Thinking about death can actually be a good thing. An awareness of mortality can improve physical health and help us re-prioritize our goals and values, according to a new analysis of recent scientific studies. Even non-conscious thinking about death -- say walking by a cemetery -- could prompt positive changes and promote helping others.
Date Posted: April 20, 2012
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A large randomised controlled study has found yoga and meditation techniques to be effective for stress reduction in the workplace. The study screened employees from a single company at two location to find healthy individuals who identified ...
Apr 19
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Can a psychiatric disorder be diagnosed with a blood test? That may be the future if two recent studies pan out. Researchers are figuring out how to differentiate the blood of a depressed person from that of someone without depression.
In the ...
Apr 19
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Based on continued discussion about the upcoming DSM-5 guidelines for diagnosing depression and “complicated grief” in the bereaved, I am compelled to post a follow-up on this thorny, complicated topic.
While the impassioned position of ...
Apr 19
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I’ve been bashing determinism and fatalism a lot lately, so I thought I’d write about an “ism” I like: optimism. For most of my career as a science journalist, I’ve been a pessimist, harping on all the goals that scientists will probably ...
Apr 18
GOSarah Moore says that if you want your memorable family resort vacation to stay memorable, move away from the keyboard. Seriously. Moore researches how word-of-mouth stories affect our feelings about our experiences, and she has found that our ...
Apr 18
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Each time you turn on the television after 10pm, eavesdrop on a group of men at your local pub, or drive past a billboard, you’re likely to encounter some stereotypes about masculinity and men’s sexuality.
We’re told that men’s minds are ...
Apr 18
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AT 32, one of my clients (I’ll call her Jennifer) had a lavish wine-country wedding. By then, Jennifer and her boyfriend had lived together for more than four years. The event was attended by the couple’s friends, families and two dogs.
When ...
Apr 17
GOForgiveness is a major topic in religious, spiritual, and self-help circles; some teachings even say that forgiveness is the only thing we need. This is true in my experience – forgiveness has been central in ending my emotional pain. Yet, there ...
Apr 17
GOOnly half of women actually enjoy compliments and many others misinterpret well-meant words as offensive. "You look well" is one of the worst things a man can say to a woman because she thinks it means she looks fat, according to new survey of ...
Apr 17
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As the Great Recession drags on, the problems of unemployment and underemployment continue unabated. As a practicing psychologist who works with clients struggling with work issues, I often wonder what would most help people as they manage ...
Apr 16
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Dementia is a syndrome that affects memory, thinking, behaviour and ability to perform everyday activities. The number of people living with dementia worldwide is currently estimated at 35.6 million. This number ...
Apr 16
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Worrying may have evolved along with intelligence as a beneficial trait, according to a recent study by scientists at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and other institutions. Jeremy Coplan, MD, professor of psychiatry at SUNY Downstate, and colleagues ...
Apr 14
GOUniversity of British Columbia research comparing traditional bullying with cyberbullying finds that the dynamics of online bullying are different, suggesting that anti-bullying programs need specific interventions to target online aggression. ...
Apr 14
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New evidence shows the calming power of reminiscing about happy times
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