Procrastinate Later

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-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...

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...

The average person would undoubtedly prefer to be liked by other people, so why do antagonistic people not want to change?. New personality research shows what leads those with antagonistic traits to see the benefits as outweighing the costs. Despite their reluctance to becoming nicer, there may be a way...

Walking at a brisk pace for just 75 minutes every week could cut your risk of depression, a new study finds. The World Health Organization recommends everyone should exercise for at least two-and-a-half hours every seven days. But researchers at Cambridge University, England, found adults who got half as much...

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...

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...

Hugging reduces inflammation and blood pressure. Hugging can also help fight against the common cold. Hugging promotes the release of oxytocin and increases feelings of bonding with others. For those lucky enough to have loved ones close by, hugging can have substantial health benefits. Unfortunately, people who have been deprived...

Children, adolescents, and young adults face increasing rates of depression and anxiety. Research shows that cost, not knowing where to go, and fear of being committed are among the top reasons for not seeking mental health care. Measures focused on addressing young people’s concerns and barriers to care are urgently...

Some of the therapeutic benefit of psychedelics is connected to increasing psychological flexibility. Brain flexibility can be measured by the degree of entropy. Interventions such as breathwork, VR, meditation, and vibroacoustics can also increase entropy. With additional research, we may be able to use a wide range of altered states...

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...

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...

Researchers studying a common form of epilepsy have made an important discovery about a process within the brain's hippocampus that appears to modulate seizure activity and suggests a possible new target for future therapies. In epilepsy, according to the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the normal...

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...

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...

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.

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...

A new study found that a nature-based work intervention reduced workers’ stress levels and improved their cognitive performance. Research has also shown that nature experiences improve depression and anxiety. Feeling stressed at work? Perhaps you’ve returned to work after a pandemic-based break or remote work situation and now you...

As work becomes increasingly cross-functional, our relationships are more important than ever. Even if you want or need to get something out of a relationship, it’s more important to focus on what you can give. Proving you're worth knowing isn't a matter of convincing others. It's about offering specific...