The events of 2020 — racial and social unrest, the killings of countless Black people, the disproportionate rate of Black and brown people dying from COVID-19 — have required many of us to face the historical and present-day treatment of Black people in the United States. The summer months were full of people and brands alike sharing their favorite works from Black authors, feminists, activists, and organizers, and although it was nice to see these luminaries receive much-deserved attention, it was also, in some ways, disheartening....

If you’ve ever been around someone who thinks they know what they’re talking about when they clearly don’t, you’ve witnessed the Dunning Kruger Effect in action. You might find this in a person declaring why their country is the best in the world, despite never having travelled anywhere else or considered studies on liveability and quality of life. Or in a parent trying to teach their children how to dive, despite being scared of the water....

Updated on 8/15/2022 The quintessential midlife crisis image is a middle-aged man who’s left his wife for a younger woman, traded in his minivan for a Corvette, grown his thinning hair into a ponytail, and a combination of other drastic changes.A midlife crisis is a very common unease among middle-aged people. The belief that the best days are behind you can lead to feelings of unfulfillment and dread for years to come....

The coronavirus pandemic is undoubtedly one of the most significant crises of our times. It has caused loss of life, unemployment and massive economic upheaval. However, we can’t ignore the fact that the pandemic also has some upshots. There was afall in daily global CO2 emissionsduring lockdown, for example, and perhaps as importantly,people are now more aware of the seriousnessof the climate crisis. There has been areductionin crime, road accidents, and even paper use....

Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are struggling with self-harm or experiencing uncomfortable or painful thoughts, contact thecrisis text line. If you are having suicidal thoughts or ideation, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) to speak with a trained counselor. Self-harm ismore commonthan many realize. In a society where there’s still a great deal of stigma attached to self-harm,people who need help tend to feel isolated....

It seems our workaholic society is full of over-caffeinated and under-rested people. It can be hard to get the recommended7 hours of sleepa night when there are many competing demands. For some adults, this demanding reality doesn’t inhibit daily functioning with jobs, children, and to-do lists. But for others, this tiredness reaches a debilitating level where feeling exhausted decreases quality of life and overall happiness. To cope with his heart health problems, my 82-year-old grandfather sleeps much of his days away, as would be expected for someone his age and in his condition....

Butterflies in the stomach. Racing heartbeat. Sweaty palms. Shortness of breath. Almost all of us have, at times, experienced these types of psychosomatic symptoms, often in reaction to stress or anxiety. But what happens when these symptoms become a daily occurrence and begin to interfere with our lives? What if we become fixated on them? And, maybe most importantly, how do we distinguish psychosomatic symptoms from serious medical issues? Let’s take a look at the phenomenon of psychosomatic symptoms and illnesses, and what you need to know if you are experiencing them....

Updated 10/22/2021 Information presented in this article may be triggering to some people. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact theNational Suicide Prevention Lifelineat 1-800-273-8255 (TALK) to speak with a trained counselor. Types of Suicidal Ideation There are two main types of suicide ideation: passive suicidal ideation and active suicidal ideation. Passive and active suicidal ideation should both be taken extremely seriously. Both are indications of a serious mental health condition that should not be ignored....

Signs, Symptoms, and Causes Ashley Ertel, a peer consultant with Talkspace says some signs and symptoms of apathy can include no longer feeling joy, pleasure, anger, or sadness towards people or things that used to elicit an emotional response from you. “You no longer feel excited or concerned for things,” she explains. “Long story short, apathy attacks your motivation and pleasure responses.” Apathy and the eldery Areview from 2009looked at apathy and its impact on the elderly and concluded that this common feeling is easy to overlook, especially since it’s often mistaken for, or related to, depression....

In contrast are the dangers that arise when misinformation is spread. An example of this happened back in April, when President Donald Trump pondered aloud about the efficiency of injecting disinfectant to combat the coronavirus. Shortly after he made those remarks,there was a reported spikein accidental poisonings. It goes to show there are grave effects that transpire when false or inaccurate information is spread. But how does it impact on our mental health?...

The Development of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® and the 16 Personalities It all began in 1923, when Katherine Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, read Carl Jung’sPsychological Types. Shortly after, they became avid personality type observers. By the early 1940s, they were researching and developing an indicator that could be applied to understanding the differences in individual personalities. They began testing it on friends and family, continuing over the next two decades until the instrument was fully developed with its categorization of 16 personalities....

Many associate the winter as a time to give into indulgences. We sleep more, snack and drink until we’re merry and bright. And, increasingly, in US states where it’s legal, consuming cannabis will become part of our winter traditions. This year’s election saw the inclusion of several states — New Jersey, Arizona, South Dakota, and Montana — legalize the plant for people who are of age. Cannabis is widely celebrated for its medicinal and recreational qualities — it’s known to relax, uplift, and even help with pain and trauma....

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s how to deal with stressful situations. The year aside, everyone has stress in their lives, ranging from minor inconveniences like a frustrating day spent at the DMV to more serious issues, such as chronic illness or an abusive relationship. Humans are adaptive creatures — we learn how to adjust to all manner of situations. But there are some for whom stressful situations are more difficult to recover....

Each time you feel a burst of joy, excitement, or satisfaction, there’s a network of nerve cells communicating within your brain that can take some credit for it. Although there are many more processes involved in your general feeling of happiness, some brain chemicals also work hard to make it possible. One of such chemicals is serotonin. What is serotonin? This brain chemical is largely responsible for boosting your mood and promoting overall well-being in many ways....

It’s difficult for me to hear the phrase “opposites attract” without humming Paula Abdul’s 1989 song of the same name. You may remember the video — Abdul dances with an animated cat named MC Skat Cat, who wears sunglasses and suspenders and has a goatee. The song’s chorus is: “We come together / Cuz opposites attract / And you know — it ain’t fiction / Just a natural fact / We come together/ Cuz opposites attract....