If you are a U.S. Vietnam war veteran or a U.S. Iraq war veteran, then up to 17% of you will have combat-related PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder (Richardson et al., 2010). If you have PTSD related to combat duty, then you may qualify for VA disability benefits. Sadly, many veterans who have PTSD […]
How is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Different From Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder?
The main difference between obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is that OCD is egodystonic, while OCPD is egosyntonic. Egodystonic is a psychological term that describes beliefs, feelings, or behaviors that are in conflict or dissonant with your self-image…hence, the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are highly distressing. On the other hand, […]
Can watching someone die cause PTSD?
Yes, watching someone die can cause PTSD. PTSD, or post traumatic stress disorder, can develop after vicarious trauma. With vicarious trauma, you can experience and feel the trauma and painful experiences by just watching someone else go through it. So if you watch someone you love die and if you develop PTSD, then you continue […]
What is the difference between mental distress, mental health problems, and mental disorders?
Psychiatry and mental health suffer heavily from stigma. As a result of that stigma, there has been a movement towards emphasizing mental health wellness, rather than psychiatric disorders. And because of the stigma associated with being labeled with psychiatric illness, psychiatric patients are now called ‘mental health clients.’ Psychiatric inpatient units have been renamed as […]
Can someone fake PTSD?
Yes, some of the PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) symptoms can be faked. However, the physical symptoms of PTSD are difficult to fake, as the physical symptoms are outside your voluntary control. The physical symptoms are manifestations of the activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol, which is […]
Stressed out teens: are young people more stressed, and how to help them?
In a survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, teens reported similar stress levels to those in adults. Stress level was measured on a 10-point scale, and teens reported a stress level of 5.8, which is much higher than 3.9, the stress level which they reported was a normal level of stress. And compared to […]
How Social Anxiety Disorder Develops- The Negative Cycle of Social Phobia
Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is an anxiety disorder characterized by the extreme fear of being embarrassed in public or being socially scrutinized. Because of this intense fear of social scrutiny, sufferers avoid crowded places and avoid performing in front of people. Social phobia develops from multiple factors, including situational triggers, thoughts and beliefs about the situation, […]
How OCD Evolves- The Negative Cycle of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) is an anxiety disorder marked by recurrent, intrusive thoughts and uncontrollable rituals to decrease the distress. For a behavioral explanation of what reinforces the thought and ritual in obsessive compulsive disorder, let’s look at an example of a negative cycle of OCD: Let’s say you have OCD and are driving around a neighborhood. […]
The Release of Cortisol During the Fight or Flight Response Occurs At The End Of What Pathway?
The release of cortisol during the fight or flight response occurs at the end of the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) pathway. Fear is modulated via the amygdala, the part of the brain that is involved in the fear response, also called the fight or flight response, adrenal response, and the stress response. When the amygdala senses […]
How to control nervousness during an interview?
I know of someone who works at an Asian grocery store who is 24 years old, and had graduated from a prestigious university with a degree in mechanical engineering. Although it has been 7 months since his graduation, he still has not submitted his resume to an engineering firm for an interview, and continues to […]

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