Everyone feels sad or low sometimes, but these feelings usually pass with time. Depression (also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression) is different. It can cause severe symptoms that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working. It is an illness that can affect anyone—regardless of age, […]
Identity encompasses the memories, experiences, relationships, and values that create one’s sense of self. This amalgamation creates a steady sense of who one is over time, even as new facets are developed and incorporated into one’s identity. Identity formation and evolution are impacted by a variety of internal and external factors like society, family, loved
Existential Crisis Read Post »
Richard Dawkins: “The gene is immortal. In fact, a publisher once, when I showed him the first couple of chapters of the “Selfish Gene”, he said: “You shouldn’t call it that… you should call it the “Immortal Gene”. And perhaps I should have done. Genes are immortal in the sense that the coded information they
Evolutionary Psychology Read Post »
A mood disorder is a type of mental health condition where there is a disconnect between actual life circumstances and the person’s state of mind or feeling. A mood disorder can negatively affect your ability to function normally. It can have serious consequences in all aspects of life, from personal to professional. Mood disorders are
Somatic symptom disorder (SSD formerly known as “somatization disorder” or “somatoform disorder”) is a form of mental illness that causes one or more bodily symptoms, including pain. The symptoms may or may not be traceable to a physical cause including general medical conditions, other mental illnesses, or substance abuse. But regardless, they cause excessive and
Somatoform Disorder Read Post »
DSM–5 and DSM-5-TR divide Factitious disorder into two subtypes characterized by (a) the falsification of symptoms or induction of injury or disease imposed on oneself (Factitious disorder imposed on self), and (b) the same deceptions or harm imposed on others (Factitious disorder imposed on another). The latter is synonymous with factitious disorder by proxy, previously
Factitious Disorder Imposed on Self Read Post »
People who struggle with imposter syndrome believe that they are undeserving of their achievements and the high esteem in which they are, in fact, generally held. They feel that they aren’t as competent or intelligent as others might think—and that soon enough, people will discover the truth about them. Those with imposter syndrome—which is not
A flashbulb memory is a vivid, long-lasting memory about a surprising or shocking event. Exceptionally clear memories of emotionally significant events are called flashbulb memories. They’re called so because they are typically very vivid and detailed, much like a photograph, and often pertain to surprising, consequential, and emotionally arousing events. Flashbulb Memories (FM) are autobiographical
As the body’s hormone control centre, the hypothalamus governs desire, lubrication and erection. The amygdala plays in important role in emotions such as pleasure. The orbitofrontal cortex, a decision-making locus, is involved in initiating sexual activity. The proposed criteria for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, 2013) characterize
Sexual Activity and Hypersexual Disorder (HD) Read Post »
The limbic system is one of the oldest structures of your brain. It produces natural instincts that your ancestors used to survive by triggering behaviors needed to: – Eat and drink. – Reproduce. – Care for young. – React to surroundings (fight or flight response). There are many components to your limbic system that give
How the Brain Works – Why Do We Need the Limbic System? Read Post »