The best psychology book I have ever read! — I was doing some research on Shadow integration when I came across How to Be an Adult by David Richo. Since it was fairly short, I gave it a shot. This book ended up being the best psychology book I have ever read. It’s a complete guide that helps you…

Correcting These Major Misconceptions Can Help You Heal — 1. There’s No Hierarchy of Trauma I know this guy who saw his friend get kidnapped by insurgents in Iraq and that was the last time he saw him alive. I know a guy who got shot in the head twice…separate occasions. I know guys who are missing limbs. …

Deeper sleep, reduced stress, higher calm, and more — When my bud Vinay Mehta gushed over sleeping like a baby after popping Ashwagandha, I ordered it right away. At only $5 for 60 pills, I bought a buy-4-get-1 jumbo pack → 300 capsules for a sweet $20. Skeptical of the shady snake oil and exaggerated hyperbole that Ayurveda is…

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION AND PREMATURE DEATH are associated. That’s the finding of a new study from Brazil. Ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations of substances made from foods (fats, oils, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) with little or no whole foods. …

11 scientifically proven methods that boost health & happiness, promote healing, aid relaxation, and create mental clarity. — The vagus nerve represents the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system which serves many functions. It is better known for helping us rest and digest which it does by slowing and stabilising a resting heart rate, slowing and stabilising the breath, promoting digestion, improving recovery and healing times, producing…

“Emotions do not need to be rational to be paid attention to.” — I have been involved in the field of psychology and mental health for 8+ years now. In this long, hectic but rewarding journey, I have worked with several hundred people in helping them reach their fullest potential and working through their mental blocks. In this profession, it is not only…

Reviewing Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and His Emissary — For the last few decades, the popular interpretation of research on human cerebral hemisphere lateralization has cast the left brain as Mr. Spock: logical, rational, adept at math and language, with Captain Kirk embodying the right brain: impulsive, intuitive, emotional, creative. You can take tests that purport to show which…

A tale of two cheaters. — If you are doing something you know your committed partner will view as cheating, no doubt you are concerned about what that person will think and how they will feel if the truth about this comes out. Or, at least, you should be. Many narcissists and others with addictions or…

All the worst things is life — stress, bad habits, and self-hatred — are all rooted in trauma. — When I’m stuck in the Cycle of Trauma, being in my head is torture. There’s this voice that runs on repeat — it’s my Inner Critic. It tells me all the things that I should do. Things that I need to achieve. Milestones I need to hit. Habits I need…

A study in mice shows how food processing increases the risk of kidney disease and diabetes, but resistant starch can help — The food minefield Talking about the links between food and health is like walking through a minefield. We all have our culinary quirks, biased beliefs, and personal perspectives on what we eat. Our dietary patterns are personal and we often feel oddly protective about our way of eating.

Real health takes responsibility, which no one wants. — You go to the doctor regularly and ingest medicine when you’re told. You pay other people lots of money in case your health fails and then forget about it. You think you’re invested in your health, right? Well, I have news for you. …

They won’t kill, but they also won’t cure — In our modern world, a sedentary lifestyle has become popular — walking is handled by e-scooters, stairs are moving by themselves, high-caloric food will be delivered to our couch, our free time is spent sitting in front of a monitor, no physical activity is necessary — and still we crave…

Without therapy or medication, and now I want to share the secret with you — I’d attempted to write this article before, thinking that I had overcome my overwhelming anxiety. And yet in the midst of writing it my hands began to shake and my mind once more began to race with those relentless, bullying thoughts, “What if it’s not true? What if you’re a…

What I learned as a former mental health nurse and patient — The World Health Organization states that 1 in 5 adults and youth in the US are currently experiencing mental health issues. Discussions around the causes and appropriate treatments for mental illness are heated and plenty. I find myself in an interesting position as a former mental health nurse, who also suffers from mental health issues. I have family members with severe mental health problems as well. …

The effect of marijuana on the economy and health — The cannabis world has recently been publicizing studies that show that every time a U.S. state legalizes recreational cannabis, pharmaceutical companies lose stock value. When California legalized cannabis sales for recreational use in 2016, I said to Bruce, “This is going to change the world.” For the prior two decades…

I wish someone had told me the truth before I went on antidepressants — I’ve been on and off SSRIs/SNRIs since 2004. I was diagnosed with depression, panic disorder, anxiety, and social phobia, to name a few. Whatever the illness, SSRIs were the go-to solution doctors recommended. My Asperger’s syndrome and ADD went unnoticed by all the psychiatrists I met over the years. …

Improve symptoms and reduce stigma without a diagnosis. — There isn’t enough knowledge or consensus about mental health yet to gain much from making a specific diagnosis. In fact, studies suggest a diagnosis might actually trigger and aggravate symptoms. “ … the regions of the world with the most resources to devote to mental illness–the best technology, medicines, and…

Case in point: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in kids with ADHD or Autism. — When children struggle socially or emotionally, many parents are strongly motivated to believe the struggle must have some biological cause. This makes discussing the interpersonal and cultural roots of many mental illnesses very difficult and fraught. For example, if a kid has a very powerful emotional reaction to rejection, and…