Lapsi

In the universe of phobias out there that people may unfortunately suffer from, the abnormal fear of clowns that some people experience, called coulrophobia, oftentimes isn't taken as seriously as it should be. Make no mistake; it's a real and serious fear, though the term itself isn't used very often - if at all - in psychology or by psychiatrists or clinical psychologists, so don't clown around with coulrophobia. In many cases, coulrophobia develops in young children who are startled or frightened by the appearance of a clown in their environment. For some reason, that fear is carried over into adulthood, and though a sufferer may understand on one level that a clown isn't usually anything to be...

What does a Psychologist do? A psychologist studies about human mind's functioning, alternative ways of mental health care, behavior and feelings. Psychologist investigates the depths and complexities of mind to provide suitable therapy or to learn more about humans in general way. Psychology is very broad field consists of many different specialties. Major specialties include psychotherapists the one providing mental health services and clinical psychologists who carries all the laboratory research to learn more about mind. Subfields of psychology include different kinds of psychology such as evolutionary psychology, mathematical psychology, abnormal psychology, social psychology, psychology of...

One of the greatest health issues we often face in our daily life is pain. According to estimation one third people of the world are facing problems of pain. Pain in any of its kind massively affects our life quality. Pain management is the name of an interdisciplinary approach which relives or helps in relieving pain. Pain management has different techniques according to the type and strength of pain. In a particular pain management team there are following actors involved. These are medical practitioners, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and specialists etc. Pain is really painful after a surgery especially in orthopedic surgeries pain can be a great...

Are you the parent of a young child who you believe has Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder(PDD)? Are special education personnel in your district refusing to acknowledge this diagnosis, despite a lot of evidence? Many school districts refuse to admit that a child has autism, because they do not want to provide the special education and related services that a child needs! But this tool can be used by special education personnel to see if your child has autism. Below are 9 things that you must know about the ADOS: 1. Purpose: Allows an accurate diagnosis of autism and pervasive developmental disorder 2. Can be used for children who are 2 years up to adulthood. 3. Takes 30-45 minutes for a...

Psychological health has gained recognition in the last fifteen years or so after stress and mental illness rates have reportedly been on the rise. Public awareness of mental health is also increasing as people are taking an interest in the psychological aspects of how the mind reacts to coping with stress or illness. Health psychology, a relatively new field, has gained momentum as patients are looking to gain insight into the way their mind works, and how it affects their body systems. Stress is known to cause physical symptoms such as high-blood pressure and digestive upset and is a leading contributor to heart disease. Health psychologists work with patients to reduce stress and increase well...

Eyewitness testimony is far from being full-proof. Despite the assumption that witnesses under oath are honest, sincere, and credible and that they claim that their memories are clear and accurate, there may be sufficient discrepancies. Witnesses may remember accurately, but misremember what they originally perceived. Any two witnesses to the same event will undoubtedly and unfailingly observe it differently. What is subjectively true to a witness may be objectively false due to faulty or defective perception. Perception is not a fixed or static ability that all people have to the same degree. It is highly variable and fluid. As a forensic hypnotist, one of the first things that I must ask a witness...

There is more good news for grad school applicants - and this time its related to employment prospects! According to Money and Payscale's recently published list of "Best Jobs in America 2009," earning a Ph.D. degree in psychology may lead you directly down a career path towards one of the best jobs in America! Among the top jobs in America, ranking at #3 and #16 respectively are college professor and clinical psychologist. This should be great news for those who remain undecided about going back to grad school to earn a doctoral degree in psychology. College professor ranks at #3 on the Money and Payscale rankings. Many college professors, especially those on the tenure track in research positions...

The world over there is an increased interest in the field of hypnosis. People are gradually realizing the various benefits that can be accrued from hypnosis. No longer is hypnosis viewed with suspiciously as being part of some occult science or black magic. The medical fraternity is also using hypnosis for treating various conditions these days. Trained hypnotists suggest certain positive messages to a patient's subconscious mind during clinical hypnosis. Clinical hypnosis is becoming increasing popular, since there is literally no equivalent to it when it comes to treating behavioral problems. There are millions of people around the world who have benefited from this method of treatment...

A psychiatry clinic in Texas was having a very hard time documenting medical reports and records. Most of the reports were handwritten with the legibility of the reports such that even the physicians' own secretaries could not decipher them. Besides the time wasted on writing the reports by hand and the expense of photocopying them for patients and referring physicians, the clinic was facing problems with getting these reports ready on time. The backlog of reports to be delivered was piling up and was reaching alarming proportions. Auditing of the records was proving to be a huge problem. The clinic administration desired streamlining and moving towards a paperless office to address HIPAA...

As a Family Coach and Mental Health Therapist, I have nothing but respect for parents and parenting. It has got be the hardest job there is especially in this overwhelming and complex world that we live in. There are so many negative influences and difficult decisions that come at you almost at the speed of light. Parents need to be mediators, experts in development, and futurists to manage the constant flow of information coming their way, make developmentally appropriate decisions that may impact the rest of their child's life and, be able to peer into the crystal ball to get a sense of what the future holds for their sons and daughters in this fast changing unpredictable world. These challenges...

February inevitably focuses us on the celebration of love relationships. It is the time to honor the ones in our life that are special. A group of my friends and I take always take Valentines Day very seriously by dressing in red and painting the town in celebration of love, the romantic kind. There is no requirement for celebrating and we may be using this as an excuse, but it is our time to help others celebrate the experience of romance whether we currently are in a relationship or not. So much of the love experience seems lost in the stress-filled lives of our every day world. I have been blessed to work with many couples in the years I have been a mental health specialist. Rarely do they seek...

Dermal fillers like Botox have changed many lives over the last few years. They have been used successfully in treating patients with everything from serious skin and muscles disorders to the minor effects of aging. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with using dermal fillers like Botox to treat wrinkles and fight the flow of time on your body, there may be a point where the negative aspects of excessive use far out weight the positive effects. When this occurs, you may be in the throws of a full on addition. How do you know when your use is growing out of control? Like any other addiction, there are clear warning signs. One common sign is that the activity or product begins to negatively...

The Sleep in America polls - conducted on behalf of the National Sleep Foundation report that about 20% of Americans get less than 6 hours of sleep on average, and the number of Americans that report that they get 8 hours has continued to decrease. Recent evidence shows that chronic sleep deprivation increases risk of early death. Studies show that people who get less sleep are at increased risk for heart attacks and disease. Research also shows a link between chronic sleep deprivation and overweight and obesity. The affect on our daily lives was demonstrated in the 2005 Sleep in America survey. Twenty-eight percent, 28%, of working adults said they had missed work, events and activities, or made...

Every person has highs and lows in their life. When a person is constantly down it may be because they are experiencing depression. Depression is a serious condition that will effect the everyday life of the person experiencing it, and also will effect their loved ones. The good news is that depression can be treated. A person does not have to live with it. Understanding depression is the first step to overcoming it. Everyone should be familiar with the signs, symptoms, causes, and even treatment of depression. Signs and Symptoms of Depression When a person is constantly feeling sad or constantly going through mood swings, it is a possibility that they are experiencing depression. When a person is...

1. Choose someone that has been a therapist for at least five years. Longer is even better, because you do not want to be the guinea pig for anyone. See if you can ask as many questions to the therapist as they no doubt will ask you. That way you are not the only one sharing your whole life story. 2. Choose a therapist for more than just their name. I once went to a therapist because her name was Dr. Friend. I figured she would be very understanding and helpful, but I was wrong. Do a little investigating about a therapist to see if they have had much success with individuals such as yourself. 3. Choose someone who you will feel comfortable with. If you are interested in getting relief for a chemical...

Too many times in the world of personal relationships, career and daily living we are challenged with emotional and psychological issues that dictate decisions and determine how we feel. Have you ever noticed that two people with the same education, opportunity and brilliance may have very different levels of personal and professional success? Because our emotions and thoughts actually create our reality, we are either launched into a successful life with them or held back by them. Remember the saying "if you believe you can achieve or you don't either way you are right". Deeply held beliefs about ourselves and our world are our biggest obstacle in life. Let me use an example to explain (names are...

"America is truly a land of possibilities!" This statement appeared to resonate around the world in response to Barack Obama being elected the next President of the United States. Reading Obama's responses to crucial points during his campaign was fascinating to me as a psychiatrist. When faced with unbelievable challenges, Obama's reaction was "focus." In a similar vein, maintaining a plan was the message in my award winning book, The Pregnancy Decision Handbook for Women with Depression. Mankind's greatest challenge is the ability to stay the course when faced with difficult life situations. It is a human reaction to respond with negative thinking when faced with out of control life conditions...

What about it? Can each of us tell ourselves the truth about what the holidays do for us and to us? Most of us will admit there is both good and not so good each year as we approach the "happiest time of the year". Much of the distasteful part of the holidays has to do with experiences that we may have had that were negative and anxiety-ridden. The most common holiday errors start with the over-everything syndrome: over-eating, over-spending, over-obligating, over-time with family members. If we have a tendency to "lose ourselves" in everyday life we will certainly do it more in the holiday season. Most of you know my classic definition of stress. It is the distance I am from who I am. The more I...

Why didn't someone tell me a few years ago? It IS ok to quit! Many of you have heard my real life burnout story. While experiencing a tremendous success-fille life in the field of consulting for mental health facilities and hospitals, I appeared to have it all. I was raising my son as a single mom, building a very lucrative business, and it looked to everyone on the outside that I was living a charmed life. Why then did I literally walk out on all of it in a day's time, close my office, fire my staff and go home physically and mentally exhausted? In part, the message I received growing up as did many us was "if first you don't succeed try, try again. From the time we are old enough to understand the...

So you've been injured by someone that was playing Brick Breaker on their Blackberry, eating a burrito, and driving on the freeway all at the same time. The insurance company has accepted liability and has agreed to pay you a nickel on every dollar you've lost. Instead of accepting $500 for your broken legs and fractured spine, you've decided to hire an attorney to protect your rights and seek fair compensation. What happens now? The first step is trying to settle the case without filing a lawsuit. This is done by sending a demand letter to the insurance company. The attorney will collect all bills and medical records and figure out how the injury has affected your life physically, emotionally, and...

Many individuals experience troublesome thoughts on a consistent basis. This is often referred to as "worrying". Worry is quite often referred to as a persistent, constant preoccupation with events that have happened in the past, and the possibility of future events. These types of troublesome thoughts can result in severe anxiety, high levels of negative stress, and may even lead to serious medical complications. In this article, you will be introduced to ways that you can eliminate troublesome thoughts from your life now. 1) The first thing that you can do to eliminate troublesome thoughts from your life now is to understand that dwelling on things that happened in the past, will not help your...

I recently heard from a wife who was beyond frustrated. Since losing his job eight months ago, her husband had slipped into a deep depression and had begun to distance himself from her, his family, his friends, and the things that used to bring him peace and joy. Basically, he had sunk into a deep depression and the only one that he seemed to enjoy being around was the family dog. He was unable to see this though. He denied that anything was really wrong. He had no problem admitting that losing his job had been difficult, but the more the wife brought up the depression, the more he pulled away. He had begun to insinuate that the problem was his wife and their marriage and had started to hint that...

There are many causes of hair loss and the severity differs among individuals. Male and females are susceptible to this condition at various points in time e.g. old age, menopause etc. Identifying what type of hair loss you have will help you determine the correct treatment and prevention. Types of hair loss include: Alopecia Areata This is characterized by patchniess on the head. The severity can be classified into two degrees: - Type 1 (Less than 50%) - Type 2 (More than 50%) There are no known causes of this type of condition and this condition may happen to anyone at some point in time. The fortunate thing is that there will be some re-growth once the imbalance in hormones is restored. In severe...

Narcissism is a personality disorder that is very destructive to a relationship. If you often find yourself feeling hurt, confused, and bewildered by your partner's behavior, it is possible that the root of the problem may be a fundamental "hard wiring" difference in your partner's personality that drives him or her to behave in ways you don't understand. Maintaining a meaningful, mutually caring relationship with a genuine narcissist is virtually impossible. While only a licensed mental health professional can diagnose a personality disorder, here are 7 signs to look out for if you suspect narcissism in your partner: 1. Lack of empathy. This is a huge sign of narcissism. Your partner may have...

It has long been said that while depression is the "common cold" of mental illness, schizophrenia, on the other hand, is the "cancer". A diagnosis of schizophrenia can be devastating and frightening, just like the symptoms themselves. Hearing voices, feeling paranoid, and having difficulties distinguishing between what is real and what is not can all be very disturbing and difficult to understand, let alone reveal to someone else. However, while schizophrenia is a life-long mental illness, many people with the disorder have learned to manage and cope in ways that allow them to lead fulfilling lives in spite of their illness. Education and Knowledge One of the first and foremost factors in coping...

Relationships are difficult enough to maintain and remain fulfilled in - just look at the divorce rate out there. With enough effort, commitment, and skill in communication, it is certainly possible to have a happy, mutually respectful and supportive relationship. But what if there is something "off" about one of the partners? What if despite all your efforts, your partner continues to emotionally abuse you, cheat on you, lie to you, or make you feel crazy? Unfortunately, some people are affected by a personality disorder, a hard wiring of the mentality and personality that can lead to destructive and confusing behavior. Narcissism, which is most commonly found in men, is a personality disorder that...

Treatment of DID is difficult for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons are secrecy on the client's part making him or her reluctant to seek help, including the difficulty in diagnosing the disorder once the client presents. Typically, an individual with DID will require many years of treatment. Generally a DID patient will need to be given several different treatments methods over a period of 5-7 years or may be more allpsych.com/disorders/dissociative/did.html. Some of the treatments offered to a DID patient may include: - Psychotherapy: Psychotherapy is the primary treatment for dissociative disorders. This form of therapy, also known as talk therapy, counseling or psychosocial therapy...

Autism is a developmental disorder that is difficult for many parents to manage. Autistic children often display aggressive behaviors out of frustration and an inability to communicate and function within social norms. Autism develops early in a child's life. Parents and caregivers may notice significant changes in the behavior of a child early on. Suddenly, there is a developmental problem. Children lose language skills they have already developed and often push other people away. Aggressive behaviors are difficult to cope with, especially for the parents and loved ones of autistic children. Imagine someone you pour all your love into physically turning on you, and for no apparent reason. It is a...

There will come a time in life (if it has not happened already) when it could be beneficial to talk to an outside, objective person in order to solve a problem. A psychotherapist is trained to help empower you to find solutions to life's dilemmas and enable you to live your best life. A psychotherapist is a trained, mental health professional, able to diagnose and treat mental illness and equipped to help you develop personal insight, cope with life's dilemmas, solve problems, and strengthen your relationships. There are many types of psychotherapists, so how do you go about selecting the best one for your? First, you must feel you can trust the therapist with your inner most thoughts and feelings...

Dear Dr. Colt:  I'm an elderly woman living alone.  My children live all over and sometimes come by to visit.  But they don't seem to care much about me.  Sometimes they call, but not often enough.  I miss them and feel I'm not important to them.  I get to crying so much, but I don't want to be bothersome.  How can I make them pay more attention to me? -- Lonely in La Jolla Dear Lonely in La Jolla:  You can't make anybody do anything willingly for long, even in caring family relationships.  Many people schedule themselves so tightly they can't do all they'd like, including visiting their parents often.  Discuss how you feel with your children, arranging mutually agreed visit times and...

Can hypnotherapy help you gain relief from anxiety? Just what is hypnotherapy? Does it really work? How is it used by the medical community to help treat anxiety and panic attacks? Hypnotherapy is technique that uses guided relaxation, intense concentration, and focused attention to put a person in a trance like state. In this state the person's attention is tightly focused so that the events happening around them are blocked out temporarily. In this naturally occurring trance like state the person may be able to focus better on specific tasks or thoughts. A trained therapist may be able to help a sufferer of anxiety or panic attacks while they are in such a state. The therapists can explore the...

If you are the parent of a child with ADHD, when did you first "discover" that your child had the disorder? When they were overactive, oppositional toddlers? Troublesome schoolchildren? Did the suggestion that your child might suffer from ADHD come from you, your physician, a family member or an outside source, such as a teacher or daycare provider? All too often teachers, parents, caregivers and other family members are far too quick to jump on the ADHD bandwagon when children start displaying symptoms, immediately whisking them away to a physician and demanding drugs to "keep them calm" before any medical determination about the source of their behavior has been made. The temptation to label a...

What is a Support Group? Support groups are groups of people who share a common condition or difficulty, such as medical conditions, grief, or substance abuse. Members of such a group share their personal journey, comfort, support and advice based on their own experiences. These groups are often run by nonprofit organizations, hospitals, clinics or other established organizations. Support groups are different from therapy groups in that they are not necessarily run by a licensed mental health professional. They are often member run and organized, but some do invite a mental health professional to facilitate the group or to consult about how to make it most helpful. Support groups do not focus on...

If you or your Significant Other has bipolar disorder, you probably already know that life can be difficult, miserable, and chaotic. You may be interested to know that it does not have to be that way -- that both you and your partner can take certain steps which will make your lives much more livable and even pleasant. While the focus of bipolar relationships can be seen in terms of adult-aged partners, these facts also hold true in other types of relationships, such as friends, siblings, and co-workers. Do Not Allow The Disease To Take Center Stage The main problem in a relationship with a person who has bipolar disorder-- or, for that matter, any type of serious mental condition -- is that the...

Being anxious is normal when you are anticipating stressful situations like school exams, job interviews, first date and preparing for a speech. But when anxiety becomes unreasonable and you are worrying too much about many things in your everyday life without a logical basis, it becomes a disabling disorder. This condition may get worse over time if not treated. Treating your anxiety disorder is necessary to get your life back on track. Anxiety or panic disorder is a disabling condition that can rob you of the joy of life. You will find it difficult to concentrate on your job, school and everyday activities. Treating your anxiety is necessary to free yourself from excessive fear that keeps haunting...

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder remains one of the most misunderstood psychological conditions in existence. At one time, no such diagnosis of the condition existed. Today, the use of the term is so prevalent that people make self-assessments that they have the condition. Actually, there is only one way to gauge whether or not someone suffers from this condition. The person must take part in ADHD assessment tests. It is these tests that will determine whether or not someone truly has this serious condition and from the test’s results, proper steps can be taken to seek appropriate treatment. Those concerned whether or not they have this condition will often first turn to online...

Socializing with people could be a very easy task to almost everyone but not to those who have social phobia or anxiety.  They have an excessive fear on everyday social situations to the point that some sufferers avoid people. Beating social anxiety disorder is important because connecting with people is an essential aspect of every human being. Getting rid of anxiety disorder could be really hard but it is a treatable disorder and you should know what to do to get rid of this very frustrating condition. Here are some tips: Recognize your symptoms and get the proper diagnosis. Your social phobia or anxiety could become severe to the point of extreme fear of people. Before it could happen, you need...