http://psychcentral.com/lib Original articles in mental health, psychology, relationships and more, published weekly. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 20:17:11 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Food is getting more and more expensive. Gas is over $4 a gallon and airfares are out of sight. That family vacation you’ve been looking forward to all year seems to be getting further and further out of reach. The choice between a winter’s worth of heating oil or a ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/small-budget-big-memories-vacation-is-a-state-of-mind/ Pages: 1 2 Next » It’s a teddy bear picnic. There are cardboard bear tracks leading to the backyard. The table, the paper cups and plates, and the napkins are festooned with bears. There are teddy bears dressed in their bear best seated throughout the yard. There’s even a ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/stop-the-birthday-party-madness/ People are often sad or lonely at certain times in their life, such as after a breakup in a relationship or losing a loved one. And after such a loss, often our concentration and memory can be negatively affected. These are normal reactions to loss and usually resolve on their ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/sad-or-lonely-losing-your-concentration-or-memory/ Americans seem more confused than ever about the role of fathers in children’s lives. On the one hand, more and more fathers are absent for all or significant periods of time. According to the 2006 Census, 23 percent of children under 18 do not live with their biological father ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/fathering-in-america-whats-a-dad-supposed-to-do/ Pages: 1 2 Next » Resilience may be an art, the ultimate art of living, but it has recently been subjected to the scrutiny of science. This much is known so far. At the heart of resilience is a belief in oneself — yet also a belief in something ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/learning-the-art-of-resilience/ Pages: 1 2 Next » While many people face serious psychological problems or mental health issues, far more people just have simpler concerns that are of the more garden-variety type. A person may be a little lonely from time to time, suffer from insecurity or self-esteem issues, or just ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/10-things-you-can-change-today/ Now here’s a topic that’s guaranteed to raise the ire of those who are committed to either position. I’ve enjoyed the impassioned debate, largely because I’m thrilled to see people on both sides who are committed to their children’s nutrition. I’m concerned, however, when parents are made to feel like ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/breast-feeding-vs-bottle-feeding/ The causes of modern social problems, from divorce to homelessness and obesity, are often thought to be based in areas such as poverty, stress or unhappiness. But researchers suggest we are overlooking something crucial: friendship. It would appear that our society is ignoring its importance. The philosopher Aristotle said, “In ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/the-importance-of-friendship/ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon is, on the surface, a detective story. A detective story rather than another type of novel, because it is like a puzzle and can be solved rather than fanciful lies in other types of novels, and our first ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/ Pages: 1 2 Next » It’s called the “other” dual diagnosis. While most professionals and laypeople understand dual diagnosis to mean those who suffer from both mental illness and substance abuse, the term is also used for those with the double challenge of mental illness and mental retardation. The ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/diagnostic-manual-intellectual-disability-dm-id-a-textbook-of-diagnosis-of-mental-disorders-in-persons-with-intellectual-disability/ Pages: 1 2 Next » My friend Richard shook his head as he told me the story of his latest visit with his mother, Harriet, now in her late 80’s. “I’d really like to see Mildred,” she said. “So why don’t you give her a call?” Richard replied. “Well, I had her ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/fairness-and-reciprocity-in-friendships/ Genetics, social conditions and culture all may play a part in the rise of human intelligence levels around the world. But the best method of determining why some people are smarter than others is still being debated. For most of the last century it was widely thought that intelligence was in ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/intelligence-quotient-rising-worldwide/ You know there’s a new nonfiction genre by the titles alone — Blink, Nudge, Predictably Irrational… and now Sway. This book is probably best compared with Dan Ariely’s Predictably Irrational, but to me the Brafman brothers’ book seemed easier to digest — partially because it’s shorter, but also because it ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/sway-the-irresistible-pull-of-irrational-behavior/ Pages: 1 2 Next » Oxytocin (Greek, “quick birth”) is a mammalian hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. In humans, oxytocin is thought to be released during hugging, touching, and orgasm in both sexes. In the brain, oxytocin is involved in social recognition and bonding, and ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/about-oxytocin/ The longterm effects of childhood neglect are many and serious. Have you fallen in and out of love with people who can’t love you back? Do you believe that you are essentially unlovable? If you never felt loved by your parents, you may not know what it really means to ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/recovering-from-childhood-neglect/