Mind & Psyche

01/05/2024

C-PTSD Recovery: The Journey Beyond Trauma

Embark on a deeply personal voyage to healing from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). There's no set timeline for this journey; it's as unique as you are. Navigate through emotional turbulence and physical manifestations, knowing that progress, no matter how small, is still progress.

Discover the complexities of C-PTSD—a tangled web of affective dysregulation, altered consciousness, and somatic symptoms. It's not a simple stroll in the park; it's a trek through Mordor. But amidst the challenges, there are markers of progress, guiding you forward.

Embrace the long-haul nature of this healing journey. Though the path may seem daunting, remember, every step counts towards reclaiming your well-being. Your journey may be arduous, but the destination recovery is worth every effort.

31/03/2024

Are you familiar with the distinctions between sympathy, empathy, and compassion?

Empathy is characterized by perspective-taking, the ability to envision or understand another person's point of view. When we empathize, we try to grasp how someone might feel, even though we may not directly experience their emotions.

Although not intended as a script, these statements can guide us in developing an awareness of how to effectively support those in need.

As we transition from sympathy to empathy to compassion, we translate our intentions into action. Rather than merely acknowledging someone's pain, we take steps to assist them.

by Dr. Susan David

30/03/2024

Anxiety scale by Mind Journal

30/03/2024

Selective action prediction in infancy depending on linguistic cues: an EEG and Eyetracker study

Colomer M., Zacharaki K. and Sebastian-Galles N.

https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1301-23.2024

Abstract,
Human's capacity to predict actions and to socially categorize individuals are at the basis of social cognition. Such capacities emerge in early infancy. By 6 months of age infants predict others’ reaching actions considering others’ epistemic state. At a similar age, infants are biased to attend to and interact with more familiar individuals, considering adult-like social categories such as the language people speak. We report that these two core processes are interrelated early on in infancy. In a belief-based action prediction task, 6-month-old infants (males and females) presented with a native speaker generated online predictions about the agent's actions, as revealed by the activation of participants’ sensorimotor areas before the agent's movement. However, infants who were presented with a foreign speaker did not recruit their motor system before the agent's action. Eye-tracker analysis provided further evidence that linguistic group familiarity influences how infants predict others’ actions, as only infants presented with a native speaker modified their attention to the stimuli as a function of the agent's forthcoming behavior. The current findings suggest that infants’ emerging capacity to predict others’ actions is modulated by social cues, such as others’ linguistic group. A facilitation to predict and encode the actions of native speakers relative to foreign speakers may explain, in part, why infants preferentially attend to, imitate, and learn from the actions of native speakers.

Significance statement,
This article investigates how information about social categories, such as the language people speak, influences action prediction in infancy. Six-month-old infants predicted the actions of an agent based on her knowledge about the location of an object, but only if she previously spoke infants’ native language rather than a foreign language. Previous studies found that infants are less likely to imitate and engage with the actions of foreign speakers. Here, we extend these findings by showing that the tendency to predict others’ actions may be weakened when interacting with speakers of a foreign language, potentially due to an association of foreign languages with unexpected behaviors. This selectivity could drive infants’ biases to attend to and learn from native speakers.

Footnotes,
This research was supported by grants from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013): ERC grant agreement number 323961 (Under Control); the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PID2021-123416NB-I00) and the Catalan Government (SGR 2021–00911; FI-9015-456763; FI_B2 00093; ICREA ACADEMIA 2019 award). We want to thank Ildiko Kiraly and Katarina Begus for discussions and suggestions; Andrea Riquelme who helped creating the stimuli; Alice Drew and Chiara Santolin who proofread the manuscript; Valentina Ferrario who helped coding the videos of participants; Xavier Mayoral and Silvia Blanch who provided technical support and helped improving the code to present stimuli; all families and infants who participated in the experiments.

SfN exclusive license.

Humans’ capacity to predict actions and to socially categorize individuals are at the basis of social cognition. Such capacities emerge in early infancy. By 6 months of age infants predict others’ reaching actions considering others’ epistemic state. At a similar age, infants are biased to att...

19/03/2024

Stress is a natural response to challenges, but excessive or chronic stress can negatively impact mental health by contributing to anxiety, depression, impaired cognitive functioning, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, social withdrawal, and physical health problems. Managing stress through self-care and support can help protect mental well-being.

Let's delve into each stage of the stress cycle:

1. Trigger: Stress can be triggered by various factors, including external events (such as work deadlines, relationship conflicts, or financial problems) and internal perceptions (such as negative self-talk or irrational fears). These triggers activate the body's stress response system, preparing it to deal with perceived threats.

2. Perception: How an individual perceives a situation plays a crucial role in determining their stress response. Two people may face the same situation, but their perceptions of it can vary widely. Perception involves interpreting the significance and potential consequences of the stressor, as well as assessing one's ability to cope with it.

3. Physiological Response: When the brain perceives a threat, it signals the release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones trigger physiological changes designed to help the body respond effectively to the perceived threat. Common responses include increased heart rate, rapid breathing, heightened alertness, and tense muscles. This physiological arousal is often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" response.

4. Coping Mechanisms: Coping mechanisms are strategies individuals use to manage stress and adapt to challenging situations. These can be either problem-focused (such as actively addressing the stressor) or emotion-focused (such as seeking social support or practicing relaxation techniques). Effective coping mechanisms can help reduce the impact of stress and promote resilience.

5. Resolution or Persistence: Depending on the effectiveness of coping mechanisms and the nature of the stressor, stress can either resolve or persist. Some stressors are short-lived and easily manageable, leading to a quick resolution of the stress response. However, other stressors may be chronic or overwhelming, resulting in prolonged stress and potential negative consequences for physical and mental health.

6. Recovery: After a stressor has been addressed or removed, the body and mind typically return to a state of equilibrium. This recovery phase allows the individual to rest and replenish their resources, restoring balance and resilience. However, if stress persists without adequate recovery, it can lead to chronic stress, which has been linked to a range of health problems, including cardiovascular disease, weakened immune function, anxiety, and depression.

06/03/2024

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy that was originally developed by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan in the late 1980s. It was initially created to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it has since been adapted for the treatment of various other mental health conditions such as,

1. Borderline Personality Disorder

2. Bipolar disorder

3. Eating disorders

4. Substance use disorders

5. Post-traumatic stress disorder

6. Depression

7. Self-harming behaviors

8. Suicidal ideation

The main components of DBT include:

1. Mindfulness: This involves learning to be present in the moment, observing thoughts and feelings without judgment. Mindfulness techniques are taught to help individuals become more aware of their emotions and reactions.

2. Distress Tolerance: This component teaches individuals how to tolerate and manage distressing situations without resorting to harmful behaviors. It includes techniques such as distraction, self-soothing, and crisis survival skills.

3. Emotion Regulation: Individuals learn to identify and regulate their emotions in healthier ways. This includes understanding the functions of emotions, increasing emotional awareness, and developing skills to manage intense emotions effectively.

4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: This component focuses on improving communication skills, setting boundaries, and building healthy relationships. Individuals learn assertiveness skills, how to express needs and desires, and how to navigate interpersonal conflicts.

DBT is particularly helpful for individuals who struggle with emotional dysregulation, impulsive behaviors, and difficulties in relationships. However, it's worth noting that while DBT can be beneficial for many individuals, it may not be suitable for everyone, and the effectiveness of the therapy can vary depending on individual circumstances and the skill of the therapist.

Illustration credit: https://lnkd.in/eyP4WFRZ

28/02/2024

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