The Female Psychopath’s Use of Devaluation

When we optimize our efforts to develop ourselves personally and in our relationships with others, we can feel a sense of being whole. When we are let down by people we trust, we may consider our feelings of anxiety, disappointment, and sadness as signs that we are broken. The artist...

Self-pity is a universal emotion, resulting from the fact that life is inevitably full of heartache and disappointment. "Feeling sorry for ourselves" is socially frowned upon and leads to feeling bad about ourselves, our lives, and the people around us. When self-pity strikes, the most common way we react is...

When I have a thought, I may be unsure whether the thought is true or not, but there seems to be at least one thing I can be sure of: it is my thought, and not someone else's. Our ownership of our thoughts was taken to be indubitable by the philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who held that uncertainty about this was "nonsensical." What sense could there be, Wittgenstein wondered, in even asking whether a thought that I have is thought by me?

The word "hate" conveys meanings with different emotions and varying emotional intensities. It is firmly rooted in shame, fear, and humiliation. "Splitting" is often the major defense associated with hate and involves idealization and demonization. Strategies to move past hate include identifying positive aspects of an individual and clarifying your...

Robin Roberts has spoken candidly about why she nearly turned down an opportunity to interview Barack Obama about marriage equality.The Good Morning America host, 61, discussed her 2012 interview with former president Obama during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she revealed that she had concerns about the interview and her sexuality, as she didn’t want to be “outed” as gay because of the conversation.“In 2012, I got a call to go to the White House, and that there was a possibility that then-president Barack Obama would change his stance on marriage equality,” Roberts recalled to DeGeneres. “I...

"You need to find someone to work your shift, or you work your shift," the boss said.

WHEN a young mom shared the rules she has in place for her toddler son, she expected backlash – especially because she doesn't allow others to give her child sugar and won't force him to share. Thousands of people weighed in on the mom's parenting choices, with some labeling...

"Their house their rules. Don't like it? Move out and let your brother & his family live in peace," one commenter wrote.

Fellow parents and teachers were disturbed by the man's behavior and praised the mom for stepping in to protect her daughter.

Charita Cole Brown addresses the stigma of mental health in people of color communities. Cole Brown stated that African-Americans and people of color have to know that it’s okay to seek mental health help. Cole Brown advocates that we have to be in communities that allow people to see...

Complex relational trauma experiences closely resemble PTSD but are different in other ways, too. Complex relational trauma happens in the context of close attachment relationships, usually when there is an imbalance of power. Although the effects of these experiences can be significant, they can also be overcome. What is complex...

Self-soothing means knowing how to take extra-special care of yourself during particularly challenging times. Strategies to keep calm and self-soothe include maintaining perspective, reminding yourself of your strengths, and limiting obligations. When a storm dropped a 120-foot tree on my friend Hannah’s house—the dream home she had owned for just...

It's controversial to suggest that men are also scared of women. We don't think of people in privileged positions to feel afraid. What's harmful to one person in a relationship is also harmful to both. Segregation scars the soul of the perpetrator as well as the perpetrated— Dr. Martin Luther...

People are often oblivious to their ambivalent feelings and contradictions in their thinking. This obliviousness is easily seen in alcohol and other drug addicts, but it exists in everyone to one degree or another. Obliviousness reduces cognitive dissonance and is strengthened by communal validation. Tolerance of cognitive dissonance is needed...

Social anxiety is one of the most common anxiety disorders. While your anxious brain tells you the only way to not feel anxious is to do things perfectly or not at all, it's important to take risks. It's OK to take baby steps, to take breaks to regroup, and to...

Achieving fame, fortune, or popularity won't make us immune to mental health disorders. Biased attitudes still exist that can delay seeking help, such as the idea physical health diseases are more valid than mental health disorders. Mental health struggles interrupt life, health, social relationships, and more–just like physical illnesses.

New research suggests depression may increase the likelihood of expecting social rejection. Social rejection also appears to increase the probability of experiencing symptoms of depression. Assessing and modifying social rejection expectations may help prevent the development or progression of depression. Think back to a time when you were ostracized by...

It's currently mental health awareness month. Every year during this time (and in fact all year), the dominant reminders and solutions seem to focus on:. If these solutions aren't fixing your mental health, then you might feel like you're doing something wrong. Or, you might feel angry because they seem inadequate (and you're right)

Modern technology is designed to appeal to a set of evolved human motives. The combination of powerful motives and efficient technology opens the door for robo-parasitism. Teenagers' use of electronic media can increase their loneliness and lower their grades. Back in 1989, during a lovely scenic drive around the American...

It can be draining when others push their expectations on you. Boundaries are those proverbial fences we put around our lives, minds and choices that allow us to say "you've come too far." Boundaries can keep you focused on what is important to you and your family. I was having...