Yearly Archive for 2011
Mixed Messages from Mom – Maternal Psychological Health Influences Fetal Development
Pregnancy is far from a stress-free time of life. But, most mothers try their best to provide a healthy, happy placental home for nine months, knowing that anything she does to or for herself, she does to her growing fetus. The placental environment is sensitive to many foods, drinks, medications, and even activities, and the effects of many of these (think smoking and drinking) have long-term negative consequences. But, in addition to these external influences, internal factors, including psychological health and hormone levels, affect fetal development. A new study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science claims that, in fact, consistency of maternal mental health is more important in fetal outcomes than whether or not the mother is actually healthy.
The Concern with Self-Confidence
People want to feel good about themselves. From the time children are young, they are told to believe in themselves and be confident. As they grow, children are showered with sometimes-undue praise in an effort to boost their self-esteem and self-confidence. They, in turn, learn to give themselves positive feedback and tell themselves they have done a great job. However, unrealistic self-assessments of performance do not boost self-esteem, but, instead, lead to depression, according to a study recently published in the American Psychological Association's journal Emotion.
The Taste of Immorality in the Brain
Immorality is inevitably tied to social constructions and our value system. Ultimately, it is defined by the idea of morality inherent to our social context. We seldom stop to think about what the intrinsic idea of immorality actually means in the mind. In a way, if our brain reacts to something that can be called immorality in a particular way, these reactions define our personal views of what is moral or immoral, sifting the general accepted beliefs of society through the filter of our own psyche.
Silent Suffering – Nondisclosure of Depression Symptoms
The lifetime prevalence of a major depressive disorder in the United States is nearly 20%. Unfortunately, many cases of depression are undiagnosed owing to nondisclosure of depression symptoms by patients. A new study evaluates the reasons for nondisclosure and emphasizes that we have a long way to go to erase the stigma associated with mental illness.
Popular Posts
- Mind Games - Science's Attempts at Thought Control
- The Science of Stuttering
- Risks of Personalized Medicine
- Intelligence - Are You Holding Back Your Brain?
- Is Grief a Mental Illness?
- The Brain's Buying Power
- The Cost of a Good Night's Sleep
- Inside Your Brain on Holiday
- Risk Factors for Recurrence of Depression
- Salvia Divinorum - DEA Control over Magic in the Mint
Future Posts
Latest Posts
- Intelligence – Do You Need it to be Successful?
- A Trip for Terminal Patients
- Memory Ain’t What It Used to Be – And That’s Good for Psychotherapy
- The Science of Stuttering
- Are Your Friends Making You Fat?
- Beer – The Smarter Drink
- Macroeconomics and Suicide
- From Nymphomania to Hypersexuality
- Commitment – It’s the new Love
- Religion and Depression – Cause or Effect?
Comments
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- Veronica Pamoukaghlian, MA: Thank you for your insightful
- Richard Kensinger, MSW: I agree w/ Howard Gardner's pe
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- Kevan Henson: Write to me.Kevan Henson
- Kevan Henson: Tbi's are the way of your daug
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