A toxic relationship refers to a detrimental and unhealthy connection characterized by behaviors that undermine one's well-being, such as emotional manipulation, disrespect, control, and a lack of support.| Simply Psychology
The nervous system controls everything from our thoughts and emotions to our movements and reflexes—but it’s made up of two major parts: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).| Simply Psychology
Gestalt Therapy is a humanistic form of psychotherapy that emphasizes personal responsibility and focuses on the individual's experience in the present moment, the therapist-client relationship, and the environmental and social contexts of a person's life. It prioritizes holistic understanding and integration of thoughts, feelings, and actions.| Simply Psychology
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter primarily found in the brain, intestines, and blood. In psychology, serotonin plays a significant role in mood regulation, emotional well-being, sleep, appetite, and cognitive functions. Abnormalities in serotonin levels or its neural pathways are often associated with mood disorders like depression and anxiety.| Simply Psychology
Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that autistic individuals possess a varied set of strengths and challenges. The concept of neurodiversity recognizes autism as a natural variation in human brain development rather than a disorder or deficit.| Simply Psychology
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) combines elements of mindfulness practice and cognitive behavioral therapy to help individuals develop greater awareness and acceptance of their thoughts, emotions, and experiences in order to cultivate resilience and prevent relapse in depression and anxiety.| Simply Psychology
A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or anxiety that triggers severe physical reactions, such as a racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, or a feeling of impending doom, even though there's no real danger or apparent cause.| Simply Psychology
The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) responsible for regulating involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, and pupillary response.| Simply Psychology
The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is a small but powerful structure in the brain’s basal forebrain. It acts as a hub for processing reward, motivation, and pleasure. Think of it as the brain’s motivational switchboard—it helps us decide what feels good, what’s worth pursuing, and what behaviors to repeat.| Simply Psychology
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talking therapy that can be used to treat people with a wide range of mental health problems, including anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety, social anxiety) or depression.| Simply Psychology
Psychotherapy is the general term for treating psychological disorders and mental distress through verbal and psychological techniques. Psychotherapy is also commonly known as talk therapy, counseling, psychosocial therapy, or simply therapy. There are many types of psychotherapy, each with its own approach and grounded in different psychological theories.| Simply Psychology
Cognitive distortions are exaggerated patterns of thought that are not based on facts and can result in people viewing things more negatively than they really are.| Simply Psychology
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that play a vital role in how your brain and body communicate. They affect everything from your mood and memory to your heartbeat and breathing.| Simply Psychology
The sympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for "fight or flight" responses during stressful situations. It increases heart rate, dilates pupils, and inhibits digestion, among other functions, to mobilize the body's resources for immediate action.| Simply Psychology
Do you get anxious in certain social situations? Learn about the signs and symptoms and how avoidance makes anxiety worse.| Simply Psychology
Individuals with ADHD may often struggle with processes such as organizing tasks, maintaining focus, regulating emotions, retaining instructions, and successfully completing projects.| Simply Psychology
Abnormal psychology is a branch of psychology that studies, diagnoses, and treats unusual patterns of behavior, emotions, and thoughts that could signify a mental disorder. It's pivotal for understanding and managing mental health issues, developing treatments, and promoting mental health awareness.| Simply Psychology
Emotional regulation refers to the processes individuals use to manage and respond to their emotional experiences in appropriate and adaptive ways. It encompasses strategies to amplify, maintain, or decrease one's emotional responses.| Simply Psychology
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that aims to increase psychological flexibility - the ability to stay in contact with the present moment and choose behaviors in line with one's values, even in the face of difficult thoughts and feelings.| Simply Psychology
The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs in response to a perceived harmful event, attack, or threat to survival. It prepares your body to either confront or flee from the threat by triggering changes like increased heart rate, quickened breathing, and heightened alertness.| Simply Psychology