William McDougall, Harvard social psychologist, wrote that people can be happy while in pain and unhappy while experiencing pleasure. While the philosophical and semantic ramifications of the term “happiness” are still far away from being well-defined on a universal basis, it is generally... Read more →

The February 1st edition of the New England Journal of Medicine reports that suffering a concussion in Iraq after a bomb attack was strongly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Read more →  Read More →

Psychosocial consequences in children living with epilepsy are significant. Frequent hospitalization, the unpredictability of seizures, and side effects from treatment can lead to increased stress for the child and the entire family. They can lead to child’s negative evaluation of self and can... Read more →

There is new research suggesting that panic and anxiety attacks may be brought on by a few, shallow breaths of stale air. The theory goes that breathing excess carbon dioxide is responsible for anxious feelings and feelings of panic. If this theory were true wouldn’t all of us experience unusual... Read more →

October 10th was World Mental Health day. This year, the focus was on the interplay between culture and mental health. Let’s see what we can learn on the topic: Read more →  Read More →

Just when I was complaining that the hypothetical stress-cancer link is still controversial, a new study takes a new approach to look at this question. Researchers at the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu, Japan, looked at a variety of psychosocial stressors... Read more →

The human genome is on everyone’s mind with recent advances by Craig Venter’s team. Let’s look at how reducing mental and other stress may be especially important for a genetic group of which you just might be a member. Research into cancer has shown that oxidative stress affects DNA,... Read more →

An Indian sage said some 4000 years ago, “There are two classes of disease–bodily and mental. Each arises from the other. Neither can exist without the other. Mental disorders arise from physical ones, and likewise, physical disorders arise from mental ones.” The debate between duality... Read more →

There are several pathways to becoming health psychologist; however, those wishing to undergo board certification should consult the American Board of Clinical Health Psychology. There are two lines of graduate programs available: masters and doctoral programs. They include courses in research methods,... Read more →

Generally, the latest hot topics in biopsychosocial fields include medical ethics, international medicine and health, reducing health care costs and expanding health services, and correlations between nutrition and illness. To view the latest research in health psychology, behavioral medicine, and the... Read more →

Engel’s portrayal of the biopsychosocial model has significantly redefined psychiatry, medicine, and psychology. With the emergence of health psychology and behavioral medicine in primary care settings and the training of general practitioners on different health paradigms, patients are increasingly... Read more →