Mental Health Topics

Music can help kids excel in complex subjects like math and physics. Many kids are intimidated by these subjects in school. But music can help them better understand difficult equations and theories, according to researchers from the Athena Research Center’s Institute for Language and Speech Processing. For example, students used…

Narcissists are self-absorbed, they believe they’re superior to others, and they can be incredibly hard to handle. A new study reveals another frustrating quality: they aren’t deterred from asking someone out even if the individual is in a relationship. This study conducted four experiments to understand “mate poaching”: the first…

Whether you’re concerned about a friend, a family member, or even yourself, it can sometimes be difficult to tell if someone is self-absorbed or rightfully confident. On the outside, these character traits can look very much the same: successful, bold, and charismatic. Beneath the surface, though, the self-absorption that comes…

Many of us think we know what a narcissist is. It’s the self-absorbed, too-talkative friend; the devious step-parent; the manager breathing down my neck. While these can certainly illustrate narcissistic behavior, it’s important we distinguish the difference between someone who has narcissistic traits and someone who has a narcissistic personality…

Narcissists make everything about themselves. They’re self-obsessed, they brag every chance they get, and they truly think they rank superior to others. These qualities make narcissists extremely hard to deal with—still, we encounter them at work, we find friends in them, and sometimes we even end up dating or marrying…

Spiritual Purposes in Relationships: Life Blessings and Life Lessons What is a spiritual love? As with many questions about our spirituality, there isn’t one definition or example of a spiritual love. That said, spiritual love can refer to a love that is rooted in or supported by a deep spiritual…

Our mental wellbeing is affected by many different factors, but what role does spirituality play in mental health? Spirituality can serve as a guiding force: it provides us with a purpose, whether our spiritual practices are rooted in religion, nature, art, or something else. This guiding light benefits our mental…

Research supports that spirituality can help improve symptoms of depression and other mental health conditions. Engaging in spiritual practices changes the prefrontal region of the brain; additionally, it serves as a shield against stress. When we turn to our spiritual nature, or focus on a higher power, we become more…

While religion and spirituality are often viewed as synonymous, they involve different beliefs and practices. Religion involves subscribing oneself to a specific set of beliefs and often praising a higher power, while spirituality is connecting to something bigger than oneself. You can find greater meaning and fulfillment in religion by…

Spirituality often varies in definition and in practice—however, it’s ultimately about connecting to something greater than ourselves to live a happier life. Doing so can help us cope during difficult times, which means spirituality can prove important to addiction recovery. Those in addiction recovery (and others) can practice spirituality and…

Alcohol use disorder or AUD diminishes men’s ability to process their emotions. This effect isn’t as significant in women. Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine used MRIs to analyze brain activity in individuals with AUD. They found that the experiences and mechanisms of AUD are different for the two…

Watching Spiderman and Antman might help you overcome your fear of bugs. Researchers from Ariel University and Bar-Ilan University say that doing so can act as exposure therapy for people who are afraid of bugs. Exposure therapy is exposing oneself to their phobia until they’re no longer afraid. With this…