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How culture shapes your mind — and your mental illness
THE PATIENT, A man in his early 20s, was clearly distressed, anxious. There were insects, he said, insects crawling around under his skin. The graduate student doing the initial assessment was immediately concerned and went straight to her advisor, Dr. Brian Sharpless, a clinical psychologist and professor at Argosy University in Virginia. The patient sounded psychotic — possibly schizophrenic, she said, and she wanted to know what to do. “Is he by any chance Nigerian?” Sharpless asked. “Yes!” she replied. “How did you know?” “He’s not psychotic — that’s Ode Ori,” Sharpless responded.
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So Your Child Has Failed. Here’s What to Do Next
Just like adults, children sometimes fail. And when they do, parents too often do not react. They figure that failure is a part of life—that it teaches an important lesson. But that may not actually be the case. While tough love worked fine for parents when they were children, we know more now about child psychology. And we have a better understanding of what methods truly help children learn from failure. When a child fails, think of two goals. The first is comfort. Parents need to convey how much they care and can be relied upon. This may seem a little obvious, and so most parents stop there.
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Research Spotlights December 2018
Happy childhood memories related to better health in later years Prior research shows positive memories from childhood are related to better health in young adults, but a new NIA-funded study extends these findings to older adulthood as well. Using data from the National Survey of Midlife Development (MIDUS; n = 7,108; Mage = 46.38, followed for 18 years) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 15,234; Mage = 67.73, followed for 6 years), researchers retrospectively analyzed childhood memories of parental support and the relation with present day physical health.
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How to Accept a Compliment — Even if It’s From Yourself
Pumping yourself up after a big win can feel a little awkward. You want to acknowledge good work, but you don’t want to feel arrogant. It’s that tricky balance of quietly reveling in a job well done without coming off as … well, a jerk. Despite that awkwardness, getting credit for your work gives your brain good feelings and helps you accomplish more. Companies use praise to try to boost productivity and even revenue, and experts say that the psychological impact of keeping a positive view of your accomplishments can decrease stress and encourage better habits. Unfortunately, not all praise is rewarded equally.
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‘Fortnite’ Reaches New Level Of Video Game Popularity — And Addiction
If you’re having trouble getting your kid to the dinner table because they’re playing 'Fortnite,' you’re not alone. Over 200 million gamers have registered for the video game worldwide. And it’s not just kids — parents, Major League Baseball players, even the popular rapper Drake have all caught on. It’s fun and popular, but some say also addictive. Here's how to start evaluating and curbing that addiction.
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Why People Wait 10 Days to Do Something That Takes 10 Minutes
I’m trying to construct an alternative theory of myself in which I’m a tidy person. It’s not going well. Walking my recycling from my apartment to the trash room down the hall takes me anywhere from two minutes to a month. I hate looking at broken-down boxes and empty LaCroix cans in my apartment, but studies say humans are bad at prioritizing long-term goals over instant gratification, and I apparently find doing anything else much more gratifying. It doesn’t take a scientist to explain why I might put off other things, such as doing my dishes. Those are annoying and kind of gross, and the primary reward is just being able to use them in the future.
