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Behavioral Tip

14 Feb

Even a little exercise can significantly extend life. (Monitor on Psychology, 2013, 44, 2, p. 19)

Elders, Beware

12 Feb

Older people are likely to miss social cues indicating that a person is not to be trusted.

(Monitor on Psychology, 2013, 44, 2, p. 19)

Joke

7 Feb

“I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman, ‘Where’s the self-help section?’ She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.” (Steven Wright)

Albert Einstein

5 Feb

“You never fail until you stop trying.”

Support for Psychotherapy

3 Feb

There is a “growing body of research that shows that for many psychological problems psychotherapy works better in the long term and is more cost-effective and long-lasting than medication, says Katherine C. Nordal, PhD, APA’s executive director for professional practice.” (Monitor on Psychology, 2013, 44, 2, p. 50)

 

More about Anxiety

31 Jan

“A cure doesn’t mean the end of anxiety, it means a willingness to try new things, take some risks, and accept anxiety as an inherent part of growing and living.” (Psychotherapy Networker, 2013,37, 1, p. 45)

Anxiety

29 Jan

“To be uncomfortable-and move forward anyway-is the way out of anxiety’s maze.”  (Psychotherapy Networker, 2013,37, 1, p. 45)

 

Habit Change

25 Jan

Want to change a habit that is getting in your way? Here are two tips: 1) Identify the trigger for the behavior and substitute an incompatible but neutral or positive behavior and 2) Break down your goal for change into small, doable steps. ( Psychotherapy Networker, 2013, 37, 1, p. 13)

Nature vs Nurture

22 Jan

This week, the magazine The Week (2013,13, 601, p.) addresses the nature/nurture debate with the latest information in the article “The ‘switches’ on your genes.” This information involves data found in epigenetic research that supports the interplay between nature and nurture instead of an either/or dichotomy.

Epigenetics supports the importance of genes to who we are and will be but also provides evidence that genes aren’t destiny. Genes have switches, called tags, that are turned on and off by environmental input that can be biological, like diet and toxins, and psychological, such as a loving home or trauma.

Interestingly, about one percent of changes from the switches can be passed on to one’s offspring and subsequently to the generations to come. Therefore, some environmental changes or acquired traits can be heritable. This recognition is a relatively new change in our thinking 

Continuing research is exploring how the switches contribute to the onset of such conditions as obesity, depression, and dementia. Hopefully this work will lead to clues as to how prevent and remedy negative epigenetic phenomena.              

 

Sleep

19 Jan

This month’s cover story in the Monitor on Psychology (2013,44,1) is called “Awakening to Sleep” by Dr. Siri Carpenter. It warns of the many serious dangers to our physical and psychological well-being of getting too little sleep. It’s message is that it is important for us all to wake up to the necessity of going to sleep at a reasonable time and getting enough sleep.

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