Wall-to-wall news media coverage of the Japan and Canterbury earthquake disasters could put people at greater risk of developing traumatic reactions, a clinical psychologist says.
Ian de Terte, from the School of Psychology, specializes in vicarious trauma – where people are exposed to traumatic incidents through secondary means, such having personal involvement with victims or following news reports of devastating and tragic events.
This can apply to emergency workers, health practitioners and others dealing directly with the dead, the injured, the bereaved and other victims, but even those watching, reading and listening to the news can be just as much at risk, Mr de Terte says.
He says the phenomenon, also known as compassion fatigue, has similar symptoms to post-traumatic stress disorder. “It’s through watching disaster coverage and listening to it over and over again, you’re at greater risk of developing symptoms similar to PTSD.” [continue reading…]
What’s in a name? Letters. And psychologists have posited that the letters—particularly the first letter of our names—can influence decisions, including whom we marry and where we move. The effect is called “implicit egotism.”
In 2008, two Belgian researchers found that workers in their country were more likely to choose a workplace if the first letter of its name matched their own.
A commentary published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, revisited the study with similar U.S. data and found that the Belgians got the cause and effect exactly backwards. And that might make us more skeptical about the effects of implicit egotism.
“Walt Disney worked for a company starting with D not because of an unconscious attraction to that letter,” writes University of Pennsylvania associate professor Uri Simonsohn, “but because he so christened it.”
Quit sitting around worrying about yourself and get focused on your goals.”
Research studies show that:
84 per cent of married people in the US say they are very satisfied with family life
66 per cent of single people in the US say they are very satisfied with family life
21 per cent of people aged 21-29 in the US say helping others in need is one of the most important things in their lives
The relentless pursuit of happiness may be doing us more harm than good.
Some researchers say happiness as people usually think of it – the experience of pleasure or positive feelings – is far less important to physical health than the type of well-being that comes from engaging in meaningful activity. Researchers refer to this latter state as “eudaimonic well-being.” Curious? Continue reading
Recently, the National Institute of Mental Health hosted an event that focused on Borderline Personality Disorder. The above video featured speakers that include BPD researcher Dr. Marsha Linehan as well as Amanda Wang, founder of RethinkBPD.
More than one in 10 of us may have a personality disorder. Often under-diagnosed and undertreated, they can cause havoc in families. Researchers have also found that people with personality disorders are very likely to have co-occurring major mental disorders, including anxiety disorders (e.g., panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder), mood disorders (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder), impulse control disorders (e.g., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), and substance abuse or dependency.
In today’s Guardian Dr Luisa Dillner’ takes a look at personality disorders , whether they can be treated , what causes them and what you can do if you suspect you or someone you know has a personality disorder. For several years I experienced such destructive behaviour within my own family as I am blessed with an elder brother who manifests many borderline traits. Thankfully that ship has sailed and I can now make sense of events, that at the time were very difficult to process.
t’s a pattern of behaviour that makes it difficult for the person to live with both themselves and other people. When someone has a personality disorder, they may be impulsive or aggressive, find it difficult to control themselves, and therefore may self- harm, or hurt those around them. They will come across as unpredictable and feel misunderstood and alone. They may find it hard to make and keep relationships. Curious ? Continue reading
