Headaches and heartaches. Broken bones and broken spirits. Hurting bodies and hurt feelings. We often use the same words to describe physical and mental pain. Over-the-counter pain relieving drugs have long been used to alleviate physical pain, while a host of other medications have been employed in the treatment of depression and anxiety. But is it possible that a common painkiller could serve double duty, easing not just the physical pains of sore joints and headaches, but also the pain of social rejection? A research team led by psychologist C. Nathan DeWall of the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Department of Psychology has uncovered evidence indicating that acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) may blunt social pain. [continue reading…]

Psychologists have many ways to get inside our heads: they can give us questionnaires, track our eyes, time how long we take to respond to cues and measure the blood flow to our brains. But how close can these methods get to the texture of our inner lives? In the New York Times article Taking Mental Snapshots to Plumb Our Inner Selves Russell T. Hurlburt, of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, explores inner life, and faces skeptics.
Source: New York Times

During the holiday season there is emphasis on happiness and well-being, particularly in children. But while happiness is a fleeting mood, psychological well-being underlies it. A new study which has been conducted at the University of Bologna and is published in the current issue of the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry shows that brief psychological interventions in school may increase well-being and these results persist after 6 months. [continue reading…]