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101 Results for search "Psychology / Mental Health: Misc.".

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In the United States, each percentage rise in unemployment leads to 6,000 deaths. In her previous life, Ellen Rood watched over 3,000 head of Black Angus cattle on a sprawling ranch in central Montana. But even 50,000-acre spreads have to downsize sometimes, and Rood found herself laid off. Like so many other people who lose their jobs, Rood had to downsize her life. Now she lives in an Airstream ...

After a lifetime of denial, one pivotal moment forced Dan G. to confront a painful truth: He was addicted to his work. Exploding in rage after some bad news delivered by his boss, he snapped, screaming at his secretary and punching the walls of his office with his bare fists. "I knew I was cracking up," he says now. It was 1982, and Dan had been saddled with starting a new business venture for th...

Do you find yourself waiting until the last minute to finish a critical document? Are meetings often scheduled and announced just in the nick of time? Is the production of your work calendar a quarterly nightmare? If you recognize any of these scenarios, procrastination may be sneaking into your life, stealing valuable time, and eroding your productivity. Procrastination is the habitual delay in s...

You get the news Wednesday morning. A colleague has just experienced a death in her family. What should you do or say? What is the correct etiquette in the workplace, and what can you do to ease the pain and transition for your fellow worker? You might send a card or say something to express sympathy. Try to avoid platitudes. It will be better received if you sincerely express your concern or, bet...

Work of the eyes is done, now go and do heart work on all the images imprisoned -- Rainer Maria Rilke My friend Barbara calls marriage a crucible. In her second union for eight years, she's just come out of a difficult year in which both she and her husband were jobless and fighting constantly. She called it the time of the great questioning: Doubts, regrets, fears of aging, and painful recrimi...

Getting a tattoo first occurred to me as I approached my 40th birthday. Even now, 13 years later, I can't say exactly why. I do know what a shrink would say (shrinks tend to be predictable on such matters): "Trying to stave off aging, to regain lost youth" - all that oh-so-obvious stuff, which is boring because it's just plain wrong. A tattoo is far more complex than that. There's a touch of the ...

The Southern Poverty Law Center has long been a pioneer in combating racism and hate crimes. With its Teaching Tolerance project, the law center has continued to educate children and adults about how to combat bias in the classroom, at home, and in the workplace. The organization provides free educational materials to teachers in the United States and abroad, with the belief that classrooms are ...

On a flight from San Francisco to New York City on September 10, 2001, Jim Campbell read a book he would remember later as extraordinarily prophetic. One Day in September, the story of the massacre of Israeli athletes by Palestinian extremists during the 1972 Olympics in Munich, was a perfect example of how a normal day can turn into "the nightmare of nightmares." When the first plane hit Tower On...

When Bebe Fitzgerald began working as a volunteer for the Audubon Society at age 53, it was something of a lark. But the resident of Billings, Montana, kept volunteering for three decades until her death at age 83. On one of her last birding trips, she admitted that she couldn't spot birds quite as easily as she used to, but she still provided invaluable assistance to a group of novices who didn't...

Most grandparents hope to spend their golden years blissfully spoiling their grandkids. For some, however, these years are filled with court battles and anguish when a child's divorce or other family problems prevent them from even seeing them. Grandparents Judith and J.H. Fleming of Perkins, Oklahoma, experienced this for themselves. When their son and his wife were divorced, the Flemings tried t...

What is body image? It's your own subjective idea of how you look, summed up in your reaction to what you see in the mirror. If you're among the millions of Americans who say "Ugh," you have problems with body image. Because such problems are surprisingly potent -- especially in a culture like ours, which places so much emphasis on being thin, young, and beautiful -- negative body image can and ...

What is art therapy? From sketches of cave bears to children's drawings on a refrigerator, art has always been an integral part of humanity. Art therapy uses art and the creative process to help us:

  • reconcile emotional conflicts
  • reduce anxiety
  • build self-awareness
  • solve problems and
  • increase self-esteem
Drawing on dance, drama, and photograp...

Here's a joke: A man tells his friend about a dinner party he had at his house the night before. "I made a real Freudian slip," he says. "I meant to tell my mother-in-law to pass the butter, and instead I said, "You silly cow, you ruined my life!" Is humor good for my health? You've probably heard countless warnings about the dangers of negative emotions. Stress, anger, and depression can sap yo...

Sarah Schwartz* grew up in a fairly close-knit family where relatives were unafraid to express anger. When they were angry, they sometimes exploded and even yelled -- sometimes at the top of their voices. Although these displays were unpleasant, they were never catastrophic. Eventually, Sarah learned, the anger cooled, apologies were offered, and life went on. Her husband Paul, however, was raised...

Love and commitment, most people would agree, are the essential ingredients of a good marriage. Yet, as divorce rates still hover around 40 to 50 percent, there is a growing recognition among psychologists, therapists, counselors, and other professionals that this recipe often falls short for altar-bound couples. A lack of listening skills Some experts cite one main reason for this failure: lack ...

Nothing is more irritating to author Connie Goldman than the stereotypes out there about older people and sex -- especially the one about seniors not having sex. "People see an older couple that has just gotten married or who are holding hands, and they say, 'Oh, how cute,' " says Goldman, a former public radio producer. "It's belittling." At age 76, Goldman spends a great deal of her time trying ...

What would the world be like if everyone stopped having sex? Ratings for late-night talk shows would soar, and stock in Pampers would plummet. We'd have more time to think about other things, like a plan for peace in the Middle East or plot lines for the next great American novel. And we'd be miserable. The human brain is hard-wired to seek out and enjoy sex, a fact that helps explain the 6 billio...

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric problems among older people, but it's not a natural or inescapable part of aging. Seniors don't become "grumpy" or "crotchety" (to name two stereotypical descriptions) simply because they've grown older. They may be clinically depressed -- which may be misinterpreted by others, and by the depressed individuals themselves. Friends, family, and even d...

Pets may chew on furniture, bark at shadows, pee in unauthorized places, jump on your face in the middle of the night, leave mangled birds at the doorstep, and never stop to apologize. Yet many people can't imagine life without them. As any pet owner will tell you, tooth marks on table legs and surprises in the corner are a small price to pay for the loyalty, fun, and unconditional love and affect...

When does gambling become a problem? Gambling can be a fun diversion for adults of any age. Many people enjoy going to the horse races, picking teams in an office pool, or dreaming of lottery winnings. For seniors, especially, a bingo parlor or casino can be a great opportunity for socializing and a nice break from routine life. The great majority of people, young and old, gamble responsibly, but...

What is premenstrual syndrome? Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is the common name for the collection of physical and emotional symptoms that many women experience seven to 14 days before their menstrual period begins. Most women have at least a few PMS symptoms at some point, and it's usually a minor inconvenience. However, up to 40 percent of women deal with PMS every month, and it's sometimes sev...

Nikki Tilford's first glimpse into her personal nightmare came 21 years ago as she was driving to her job at the University of Cincinnati. "It was like a thunderbolt inside of me. My heart just started racing and my first thought was that I was having a heart attack or a stroke," says Tilford. Everything seemed normal when she got to work, so she dismissed it as a bad morning. The next day, on the...

If you have an explosive temper or simply snap at people more often than you'd like, you would probably benefit from being able to control your anger more. Remember, anger is only a feeling; how you deal with that feeling is your choice. With a little practice, you can learn how to avoid blow-ups that only harm you and the people you care about. 1. Recognize the warning signs Can you recognize wh...

Anger is a signal, and one worth listening to. -- Psychologist Harriet Goldhor Lerner, in The Dance of Anger Anger is a perfectly normal, healthy emotion -- and a warning that we should pay attention to. It can indicate that we're being harmed, that our needs aren't being met, and that we're compromising too much of our own values in a relationship. It may mean that our rights are being trampled o...

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, it's reasonable to fear earthquakes. However, it's far less reasonable to fixate on the possibility that, in a major temblor the snakes in a nearby pet shop will escape and slither into your office, looking for you. That kind of phobia is right up Dr. Howard Liebgold's alley. You may not have heard of Liebgold by his real name. He's much better known as "...

If you suffer from generalized anxiety disorder, by all means seek help. Treatments and counseling are better now than ever. But even if you don't have GAD, you may still be concerned about the amount of worry and anxiety you are feeling. Here are some tips from the American Academy of Family Physicians on coping with anxiety: Control your worry. Pick a place and time to do your worrying. Make i...

While people who are apt to fly into rages face one set of problems, those who rarely express their anger -- including those who don't even acknowledge that they feel anger -- can face negative consequences as well. One recent study of 23,000 older men found that those who outwardly expressed their anger from time to time had a significantly decreased risk of stroke and heart disease than men who ...

When Hurricane Katrina unleashed its fury over southern Louisiana, it wiped out more than just buildings and homes. Survivors escaped harm only to find themselves reliving the nightmare again and again. More than a month after the hurricane passed, nearly half the survivors still showed signs of emotional distress, including intense fear and anxiety, according to a survey by the Centers for Diseas...

Think about the worst boss you ever had. You could probably rattle off a laundry list of his or her faults -- if you had a free afternoon. But if you had to describe the boss-from-hell in just a few words, it would probably go something like this: He (or she) just didn't listen. Just about everyone claims to be a "good" listener -- including, most likely, your old boss. But how many people actuall...

Does my outlook on my health really matter? Curious about your health and your future? You can put yourself through a battery of medical tests, fill out stacks of questionnaires, and see every specialist in town. But for a simple and surprisingly reliable prediction, just ask yourself a simple question: How healthy do you feel? When it comes to health, your opinion definitely matters. That's what...

Think back to the happiest moments of your childhood. Chances are, you weren't sitting at a desk or finishing up a chore. More likely, you were running around at the park, jumping in a creek, or building a new civilization in your backyard. For kids of all ages, playtime is the highlight of every day. Playtime may be fun and games, but that's not all: Child development experts everywhere agree th...

Even smart, sexy, and successful people -- people like yourself, of course -- can struggle in the dating world. Where do you go? What do you say? How can you get your date to come back for more? Take this short quiz to find out how much you know about being a great date. 1. What's the single most important step when preparing for a date? a. Developing a positive mindset b. Making a mental list ...

You've found a terrific partner, someone who's sweet and fun and compassionate. It should be an ideal match. So why do you keep doing things that drive the two of you apart? Whether we realize it or not, many of us have become experts at undermining perfectly good relationships. Take this short quiz to find out how much you know about relationship sabotage. 1. Which of these can be considered an...

It's a fact of life that nearly all couples argue. It's also a fact that many relationships manage to weather these storms, while others don't. How much do you know about resolving conflicts and protecting your relationship? Take this short quiz to find out. 1. Noted psychologist and relationship expert John Gottman, PhD, has identified what he calls the number-one rule for successfully resolvin...

Time-outs aren't just for kids with temper tantrums. Sometimes adults in a tense situation need to step back and take stock, especially if emotions are running high. One strategy is to take a time-out: a temporary break from a tense situation that will buy you the time to calm down. The key to taking action is recognizing the warning signs -- physical and emotional -- that could signal that an exp...

Stress happens, no matter how much we might try to avoid it. Whether we're stuck in a dead-end job or merely stuck in traffic, we all face aggravation from time to time. Any major change in our lives -- from the loss of a loved one to the arrival of a new baby -- can also cause stress. Whenever we're stressed, our bodies and minds go on alert, a remnant of the bygone days of our distant ancestors,...

Doctors once believed that the body and mind were completely separate, a belief that has gone the way of the 8-track tape player. There's no longer any question that chronic negative moods and emotions can encourage disease or that positive thoughts can speed healing. See how much you know about the mind-body connection. 1. A 13-year study of 1,500 people found what remarkable connection between...

Are you the only one in your family who didn't marry in his or her early 20s or 30s? So what! Marriage and domestic partnerships work well for many people, but others enjoy flying solo. Even if you're ready for a long-term relationship, you'll want to get the most out of single life till that happens. How much do you know about living single? Take this short quiz to find out. 1. A large majority...

Everybody knows that good business requires good communication. So why are so many offices hotbeds of misunderstanding? One reason is that few people really know how to express themselves, and even fewer have mastered the fine art of listening. Are you a good workplace communicator? Take this short quiz to find out. 1. Rapid responses are the best. If you know how you feel about a situation, don...

Most employees -- whether they work in an office or a coalmine -- have at least one horror story about a coworker or supervisor. There's the boss who routinely demeans her employees, or the coworker who feels no guilt about going on vacation before completing his share of a project. In fact, according to one study, eight out of 10 workers in America have someone at work who routinely makes life st...

Whether you're at the top of the career ladder or a few rungs down, chances are you've felt some stress on the job. In a survey reported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 40 percent of Americans said their jobs were "very or extremely stressful." The strain isn't just aggravating -- according to NIOSH, job stress can be hazardous to your health. If you're gnashing your ...

In news stories and psychology journals, risk tends to get a bad rap. Risky mortgages, risky relationships, risky behaviors -- you might think the world would be better off if we could all play it safe. But risk has another side. Whether we think about it or not, we all take chances every day, and some of those gambles turn out to have huge payoffs. After decades of looking at risk-taking as some...

Going on a first date is exciting. There's a certain romantic mystery about it -- what will this new person be like? Will you hit it off instantly and talk nonstop over dinner until the restaurant is ready to close and the waiter herds you out with an indulgent smile? The truth is, that scenario is more likely to appear in a movie than in real life. Sure, you and your date may find common ground ...

Humans have always relied on friendship. We never would have made it out of the Stone Age without cooperation and companionship. Nowadays, we may not need our immediate circle to help gather food or fend off predators, but friends can still be absolute lifesavers. Many studies over the years have found that people generally live longer, happier, healthier lives if they have a strong network of sup...

We spend a lot of time teaching children the importance of making friends. But we never outgrow the need for good companionship ourselves. In fact, friendship may be even more important for adults than for kids. Kids get the benefits of birthday invitations and a chance to learn social skills; adults may actually live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. Studies have found that friendships an...

You might hit the tennis courts a few times a month. You might go to the gym like clockwork. Perhaps you've just returned from a Hawaii vacation. But ask yourself: When was the last time you really lost yourself in fun? When was the last time that minutes and hours just seemed to fly by as you engaged your body and mind? In other words, when was the last time you really played? For adults, playti...

Mental health professionals make a living dealing with psychological ills that can cripple: Depression and delusions, phobias and obsessions. In the past, they paid little attention to positive emotions and personal strengths such as happiness and optimism, love and resilience. In fact, one pioneer of positive psychology, Harvard psychiatrist George Vaillant, notes that psychiatric texts ten...

Tim Day is a master sergeant in the Air Force. When the Gulf War erupted in the early 1990s, he was one of the first to volunteer for Operation Desert Storm. He also runs three miles a day and plays full contact football, often emerging from games bloodied and bruised. But he is so terrified of seeing a dentist that he refused to get his teeth cleaned for nine years. Now when it's time for a routi...

On a chartered flight from Cleveland to Las Vegas one July, flight attendants smelled smoke coming from one of the lavatories. Head flight attendant Robert Craig informed the woman who emerged from the lavatory that smoking on an aircraft is a federal offense; her response was a sneering, "Yeah, whatever." Craig then found cigarette butts scattered on the bathroom floor and discovered that the smo...

Twenty years ago, when Americans heard the word "salsa" most were likely to think of spicy Mexican hot sauce. These days, however, "salsa" is apt to conjure up a different image: breathtaking turns and floating hips, the taut, sensual embrace of a dance partner, and Caribbean-spiced Latin rhythms. Dancing the night away at gyms and community centers, nightclubs and parties across the country, mill...