At a glance, psychology and finance appear to have almost nothing in common. Money, by its nature, is a social construction, quantitative, and seemingly resides “out there” apart from feelings, memories and emotions. The human mind, on the other hand, is subjective, biological, and “inside” of us. But, as it turns out, what people do […]
The field of psychology has really grown up over the last hundred years or so. Historians of the field often note that psychology grew off of a branch of philosophy in a similar way in which the natural sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology) did centuries before. In that time, many men and women have contributed to the […]
Often, when thinking about what might cause changes in neurotransmitter levels of the brain, most might immediately think ‘Medication’. Naturally, since the chemical imbalance theory (theory is the correct word here, since it is something that has not yet been proven) of mental illness has become increasingly popular. Few may realize, however, that their experiences […]
Prior to the psychopharmacology era (or, the time before antidepressants had become widely available), most individuals struggling with mental illnesses such as depression were, more or less, left on their own. However, throughout the so-called “Prozac Revolution,” in the 1970s and 1980s, antidepressants started to become more commonplace, as more individuals began using them. Nowadays, […]
Earlier this week, autumn Daylight Savings Time begun, and although most of us gained an extra hour to sleep in this past weekend, the reduced exposure to natural light has been known to contribute to a mental disorder known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or, as it is commonly referred to, “SAD.” Many of us who live in the […]
Insomnia is more than just not sleeping well. It remains a mental health disorder that is classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, and it is also a problem that many Americans suffer from. In order to meet the criteria for insomnia, Haynes, et al. (2011), describes: “Insomnia complaints must last [at least] […]
David D. Burns, M.D., first published “Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy” in 1980. Since then, the book has gone on to sell millions of copies and has inspired countless spinoff workbooks and seminars. In fact, the book’s popularity remains epitomized by a quote from the Los Angeles Times on its back cover: “A book […]
Epictetus’ Strangely ‘Modern’ Psychology Although the field of psychology is more than a century old, its roots, arguably, can be traced back even further. Psychology, much like the natural and physical sciences centuries earlier, split off from philosophy in the late 19th Century. Williams James, many histories argue, remains the first “true” psychologist in the modern […]
For several decades, psychologists in the western world have been turning eastward in an effort to better understand the psychological offerings of Buddhism. Buddhism, in short, contains a broad range of concepts, many of which have direct import for contemporary psychology. Indeed, often described as a “religion,” “spiritual practice” or simply as “a way of life,” Buddhism tends […]
Described as the “common cold” of mental illness, depression affects millions of Americans each year. For instance, in 2005 – 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “More than 1 out of 20 Americans 12 years of age or older reported current depression.” What’s more, as widely reported, once an individual […]