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
The brainstem is the stalk-like lower part of the brain that connects the main brain (cerebrum) to the spinal cord. It sits at the base of the skull, just above the spinal cord, and is considered part of the central nervous system (CNS).| Simply Psychology
The human brain is a complex organ, made up of several distinct parts, each responsible for different functions. The cerebrum, the largest part, is responsible for sensory interpretation, thought processing, and voluntary muscle activity. Beneath it is the cerebellum, which controls balance and coordination. The brainstem connects the brain to the spinal cord and oversees automatic processes like breathing and heart rate. The limbic system, containing structures like the hippocampus and amygd...| Simply Psychology
Think of neurotransmitters as instant messages between nerve cells: fast, direct, and short-lived. Hormones, on the other hand, are more like letters sent through the mail—slower, but able to travel long distances in the body and create lasting effects.| Simply Psychology
Recovery from narcissistic abuse involves various stages, but it’s not a linear path. Understanding this can be helpful because it can lessen the impact of the inevitable drawbacks and obstacles.| Simply Psychology
Stress is a biological and psychological response experienced upon encountering a threat that we feel we do not have the resources to deal with.| Simply Psychology
The temporal lobe, located near the temples, is the second largest lobe of the human cerebrum, accounting for almost one-fourth of the brain's volume. It processes auditory information, forms memories, comprehends language, and regulates emotions through key structures like the hippocampus and primary auditory cortex.| Simply Psychology
Automatic processing in psychology refers to cognitive activities that are relatively fast and require few cognitive resources. This type of information processing generally occurs outside of conscious awareness and is common when undertaking familiar and highly practiced tasks.| Simply Psychology
You can tell if another person disrespects your boundaries if they violate your boundaries repeatedly, make you feel uncomfortable, put pressure on you, or minimize or mock your requests/ needs.| Simply Psychology
An avoidant attachment style is a pattern where individuals steer clear of emotional closeness and tend to minimize the importance of intimate relationships, often as a way to protect themselves emotionally.| Simply Psychology
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is critical for connecting the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body. It is essential for bodily functions such as movement, sensation, and autonomic processes.| 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
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) is a technique that can help reduce anxiety and stress by tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body. This process helps you become more aware of the difference between tension and relaxation.| 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
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
The parasympathetic nervous system is a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates bodily functions outside of voluntary control, therefore being automatic. It is also called the ‘rest and digest' system as it conserves the body’s natural activity and relaxes the individual once an emergency has passed. It promotes relaxation, energy conservation, and recovery by slowing the heart rate, stimulating digestion, and facilitating other processes when the body is restin...| Simply Psychology
The amygdala is a complex structure of cells nestled in the middle of the brain, adjacent to the hippocampus (which is associated with memory formation). It is part of the limbic system and plays a key role in processing emotions and emotional reactions.| Simply Psychology
The limbic system is a complex set of brain structures involved in emotion, motivation, memory, and behavior regulation. Key components include the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus. It's central to emotional processing, memory formation, and various autonomic functions, bridging higher cognitive processes and primal emotions.| Simply Psychology
Do you get anxious in certain social situations? Learn about the signs and symptoms and how avoidance makes anxiety worse.| Simply Psychology
Anxiety disorders are characterized by distressing, persistent anxiety and are often paired with unhelpful behaviors that individuals may use to try to reduce anxiety, such as avoidance or other safety behaviors.| 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
Fear is a basic, emotional response to a perceived threat or danger. It triggers the body's 'fight-or-flight' response, leading to physiological changes like increased heart rate and adrenaline levels. Fear is an essential survival mechanism, helping individuals react to potentially life-threatening situations. It can respond to immediate, tangible threats and more abstract or future concerns. Fear can also be learned through past experiences or observations.| Simply Psychology