treatments

The past, present and future of psychiatric diagnosis and beliefs about treatment in every culture and pocket of society.

Not the Poster Boy of Sobriety
Let me be clear—I love my wife, deeply, and in all the ways I know how. That makes writing this all the more difficult. I’ve spoken before about my struggles with pornography and sex addiction—mostly online, never physical—but sharing it again still knots my stomach.
By Paul Stewart2 years ago in Psyche
Help, Hope, & Heal…
I want it to share with you and everyone in the community about my experiences with a transformative moment from my both mental and emotional journey in visualize to make it expressive way. I also wanted to share you something about from lightness to darkness; and then going through the dark to find a light, but finding more brighter. However, my journey has been even more complex than others. Why? Because, I went through from misunderstood and felt like an outsider(it’s like my mind was telling me).
By Meghan LeVaughn 2 years ago in Psyche
Metamorphosis
It was time to distract the mind to find the road to transformation. It was a slow process, like doing a snow plough turn while skiing down a steep slope, it sometimes works. Playing the cards was the last option when all logic failed to work.
By Katherine D. Graham2 years ago in Psyche
A Conversation With the Mirror
There are moments when the world tilts—when you find yourself cracked open in a silence so loud it roars. The polished affirmations, the soft-spoken mantras, all start to feel like bandaids on bullet wounds. Not beautiful. Not helpful. Just a cover that doesn’t hold—words that slip right off when you need something that sticks.
By Annie Edwards 2 years ago in Psyche
The Numb Age
Introduction: The Hidden Epidemic In today’s hyper-connected world, most of us are drowning—not in water, but in noise. Not from sirens or shouting, but from pings, reels, ads, and algorithmically curated chaos. It’s not a virus or a war. It’s something quieter, but just as damaging: dopamine exhaustion.
By Debarghya Chatterjee2 years ago in Psyche
Screen time is slowly frying your Brain
Dementia, an umbrella term is referred to many neurodegenerative disorders characterized by memory loss, cognitive decline, and impaired reasoning. It is increasingly prevalent due to aging populations worldwide. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60–80% of cases worldwide. A growing body of research suggests that lifestyle interventions, particularly physical exercise, can play a crucial role in reducing the risk of cognitive impairment. However, there is currently no definitive treatment for dementia. From a neuroscientific point of view, exercise has a variety of positive effects on brain structure and function that can help prevents dementia. A key player in neuroplasticity is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), a protein that supports the survival of existing neurons and encourages the growth of new ones.
By Sadman Sanjid Hossain2 years ago in Psyche
Random Acts Of Flowers
Today started off as any normal chemo day, however honestly I thought I’d be turned away since I was sick last week. Alas, my labs were super this week, so chemo proceeded as normal. On the infusion floor, there are always two elderly volunteers who are amazing. They go around each section of the infusion floor asking chemo patients if they want anything from snacks, beverages and even warn heated blankets. Around eleven they bring by a small light lunch, half sandwich, chips, a drink and a snack for later. However something different happened today, today I received flowers from them with a person from the company called Random Acts of Flowers.
By Jessie Lynn Nelson2 years ago in Psyche
The Science Behind Anxiety and How to Manage It
Anxiety is a universal human emotion. It alerts us to danger, keeps us focused, and motivates us to take action. However, for millions of people around the world, anxiety becomes more than just an occasional response to stress—it becomes a chronic and overwhelming condition that interferes with everyday life. In this article, we dive into the science behind anxiety, explore what causes it, how it manifests, and most importantly, how it can be effectively managed.
By Niaz Ahmad 2 years ago in Psyche
Why Your Brain Hates New Habits (and How to Trick It Into Change). AI-Generated.
You set a goal to exercise daily, meditate, or learn a language. For three days, you’re unstoppable. Then, like clockwork, your brain revolts. “This is too hard,” it whines. “Let’s just watch Netflix.” Sound familiar? The problem isn’t you—it’s your brain’s ancient wiring. Neuroscience reveals that 95% of our behaviors run on autopilot, governed by brain regions like the basal ganglia, which prioritizes energy conservation. New habits threaten this efficient system, triggering resistance. But with the right strategies, you can hack this biology. --- **Why Your Brain Sabotages New Habits** 1. **The “Energy Hog” Theory** Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy despite being 2% of its weight. To survive, it evolved to minimize effort. The prefrontal cortex (responsible for decision-making) burns glucose rapidly, while the basal ganglia (habit center) operates on autopilot. New habits force the prefrontal cortex into overdrive—a state your brain instinctively avoids. 2. **The Dopamine Dilemma** Habits form when behaviors trigger dopamine release, reinforcing neural pathways. New routines lack this reward loop initially, making them feel unrewarding. As neurobiologist Dr. Andrew Huberman explains: “The brain prioritizes immediate rewards over long-term gains. No dopamine? No motivation.” 3. **The Status Quo Bias** A 2020 study in Nature Human Behavior found that the brain perceives change as a threat, activating the amygdala (fear center). This “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” wiring helped early humans avoid risks—but now it’s why you default to scrolling Instagram instead of journaling. --- **How to Trick Your Brain Into Embracing Change** **Strategy 1: The 2-Minute “Scaffolding” Rule** Forget grand gestures. Start with micro-actions so small your brain can’t protest: - Want to run? Just put on your shoes and walk outside for 2 minutes. - Trying to meditate? Sit quietly and breathe deeply 3 times. Why it works: Stanford psychologist BJ Fogg found that tiny habits bypass the amygdala’s resistance. Over time, these “scaffolds” build neural pathways, making larger efforts easier. --- **Strategy 2: Piggyback on Existing Routines** Link new habits to established ones using “habit stacking”: - After [current habit], I will [new habit]. - Example: “After brushing my teeth, I’ll do 1 push-up.” - Example: “After pouring coffee, I’ll write one sentence in my journal.” The science: The basal ganglia thrives on patterns. By attaching new behaviors to ingrained routines, you “sneak” them past your brain’s defenses. --- **Strategy 3: Reward the Effort, Not the Outcome** Your brain needs instant gratification to stick with change. Design rewards that activate dopamine during the habit, not after: - Learning guitar? Place a sticker on your calendar each time you practice—visual progress triggers dopamine. - Eating healthy? Take a bite of dark chocolate before your salad. The sugar spike primes motivation. Pro tip: A 2018 MIT study found that unpredictable rewards (e.g., a “mystery” podcast you only listen to while jogging) boost habit retention by 40%. --- **Strategy 4: Reframe “Failure” as Data** When you skip a habit, your brain whispers: “See? You’re lazy.” Counter this by asking: - “Was the habit too ambitious?” - “Did I trigger the amygdala by changing too much too fast?” Example: If you missed a workout, scale back to “put on workout clothes” for a week. This reduces perceived threat. --- **The 4-Week Brain Retraining Plan** 1. Week 1: Focus on consistency, not duration. Do your 2-minute habit daily. 2. Week 2: Add a “reward ritual” (e.g., 60 seconds of a favorite song post-habit). 3. Week 3: Increase the habit by 10% (e.g., 2.2 minutes of exercise). 4. Week 4: Link the habit to an identity shift: “I’m someone who prioritizes health.” Why this works: Gradual scaling prevents prefrontal cortex burnout. Identity shifts, per psychologist James Clear, rewire the basal ganglia to view the habit as part of “who you are.” --- **The Takeaway: Work With Your Brain, Not Against It** Your brain isn’t lazy—it’s a survival-optimized machine. By leveraging neuroscience instead of fighting biology, you can turn friction into flow. As psychiatrist Dr. Judson Brewer notes: “Habits aren’t about control. They’re about curiosity and cleverness.” Start small. Reward often. Let your brain believe it’s winning—and watch resistance fade.
By Haad Khan2 years ago in Psyche
The Forgotten Language of Touch: How Physical Contact Shapes Our Emotional Well-being
In a world dominated by screens and digital expressions, we have learned to communicate through messages, emojis, and reactions. We connect in online meetings, express love with virtual hearts, and offer condolences through comment sections. Yet, in our reliance on words and technology, we’ve drifted away from one of the oldest and most profound forms of communication—physical touch.
By Mysteries with Professor Jahani2 years ago in Psyche
The Invisible Weight: Living with the Emotional Baggage We Don’t Talk About
The Backpack No One Sees When my friend Julia died suddenly in a car accident, her husband, Mark, showed up to her funeral wearing a crisp suit and a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. He shook hands, accepted casseroles, and thanked everyone for their support. Two years later, at a dinner party, he casually mentioned he still sets a place for her at the table. The room fell silent. No one knew what to say—not because they didn’t care, but because grief, like so much of our emotional baggage, lives in the shadows.
By Mysteries with Professor Jahani2 years ago in Psyche
How Small Acts of Kindness Changed My Perspective on the World
The Day a Stranger’s Umbrella Taught Me About Humanity It was a gray, drizzly afternoon in Kyoto when I first grasped the quiet power of kindness. I stood outside a train station, drenched and frustrated, silently berating myself for forgetting my umbrella. Out of nowhere, a woman in her sixties—her silver hair peeking beneath a sunhat despite the rain—paused beside me. Without speaking, she opened her bright red umbrella and held it over both of us. We walked in silence for two blocks until she nodded toward my destination: a tucked-away tea shop. When I thanked her, she smiled and said, “The rain feels lighter when shared.” Her words lingered long after the clouds parted.
By Mysteries with Professor Jahani2 years ago in Psyche