The global pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19) is outside the normal range of how people psychologically know how to cope with stressors. We are navigating daily living in uncertain times. Combined with the recent Stay-At-Home orders in many states, this added a whole new layer of stress to people’s lives. Understandably, the isolation and lack of physical contact for people impacts...[ read more ]
Learning about suicide is important. Most individuals who end their lives (over 40,000 each year in the United States alone) struggle with mental health disorders. Knowing the signs and symptoms do not always prevent suicides but could help you protect yourself, your family and your friends. Reach out to health professionals if you are worried, and keep in mind you...[ read more ]
Patterns generally involve repetitive action, a task or behavior engaged in frequently, often without giving it much thought. Much daily behavior is fairly automatic, an activity done so many times that it feels comfortable and there’s no inherent harm in it. Or, it’s a behavior that we’re reluctant to change because of a reward associated with it. Toxic behavioral patterns...[ read more ]
If you suffer from panic attacks or are prone to them, you might find that you are experiencing them more than usual. The uncertainty in these challenging times as we face a global pandemic — it’s the perfect storm for intense fear and a sense of dread that cripples those who suffer from panic attacks. It triggers physical symptoms like...[ read more ]
Are you taking the COVID-19 outbreak seriously? Are you staying home a good deal of the day? Are your health worries elevated? Is your income going downhill? Are you driving yourself crazy thinking about what might happen to you and your loved ones? Yes, all these concerns are valid. So, what will you do? Panic? Or learn how to cope...[ read more ]
Twilight Zone time, not sure how long the unofficial quarantine has been going on in my neck of the woods, nor do I know how long it will last. As of a day or so ago, Tom Wolf, governor of my home state of Pennsylvania, declared that everyone is expected to remain at home, unless they need to go to...[ read more ]
No-one can escape the fact that the world has changed beyond recognition in just a few short weeks. The body count continues to rise and is a stark reminder to us of how vulnerable humans can be to nature. Furthermore, usually frantically busy streets and cities are now deserted, shopping malls are closed, restaurants and bars are shut down and...[ read more ]
Cannabis, weed, marijuana, pot. It goes by several names, but we all know what it smells like. As weed becomes more mainstream, we on the Not Crazy podcast want to know: Is marijuana really an effective treatment for anxiety? Is it just a coping mechanism? Or a vice? In today’s podcast, Gabe and Jackie look at the research and...[ read more ]
In our current coronavirus epidemic, many people are feeling more and more apprehensive about family, friend’s, neighbor’s — and one’s own mortality. It’s perfectly natural, perfectly understandable. Although we know that death is an inevitable part of the life cycle, many of us have a hard time accepting it. A large part of why it’s become so difficult to make...[ read more ]
This week’s Psychology Around the Net dissects the psychology of comfort TV, tips on how to protect yourself from others’ negative energy, ways to take care of your mental health while working from home, and more. Why You Can’t Stop Streaming Seinfeld. Or Frasier. Or Bones: On the Psychology of Comfort TV: No doubt you’re familiar with comfort television, but...[ read more ]