Yearly Archives: 2010
Being an expert isn’t all that great.
For a long time, psychologists have known about the heuristics people use to make sense of their worlds. One of the better known is the idea of chunking information into to smaller, more manageable pieces of information. Try memorizing this … Continue reading
You’re not doing it right.
The New York Times has been doing a nice job of covering one of my favorite topics: mindfulness. Their latest article highlights one of my other interests: technology and its use in psychological research. The NYT reports: Whatever people were … Continue reading
On avatars and anxiety
I’ve long been fascinated with the idea of using computers to deliver treatments. I’ve always been described as a gearhound and if you were to see my office, you’d understand why. While it may seem counter-intuitive that a psychologist would … Continue reading
Where has all the psychotherapy gone?
In “Where has all the psychotherapy gone?”, the APA Monitor asks: “Don’t you love ‘If your antidepressant isn’t working … try Abilify!’? How about: ‘If your antidepressant isn’t working, try psychotherapy!’” The author highlights disturbing trends in spending by drug … Continue reading
It’s not just for kids, anymore.
Psychologists have long known that one’s age isn’t a protective factor against eating disorders, but conventional wisdom, and perhaps treatment and research, have biased us against considering how an eating disorder affects middle-aged women. The NY Times reports: ‘At a certain … Continue reading
Prevention tips: exercise during leisure time
The BBC reports: People who were not active in their leisure time were almost twice as likely to have symptoms of depression compared to the most active individuals, the study found. This finding is hardly surprising, but the researchers point out … Continue reading
Depression in pre-schoolers
It is probably really easy to scoff at the notion of depression in pre-schoolers and write off irritability (which can be a manifestation of sadness) as kids being difficult, but there is a qualitative difference between being crabby or sad … Continue reading
Immersion and Mindfulness
I’m a big fan of games. I think a good game can be a nice distractor (a distress tolerance skill) when we need one, can be a nice reward if we’re struggling with motivation (an emotion regulation skill) and help … Continue reading
PSA for Paxil CR users
The New York Times reports: Some of the antidepressant Paxil CR produced at the plant was ineffective because a layer of active ingredient split from a layer of a barrier chemical during manufacturing, the government said, and some lots contained … Continue reading
Forbes.com: The Forgotten Patients
Forbes magazine has a lengthy article on suicidality and its treatment. The magazine reports: Wixom spent the next year in group and individual sessions learning practical skills to manage her emotions so that they didn’t spiral out of control. They … Continue reading