Jane Brody looks at smoking. [O]ver the course of a day, as the brain continues to be exposed to nicotine, partial tolerance develops and each subsequent cigarette produces less of an effect. But during sleep, nicotine comes off the receptors and smokers awaken with an intense craving for a cigarette.
ScienceDaily: Essential ingredients of supportive sibling relationships. [A new paper] urges parents to think about the relationship they want their kids to have with each other–now and as adults–and to be intentional in helping them create that positive, supportive bond. How-to suggestions included in the article.
One in eight ER visits due to mental health and/or substance abuse. New government statistics show that nearly 12 million visits made to U.S. hospital emergency departments in 2007 involved people with a mental disorder, substance abuse problem, or both.
A study at PhysOrg.com–feelings catchable. [R]esearchers [have] found a correlation between an individual’s emotional state and those of the person’s contacts. In other words, it appears that you can catch happiness. Or sadness. (Via GoodTherapy.org)
Feelings Contagious? Read More »
Another distraction alarm op-ed, this time from Bob Herbert. I was talking to a guy who commutes every day between New York and New Jersey. He props up his laptop on the front seat so he can watch DVDs while he’s driving. “I only do it in traffic,” he said. “It’s no big deal.”
David Brooks on (Mel Gibson and) narcissism, including this stat from the book, The Narcissism Epidemic: In 1950, thousands of teenagers were asked if they considered themselves an “important person.” Twelve percent said yes. In the late 1980s, another few thousand were asked. This time, 80 percent of girls and 77 percent of boys
Narcissism Epidemic? Read More »
Here’s a not-so-recent review of Wisdom: From Philosophy to Neuroscience (via aldaily.com). And here’s the article that preceded the book. From the article: The Berlin Wisdom Paradigm…was built in part on research using hypothetical vignettes to discern wise and unwise responses to life dilemmas. “A 15-year-old girl wants to get married right away,” one vignette
UPI: Fighting depression by logging off. A recent study by researchers at Stony Brook University in New York found that online forums and chat sites can aggravate symptoms of depression. Over the course of a year, 13-year-old girls were found to become increasingly depressed and anxious when they participated in online chat sites allowing the
Less Net, Less Depression? Read More »
PsychCentral reports on a study that shows improved attention span–long-term–following a meditation retreat. “People may think meditation is something that makes you feel good and going on a meditation retreat is like going on vacation, and you get to be at peace with yourself. That’s what people think until they try it. Then you realize how
Meditation and Attention Span Read More »
YANSS on “The Illusion of Transparency“: The Misconception: Most of the time people can look at you and tell what you are thinking and feeling. The Truth: Your subjective experience is not observable, and you overestimate how much you telegraph your inner thoughts and emotions.
Can’t Read Your Mind Read More »