Category: Uncategorized

Managing moderate to intense anxiety often involves a combination of techniques that address both the mind and body. Here are some effective strategies: 1. Breathing Exercises: Practice slow, deep breathing to calm your nervous system. For example, inhale for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for four. 2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense… Continue reading Effective strategies and techniques for moderate to intense anxiety:

Psychological factors influencing drug use in Sydney’s gay community often stem from unique social and emotional challenges. Research highlights that stigma, discrimination, self-stigma, and internalised homophobia can lead to feelings of isolation, shame, and mental distress, which may increase vulnerability to substance use. Additionally, the normalisation of partying in certain social settings, such as bars… Continue reading Biopsychosocial factors influencing drug use in the LGBTQIA+ Community

Historical Context Historically, mental illness and addiction have been misunderstood and stigmatized. For much of history, these conditions were seen as moral failings or character flaws rather than medical issues. This has led to a persistent stigma that continues to influence societal attitudes. Lack of Awareness and Education There is still a significant lack of… Continue reading The continued differential treatment of mental illness and addiction compared to physical illness by broader society is rooted in several factors:

Psychologists believe that the core issues of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are multifaceted, involving a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. Here are some of the key issues: Anorexia Nervosa Bulimia Nervosa Both disorders are complex and can have severe physical and psychological consequences. Treatment typically involves addressing these core issues through therapy,… Continue reading Eating Disorders DSM-5

Shame is a complex and powerful (“contracting” and belittling) emotion that can have a significant impact on our mental health and how we navigate the world and interact with people. It often stems from feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness, or embarrassment about certain aspects of ourselves or our actions. This may not mean much to you… Continue reading Understanding Shame

I want to preface this post by stating that the concepts and suggestions I’ve made below are my own thoughts, opinions, and suggestions based on my own experience working in the mental health sector and lived experience. There may also be numerous grammatical and logical errors. I know that you’re intuitive enough to understand what… Continue reading Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, and Prolonged Anxiety

Projection: Attributing one’s unacceptable feelings or desires to someone else. For example, if a bully constantly ridicules a peer about insecurities, the bully might be projecting his own struggle with self-esteem onto the other person. Denial: Refusing to recognize or acknowledge real facts or experiences that would lead to anxiety. For instance, someone with substance… Continue reading Sigmund Freud’s classic Defence Mechanism’s

Multiple theorists and researchers since Freud have independently converged on the same concept of psychological defences because of the potential utility of the concept. Alfred Adler, known for emphasising the importance of overcoming feelings of inferiority and gaining a sense of belonging in order to achieve success and happiness, developed a similar idea which he… Continue reading How do psychologists conceptualize defence mechanisms today in a post-Freudian society?

Gossiping is a universal social behaviour that involves the giving and receiving of information about others, generally perceived as having a negative effect on social groups and it is commonly sensationalistic in manner. The psychology of gossiping encompasses various aspects of human behaviour, including social interaction, communication, and interpersonal relationships. Gossiping serves several psychological functions,… Continue reading The Psychology of Gossiping – in a snapshot

‘The stages of change model’ was developed by Prochaska and DiClemente. Heard of them? It informs the development of brief and ongoing intervention strategies by providing a framework for what interventions/strategies are useful for particular individuals. Practitioners need an understanding of which ‘stage of change’ a person is in so that the most appropriate strategy… Continue reading The stages of change model

Emotional intelligence is defined as the ability to understand and regulate your own emotions, as well as identify and influence the emotions of others’. The term was first coined in 1990 by researchers John Mayer and Peter Salovey and was later popularised by psychologist Daniel Goleman. Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability perceive, control, and evaluate… Continue reading Emotional Intelligence (EI)

To answer that question, I’ll need to explain a part of the brain called the Limbic System. Within the brain there is a set of structures called the limbic system. There are several important structures within the limbic system: the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus. The limbic system is among the… Continue reading How does methamphetamine (aka. crystal meth) affect the brain?

1. Alcohol (ethanol) enters the body through the oral cavity (i.e., the mouth). The inner surface of the oral cavity is mucosal tissue to keep the cavity lubricated and it is capable of absorbing alcohol into the bloodstream. This absorption is considered “insignificant”. 2. Alcohol flows down the oesophagus to the stomach where 10-20% of… Continue reading What Alcohol does to the Human Body

Unhelpful Cognitions Mental Filter: This thinking style involves a “filtering in” and “filtering out” process – a sort of “tunnel vision”, focusing on only one part of a situation and ignoring the rest. Usually this means looking at the negative parts of a situation and forgetting the positive parts, and the whole picture is coloured… Continue reading Unhelpful Cognitions (thoughts) and Distortions

Joy or happiness can motivate us to join in, take part, flourish, share, be a part of, repeat these activities. Fear can motivate us to get away, hide, flee, run, keep ourselves or others safe. It protects us. Sadness can motivate us to withdraw, ruminate, cry, heal, express hurt, seek comfort and bond with others.… Continue reading Emotions: Function and Motivation

Did you know that through a series of controversial (and incredibly sad) experiments, psychologist Harry Harlow, was able to demonstrate the importance of early attachments, affection, and emotional bonds on the course of healthy development. Harlow discovered that love and affections may be primary needs that are just as strong as or even stronger than… Continue reading Quality Social Connections (Relationships)

There have been various theories and models proposed over time to help us understand why individuals use alcohol and other drugs, and why some people become dependent or ‘addicted’ but not others. The following are several models or theories of addiction. They reflect the political, medical, spiritual, and social forces of those times in history.… Continue reading Addiction Theories