Twelve Things that Sigmund Freud Got Right

Sigmund Freud continues to be an influential figure in the field of psychology for his development of psychoanalysis, a theory and treatment approach focusing on the psychological development of mental illness. His work involved exploring the unconscious mind and the impact of early experiences, particularly those related to sexual development and parental relationships, on human…

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We are More Lonely than Ever. Find out Why and How to Counter It.

We are more connected and more lonely than ever. And this seems to be true across sex, age, race, and income. The COVID-19 pandemic has played a significant role in fostering disconnection among individuals, leading many of us to be less inclined to re-engage socially at the same level as before. Loneliness doesn’t typically travel…

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Media Literacy and Modern Technology

Media Psychology Technology, including social and other forms of media, is often considered neutral – its value is determined by how we use it (see Social Media is Related to Both Ill-Being and Well-Being). Finding a social group online that understands you can be a positive, life-changing, and even life-saving experience. However, becoming consumed with…

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Doomscrolling: The Ultimate Negative Flow State and Four Ways to Counter It

First, A Little Psychology I’ve written before about social media use and how it can be both helpful and harmful. The article, Is Social Media Reflecting Our Pathology or Adding to It?, concluded that social media does both. The trick to making social media a positive experience is understanding how their algorithms work. The first…

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Social Media Use is Related to Both Ill-Being and Well-Being

Social media use and mental health seems to have a love/hate relationship.  Brailovskaia and Margraf (2016) conducted a large study comparing users and non-users of Facebook on various mental health variables. While they found that users were significantly more likely to score higher on scales of narcissism, they also scored higher on extroversion and self-esteem.…

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Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, involves excessive anxiety and worry about a number of events or activities that is out of proportion to the situation. The worry and worrisome thoughts are difficult to control. Adults with GAD often focuses on everyday activities such as job responsibilities, health and finances, health of family members, and misfortune…

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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, has changed over the years as we learn more about how individuals respond to traumatic events. Prior to our current diagnostic system, the disorder was referred to by various names including Shell Shock in the early 1900s and through WWI and Battle Fatigue after WWII, according to…

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Narcissistic Personality Disorder

Narcissism gets its name from Greek Mythology and the story of Narcissus. According to the myth, Narcissus was a handsome and prideful young man. One day as he lay next to a pond he reached toward the water and saw his reflection. He became enamored by his image and struggled to turn away. As he…

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