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

Anxiety

Excessive Checking: A Safety Behavior With Health Anxiety

Brittney Chesworth Ph.D., LCSW on September 12, 2024 in Managing Health Anxiety

Excessive body checking is a common behavior used to cope with health anxiety. Learn how this becomes a vicious cycle and the first step to getting better.

Excessive body checking is a common behavior used to cope with health anxiety. Learn how this becomes a vicious cycle and the first step to getting better.

Relationships

How to Safely Connect With Others

Michelle McQuaid Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in From Functioning to Flourishing

Are you able to live in the secure relating sweet spot, even when your relationships become challenging? Here are seven tiny nudges to improve your relationships.

Are you able to live in the secure relating sweet spot, even when your relationships become challenging? Here are seven tiny nudges to improve your relationships.

Education

The Evolution of LLMs Through Real-Time Learning

John Nosta on September 12, 2024 in The Digital Self

OpenAI's o1 Model revolutionizes LLMs by learning and adapting in real time, promising smarter, more intuitive interactions that evolve alongside users.

OpenAI's o1 Model revolutionizes LLMs by learning and adapting in real time, promising smarter, more intuitive interactions that evolve alongside users.

Anxiety

A Trick to Stop Worrying About What You Can't Control

Diane N Solomon Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in The Narrative Nurse Practitioner

What can you do when you find yourself worried about climate change or your child’s future? This simple tool might help.

What can you do when you find yourself worried about climate change or your child’s future? This simple tool might help.

Race and Ethnicity

"Black Veganism" Is on the Rise. Here's Why.

Katherine Compitus on September 12, 2024 in Zooeyia

Championed by civil rights icons like Rosa Parks and Angela Davis, Black veganism intertwines with social justice and nonviolence.

Championed by civil rights icons like Rosa Parks and Angela Davis, Black veganism intertwines with social justice and nonviolence.

ADHD

The Athletic Advantage

Claudia Skowron MS, LCPC, CADC on September 12, 2024 in A Different Kind of Therapy

It is well known that playing sports can help with the management of ADHD symptoms. Some sports, however, provide better symptom management than others.

It is well known that playing sports can help with the management of ADHD symptoms. Some sports, however, provide better symptom management than others.

Career

Why People Aren’t Listening to Your Ideas

Stephen Friedman MA Psych on September 12, 2024 in Leadership Learning and Growth

New employees want to shine. But even when your ideas are awesome and cutting edge, it can be difficult to get them heard. Here's how to get better at it.

New employees want to shine. But even when your ideas are awesome and cutting edge, it can be difficult to get them heard. Here's how to get better at it.

Fear

Fearless on Friday the 13th

Cindy Watson B.A., LLB, JD on September 12, 2024 in Life as a Negotiation

Dread of Friday the 13th looms large in the cultural consciousness, but it's really just a day like any other.

Dread of Friday the 13th looms large in the cultural consciousness, but it's really just a day like any other.

Behavioral Finance

Are You a Victim of "Spaving"?

Joyce Marter LCPC on September 12, 2024 in Mental Wealth

Discover the hidden costs of "spaving"—the lure of saving while spending. Here's how to avoid this trap and protect your financial well-being.

Discover the hidden costs of "spaving"—the lure of saving while spending. Here's how to avoid this trap and protect your financial well-being.

Artificial Intelligence

AI vs. the Imperfect Human Brain

Moshe Bar Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in Facilitating Thought Progression

As a neuroscientist, I’m not afraid of AI. But I also understand that to advance further, it needs to become less perfect and deterministic—much like the human brain.

As a neuroscientist, I’m not afraid of AI. But I also understand that to advance further, it needs to become less perfect and deterministic—much like the human brain.

Stress

Clutter, Cortisol, and Mental Load

Elizabeth Earnshaw, MA, LMFT, CGT on September 12, 2024 in The Relationship Realist

A cluttered house can cause a spike in the stress hormone cortisol, and this effect is more pronounced in women than men. Why is this so, and what can be done about it?

A cluttered house can cause a spike in the stress hormone cortisol, and this effect is more pronounced in women than men. Why is this so, and what can be done about it?

Animal Behavior

Why Humans Have Thousands of Tools and Other Animals Do Not

Lawrence T. White Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in Culture Conscious

Some animals communicate with others and use a few tools, which may be signs of culture. But humans have hundreds of millions of cultural products. Why the enormous difference?

Some animals communicate with others and use a few tools, which may be signs of culture. But humans have hundreds of millions of cultural products. Why the enormous difference?

Body Image

Navigating the Fallout of Diet Culture and Weight Stigma

Carolyn Karoll LCSW-C, CEDS-C on September 12, 2024 in Eating Disorder Recovery

Diet culture and weight stigma impact mental health. Therapists can adopt practical strategies to help clients reject these narratives and begin to heal.

Diet culture and weight stigma impact mental health. Therapists can adopt practical strategies to help clients reject these narratives and begin to heal.

Resilience

The Tao of Weakness

Mike Verano LPC, LMFT on September 12, 2024 in Confessions of a Psychological First Responder

The balancing act between strength and weakness is never more on display than during times of personal and communal tragedies. These two forces are complementary not conflictual.

The balancing act between strength and weakness is never more on display than during times of personal and communal tragedies. These two forces are complementary not conflictual.

Boredom

How Your Smartphone Is Robbing You of Your Best Life

Heather Lench Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in The Emotional Toolkit

If we avoid boredom with a smartphone, we’re missing out on opportunities to tackle new challenges and accomplish great things.

If we avoid boredom with a smartphone, we’re missing out on opportunities to tackle new challenges and accomplish great things.

Authenticity

Is Code Switching a Form of People Pleasing?

Chandra Davis ATR-BC, LPC, LCPAT, ATCS on September 12, 2024 in Communal Healing

Code-switching can cause harm despite being a coping mechanism. It involves people-pleasing tendencies that stem from experiences where conformity was often necessary for survival.

Code-switching can cause harm despite being a coping mechanism. It involves people-pleasing tendencies that stem from experiences where conformity was often necessary for survival.

Trauma

Healing Shame and Trauma Through Writing and Reading

Melissa Rampelli Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in The Fainting Couch

What role can writing and reading play in navigating trauma? Memoirist Barrie Miskin discusses her writing process and how it offered closure, connection, and hope.

What role can writing and reading play in navigating trauma? Memoirist Barrie Miskin discusses her writing process and how it offered closure, connection, and hope.

Awe

Awe Is a Response to Mystery

Mark Matousek on September 12, 2024 in The Seekers Forum

Researcher Dacher Keltner explains that the emotion of awe encourages imagination and cooperation, inspiring us to think beyond what we know and to feel connected to others.

Researcher Dacher Keltner explains that the emotion of awe encourages imagination and cooperation, inspiring us to think beyond what we know and to feel connected to others.

Mating

Not Enough! The Scarcity Mindset in Dating

Marisa T. Cohen PhD, LMFT on September 12, 2024 in Finding Love: The Scientific Take

People with a scarcity mindset can feel as if they are inadequate, causing them to settle for any available relationship for the purpose of companionship.

People with a scarcity mindset can feel as if they are inadequate, causing them to settle for any available relationship for the purpose of companionship.

Boundaries

The 3 Surprising Things Struggling Adult Children Tell Me

Jeffrey Bernstein Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in Liking the Child You Love

Many adult children harbor unexpected struggles that parents often overlook—here’s what they need from you to thrive emotionally.

Many adult children harbor unexpected struggles that parents often overlook—here’s what they need from you to thrive emotionally.

Caregiving

Unseen Family Caregiving

Judith R. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW on September 12, 2024 in Mothering in Later Life

Common stressors with being the mother of an adult child with bipolar, schizophrenia, or major depression.

Common stressors with being the mother of an adult child with bipolar, schizophrenia, or major depression.

Sensory Processing Disorder

Back-to-School Sensory Overload and How to Prevent It

Ainsley Hawthorn Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in The Sensory Revolution

The back-to-school season can be especially difficult for children with sensory sensitivities. Here are 5 tips for creating a calm and happy return to the classroom.

The back-to-school season can be especially difficult for children with sensory sensitivities. Here are 5 tips for creating a calm and happy return to the classroom.

Relationships

Are You Open to an Open Relationship?

Moshe Ratson MBA, MFT on September 12, 2024 in The Wisdom of Anger

To succeed in nonmonogamous relationships, couples need deep trust, clear communication, and a balance between stability and freedom.

To succeed in nonmonogamous relationships, couples need deep trust, clear communication, and a balance between stability and freedom.

Ethics and Morality

Differentiating Wishes and Interests of Mental Health Clients

Allan E. Barsky PhD, MSW, JD on September 12, 2024 in Agens Scientiam

Your client wants to remain in a romantic relationship that you believe is highly toxic. What is your priority for helping the client—their wishes or their interests?

Your client wants to remain in a romantic relationship that you believe is highly toxic. What is your priority for helping the client—their wishes or their interests?

Microbiome

The Role of the Microbiome in What Makes Us Unique

Hamid Zand Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in The Behavioral Microbiome

In addition to our brain and genetics, microbes that reside in our body play an important role in the formation of our identity.

In addition to our brain and genetics, microbes that reside in our body play an important role in the formation of our identity.

Bullying

Let's Stop Calling 3-Year-Olds Bullies

Claire Lerner LCSW-C on September 12, 2024 in Zero to Six

Labeling kids as young as 3 as "bullies" becomes a life sentence that limits the chance they will get the help they need to learn to be kind. This is a loss for all.

Labeling kids as young as 3 as "bullies" becomes a life sentence that limits the chance they will get the help they need to learn to be kind. This is a loss for all.

Unconscious

Do Large Language Models Have a Subconscious?

John Nosta on September 12, 2024 in The Digital Self

LLMs, like the human subconscious, rely on hidden layers and heuristics to process information—offering surprising parallels to human intuition and creativity.

LLMs, like the human subconscious, rely on hidden layers and heuristics to process information—offering surprising parallels to human intuition and creativity.

Cognition

Do We Control Our Thoughts?

Ran Littman Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in Relationship OCD

While we control certain thinking processes, others are automatic and uncontrollable. Choosing which thoughts to engage with helps those with ROCD reengage in their relationships.

While we control certain thinking processes, others are automatic and uncontrollable. Choosing which thoughts to engage with helps those with ROCD reengage in their relationships.

OCD

There's More to OCD Than Meets the Eye

Michael Alcee Ph.D. on September 12, 2024 in Live Life Creatively

Have you felt like obsessive-compulsive disorder treatments don't work for you? You're not alone.

Have you felt like obsessive-compulsive disorder treatments don't work for you? You're not alone.