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Tackle that seemingly endless selection of course offerings; a roundup of helpful resources and sound advice for selecting the best courses and acing them.
Trauma and Addiction: Crash Course Psychology
All right, so you might have read "The Hobbit" or "The Lord of the Rings," you have probably seen them, you've definitely heard of them. But not everyone knows the story of their author, J.R.R. Tolkien. Tolkien was an English World War One veteran. A reluctant solider, he joined up with a sense of duty and he lived through the bloody battle of Somme suffering tremendous shock, guilt, and loss during and after the war. It took Tolkien years to processes his experiences. To help him do it he turned to writing fiction and in time he constructed a world that helped him and all of us better understand war, human nature, loss, and growth. His novels were the bi-product of trauma and they're among the more beautiful reminders of how it can affect us. Most of us will experience some kind of traumatic event in our lives and most of us will exhibit some kind of stress related behavior because of it, these symptoms usually fade but for some those reactions can linger and start of disrupt their lives or the lives of those around them. These reactions can develop into full blown psychological disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder and, in an effort to cope, sometimes addiction, but it doesn't always have to be that way. Ultimately, Tolkien was able to harness the effect of his trauma and shape them into something important and to reclaim is own life because there is such a thing as post-traumatic growth, too. As it does with many other things psychology approaches trauma related disorders with different perspectives, but they all tend to ask the same questions. How do you identify and diagnose these disorders? And how do you treat them, so that the patients can recover? -- With the understanding that they might never be the same as they were before the trauma, but they can still be healthy and happy. In a way, psychology helps patients ask themselves, what Tolkien asks his readers, and what Frodo asks when he is finally safe back in the shire: "How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How to go on, when in your heart, you begin to understand that there is no going back." It could be September 11 or a serious car accident or a natural disaster or a violent crime that you survived but are still haunted by. Trauma comes in many different forms and sometimes it can stick with you. When it manifests as nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance, fear, guilt, anxiety, rage, insomnia, and begins to interfere with your ability to function it can come to be known as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. It was once call "shell shock" a term used to describe the condition of veterans, like Tolkien in World War One but PTSD isn't limited to veterans. It's defined as a psychological disorder generated by either witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. Its symptoms are classified into four major clusters in the DSM V. One of these clusters involves re-living the event through intrusive memories, nightmares, or flashbacks. The second involves avoiding situations you associate with the event, while the third generally describes excessive physiological arousal like heart pounding, muscle tension, anxiety or irritability, and major problems sleeping or concentrating. And finally we have the fourth major symptom cluster: pervasive negative changes in emotions and belief, like feelings in excessive guilt, fear, or shame -- or no longer getting enjoyment out of what you used to. PTSD patients may also experience numbing, or periods of feeling emotionless or emotionally "flat" and dissociation, feeling as if situations aren't real or are surreal, feeling like time has slowed down or sped up, or even blacking out. We have been discussing how anxiety or mood disorders can affect a person's ability to function and how that impairment itself leads to more suffering and dysfunction. When any of these disorders is left untreated suffers may start to feel desperate to find some way to cope and one way may be substance abuse. Unfortunately, addiction and trauma can go hand in hand and it can be hard to recover from one without also dealing with the other. According to the US department of Veteran's Affairs more than 2 in 10 veterans with PTSD also struggle with substance abuse problems and 1 in every 3 vets seeking treatment for substance abuse also have PTSD. And across many studies, between a third to a half of women in treatment for substance abuse have experienced rape or sexual assault. For a long time most psychologists understood PTSD through the lens of fear conditioning or the unshakable memory of being in mortal danger and the learned responses that stem from that memory. But clinicians have also begun to recognize that for some the disorder can also be a kind of moral injury, widening the focus to include hauntings not just of violence done to a person but also what that person did or did not do to others. Brandon was a combat drone operator in the air force he enlisted at 21 years old and spent 6 years sitting in a bunker in the American South-West watching Iraq and Afghanistan from surveillance drones. He watched soldiers die and people get executed. He also watched kids play, people get married, goats grazing -- and when the time came he ordered hell fire missiles to strike military targets or people who had no idea they where even being watched. Although he was half a world away from combat, he ultimately suffered the psychological trauma felt by many on the ground soldiers. He was diagnosed with PTSD. Brandon suffers no fears for his own safety, but still experiences the same intrusive memories, nightmares, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse of many emotionally traumatized combat soldiers. So do a lot of other drone operators. But why do some victims or trauma suffer from PTSD while others seem able to move on? Well, its psychology so the risk factors are complicated. Some findings suggest that there may be genetic predispositions making some people more vulnerable than others. We also know that context and environment matter, for instance, someone who has experienced childhood abuse might feel on the one hand more ready to deal with difficult and traumatic experiences. But on the other hand they might be more likely to default to the suppression and avoidance in which PTSD suffers frequently engage, which as we've discussed in previous episodes often makes psychiatric symptoms worsen over time. As far as whats going on in the brain, PTSD shares some similarities with anxiety disorders. For example the brains limbic system may flood the body with waves of stress hormones like cortisol every time images of the traumatic event bubble up uninvited into consciousness. And we've already talked a lot about how the amygdala and hippocampus are involved in those classic fight or flight reactions, which when prolonged can be really rough on the body. In fact, neuroimaging suggests that trauma -- or the chemical processes set into motion by trauma -- might actually damage and shrink the hippocampus. Since this region is also associated with how we consolidate memories, this might explain how memories associated with trauma could fail to be filed away as long-term memories and instead remain vivid and fresh through flashbacks and nightmares. If there's any silver lining to all of this, it's that some people may actually experience positive change after a trauma. Treatment and social support help some suffers achieve post-traumatic growth, positive psychological changes resulting from the struggle with challenging circumstances and life crises. That's in part what Tolkien did. Though he suffered great trauma and loss on the battlefield, he was eventually able to use those experiences to drive those powerful, allegorical stories. Stories that helped not just himself, but many readers of all ages around the world. It seems that while whatever doesn't kill you might not necessarily make you stronger, sometimes it really does. But suffering can feed on itself. Many victims of trauma try to cope through whats colloquially called self-medicating and some can end up with substance abuse or dependence issues. Psychologists define addiction or dependence as compulsive, excessive, and difficult-to-control substance use, or other, initially pleasurable behavior that beings to interfere with ordinary life, work, health, or relationships. This could mean over-consuming drugs or alcohol, or compulsively gambling, eating, shopping, exercising, or having sex. People with addictions may not even realize that they have lost control of their behavior for some time. Addiction can refer to a physical dependence, a physiological need for a drug, that reveals itself through terrible withdrawal symptoms if the use stops or reduces. Or psychological dependence, the need to use that drug, or complete that activity in order to relieve negative emotions. People with addiction can sometimes be stigmatized as pleasure-bound hedonists who have no self-control, but people often compulsively use substances or do things in reaction to stress and other psychological problems. For various reasons they have been prevented from coping in other ways or maybe they just never learned how. So in this way addiction itself is often secondary to the more complicated matter of how a person deals with stress and difficult emotions, or what kinds of stressful situations they've survived. Few will dispute that much of what makes addiction possible is chemistry, but people are different -- from their life experiences to their biological sensitivities. So people respond in different way to different drugs and behaviors. Many people can drink casually or gamble once in a while without losing control. Others simply can't. People in recovery from addiction may also have different needs. Some will need to be completely sober and never again touch that drug or do that thing. While others may in time be able to regain enough control to use again in moderation. Likewise, some folks can kick the habit on their own while others do better with or need support from professionals or support groups. Researchers and groups like Alcoholics Anonymous debate whether addiction is a mental illness -- like a "software problem" related to thoughts, and behaviors, and feelings -- or a physical disease -- a "hard wire problem" related to biology and genetics -- or both, and even whether addiction and dependence are the same thing. Either way it can be hard to recover from an addiction if you don't get the underlying problem treated. But some people believe that you can't treat the underlying problem without first getting the addiction out of the way. While this controversy too continues, many are moving toward a model of treating both at at the same time. The so-called Dual Diagnosis Model of treatment. Addiction that's rooted in deeper psychological issues -- especially in emotional trauma like PTSD -- often require some version of dual treatment to untangle both issues. The good news is while PTSD and substance dependence may be distressing and complex, people can begin to heal given the chance and the resources. We're amazingly resilient creatures. When nurtured with the proper support and practice, we can overcome a lot. Today we talked about the causes and symptoms of PTSD and how trauma can affect the brain. We also looked at addiction, physical and psychological dependence, the relationship between trauma and addiction, and why they can require dual treatment, and we touched on post-traumatic growth with the wisdom of Frodo Baggins.
By Mai Vinh Thang2 years ago in Education
Depressive and Bipolar Disorders: Crash Course Psychology
American psychologist, and professor of psychiatry, Kay Redfield Jamison, is one of the world's foremost authorities on bipolar disorder. She's spent her career researching, lecturing, and writing seminal books on the condition. A condition that she also happens to have had her entire adult life. In her memoir, "An Unquiet Mind," Jamison details what it really means to be bipolar. She writes of not sleeping for days on end, of feeling long periods of euphoria, and filling whole notebooks with her racing thoughts and grandiose ideas. While in these manic states, she experienced a tremendously inflated sense of self-esteem and did impulsive things that felt good at the time but had painful consequences, like going on lavish shopping sprees, engaging in promiscuous behavior, racking up credit card debt, and emptying her bank accounts. But these episodes were followed by emotional crashes: Crippling bouts of depression that sent her into a suicidal spiral. At the age of 28, Jamison tried to kill herself by taking an overdose of Lithium, lapsed into a coma, but thankfully emerged from it determined to find help through medication and therapy. Through her research and writing, Dr. Jamison has pioneered our understanding of bipolar disorder, depression, and the nexus of mental struggles that we now think of as mood disorders. And she's probably one of the best ambassadors we have for all those people who live successful, productive lives with mental illness. Just like the anxiety disorders we talked about last time, mood disorders are misunderstood. They're diluted by depictions of depression as something that can be treated with one day at a spa or descriptions of people as manic depressive just because they were sad yesterday and aren't today. As students of psychology, our job is to understand what mood disorders really are, how they manifest themselves, and what might cause them. And as you probably guessed, this can be pretty tough terrain to explore. These disorders can take people from terrifying highs to pits of despair that seem all but bottomless. But! In between there's what Jamison has called, "A rich, imaginative life" -- all made possible by your moods. We've been talking a lot about terms and concepts that mean something different than what you think they mean, but this time, the term "Mood" is not one of those. In a psychological context, moods are pretty much exactly what you think they are: Emotional states that are even more subjective and harder to define than the emotions themselves. And while psychologists have defined about 10 basic emotions, moods tend to fall into two broadly and infinitely variable categories. You got the good moods and the bad moods. Probably the most important distinction between emotion and mood is that moods are long-term emotional states rather than discreet, fleeting feelings. And "mood-disorders," which are characterized by emotional extremes and challenges in regulating mood tend to be longer-term disturbances. These include depressive disorders, typified by prolonged hopelessness and lethargy, and bipolar disorders, the most prominent of which involve alternating between depression and mania. Depression has been called the common cold of psychological disorders. Which is not to say that it isn't serious, but it's common and it's pervasive and it's the top reason people seek out mental health help. We've all felt down before, obviously, often in response to a specific loss: a breakup or a lost job or the death of a loved one. And the fact is, you probably should feel bad at times like those. It can actually be good for a mind and body to slow down, to help digest losses that you experience, but in general, sadness is temporary. It's when sadness and grief extend beyond the generally accepted social norms, or plunge into a depth that causes serious dysfunction that you find yourself in the territory of depressive disorders. The DSM-5, our handy (if super flawed) user's guide to psychological disorders officially diagnoses a major depressive disorder when a patient has experienced at least five signs of depression for more than two weeks. These symptoms include not just depressed mood, but also significant weight or appetite loss or gain, too much or too little sleep, decreased interest in activities, feeling worthless, fatigued, or lethargic, difficulty concentrating or making decisions, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. So while everyone experiences sadness, depression is a physiological as well as psychological illness. It messes with your sleep, and appetite, and energy, and neurotransmitter levels, all interfering with the way your body runs itself. Plus in keeping with our definition of psychological disorders, to be considered a true disorder this behavior needs to cause the person or others around them prolonged distress - the feeling that something is really wrong. Just as a person with a severe, generalized anxiety disorder may never want to leave the house, a clinically depressed person often feels so hopeless and overwhelmed that they have trouble living a normal life. And unlike the bipolar disorders, the depressive disorders tend to be all lows. You've probably heard of manic depression. It's the outdated term for bipolar disorders. These include those classic dark lows of depression, but also bouts of the opposite - of extreme mania in more severe cases. Someone suffering from a bipolar disorder may flip back and forth between normal and depressive and manic phases within a single day or week or month. And a true manic episode doesn't just mean being energetic or happy, it's a period of intense, restless, but often optimistic hyperactivity in which your estimation of yourself and your abilities and your ideas can often get skewed. Like, really, REALLY skewed. Some patients experience mania only rarely, but when they do, it can be destructive. Kay Jamison has testified to that. Once during a manic episode, she bought up a drug store's entire supply of snake-bite kits, convinced of an imminent attack of rattlesnakes that only she knew was coming. In another, she purchased 20 books by the Penguin Publishing House because she said, "It could be nice if the penguins could form a colony." In other words, bad judgment is common. And it can get worse. Full blown manic episodes often end up in psychiatric hospitalization, since the risk to self or others can become severe. When the highs eventually end, they're often followed by dark periods of depression. When left untreated, suicide or suicide attempts are common, another element of the disorder that Jamison herself can attest to. Like so many things in psychology, the cause of mood disorders is often a combination of biological, genetic, psychological, and environmental factors. We know, for example, that mood disorders run in families - genes matter. And you're more likely to experience a bipolar or depressive disorder if you have parents or siblings who suffer from them. Studies have of identical twins show that if one twin has a bipolar disorder, that the other has a seven in ten chance of also being diagnosed, regardless of whether they were raised together or apart. And while a stressful life can't give you bipolar disorder, it could trigger a manic or depressive episode in someone with a pre-existing condition. Or start a descent into a major depressive episode in someone who never before had experienced depression. In other words, a person who loses a loved one could go from sad to depressed or slide into a bipolar episode, but it couldn't cause them to have the disorder to begin with. In the case of depressive disorders, for most people, after weeks, months, or even years, their depression can end, hopefully with the return to baseline healthy functioning. World-wide, women tend to be diagnosed with major depression more often than men, but many psychologists think this is simply because women tend to seek treatment more. It's also possible that depression in men tends to manifest itself more in terms of anger and aggression, than as sadness and hopelessness. This is just an example of how depression is much more than just being sad and that the characteristic lack of purpose and helplessness can manifest itself in a lot of different ways. Looking at mood disorders from a neurological perspective, we see that depressed, manic, and average brains show very different brain activity in neural imaging scans. As you might expect, a brain in a depressed state slows down. While a brain in a manic state shows a lot of increased activity, making it hard for that person to calm down or focus or sleep. Our brain's neurotransmitter chemistry also changes with these different states. For example, norepinephrine, which usually increases arousal and focus, is severely lacking in depressed brains, but kind of off the charts during manic episodes. In fact, drugs that seek to reduce mania in part do it by reducing norepinephrine levels. You may have also heard about how low serotonin levels correlate with depressive states. Exercise, like jogging or break dancing or whatever, increases serotonin levels, which is one reason exercise is often recommended to combat depression. And most medications designed to treat depression seem to work by raising serotonin or norepinephrine levels. And of course there's yet another way to look at things. The social-cognitive perspective examines how our thinking and behavior influence depression. People with depression often view bad events through an internal lens or mind set that influences how they're interpreted. And how you explain events to yourself, in a negative or positive way, can really effect how you recover from them - or don't. Say you were humiliated in the lunch room when someone tripped you and chicken soup flew all over the place, and you sat down on a brownie, and it was just a bad day. A depressive mind might immediately start thinking that the humiliation will last forever, that no one will ever let you live it down, that it's somehow your own fault, and you can't ever do anything right. That negative thinking, learned helplessness, self-blame, and over-thinking can feed off itself and basically smother the joy out of the brain, eventually creating a vicious self-fulfilling cycle of negative thinking. The good news is that the cycle can be broken by getting help from a professional, turning your attention outward, doing more fun things, and maybe even moving to a different environment. But again, that social-cognitive prospective is just part of a much bigger puzzle. Positive thinking is important, but it's often inadequate on its own own when up against genetic or neurological factors. So mood disorders are complicated conditions and rarely are they eliminated with a single cure. Instead, they're often things you just live with. And as Dr. Jamison has shown us, you can live well. Today we talked about what mood disorders are, as well as what they aren't. You learned about the symptoms of depressive and bipolar disorders, and the possible biological, genetic, environmental, and social-cognitive causes of mood disorders.
By Mai Vinh Thang2 years ago in Education
Unlock Your Potential: Select the Ideal Social Media Platforms for Developers
In today’s connected world, social media has become more important than ever for any developer seeking to create a personal brand, highlight areas of expertise, or network within the larger tech community. With so many choices at one’s fingertips, the challenge often lies in making a choice. This article looks at strategies to pick the most effective social media platforms for a developer so that an online presence becomes impactful yet efficient.
By Okoye Ndidiamaka2 years ago in Education
Ensuring Safety, How to Choose the Best Event Security Services in Edmonton Team
It is paramount for the success and safety of any gathering, whether it's a music festival, corporate conference, or sporting event. Selecting the right security team can make all the difference in preventing potential threats and ensuring a smooth experience for attendees. In this guide, we'll delve into the essential factors to consider when choosing the best security team, emphasizing the significance of their role in maintaining safety and order throughout the event.
By Alpine protection services2 years ago in Education
Eating great and practicing might be as viable for regarding melancholy as going to treatment
GEELONG, Australia — Feeling down? Adding a day to day run and eating great could be the best recipe for your psyche. Specialists have found that a solid eating regimen and ordinary activity may be similarly basically as successful as conventional psychotherapy in treating gloom. This finding could assist the people who battle with looking for emotional wellness help or will most likely be unable to manage the cost of customary treatment meetings.
By Arif zaman2 years ago in Education
Tuition vs. School: Win-win or Lose-lose? | Educational Podcast
Chalk and Talk the Educational Podcast To go for tuition (extra classes) or not - that is the question parents and students forever ask. With a multi-thousand crore tuition industry flourishing in India, what are the real pros or cons of tuition classes?
By ChalkandTalk2 years ago in Education
Good relationship Tip's
Certainly! Maintaining a healthy and fulfilling relationship requires effort, communication, and mutual respect. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to keep your relationship strong and positive: --- ### Building a Strong Foundation **1. Communicate Openly and Honestly:** Effective communication is the cornerstone of any strong relationship. Make time for regular conversations about your thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Address issues openly and honestly, but do so with sensitivity and respect. Avoiding difficult topics or bottling up emotions can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. **2. Practice Active Listening:** Listening is just as important as speaking. When your partner shares something with you, listen attentively without interrupting. Show empathy and understanding, and validate their feelings. Active listening fosters a deeper connection and helps resolve conflicts more effectively. **3. Show Appreciation and Gratitude:** Expressing appreciation for your partner’s efforts and qualities reinforces positive feelings. Regularly acknowledge their contributions, whether big or small, and let them know what you value about them. This practice helps maintain a sense of mutual respect and affection. ### Nurturing the Relationship **4. Spend Quality Time Together:** Quality time is crucial for maintaining intimacy. Plan activities that you both enjoy, whether it’s a date night, a shared hobby, or simply spending time together at home. Prioritize your relationship by making time for each other amidst busy schedules. **5. Support Each Other’s Goals:** Encourage your partner’s personal and professional goals. Show interest in their aspirations and offer support as they work toward achieving them. Being a supportive partner not only strengthens your bond but also fosters individual growth. **6. Manage Conflicts Constructively:** Disagreements are natural in any relationship. Focus on resolving conflicts rather than winning arguments. Approach disagreements with a problem-solving mindset, avoid blame, and seek to understand your partner’s perspective. Practice patience and compromise to reach mutually satisfactory solutions. ### Maintaining Intimacy and Connection **7. Prioritize Physical Affection:** Physical touch, such as holding hands, hugging, and kissing, helps maintain emotional closeness. Regular physical affection reinforces your connection and can alleviate stress. Ensure that physical touch is consensual and comfortable for both partners. **8. Keep the Romance Alive:** Romance is an essential element of a healthy relationship. Surprise each other with thoughtful gestures, plan special outings, or simply express your love in creative ways. Keeping the romance alive helps sustain the passion and excitement in your relationship. **9. Be Mindful of Each Other’s Needs:** Each person has unique emotional and physical needs. Be attentive to your partner’s needs and communicate your own. Finding a balance between meeting each other’s needs and maintaining individuality is key to a harmonious relationship. ### Building Trust and Respect **10. Maintain Honesty and Integrity:** Trust is foundational to a healthy relationship. Be honest and transparent with your partner. Avoid deceit or secrecy, as these can erode trust. Building and maintaining trust requires consistent integrity and reliability. **11. Respect Boundaries:** Respecting each other’s boundaries is crucial for maintaining a healthy relationship. Recognize and honor personal space and individual preferences. Openly discuss boundaries and ensure that both partners feel comfortable and respected. **12. Handle Jealousy Constructively:** Jealousy can strain relationships if not addressed properly. Communicate openly about your feelings and work together to understand the underlying causes. Focus on building trust and reassurance to manage and reduce jealousy. ### Cultivating Growth and Resilience **13. Foster Personal Growth:** Encourage personal growth and self-improvement for both partners. Support each other in pursuing new interests, skills, and personal goals. A relationship thrives when both individuals are growing and evolving. **14. Adapt to Change:** Life brings inevitable changes and challenges. Adaptability and resilience are crucial for navigating these transitions together. Support each other through life’s ups and downs, and be flexible in adjusting to new circumstances. **15. Seek Professional Help if Needed:** If facing persistent issues or challenges, consider seeking the help of a relationship counselor or therapist. Professional guidance can provide valuable insights and tools for resolving conflicts and improving your relationship. ### Conclusion Maintaining a healthy relationship involves ongoing effort, communication, and mutual respect. By prioritizing open dialogue, showing appreciation, managing conflicts constructively, and nurturing intimacy, you can build a strong and fulfilling partnership. Remember that a successful relationship is a dynamic process of growth and adaptation, requiring commitment from both partners. With dedication and understanding, you can foster a loving and resilient relationship that stands the test of time. ---
By Rivew website 2 years ago in Education
Unemployment in India
Living in denial about unemployment Unemployment is significantly a major issue within the country and the world. Due to lack of enough opportunities, frequent agitations can be witnessed, lack of enough opportunities attributes to oversupply of labour, particularly in primary sector, which consequently results in low wage level, Health factor gets severely impacted among the vulnerable population. Recently, citing a reserve Bank of India (RBI) report said that 8 crore jobs have been created in the last 3-4 years. This had created a false narrative about unemployment. Issue of data collection is one of the important aspects that Contributes In not being able to tackle the problem of unemployment.
By Khushi Rana2 years ago in Education
The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss
The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss: Science-Backed Strategies for Lasting Change Introduction Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is a goal that many people aspire to, but navigating the sea of diet trends and fitness fads can be overwhelming. The allure of quick fixes and rapid results often leads people down unsustainable paths that can harm their long-term health. This guide aims to provide a comprehensive, science-backed approach to sustainable weight loss, focusing on lasting change rather than temporary solutions.
By Maiakwai4u2 years ago in Education
