Therapy has become almost commonplace in the modern era, at least throughout the developed world. As therapy has become run-of-the-mill, the one-hour-per-week therapy session has become standard along with it. Given the dominance of the one-hour weekly session, it is somewhat surprising that there is so little in the way of actual scientific basis for…
DetailsPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition characterized by a damaging reaction to exposure to traumatic events that pose (or seem to pose) a serious threat to life or well-being. Doctors and researchers are well aware that only some of the people exposed to highly traumatic circumstances will develop this condition. In a…
DetailsBody dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition that causes affected individuals to negatively focus their attention on minor or nonexistent “flaws” in their physical appearance. The American Psychiatric Association classifies the condition as a close relative of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). People affected by eating disorders also commonly have fixations regarding their appearance, but…
DetailsUnless you don’t use social media, you have seen the many ‘shaming’ memes and pictures across all social platforms. These are the posts that shame someone doing something considered wrong or someone who has certain unacceptable attributes. Sometimes the shaming is funny and largely innocent, such as when pet owners shame their naughty dogs with…
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Truly traumatic events put our brains and bodies in survival mode. It is an automatic response to something traumatic and life-threatening. The problem is that many people who have experienced trauma continue to live in survival mode. They may think they have overcome the trauma, but the brain is still operating on that base level…
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Getting sober can be a scary experience. In order to live a life that doesn’t include drugs or alcohol, you have to give up the substances that have been giving you at least some degree of relief from the uncomfortable feelings that often happen in life. You may also have to give up habits, such…
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Internet addiction is an unofficially defined condition centered on dysfunctional use of the Internet while doing such things as browsing or playing games. The American Psychiatric Association is currently reviewing the evidence required to fully establish the criteria for this condition. Research indicates that substantial numbers of people potentially affected by Internet addiction also have…
DetailsAs an alcoholic or addict, you probably know that your own choices and thinking got you in a lot of trouble and, eventually, to the halls of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Recovering from active addiction requires changing the unhealthy thoughts that led you to drink, drug and make other bad choices. It requires that…
DetailsPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been part of the therapeutic lexicon since the 1980s, when PTSD was added to the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a response to the biological, psychological, and social impact of catastrophic events such as war, rape, natural disasters and surviving prisoner-of-war or concentration…
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According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) 17.6 Americans abuse alcohol, making it the most oft used addictive substance in the nation. But what’s the dividing line between alcoholism and not-quite alcoholism? The number of folks living on the edges of alcoholism could be staggering. The NCADD defines alcoholism by the…
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