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Imagine you’re riding your bike, and a person appears suddenly, causing you to swerve. Your body will produce adrenaline, which leads to an immediate physical reaction. You may sweat, feel your heart racing, or your body shaking. This is a healthy, natural response. When you’re in a dangerous, unsafe, or problematic situation, this adrenaline can help you react quickly. However, you can experience an adrenaline rush when taking the stage at a crowded stadium, before a competitive sporting event, when you’re on a roller coaster, or if you’re in the middle of an argument, among other situations....

Binge drinking is not recognized as a distinct condition in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the resource that doctors and mental health professionals utilize to diagnose the entire spectrum of mental disorders. A person who engages in this behavior regularly is sometimes referred to as a “binge drinker.” However, the use of such labels is generally discouraged. Instead, it would be more appropriate to say that this person misuses alcohol or that they might be diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder....

These interventions most commonly occur at a workplace, school, institution, or within a community after a natural disaster or tragedy. CISM is not a type of psychotherapy, and is usually carried out by people trained in crisis management. What Are Critical Incidents? To better understand what CISM is, it can be helpful to be aware of the types of incidents that may trigger the use of an intervention like CISM....

What Leads A Person on the Trans Spectrum to Change Their Name? People who are trans, GNC, or nonbinary often do something called transitioning. That is the process of going from being who others labeled you as, to who you actually are. Transitioning can have many different steps and stages, and is an individual journey. One common part of that journey is to change your name. A person who is on the trans spectrum may feel that their birth name, which may not represent their true gender, is no longer a fit for them, if it ever was....

The History of Emotional Wellness The concept of wellness at large came into the foreground of public consciousness in the 1950s, according to the Global Wellness Institute. Ancient forms of wellness, such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, have been around for thousands of years, but Western cultures didn’t think as proactively about wellness until more modern times. No one person is credited with having come up with the idea of emotional wellness....

The executive functions’ role is similar to a conductor’s role within an orchestra. The conductor manages, directs, organizes, and integrates each member of the orchestra. They cue each musician so they know when to begin to play, and how fast or slow, loud or soft to play, and when to stop playing. Without the conductor, the music would not flow as smoothly or sound as beautiful. Types of Executive Function There are several primary types of executive functions....

While the term “libido” has taken on an overtly sexual meaning in today’s world, to Freud, it represented all psychic energy and not just sexual energy. The Libido in Psychoanalytic Theory Freud believed that the id was the only part of personality present from birth. The id, he suggested, was a reservoir of unconscious, primal energy. The id seeks pleasure and demands the immediate satisfaction of its desires. The id serves as the source of our wants and impulses....

Why Love Bombing May Become Dangerous Love bombing often takes place at the onset of a relationship. At the beginning of getting to know each other, you might view this person as charming and especially attentive. This person will praise you effusively, tell you they adore you, and often seem to emotionally attach way too quickly. If you find yourself telling your friends your partner seems too good to be true, they just might be....

It is a common but serious condition, so it is important to be able to detect mood disorders accurately in order to ensure that women receive appropriate and effective treatment. Untreated depression that occurs during and after pregnancy can have negative consequences for women and children. Should You Take the EPDS? The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended in 2016 that all women are given an EPDS screening during and after pregnancy....

While some analyses have found consuming media with sexual content has little to no impact on people, other studies have found exposure to sexual content and sexualized images can impact sexual attitudes and behavior, can contribute to body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and low self-esteem, and is associated with depression and other mental health challenges. Despite the inconsistencies in the research, the evidence for problems linked to sexual media exposure in both adolescence and adulthood is plentiful enough to be of concern....

Schizophrenia occurs in three phases. They are the prodromal phase, the active phase, and the recovery phase. Schizophrenia is often associated with positive symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. However, schizophrenia occurs in phases and symptoms that don’t always include hallucinations and delusions. This article describes what to expect in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia, describes the symptoms of this phase, and explains how it’s diagnosed and treated. What Is the Prodromal Phase?...

Friday Fix: Episode 183 Have you ever felt so emotionally exhausted that you felt like you have nothing else to give? If so, you’re not alone. For some people, the reason is personal. Caring for a relative, receiving an eviction notice, addressing childcare issues, or managing health problems are just a few major stressors that many people are feeling right now. When you feel emotionally exhausted, the typical self-care tips aren’t likely to work....

How the Blushing Response Works Blushing occurs automatically, like the fight or flight response, and is an involuntary reaction triggered by the ​sympathetic nervous system. When we are anxious or embarrassed, our bodies are flooded with epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, which causes us to experience very real physiological symptoms. In addition to increasing the heart rate, suppressing the digestive system, and inhibiting pain, epinephrine may also act as a vasodilator on certain blood vessels....

In some cases, the client comes specifically for short-term therapy (for example, if they are using an Employee Assistance Program that only allows a set number of sessions), and the client and therapist discuss termination from the first session. All therapy relationships come to an end at some point, so it can be helpful to understand how this process can look and what it means to terminate therapy. Different Reasons to Terminate Therapy Two main ways that therapy termination occurs are when the client is going to stop receiving therapy or when the client will continue to receive services through a different provider....

Employment Statistics Psychologists held approximately 181,700 jobs in 2018. Approximately 29% were self-employed in 2018, usually as private practitioners. Work Environment Common employment settings for psychologists include: Mental health clinicsHospitals and physician officesPrivate clinicsPrisons and correctional facilitiesGovernment agenciesSchools, colleges, and universitiesVeterans hospitals Educational Settings As of 2018, an estimated 24% of psychologists work in elementary and secondary school settings. Some psychologists may work in teaching positions, but others may serve as counselors or other educational positions....

Depression can appear suddenly or gradually. It can be related to a situation (as with adjustment disorders) or there may be no “reason” at all. You may be aware that you feel bad or not like your usual self, but you may not be aware that what you are feeling is clinically significant depression. Why You May Not Know You’re Depressed There are several possible explanations for being depressed and not knowing it....

Body scan meditation is a good way to release physical tension you might not even realize you’re experiencing. Body scanning involves paying attention to parts of the body and bodily sensations in a gradual sequence from feet to head. By mentally scanning yourself, you bring awareness to every single part of your body, noticing any aches, pains, tension, or general discomfort. The goal is not to relieve the pain completely, but to get to know and learn from it so you can better manage it....

But open-ended questions are not only a useful tool in therapy, they are also a good way to start conversations in day-to-day life. Learn the value of these seemingly vague kinds of questions. 9 Common Questions in Therapy Every therapist is different, as are the approaches they may use. These are some common questions therapists may ask at your first appointment: What brings you here today? Have you ever seen a counselor/therapist/psychologist before?...

The Process of Writing Involves Integration of Several Skills The technique involved in expressing oneself through writing is actually a quite complex, multi-step process. It requires the integration of several skills, including planning, analyzing, and organizing thoughts; prioritizing and sequencing information; remembering and implementing correct spelling, punctuation and grammar rules; as well as fine motor coordination. As students age and move into high school and college, the expectations around writing become even more demanding....