Psychology Update — Anxiety Feels Terrible, But It Has an Upside. Here’s How to Make It Work in Your Favor

Posted by & filed under Personality, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Stress and Health Psychology.

TITLE

Anxiety Feels Terrible, But It Has an Upside. Here’s How to Make It Work in Your Favor

 

DESCRIPTION

This is a very fascinating article about the experience of anxiety in our daily lives.  “Anyone who’s experienced anxiety knows the distress it can bring. Often, this spiky emotion causes a racing heart, headache and knotted stomach. Frequently, we interpret these sensations as a danger sign. For instance, we might mistake social anxiety as evidence that everyone dislikes us or believe performance anxiety means we’re actually impostors.”  The article takes a different approach to anxiety to offer a perspective that recognizing it and other emotions can be a potentially positive experience.  “While anxiety certainly feels terrible, it does have an upside. In her new book, Good Anxiety, neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki repositions anxiety as a potentially positive force in our lives that can open the door to self-care and resilience—two things that inoculate us from stress. From this vantage point, social jitters might be a sign to reach out for support, while performance woes might be a signal to practice our craft a little more or spend two minutes in a power pose. When we realize anxiety can be a helpful messenger, we can make it work in ways that benefit our psychological well-being.”   Unlike other therapies, this particular perspective is based up “emotion-focused research.”   The article explains how focusing on the emotions through a series of techniques in psychotherapy can be positive and freeing for the individual.   The article can be read along with the chapters on emotion, health psychology, abnormal psychology and psychotherapy.

 

SOURCE

Time, October 28, 2021, by Hilary Jacobs Hendel and Juli Fraga

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/6111258/good-anxiety-therapists/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-share-article&utm-term=ideas_health

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/v9cyjnzx

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•How do individuals experience anxiety?  How is this considered a really terrible negative emotion for some individuals?

•According to the article, how can anxiety be used to change the negative emotions to a more useful emotion for the individual?

•What is the basis of “emotion-focus” in therapy? How does it work?

•According to the article, how would a person deal with conflicting feelings through this type of therapy?

TAGS

Emotion-Focused Therapy, Anxiety, Recognizing Emotions, Making Anxiety Work for Coping and Stress Management

Psychology Podcast of the Week — Forensic Psychology

Posted by & filed under Psychology Podcast of the Week.

PSYCHOLOGY PODCAST OF THE WEEK

 

TITLE

Forensic Psychology

Circle Of Insight Productions

 

 

URL      

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/forensic-psychology/id1489897256

 

Tiny Url:  https://tinyurl.com/y5woz4u7

 

DESCRIPTION

From the website

“Dr. Carlos is an adjunct Professor in Forensic Psychology and Criminal psychopathology. He discusses concepts in the world of forensic psychology. He discusses legal issues pertaining to forensic psychology, psychology disorders, the criminal justice system and more.”

 

(Also see the Psychology Website of the Week (11/22/2021) related to the “insanity defense.”)

Psychology Update — 3 ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

3 ARTICLES HIGHLIGHTING THE PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION:

Mind and Body form a two way street.

 

ARTICLE #1

TITLE

The Devastating Ways Depression and Anxiety Impact the Body:    Mind and body form a two-way street.

 

DESCRIPTION

This is a magnificent important article from New York Times science writer Jane E. Brody!  The entire article focuses on how the mind and body affect each other.   “It’s no surprise that when a person gets a diagnosis of heart disease, cancer or some other life-limiting or life-threatening physical ailment, they become anxious or depressed. But the reverse can also be true: Undue anxiety or depression can foster the development of a serious physical disease, and even impede the ability to withstand or recover from one. The potential consequences are particularly timely, as the ongoing stress and disruptions of the pandemic continue to take a toll on mental health.  The human organism does not recognize the medical profession’s artificial separation of mental and physical ills. Rather, mind and body form a two-way street. What happens inside a person’s head can have damaging effects throughout the body, as well as the other way around. An untreated mental illness can significantly increase the risk of becoming physically ill, and physical disorders may result in behaviors that make mental conditions worse.”  The article provides excellent examples from research findings of how psychological disorders can affect physical health.   The end of the article focuses on the ways that therapy can interrupt the negative cycle to reduce psychological symptoms, disorders, and physical illness.  

This article is a must for understanding how Psychology and Medicine interact for the well being of an individual.   The article can be read along with the text chapters highlighting health, stress, coping, and psychological disorders (particularly anxiety and depression).

 

SOURCE

New York Times, October 4, 2021, by Jane E. Brody

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/04/well/mind/depression-anxiety-physical-health.html?smid=em-share

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/xhsc4znz

 

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ARTICLE #2

 

TITLE

Can Negative Thinking Make You Sick?

 

DESCRIPTION

This is an older article that focuses on the Mind-Body connection in relation to our attitudes, thoughts, emotions, and disease .  In a way, it should be considered timely, as well, in terms of how people have coped and handled the covid pandemic in our society, medically, work world, and student in academia.  “Our thoughts and emotions have widespread effects on bodily processes like metabolism, hormone release, and immune function, Simon-Thomas (researcher) says. One theory is that when you’re stressed or depressed, cortisol levels increase, making your immune system less able to control inflammation, which could lead to disease over time…It could also be that people who feel bad—be it depressed, stressed, cynical, or otherwise—may also be more likely to smoke or drink alcohol, or less likely to be physically active, all things that can affect your health, of course. Or it’s possible that negative emotions might be an early symptom of a health problem, rather than a cause.”  The article looks at various studies related to both physical, physiological, and psychological disorders.

This article should be read in conjunction with the text related to Psychology, Health, Stress, and an understanding of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

 

SOURCE

Time, July 8, 2015, by Adam Hoffman

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/3944624/negative-thinking-health-problems/

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/3xf55zdw

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ARTICLE #3

 

TITLE

6 Illnesses With A Mind-Body Connection That Can’t Be Ignored

 

DESCRIPTION

This Womens Health Magazine article is highly relevant for all — not just women.   The article gives a great deal of attention to how the mind-body interact around both psychological disorders and physical illness.  “The phrase “mind-body connection” can feel ambiguous, even woo-woo, something to be reconciled during yoga class. But emerging science is now bearing out physiological connections between many seemingly unrelated mental and bodily issues—many seemingly unrelated on the surface. And it can go both ways: Mental health issues can lead to physical ones, and vice versa.”  The article focuses on six areas where the first in each is a physical disorder followed by the psychological disorder: 1 – heart disease, panic disorder, depression; 2 – psoriasis and depressive disorder;  3 – migraines, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder; 4 – irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, depression; 5 – allergies, depression; 6 – diabetes, schizophrenia.  The article presents research findings in each of the six areas and then provides important advice on “protecting yourself” and how to best cope.

The article is important to understand in times of stress not only because it shows the mind-body connection but also the strategies for coping which may include psychotherapy, exercise, meditation, and methods of self-help.

 

SOURCE

WomensHealthMag.com, February 19, 2018, by Laura Tedesco

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a18198138/mind-body-connection-illnesses/

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/zbapwc6a

 

=================================

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What is the main point of the articles in terms of the Mind-Body connection?

•What do the researchers believe to be the effects of negative thinking, emotions, anxiety and depression on our physiological bodily processes?  And vice versa?

•How are these articles relevant in terms of the Psychology of Stress and Health and Coping?

•If you were providing a lecture, what three points would you make that are most salient regarding the mind-body connection?

 

Psychology Update — Journals for Anxiety, Depression and General Mindfulness

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Personality, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

TITLE

Journals for Anxiety, Depression and General Mindfulness

 

DESCRIPTION

Psychologists have found that writing in the form of a diary (now journaling) is an excellent way to handle difficult emotions.  The article focuses on how specific ways to write can be beneficial:
“Guided notebooks that borrow principles from cognitive-behavioral therapy and mindfulness are aiming to put mental-health tools in the hands of the people.” The article highlights a few “self help” journals that follow principles aimed at using powerful tools (the CBT) can make a difference.  Further, the article provides some details of the historical use of diaries and journals.  “Though diary-keeping has been a popular practice at least since the 10th century by women in the Japanese court, its therapeutic effects were first studied by James Pennebaker in 1986. A recent review (follow the link) of the scientific literature found that expressive writing can ease symptoms of depression, anxiety and other disorders; increase psychological well-being; and support resilience and recovery from trauma.”

SOURCE

New York Times, October 7, 2021, by Valeriya Safronova

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/07/style/therapy-notebooks-anxiety-depression-mindfulness.html?smid=em-share

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/y5pbkdbe

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•According to the article, what is the benefit of journaling?

•Specifically, one type of psychological perspective is highlighted in the use of journaling:  what is that perspective?

•Optional:  if you follow the links in the article summary, you will be able to read about the “history” of diaries and journals, and also a scientific study that demonstrates the effectiveness of the process.

 

 

Psychology Update — Can People Recover From Bipolar Disorder?

Posted by & filed under Personality, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

TITLE

Can People Recover From Bipolar Disorder?

(”With the right treatment and support, you can live well with a bipolar disorder diagnosis.”)

 

DESCRIPTION

In the past, know as manic-depressive disorder, Bipolar disorder is a difficult condition for those experiencing the problem but can be managed if the individual sticks to a prescribed treatment plan.
“Bipolar disorder actually presents as two varieties: Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2. (follow the link for more information)   Bipolar I disorder most commonly consists of episodes of depression and episodes of mania, while Bipolar 2 disorder most commonly consists of episodes of depression and episodes of hypomania, McCutcheon (the interviews psychiatrist in the article) explains. Hypomania is a mood that’s elevated above normal but not to the level of full mania.”  The article provides many useful examples that aid in the understanding of the disorder and also focuses on treatment for a positive outcome.

“Treatment for bipolar disorder includes education about the disorder, medication management and psychotherapy, McCutcheon adds.

Still, living well with bipolar can be challenging, and “people often face serious impairment in functioning,…  However, it’s entirely possible to get better over time if you stick with the treatment plan and self-care advice your doctor provides.”

This article is excellent and can be used as a resource in conjunction with the textbook chapters on abnormal behavior, psychopathology, and treatment.

 

SOURCE

U.S. News and World Reports, July 30, 2021, by Elaine K. Howley

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/conditions/articles/can-people-recover-from-bipolar-disorder

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/bd33h774

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What is Bipolar Disorder?

•Bipolar disorder is classified as Bipolar 1 and Bipolar 2.  What is the difference?

•According to the article, why is Bipolar disorder difficult to diagnose?

•If a patient/client “sticks” to the prescribed medications and treatments, what is the likely outcome for that individual experiencing the disorder?

 

Psychology Update — How to Manage Work Stress, According to Psychologists

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

TITLE

How to Manage Work Stress, According to Psychologists

 

DESCRIPTION

Even though the article takes the perspective of how to best handle work related stress, “school” can just as easily be substituted in the title.  This is a great self-help article that uses basic therapeutic (and Health Psychology) principles to better handle stress and pressure.  The perspective focuses specifically on three types of negative thinking:   “Personalization, Pervasiveness, Permanence.”  “Nagging thoughts like these are one of the reasons we teamed up and spent the last three years studying the science of emotions — and their intersection with our lives at work — for our new book, No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work.”  The article continues and focuses on how a type of negative thinking can have serious mental health consequences.  “This obsessive kind of negative thinking is called rumination. It happens when our minds wander towards the negative events in the past or the possibility of negative events in the future. Rumination shouldn’t be confused with healthy reflection, during which we analyze specific elements of a problem to better understand it. When we ruminate, we’re not focusing on solutions, we’re fixating on the problems (or potential problems) themselves.”  The article finishes with excellent advice for those who ruminate and have persistent negative thoughts:   “Lastly, remember your thoughts are simply that: thoughts. Acknowledge them, but recognize they are not inevitable truths (even if they feel true). We all have many voices in our heads, but we also get to decide which ones we listen to and how we respond. With practice, we can start to develop a mental immunity to stress by staying in the present and taking care of the things within our control.”

 

SOURCE

Time, February 5, 2019, by Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy

(authors of “No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work”)

(article includes a short video:  “Here are six ways to become a more positive person.”)

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://time.com/5518721/work-stress-rumination-emotions-hard-feelings/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-share-article&utm-term=ideas

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/azw2f5ev

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•The article takes the perspective of how three types of negative thoughts can have deleterious consequences and make work (substitute school) more difficult.  What are the three type of negative thinking?

•Further, the article focuses on a type of thinking called “rumination.”  What is “rumination” and how does it trigger negative emotions?

•In the article, the authors discuss ways to manage stress and the negative thinking that lead to difficult emotions:  what is the advice?

 

 

Psychology Update — Got Arachnophobia? There’s an App for That

Posted by & filed under Learning, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology App of the Week, Psychology Update.

TITLE

Got Arachnophobia? There’s an App for That

Smartphone app helps fearful individuals overcome phobia of spiders

 

DESCRIPTION

What a fascinating article!  This research into arachnophobia illustrates the use of augmented reality technology and combines it with exposure therapy used for desensitization of phobias:  “Now there’s an app for that. Researchers at the University of Basel in Switzerland have developed a smartphone program that uses augmented reality (AR) to help those with the shakes over spiders overcome their suffering. (The researchers state app is designed “for those who suffer from a mild, clinically insignificant fear of spiders who are at least 16 years of age.” People with a severe fear should consult a specialist before using the app.)  Called Phobys, the new app displays a 3-D spider model on the real-world images seen through the user’s smartphone as a form of exposure therapy—a cognitive behavioral treatment designed to ease discomfort through gradual introduction the feared item.”  This is a good article in that it highlights empirical research to demonstrate the how psychology and technology can be used in clinical/therapy work.   

The article contains a YouTube video demonstrating the use of the app.

The Psychology App of the Week for November 8, 2021 provides more information about the app and a link.

 

SOURCE

Smithsonian Magazine, September 23, 2021, by David Kindy

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/4r84wkr8

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What is arachnophobia?

•The clinical therapeutic procedure to deal with fears and phobia is a form of exposure and desensitization therapies.  How do these procedures operate?

•How did the researchers combine the Augmented Reality technology with the exposure/desensitization clinical therapy regimen? 

•What were the results of the study?  What is the future promise of using AR as a therapy technique?

 

Psychology Update — Got Psychology? Then you have human skills for the future

Posted by & filed under Careers, Careers in Psychology, Introduction To Psychology, Psychology Resource of the Week, Psychology Update.

TITLE

Got Psychology? Then you have human skills for the future

Cultivating your human skills can give you an edge on the job market.

 

DESCRIPTION

This American Psychological Association article focuses on important “human skills” as  related to jobs and careers.   Specifically the article looks at three important skills: communications, leadership, and collaboration.  The author offers a wide discussion of top ranked skills that are needed for successful job applicants and how these specifically relate to Psychology majors.  “Psychology’s strength lies in the broad set of behaviorally-based human skills required for the successful performance of just about any job. Human skills are very much in demand by employers. Human skills represent an advantage to the future of work. Making connections between your psychology education and experiences and the skills needed in the workplace will help you to find a career path that aligns with your skills, knowledge, abilities, interest, and values.”  The article offers advice for those initially applying for jobs and a kind of how-to go about orienting one self to the job market.

SOURCE

American Psychological Association, Psychology Student Network, September 2021

 

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2021/09/psychology-human-skills

 

(Tiny URL)  https://tinyurl.com/bdf4yvb4

 

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•What does the author mean by the expression “human skills”?  What are the skills?

•How do these “human skills” relate to being a Psychology major?

•How is majoring in the field of Psychology a positive step for entering into a career?

•What can a student who has majored in Psychology offer a company or a business?

•Looking at the chart provided in the article, which of the skills do you currently possess and which should you set a goals to achieve?

 

Psychology App of the Week — Phobys

Posted by & filed under Introduction To Psychology, Learning, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology App of the Week.

PSYCHOLOGY APP OF THE WEEK

TITLE

Phobys

 

 

URL    

 

iOS:  

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/phobys/id1527481614

 

Android:  

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Unibas.Phobys

 

DESCRIPTION (from the website:  https://www.phobys.com)

What is Phobys and what can it be used for?

Phobys is an augmented reality (AR) app to reduce fear of spiders by a training program with a realistic 3D AR spider model projected into the real world. This can help you to deal more calmly with real spider situations and to feel less fear.

Who is Phobys designed for?

Phobys is suitable for those who suffer from a mild, clinically insignificant fear of spiders and who are at least 16 years of age.

The Phobys AR app is a tool developed by the University of Basel and MindGuide to help people adjust to spider situations. The training uses a scientifically proven approach to reduce fear, known as exposure therapy.

A realistic 3D AR spider model is projected into the real world which creates a virtual simulation of a spider actually being present.

HOW TO USE THIS APP

You can test your fear with the free version and then continue your training and face your fear with the full version by unlocking all 10 levels at once and for all times.  The paid version unlocks all of the levels and would be used for research and illustration.  The free version is sufficient to use and a good illustration.

The use of the Phobys App and an article about its usage can be found in the Psychology Update for the week of November 8, 2021 (11/08/2021).