's ego, and accepting one's "powerlessness" over alcohol, is often acclaimed as the most successful approach for alcoholics to improve their lives.  However, some individuals may find greater success with other approaches that require moderation and not elimination.

Research indicates that individuals who repeatedly drink more than they intend, sometimes having physical or psychological consequences from over-drinking, may benefit more from programs that encourage moderation instead of abstinence. Some individuals can successfully minimize alcohol consumption with brief interventions and practical advice about how to set better limits and change their drinking behavior by reducing consumption.

Some doctors treat alcohol-use disorders by prescribing drugs, including naltrexone, an opioid antagonist approved by the FDA in 1994. Although this drug has typically been prescribed to assist abstinence, some individuals have found greater success by taking the drug in conjunction with minimal levels of alcohol consumption. Psychologist John David Sinclair utilizes "pharmacological extinction," with which patients take naltrexone an hour before drinking. Naltrexone blocks the rewards produced by drinking, causing the individual to crave alcohol less and less, with a 78% success rate. Nalmefene, a drug similar to naltrexone, has been approved in Europe to aid heavy drinkers moderate their alcohol consumption.

Moderation Management has recently been identified as a very successful, free, nonprofit support group for nondependent problem drinkers who want to control their consumption, especially amongst women. M.M. implements techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy. Unlike A.A., M.M. encourages members to take "personal responsibly for choosing and maintaining their own path, whether moderation or abstinence." Members are provided guidelines for moderation where they are instructed to abstain for 30 days, reintroduce alcohol while evaluating the effects of drinking, and then stick within limits (for women, nine drinks a week and no more than three on any day). Another option for moderation is moderatedrinking.com, a website that helps drinkers set limits, self-monitor while they're drinking, get feedback on their progress and identify and manage triggers to overdrinking.

Certain approaches may be more successful that others depending on circumstances. Although abstinence is encouraged for severely dependent drinkers, moderation may be the ideal approach for some. It may be easier to prevent overdrinking through medication, meetings, and online websites. Treatment of alcohol dependency is difficult, but it is important to recognize different possible approaches, and to find the one that may work best in any situation.

Reference: Glaser, Garbrielle. "Cold Turkey Isn't the Only Route." The New York Times OP-ED. 2 Jan 2014.

Emotions correspond to different sensations in the body

By Irada Yunusova

     Most people believe that emotions are felt by the heart, or the mind, or by both. However, recent research indicates that emotions are felt by the whole body. Sensations felt in the head, limbs, and chest vary by emotion, so different levels of sensations correspond to an individual's emotional state.

     In a recent Finnish study, 5 experiments were run in which participants from Finland, Sweden, and Taiwan were given outlines of a body and asked to color in the regions where they felt warmer or cooler in certain body parts in response to 13 emotions. After comparing the responses, researchers found that all 13 emotions, including anger, fear, surprise, happiness, and depression, were all very different. However, the patterns of color were consistent across participants from different cultures.

     The diagram above depicts the results of the study, where blue indicates diminished sensation and yellow indicates elevated sensation. Most individuals found that anger increased sensation in the limbs, while sadness decreased it. Happiness was unique in its ability to increase sensation in all parts of the body. So the cliche happy feeling "all over" or the butterflies in your stomach from love are actually accurate descriptions of a person's emotional state.

     The results of this study, gathered from healthy individuals, allows researchers to better grasp the mind-body link. It also encourages further study to understand the mind-body link's role in mood disorders, possibly providing another means of diagnosing psychological conditions. The meaningful findings in this study demonstrate how both scientists and individuals themselves can better understand the human body and it's emotions.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2013/12/31/emotions-body-mapping-finnish-study/4260281/

Why do New Year's resolutions fail and how can they be more successful?

By Irada Yunusova

     We all search for turning points in our life, New Year's being the ideal option. Whether to lose weight or to save money, people often believe that a New Year's resolution will be a simple fix to any problem. But why is it that New Year's resolutions do not usually pan out? And why does over 50% of the population continue to make them?

     Researches have been interested in the psychology behind New Year's resolutions as early as 1980s. At that time, psychologist John Norcross studied New Year's resolutions of his time. He found that over 50% of the American population made New Year's resolutions, but after six months, only 40% followed through with them. Two years later, only 19% continued to stick to their resolutions. Amongst those, however, more than 50% experienced lapses, with as many as 14 on average. How do individuals continue to believe that they can change their behavior just because of a date on a calendar?

     In 2012, researchers Katherine Milkman,  Jason Riis, and Hengchen Dai from the University of Pennsylvania suggested that turning points are key in our decisions for change. Studying the journal Management Science, they found that temporal turning points, such as the beginning of a week, a month, or a year form a boundary which individuals believe can separate the old from the new. They found that daily Google searches for the term "diet" over a period of nine years peaked at the start of any week, month, or year. Immediately after New Year's, an 82% increase above the baseline for searches was found. The researchers found similar patterns for gym attendance and goal setting and achievement for a website called stickK. Beyond individual health, positive outlook at the beginning of the year even impacts the economy's health by improving the performance of the stock market.

     However, it is this same optimism that can ultimately lead to individuals' failures. Often, individuals overestimate their own abilities, underestimate the time and effort involved in following through with the goal, or have an exaggerated view of the effect that the change would have on their lives. Psychologists Janet Polivy and Peter Herman titled this phenomenon the false-hope syndrome, where unrealistic expectation about ability to change are followed by failure of high hopes.

     Scientists conclude that there is still hope for change, however, and realistic goal-setting is crucial. As long as individuals do not overestimate their own abilities or underestimate the required effort, they can be more successful. Peter Gollwitzer's theory of implementation intentions suggests that it is easier to stick to a goal if contingencies are considered in advance and responses are planned for each scenario. For example, if an individual sets a goal of going to the gym but knows that in the future he will reason with himself by saying he is too tired to go to the gym, he will be more successful in continuing with his goal if he had initially planned to drink coffee of eat an apple whenever such a setback occurs. As long as realistic and specific goals are set, individuals can be successful for any occasion, including New Year's resolutions.

Source: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/elements/2013/12/why-we-make-resolutions-and-why-they-fail.html

Anorexia and Bulimia Should Not Be Made Fun Of

 

By Pamela O'Connor

 

From the “Anna Rexia” Halloween costume in 2011 to the new controversial article “5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder”, it has been shown that eating disorders are not taken as seriously as they should be. The costume itself showcases what an anorexic girl’s skeleton would look like, and was banned from stores. Unfortunately it was brought back, with the message that it would be funny to dress up as an anorexic on Halloween. Essentially, this poked fun at a serious mental disorder that can cause long term effects and sometimes even death.

Interestingly the article is attracting much more negative feedback than the costume. “5 Reasons to Date a Girl with an Eating Disorder” was posted on a website named “Return of Kings” by the author under the pseudo name Truthmosis. He/She starts the article by saying that eating disorders are luxuries designated for the white, wealthy girls. He also states that a classic eating disorder can predict a lot of traits about a woman and these traits end up being desirable to today’s American man. He also makes a side note to clear up that this article does not pertain to “fatties with no self-control”, only to girls with anorexia or bulimia, because they are considered to be the more attractive diseases.

The article then goes on to list the reasons that a man should date a girl with an eating disorder, insulting more and more women with every word. He believes that when a woman is fighting a disease such as anorexia or bulimia, she will improve her overall looks because she has become so obsessed with them. She will never be fat, and will care about her clothes and appearance in general, showing his narcissistic and superficial self in an even more obvious way. Another reason he states is that she will cost less money, meaning you can bring her to nice, expensive restaurants and only spend a minimal amount. This is because she will only order dishes such as a side salad, or whatever communal food you order, so sometimes you can even finish off her plate if you would like. This unfortunately encourages the disease, instead of trying to help the person you are dating to be happier and healthier and to value her for who she is and not only what she looks like.

                Another advantage according to Truthmosis is a girl’s low self-esteem. He considers it a good thing that she will be vulnerable and thinks too many women have a high level of confidence for no reason. He mistakenly believes these women will apologize more readily and will be modest, craving nothing more than your approval. And since this article states that eating disorders are only for the wealthy, he assumes that these girls have their own money, which will enable them to pay for things or buy you gifts. Truthmosis ends this article by saying that girls with eating disorders will also be better in bed, because according to the author, girls considered “crazy” make better partners in bed.

                Petitions have been written and people have more than shared their opinions about this outrageous article. Eating disorders, in any form, are a serious mental illnesses and affect the person as well as those around them, negatively. Nothing about their suffering is positive or fun. These diseases are not to be made fun of but are to be helped and healed. Authors like this make it harder to see the danger of these illnesses and instead turn them into a joke or dating game. It is sad that such uninformed negative opinions exist and even worse, that they give people distorted inaccurate information. Such irresponsible opinions can be taken seriously by mentally ill patients and can have a negative effect on ones struggling with this disease.

Article Source: http://www.returnofkings.com/21313/5-reasons-to-date-a-girl-with-an-eating-disorder

 

 

The Cognitive Reasons Behind Lying

           

 

 

           Lying is universally known as having a negative connotation. As children, we are continuously scolded any time we are caught lying. As we get older, we try to prevent guilt by using term such as “white lie” or “fib”. Yet, we has humans will inevitably lie throughout our lives. Why is it that we put ourselves through such a guilty and shameful process when we know it’s wrong?

            One answer could be to say that it is natural. No individual is perfect, and even if we are completely aware that something is morally wrong, we still may occasionally slip up. Another explanation backed up by psychological research, is that we are most likely to display a specific behavior when that behavior is reinforced through a variable-ratio schedule of reward. This means that an individual will never know how much reward he or she will receive with the occurrence of a particular behavior, or if there will be reward at all. So when we lie, it is to see if we will get away with it.

            If executed successfully, lying can free us from awkward situations, prevent us from hurting the feelings of others, and enhance our social status. Most of the time, the mere chance of such rewards being reaped will convince us to take the risk. This type of prioritization is shown in any species with a well developed forebrain, since these types of species often deem socialization an important aspect of survival.

 Kellie McClain

SOURCE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-dolphin-divide/201309/why-do-we-lie

Mental Disorders and the Holidays: Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress, Alcoholism, Depression, and Eating Disorders This Holiday Season

By Kellie McClain

The holiday season is filled with joy and happiness, spent with loved family members, peaceful quality time, and all around humbleness, gratefulness, and best wishes for everyone. So it seems as displayed by the media and popular culture. However, this is not always the case, and if you feel this description is far from accurate in terms of your personal experience, you are not alone. The holidays bring about stress and mixed emotions for everyone, but can have an especially detrimental effect on those with preexisting mental illness.

This does not mean that there is no joy to be experienced by such individuals. There are strategies which they and their families can implement to provide a supportive, healthy environment without making an already difficult disorder even harder to handle. Below are several disorders which may be directly affected by the environments brought on by the holiday season, including tips to navigate your way to a healthy, happy holiday experience.

Depressive Disorders: With the exception of bipolar disorder, depressive disorders involve a non-subsiding state of depression accompanied by depressive thoughts that occur regardless of the situation. Depressive thoughts and moods are especially prominent during this time because of the high frequency of Seasonal Effective Disorder, a depressive disorder caused by changes in seasons, during the fall and winter seasons. This can pose as a large issue during the holidays because being around family members you haven’t seen in a while might bring about suppressed feelings or disappointing memories. It may put you in a mental state similar to where you were in past negative situations.

The most important things to keep in mind in these situations is to keep as best you can to your regular schedule, spend time with those who truly love and care for you, and focus on the present day rather than the past and consistently reminding yourself who you are now and how far you’ve come. This will build up resistance to potential feelings of increased depression and allow you get happiness and enjoyment out of holiday season.

Anxiety Disorders: It is not abnormal for holiday gatherings and preparation to bring an immense amount of stress on everyone involved, since this time of year brings a condensed amount of special occasions to plan and attend in a short period of time. Individuals with generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, or obsessive compulsive disorder may feel specifically effected by holiday related stress.

Some ways to cope with the impending feelings of stress and anxiety include planning and executing everything in moderation and to avoid having an ideal vision of the ‘perfect holiday’ because such expectations are impossible to reach. It is important to accept that there may be issues and difficult encounters within the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. For those who experience anxiety in social situations, be sure to surround yourself with those who truly care and are sensitive to your needs. Try to put as little pressure on yourself as you can with being happy and joyous throughout each holiday experience. The less pressure you are under to find enjoyment, the more likely you are to find it naturally.

Alcoholism: Holiday gatherings bring about intense temptation for those recovering from alcohol addiction and may make it especially difficult for them to stay on track with their path to recovery. If you are a recovering alcoholic who wantst to be able to avoid relapse over the holidays and still be able to spend time with family it is crucial to focus on what the holiday gatherings are truly about and why they are important to you personally. Keep your focus away from the temptation of alcohol by always staying in conversation, take part in other things you may enjoy such as helping out around the house and catching up with distant friends and family. This will help you to get the most out of your holiday experience as well as refrain from a destructive path.

Eating Disorders: For those recovering from various eating disorders, the holidays may bring a time of anxiety, depression, and relapse of the road to recovery, rather than a time of joyous family gatherings. In order to avoid straying from the road to recovery and to prevent possible conflicts, it is highly suggested to have a set plan tailored to your specific needs and concerns that you think will best help you avoid holiday related issues in regards to your disorder. You must also place strong attention to what you value most and focus highly on relationships between those with whom you are sharing the holidays. Try viewing the holiday season in a broader context in terms of what is important to you and your family, as this helps with keeping the focus away from the disorder itself.

If feelings associated with these disorders persist to an extended amount despite the implementation of the above strategies, consulting a psychologist may be helpful in the process of coping. He or she can assist with identifying the core problems you are experiencing and developing successful plans of action from a professional perspective. Keep in mind that the holidays should be seen as a time to enhance your psychological well-being and being able to overcome such intense situations will mean a large improvement with your disorder and hope for future improvement.

SOURCES - http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/life-without-anxiety/201212/10-tips-surviving-the-holidays

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/12/addiction-and-the-holidays/

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/weightless/2012/12/4-ways-to-navigate-the-holidays-when-you-have-an-eating-disorder/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eating-mindfully/201212/coping-the-stresses-the-season

http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/holiday-season.aspx

Obsession; Do we live in an Obsessed Society?

 

By Pamela O'Connor

 

Recently, we have begun to see the word obsession more and more. Obsession is used in simple sentences describing how we feel about food, shoes, or even people. It is has become overly used and replaced the word “like” entirely. No one can simply “like” something anymore; we must be obsessed with and think of it all the time, that is, until the next obsession comes along. We see celebrities talk about their obsessions, see postings of it on Facebook, hash tags on Instagram and start to feed into being obsessed with new trends or new people.

                One of the main reasons we obsess over things is our constant competitive need to be better than anyone else. When someone shows a liking for something, he or she must be obsessed with it. When this happens, this can make us feel that we not only love it more, but that we loved it first, and therefore, feel we have won in competing with others. This gives us an ego boost and makes us want to obsess even more. There is always something new, something that we want first and don’t want others to have. We are obsessed with having that designer bag, or looking like a certain celebrity so badly we become obsessed with changing everything about ourselves to resemble that person.

                Just the word obsession itself has leaked heavily into our culture and it is hard to resist. Headlines indicating how much we are obsessed with technology, tragedies, and current events further our obsession to be obsessed. Magazines show an obsession of beautiful women and expensive clothing, telling us we should be just as obsessed as they are. With so much to be obsessed about, there is no way to compare two objects. Everything is an obsession and, therefore, everything should be considered to be worthy of that much attention, even things that aren’t as perfect as we think.

                The frequency with what we use this word results in its losing the meaning and power that it used to hold. Obsession should be used to describe extreme love or desire, and originally it was meant to describe an actual mental disorder. But clearly that has changed. This word has gone from having a serious and almost always negative connotation to being used to describe how we feel about materialistic objects and relatively meaningless things. However, there are more than enough ways to describe our liking towards things in our lives, and finding new words to express that would greatly decrease our obsession with being obsessed.

What contributes to SAD-ness: A look into Seasonal Affective Disorder

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Walking out of work at 5pm into complete darkness is deflating. Where did the day go? This pitch darkness that swallows up the early evenings this time of the year may have neurobiological effects with clinical implications. Shortening of days and decreased sunlight occur in the September to November period and prolong until March and April. During this span, some individuals react negatively to these changes, feeling some form of depression, hopelessness, or lack of motivation. This effect is labeled Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Humans need sunlight more than they think. As evidenced by the prevalence of this depressive disorder, being deprived of the sun or natural light can lead to a rise in melatonin levels and a fall in serotonin levels. 

Melatonin is known as the hormone that makes us drowsy and puts us to sleep at the right times according to our circadian rhythms. Our rhythm kicks in when we see darkness towards the end of a long day, but this rhythm is thrown off when this darkness comes a few hours earlier and there is still more left in the day. Melatonin can, therefore, increase more than usual during this time of year because of the increased darkness and shift in our rhythm. This makes us more sleepy and tired during the late afternoon and evenings.

The neurotransmitter serotonin is also linked to this disorder due to its mood stabilizing properties. It is proposed that serotonin decreases with a decrease in natural sunlight, resulting in more fluctuating moods during this time of darkness. Being surrounded by more and more darkness can certainly be a downer, so much so that it can chemically alter one's mood to a point of dysfunction.


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As for who is commonly inflicted, SAD is found to be very prevalent in northern hemispheric territories. To be expected, the shorter days hit the northern hemisphere the hardest come fall. The dwindling sunlight hurts those above the equator with more intense SAD risk factors.

Solutions for treating or preventing this mood disorder are fairly unique. While psychoactive medication, in the form of anti-depressants, may alleviate the biological maladies, light therapy can be used to improve an individual's light exposure. Although it is not natural light, the use of a light box can emit bright rays and expose an individual to a brighter room or atmosphere, effectively addressing his or her troubles with the dominating natural darkness. Also, for less severe cases, a winter time vacation to an appropriate, perhaps tropical, location can provide a much needed break from the harsh seasonal changes. 

-Ryan Scanlon

Works Used:

http://whatispsychology.net/seasonal-affective-disorder-statistics-and-facts/

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/natural-standard/201201/feeling-sad-season

Factors That Affect a Child’s Adjustment to Divorce

As difficult as a divorce may be for the people involved, there is no denying that if there are children involved in these situations, they will be affected as well. For some children who have to live through a parental divorce, it is a very difficult and trying time in their life but other children are not as severely affected. These differences may be due the different factors that affect how a child adjusts to divorce which are: 

• Severity of Conflict: If there is constant fighting and arguing in front of a child, this child is more likely to have a hard time dealing with divorce. Many times parents make their child feel like they are stuck in the middle and try to take sides. None of this helps.  It is better if parents try to keep their fighting away from the child and not involve them.
• Parents’ adjustment: The way that a child’s parents are themselves dealing with and adjusting to the divorce will influence how that child adjusts to the divorce as well. If parents are having a hard time dealing with the divorce and seem to have a hostile outlook, their children will most likely pick up on that attitude as well. Children look to their parents for ways in which they should react. If parents are too busy fighting with each other instead of trying to build their relationship with their children and build stability in their home, the child may end up confused.
• Information the child knows about the divorce: It is important that the child is not completely in the dark about the divorce but it’s also important that they not be aware of confusing, negative information. If they are living through this divorce with their parents, they should know what is going on but not know too much. Depending on the child’s age, they may not be able to comprehend all aspects of the divorce. In order to not confuse them, it is better to only provide them with the most important information such as how it may affect them and their living situation. If children are getting no information about what is going on, it is likely they may begin to make assumptions and could perhaps start to blame themselves.
• Level of Social Support: Having people around them to talk to and help through such a difficult time is very important to children dealing with divorce. Parents should encourage that the child remains close with both sides of the family. It may be difficult for parents to help their child as they are dealing with stress of their own but it is important that they still try to find time to provide emotional support for their children.

       If a parent sees that their child continues to struggle with the effects of divorce, seeking therapy may be helpful. A therapist will be able to help the child work through their emotions and feelings about the divorce.

By: Stephanie Lopez

Source:  http://www.extension.purdue.edu/providerparent/family-child%20relationships/EffectDivorce.htm

Breaking Bad Habits: A Psychological Viewpoint

By Kellie McClain

                Preventing the occurrence of unwanted habits and behaviors can pose as extremely stressful and frustrating, especially if the habit is deeply embedded into an individual’s routine. The main problem that those with bad habits experience when attempting to prevent the behavior is discouragement due to increase resistance. Most often, someone will take action toward preventing the behavior and make substantial progress, but once prevention reaches its peak difficulty, that individual then gives up and loses any progress that was made.

                Tackling this issue from a psychological perspective could help individuals understand how the process of habit breaking works, which will give them more knowledge and motivation when encountering difficulties.  From a psychological view, habit forming occurs under a learning process knowing as conditioning. An individual learns to perform a specific behavior based on the rewards that are received by that behavior. These rewards then make the behavior stronger and turn it into a habit. These habits can only be broken through extinction, which is the process through which a conditioned response decreases or is eliminated completely.

                Through the process of extinction, one will experience increased frustration and difficulty with preventing the behavior. At the peak of this frustration, extinction bursts, which are known as explosions of unwanted behavior, are often displayed by the individual. It is at this point that many individuals get discouraged and give up. However extinction bursts are often followed by complete extinction of the behavior, which means the habit has been successfully broken.

                The take home message for breaking bad habits is to keep in mind the mental process that occur during extinction and to have faith that this process will lead to eventual success. Next time you are trying to rid of an unwanted habit and encourage significant difficulty and frustration, remember that this only means that you are getting closer to reaching your goal.

SOURCE: http://www.psychologytoday.com/collections/201311/putting-thoughts-action/bursting-through-bad-habits

Teenage Violence; Raising Awareness for Teen Dating Violence

By Kellie McClain

                Conversations about strangers, bullying, drug use, and sex are commonly had between a teenager and their parent or guardian because a majority of parents know how important it is to discuss these topics. What most often is overlooked, however, is dating violence among teens. Parents of teenagers are normally shocked to hear that one in three teens have been victims of dating violence or have been affected by abusive relationships. What is most unfortunate is that this information is all too often not discovered until after their teen experiences such violent abuse and harrowing effects. Violence occurring in teenage romantic relationship is a topic that unfortunately most individuals are not fully aware of, especially in terms of its severity and frequency.

                Teen dating violence has become an unheard and unspoken epidemic that can occur right in front of parents. It often continues to go un-intervened if the parent lacks awareness. Teens are unlikely stop the abusive situation themselves since most teens are not educated enough on the topic to take the situation seriously. The most common flaw in the __ about teenage dating violence is that the victim is to blame. This was the condition in the recent polls and presentations performed by the Boston Public Health Commission. If teens continue to retain this view, they will be less likely to report abuse, seek help from others, or take any action themselves to prevent further violence. In addition, teenagers are in stages of development in which they do not have a concrete sense of self and, therefore, do not have a good grasp on what create and define a healthy relationship. Parents are also guilty of flawed viewpoints on abusive relationships, often excusing excessive control as “puppy love” and failing to see the severity of the situation.

                If susceptible individuals wish to see any change in these statistics, it is crucial that parents and teens become conscious and fully knowledgeable about the root causes of teen dating violence and how to manage and prevent it. This lack of awareness must be addressed at multiple levels including school districts, parents, and peers through focus groups, school presentations, pediatric screenings, media coverage, the spread of “National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.” This month dedicated to awareness of teen dating violence was recently passed by congress and can be implemented along with other strategies exhibited by activists groups as well as by citizens at the local and individual level. Since these acts of violence occur most commonly with those who the victim knows, it is essential that teens be aware of the warning signs of abuse and feel comfortable with reaching out to those they trust.

SOURCE: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/03/epidemic.aspx