Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist

Dementia

Does Tinnitus Cause Dementia?

Hamid Djalilian M.D. on December 10, 2025 in Sound Mind

Despite the headlines, tinnitus does not cause dementia. The problem is that it can cause a form of cognitive impairment. Learn how to tell the difference and what to do about it.

Despite the headlines, tinnitus does not cause dementia. The problem is that it can cause a form of cognitive impairment. Learn how to tell the difference and what to do about it.

Boundaries

Setting Limits for Twentysomethings

Ekaterina Ricci MDR/MLS on December 10, 2025 in Solutions for Conflict

Struggling to set boundaries in your twenties? Here’s how limits and consequences can protect your energy, reduce stress, and strengthen your relationships.

Struggling to set boundaries in your twenties? Here’s how limits and consequences can protect your energy, reduce stress, and strengthen your relationships.

Therapy

Talking Mental Health With Your Primary Care Doctor

Lance Garrison, Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Collaborative Care

By bringing mental health into the conversation during routine primary care visits, patients can take a more proactive and integrated approach to their overall well-being.

By bringing mental health into the conversation during routine primary care visits, patients can take a more proactive and integrated approach to their overall well-being.

Relationships

Want to Deepen Your Connection and Sexual Satisfaction?

Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, MAPP and James Pawelski, Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Happy Together

Want to increase your connection? Skip the usual gifts and try this instead.

Want to increase your connection? Skip the usual gifts and try this instead.

Cross-Cultural Psychology

When Hospitality Hides Loneliness

Hans Rocha IJzerman Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Body, Meet Mind

In Türkiye, economic hardship—more so than social skills—drives loneliness. Many reframe solitude as growth and connection as extending beyond humans to nature and places.

In Türkiye, economic hardship—more so than social skills—drives loneliness. Many reframe solitude as growth and connection as extending beyond humans to nature and places.

Emotions

The Rise of the Vibe

Roger Kreuz Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Small Talk and Big Questions

What matters more — feelings or facts? The increasingly common use of "vibe" may provide a clue.

What matters more — feelings or facts? The increasingly common use of "vibe" may provide a clue.

Spirituality

"Spiritual but Not Religious"? Are You Sure?

Alfie Kohn on December 10, 2025 in The Homework Myth

Personal Perspective: Non-religious people may call themselves spiritual just because they don't realize that atheists, too, are moved by natural beauty and cosmic mysteries.

Personal Perspective: Non-religious people may call themselves spiritual just because they don't realize that atheists, too, are moved by natural beauty and cosmic mysteries.

Friends

A Surprising Secret to Maintaining Friendships

Marisa G. Franco Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Platonic Love

To keep our friendships sustainable over the long term, we should think of them as flexible not fragile. Here's what that means and how it can help you.

To keep our friendships sustainable over the long term, we should think of them as flexible not fragile. Here's what that means and how it can help you.

Trauma

When Trauma Looks Like ADHD

Jeanette Yoffe M.A., LMFT on December 10, 2025 in The Inner Life of Foster Care

Trauma can look like ADHD, but symptoms often derive from a child’s survival system, not a condition. Safety, regulation, and observation must come before considering medication.

Trauma can look like ADHD, but symptoms often derive from a child’s survival system, not a condition. Safety, regulation, and observation must come before considering medication.

Confidence

Tired of Faking It? How to Finally Feel Confident

Gary W. Lewandowski Jr. Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in The Psychology of Relationships

Most people try to perform confidence, only to feel exhausted and unseen. Real confidence is quieter, truer, and the key to choosing love that actually fits.

Most people try to perform confidence, only to feel exhausted and unseen. Real confidence is quieter, truer, and the key to choosing love that actually fits.

Politics

America’s Nervous System Is Fried

Jesse Finkelstein PsyD on December 10, 2025 in Finding Your Wise Mind

We can’t fix polarization until we calm down.

We can’t fix polarization until we calm down.

Burnout

From Burnout to Belonging

Ryan C. Warner Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Leadership, Diversity, and Wellness

Small, consistent acts of workplace appreciation can boost engagement, reduce burnout, and create a culture where employees truly thrive.

Small, consistent acts of workplace appreciation can boost engagement, reduce burnout, and create a culture where employees truly thrive.

Artificial Intelligence

The Vast Asymmetry of Cognitive Augmentation

John Nosta on December 10, 2025 in The Digital Self

Personal Perspective: In an age of effortless AI augmentation, are we rising or refining our mediocrity?

Personal Perspective: In an age of effortless AI augmentation, are we rising or refining our mediocrity?

Self-Help

Freedom From Rumination

Jordan Fiorillo Scotti Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Buddhist Psychology: East Meets West

Sometimes you can't stop thinking about your problems and negative feelings. Learn how to free yourself from unproductive thought loops and train your brain to stay present.

Sometimes you can't stop thinking about your problems and negative feelings. Learn how to free yourself from unproductive thought loops and train your brain to stay present.

Parenting

Your Child Isn’t a Terrorist: Don’t Treat Them Like One

J. Timothy Davis, Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Challenging Kids

That aggressive parenting advice feels wrong because it is. Stop seeing meltdowns as defiance. Giving in during a meltdown isn't the problem; not focusing on missing skills is.

That aggressive parenting advice feels wrong because it is. Stop seeing meltdowns as defiance. Giving in during a meltdown isn't the problem; not focusing on missing skills is.

Animal Behavior

Fun-Loving Penguins: Unlikely Masters of Thievery and Play

Marc Bekoff Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Animal Emotions

These playful birds with different personalities cleverly steal stones from others' nests, carefully assessing a situation and adjusting their behavior accordingly.

These playful birds with different personalities cleverly steal stones from others' nests, carefully assessing a situation and adjusting their behavior accordingly.

Pornography

Breaking Bad: Understanding Problematic Pornography Use

Monica Vermani C. Psych. on December 10, 2025 in A Deeper Wellness

Here are five steps to breaking free from problematic pornography usage.

Here are five steps to breaking free from problematic pornography usage.

Career

The Dangers of Being Unemployed and Out of School

Michael Ungar Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Nurturing Resilience

Personal Perspective: Maybe the best thing we can do for young adults who are stuck living at home may be to help them rethink their career expectations.

Personal Perspective: Maybe the best thing we can do for young adults who are stuck living at home may be to help them rethink their career expectations.

Relationships

The Five-Step Path From Rupture to Repair

Mark B. Borg, Jr, Ph.D., and Haruna Miyamoto-Borg LCSW on December 10, 2025 in Love. Crash. Rebuild.

PACER (pause, accountability, collaboration, experiment, reset) is a simple, sequential method couples can use to navigate conflict and find their way back to connection.

PACER (pause, accountability, collaboration, experiment, reset) is a simple, sequential method couples can use to navigate conflict and find their way back to connection.

Suicide

Why Athletes Continue to Die by Suicide

Tess M. Kilwein PhD, ABPP, CMPC on December 10, 2025 in In the Trenches

Suicide among athletes remains a painful reality despite growing awareness. A clinical and sport psychologist examines what systems can do differently to better protect athletes.

Suicide among athletes remains a painful reality despite growing awareness. A clinical and sport psychologist examines what systems can do differently to better protect athletes.

Stress

How to Feel Less Stressed Even When Life Stays Hectic

Sharon Horesh Bergquist, M.D. on December 10, 2025 in The Stress Paradox

These five brief and simple steps to change your stress mindset can help you fret less today.

These five brief and simple steps to change your stress mindset can help you fret less today.

Nostalgia

Considering the Ups and Downs of Nostalgia

Christopher Dwyer Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Thoughts on Thinking

Personal Perspective: Nostalgia gives us pleasant reminiscence and an often useful coping strategy, but too much sentimentality can bias us against appreciating the present.

Personal Perspective: Nostalgia gives us pleasant reminiscence and an often useful coping strategy, but too much sentimentality can bias us against appreciating the present.

Narcissism

4 Things That Every Narcissist Fears

Mark Travers Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Social Instincts

What shakes almost every narcissist's sense of control?

What shakes almost every narcissist's sense of control?

Psychoanalysis

Beyond the Brink: Nietzsche’s Madness and Freud’s Way Home

Stephen L Salter Psy.D. on December 10, 2025 in Ideals in Question

Both Freud and Jung took up Nietzsche’s challenge: to face suffering not as an enemy to be banished, but as the very ground of transformation.

Both Freud and Jung took up Nietzsche’s challenge: to face suffering not as an enemy to be banished, but as the very ground of transformation.

Happiness

Why Wealth Feels Like Purpose—But Isn’t

Jordan Grumet M.D. on December 10, 2025 in The Regret-Free Life

Most people chase money, thinking it gives purpose. Discover why true fulfillment comes from identity and using wealth as a tool, not a goal.

Most people chase money, thinking it gives purpose. Discover why true fulfillment comes from identity and using wealth as a tool, not a goal.

Attention

How Screens Reduce Our Ability to See Human Pain

Sigifredo Castell Britton Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in Emotional Origins of Violence

Digital distraction affects how we respond to suffering. This story shows how our attention shapes empathy, safety, and the way communities repair harm.

Digital distraction affects how we respond to suffering. This story shows how our attention shapes empathy, safety, and the way communities repair harm.

Anxiety

You Don't Have to Worry About Giving Your Best Shot

Timothy A Carey Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in In Control

Personal Perspective: Whatever you do, whenever you do it, you’re always acting to keep the difference between what is going on and what you want going on as small as possible.

Personal Perspective: Whatever you do, whenever you do it, you’re always acting to keep the difference between what is going on and what you want going on as small as possible.

Eating Disorders

Motivation and Manualized Treatment for Eating Disorders

Judy Scheel Ph.D., L.C.S.W., CEDS, PLLC on December 10, 2025 in When Food Is Family

Much has changed in how we understand and treat eating disorders. Some significant aspects have remained consistent or stalled. Here's why.

Much has changed in how we understand and treat eating disorders. Some significant aspects have remained consistent or stalled. Here's why.

Stress

Surviving Santa: A Parent's Guide to Holiday Sanity

Calvina Ellerbe Ph.D. on December 10, 2025 in The Parenting Playbook

The holidays have become a source of intense financial, social, and mental fatigue. Here's how parents can defeat the pressure to be perfect and lean into peace.

The holidays have become a source of intense financial, social, and mental fatigue. Here's how parents can defeat the pressure to be perfect and lean into peace.