Mental Health Topics

As social stigma and perceptions surrounding mental health conditions continue to change, popular usage of mental health terms is increasing as well. Of these terms, “trauma bonding” has been among the most used, researched, and debated. A form of psychological manipulation, trauma bonding occurs when someone experiences cyclical abuse from…

If a supervillain in a superhero movie declared that their ultimate evil plan was “global chronodisruption”, it would sound terrifying. The folks in tights would have to do everything in their power to stop the threat. But since the invention of the electric light, we humans (and some of our…

The sweet, charming, handsome ex-Marine you’ve been emailing and texting with for eight months has a family emergency and can’t make his flight to meet you for the first time. You’re crushed. You’d let yourself fall hard for this guy, and now it might be another few months before you…

Willpower is often thought of as an “x” factor—an unquantifiable, but powerful force that, if only we could capture it, could allow us to conquer our vices and achieve our goals. Willpower is perhaps the most romanticized of all psychological traits, but rarely have we stopped to pose the question:…

As the belief that one should remain positive even in the worst of situations, toxic positivity has secretly pervaded most people’s attitudes at work—revealing a lot about the lengths to which we’ll go to avoid addressing negative emotional states. The rise and recent fall of toxic positivity in the workplace…

One thing that we’ve all learned from romantic comedies is that significant others can live in harmony even when their lifestyles are radically different. For example, one SO might prefer reading on the couch to running triathlons. One SO might spring out of bed at 5am to get a headstart…

Platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and even FaceTime have streamlined our ability to communicate both personally and professionally. However, the best virtual meetings always seem to be short, sweet, and efficient. In these dream scenarios, everyone wins: There are no awkward pauses, people talking over one another or trying to…

As the name implies, micro-cheating occurs when partners use small gestures or actions to engage with someone outside of their relationship in a flirtatious manner. Micro-cheating can happen when we cross the line with coworkers or friends, spend too much time secretly scrolling through our ex’s social media, or even…

Every fall, college and professional football games command center stage in living rooms across the country. Sitting down to watch sports can be relaxing, entertaining, and may even increase our self-confidence (unless our team loses). The benefits of watching sports have been apparent to psychologists for some time; but for…

First, let’s clear up one thing: There’s nothing inherently spooky or dangerous about mental health conditions like dissociative identity disorder (split personality) and schizophrenia. But that hasn’t stopped filmmakers from exploiting these conditions again and again in their horror movies. Cinematic depictions of people with mental health disorders can range…

Shame: There is something wrong with me as a person. Guilt: I’m a person who may have done something wrong. What is the thing that causes you to lay awake at night; the thing that causes you shame? I promise that you’re not damaged beyond repair. You’re not unlovable. You’re…

It’s like a bad nightmare: Imagine having a supervisor that’s hellbent on making your life miserable, playing with your emotions and your sanity. Perhaps this is already a tempting fantasy to believe on our worst workdays, when we’re rushing to meet deadlines or sitting through tedious meetings. Despite the frustration…