Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): What You Need to Know

 

Persistent depressive disorder (PDD), formerly called dysthymic disorder or dysthymia, is a mental health condition characterized by a persistent low mood that lasts for at least two years. People with PDD may also experience other symptoms, such as low energy, poor concentration, and feelings of hopelessness.

PDD is a chronic condition, but it is treatable. With the right treatment, people with PDD can learn to manage their symptoms and live full and productive lives.

What are the symptoms of PDD?

The main symptom of PDD is a persistent low mood. This mood may be described as feeling sad, down, or hopeless. People with PDD may also experience:

1. Low energy
2. Poor concentration
3. Difficulty making decisions
4. Low self-esteem
5. Feelings of hopelessness
6. Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
7. Sleep disturbances (either insomnia or hypersomnia)
8. Changes in appetite (either weight loss or weight gain)
9. Fatigue
10. Aches and pains
11. Thoughts of death or suicide

How is PDD diagnosed?

PDD is diagnosed by a mental health professional. The diagnosis is based on a review of the person's symptoms and medical history. The professional will also rule out other possible causes of the symptoms, such as a medical condition or substance abuse.
What are the treatments for PDD? PDD is a treatable condition. There are a variety of treatment options available, including:

1. 
   Medication: There are a number of medications that can be effective in treating PDD. These medications typically take several weeks to start working, and they may need to be adjusted over time.
2. Therapy: Therapy can be helpful for people with PDD. There are a number of different types of therapy that can be effective, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT).
3. Lifestyle changes: Making changes to your lifestyle can also help to manage the symptoms of PDD. These changes may include getting regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep.

What is the outlook for people with PDD?

The outlook for people with PDD is good. With the right treatment, people with PDD can learn to manage their symptoms and live full and productive lives. However, PDD is a chronic condition, and there is always a risk of relapse.
If you think you may have PDD, it is important to see a mental health professional for diagnosis and treatment. With the right help, you can live a happy and fulfilling life.

References

 Hooley, J. M., Nock, M. K., & Butcher, J. N. (2019). Abnormal Psychology (18th ed.). Pearson  Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135191033

 The Unconscious Mind: What is it and Why is it Important? - Freud

The unconscious mind is a vast and mysterious realm of our psyche that is largely hidden from our conscious awareness. However, it plays a vital role in our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

In this blog post, we will explore the concept of the unconscious mind, discuss some of its key features, and consider its importance for our psychological health.

What is the unconscious mind?

The unconscious mind is a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, memories, and desires that are outside of our conscious awareness. It is often described as a "dark continent" of the psyche because it is so difficult to access and understand. However, the unconscious mind is not completely inaccessible. We can gain some insights into its workings through dreams, slips of the tongue, and other forms of unconscious communication. 

The unconscious mind is characterized by the following features:

1. It is largely hidden from our conscious awareness.
2. It is dynamic and constantly active.
3. It is influenced by our emotions and drives.
4. It can store memories that we have repressed or forgotten.
5. It can generate creative ideas and solutions to problems.
6. The importance of the unconscious mind

The unconscious mind plays a vital role in our psychological health. It helps us to process emotions, store memories, and make decisions. It also plays a role in our creativity and problem-solving abilities.

However, the unconscious mind can also be a source of problems. For example, unconscious conflicts can lead to anxiety and depression. Unconscious memories of trauma can cause us to relive negative experiences. And unconscious desires can lead us to make self-destructive choices.

Conclusion

The unconscious mind is a complex and fascinating realm of our psyche. It is important to understand its workings in order to achieve psychological health and well-being.

If you are struggling with unconscious conflicts or other psychological problems, it is important to seek professional help. A therapist can help you to explore your unconscious mind and develop healthy coping mechanisms.

I hope this blog post has been informative and helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

References

 Freud, S. (1911). The Interpretation of Dreams (3rd ed.). Hayes Barton Press.         https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/L-999-74204

 

Sigmund Freud and his theories:

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) is probably the most controversial and misunderstood psychological theorist. When reading Freud’s theories, it is important to remember that he was a medical doctor, not a psychologist. There was no such thing as a degree in psychology at the time that he received his education, which can help us understand some of the controversy over his theories today. However, Freud was the first to systematically study and theorize the workings of the unconscious mind in the manner that we associate with modern psychology.

In the early years of his career, Freud worked with Josef Breuer, a Viennese physician. During this time, Freud became intrigued by the story of one of Breuer’s patients, Bertha Pappenheim, who was referred to by the pseudonym Anna O. (Lovett et al., 2020).

Anna O. had been caring for her dying father when she began to experience symptoms such as partial paralysis, headaches, blurred vision, amnesia, and hallucinations (Launer, 2005). In Freud’s day, these symptoms were commonly referred to as hysteria. Anna O. turned to Breuer for help. He spent 2 years (1880–1882) treating Anna O. and discovered that allowing her to talk about her experiences seemed to bring some relief to her symptoms. Anna O. called his treatment the “talking cure” (Lovett et al., 2020). Despite the fact that Freud never met Anna O., her story served as the basis for the 1895 book, Studies on Hysteria, which he co-authored with Breuer.

Based on Breuer’s description of Anna O.’s treatment, Freud concluded that hysteria was the result of sexual abuse in childhood and that these traumatic experiences had been hidden from consciousness. Breuer disagreed with Freud, which soon ended their work together. However, Freud continued to work to refine talk therapy and build his theory on personality.

To explain the concept of conscious versus unconscious experience, Freud compared the mind to an iceberg (Lovett et al., 2020). He said that only about one-tenth of our mind is conscious, and the rest of our mind is unconscious. Our unconscious refers to that mental activity of which we are unaware and unable to access (Lovett et al., 2020). According to Freud, unacceptable urges and desires are kept in our unconscious through a process called repression.

For example, we sometimes say things that we don’t intend to say by unintentionally substituting another word for the one we meant. You’ve probably heard of a Freudian slip, the term used to describe this. Freud suggested that slips of the tongue are actually sexual or aggressive urges accidentally slipping out of our unconscious. Speech errors such as this are quite common. Seeing them as a reflection of unconscious desires, linguists today have found that slips of the tongue tend to occur when we are tired, nervous, or not at our optimal level of cognitive functioning.

According to Freud, our personality develops from a conflict between two forces: our biological aggressive and pleasure-seeking drives versus our internal (socialized) control over these drives. Our personality is the result of our efforts to balance these two competing forces. Freud suggested that we can understand this by imagining three interacting systems within our minds. He called them the id, ego, and superego.

The unconscious id contains our most primitive drives or urges and is present from birth. It directs impulses for hunger, thirst, and sex. Freud believed that the id operates on what he called the “pleasure principle,” in which the id seeks immediate gratification.

Through social interactions with parents and others in a child’s environment, the ego and superego develop to help control the id. The superego develops as a child interacts with others learning social rules for right and wrong. The superego acts as our conscience; it is our moral compass that tells us how we should behave.

References

 Lovett, R.M.S.W.J.J.M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e (2nd ed.). OpenStax.

     https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781951693237

 What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a state of heightened suggestibility in which people are more likely to accept and act on the suggestions of a hypnotist. It is often used in therapy to help people manage pain, reduce stress, and quit smoking. Hypnosis can also be used for entertainment purposes, such as in stage shows.

There are two main theories about how hypnosis works. The first theory is that hypnosis is a state of dissociation, in which people are split into two parts: the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. The conscious mind is aware of what is happening around them, but the unconscious mind is more suggestible. The second theory is that hypnosis is a social role. When people are hypnotized, they are simply acting the part of a hypnotized person. They are following the suggestions of the hypnotist because they believe that they are supposed to do so.

There is some evidence to support both of these theories. For example, studies have shown that people in a hypnotic state are more likely to experience dissociation. They may have an out-of-body experience, or they may feel like they are watching themselves from a distance. However, there is also evidence that hypnosis is a social role. For example, studies have shown that people who are more suggestible are more likely to be hypnotized. This suggests that people who are more likely to believe in hypnosis are also more likely to be hypnotized.

Ultimately, the debate about how hypnosis works is still ongoing. However, there is no doubt that hypnosis is a powerful tool that can be used to help people in a variety of ways.

Here are some of the benefits of hypnosis:

• Pain management: Hypnosis has been shown to be effective in reducing pain in a variety of settings, including hospitals, dentists' offices, and pain clinics.
• Stress reduction: Hypnosis can be used to help people relax and reduce stress. This can be helpful for people with anxiety disorders, as well as people who simply want to improve their overall well-being.
• Weight loss: Hypnosis can be used to help people lose weight and keep it off. This is because hypnosis can help people change their eating habits and make healthier choices.
• Smoking cessation: Hypnosis can be an effective way to help people quit smoking. This is because hypnosis can help people break the habit and reduce their cravings for cigarettes.
• Performance improvement: Hypnosis can be used to help people improve their performance in a variety of areas, such as sports, public speaking, and test-taking. This is because hypnosis can help people focus and concentrate, and it can also help them reduce anxiety and stress.

If you are interested in trying hypnosis, it is important to find a qualified hypnotist. You can ask your doctor for a referral, or you can search online for hypnotists in your area. It is also important to be aware that hypnosis is not a magic bullet. It takes time and effort to achieve the desired results. However, if you are willing to put in the work, hypnosis can be a valuable tool for improving your life.

 References

Lovett, R.M.S.W.J.J.M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e (2nd ed.). OpenStax.

            
 https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781951693237

 

 

Nietzsche on Morality

 Nietzsche on Morality

 In his book Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Nietzsche argues that morality is not a fixed or objective set of rules, but rather a product of human culture and history. He criticizes the traditional view of morality as being based on universal truths, arguing that it is instead based on the specific values and interests of particular groups or individuals.

Nietzsche argues that there are no such things as "good" and "evil" in themselves, but that these terms are simply labels that we apply to things that we approve of or disapprove of. He says that morality is "a sign-language of the emotions," and that it is used to express our own needs and desires, as well as to control the behavior of others.

Nietzsche also argues that morality is often used to justify our own actions, even when those actions are harmful to others. He says that we often use morality as a "tyranny against nature" and "reason," in order to justify our own prejudices and biases.

Nietzsche concludes by arguing that we should not take morality too seriously. He says that we should not be afraid to question traditional moral values and that we should be open to new ways of thinking about morality. He believes that we should create our own morality, based on our own needs and desires, rather than blindly following the morality of others.

Nietzsche's views on morality have been controversial, but they have also been influential. His work has been praised by some for its insights into the nature of morality, and it has been criticized by others for its relativism and amorality.

Regardless of one's opinion of Nietzsche's views, there is no doubt that he was a brilliant thinker who challenged our traditional understanding of morality. His work is still relevant today, and it continues to be debated and discussed by philosophers and scholars.

Here are some additional thoughts on Nietzsche's views on morality:

Nietzsche's view that morality is a product of human culture and history is supported by the fact that different cultures have different moral codes. For example, what is considered moral in one culture may be considered immoral in another.

Nietzsche's view that morality is based on the specific values and interests of particular groups or individuals is supported by the fact that different groups and individuals have different moral beliefs. For example, a religious group may believe that it is moral to follow the teachings of their religion, while a secular group may believe that it is moral to live a life of reason and self-determination.

Nietzsche's view that morality is often used to justify our own actions, even when those actions are harmful to others, is supported by the fact that we often use moral arguments to justify our own prejudices and biases. For example, we may argue that it is moral to discriminate against certain groups of people because we believe that they are inferior.

Nietzsche's view that we should not take morality too seriously is supported by the fact that morality can often be used to control our behavior and prevent us from living our lives to the fullest. For example, we may be afraid to do something that we want to do because we think it is immoral.

Nietzsche's views on morality are complex and challenging, but they are also thought-provoking and insightful. They offer a new perspective on morality that can help us to understand our own moral beliefs and to question the traditional moral values of our society.

References

Nietzsche, F. W. (1903). Beyond Good and Evil. Hayes Barton Press.

         https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/L-999-71494

 Why Do We Sleep?

Why Do We Sleep?

We spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. That's a lot of time! But why do we sleep? What is the purpose of sleep?

There are many theories about why we sleep. Some of the most popular theories include:

To restore energy. Sleep is thought to help the body recover from the physical and mental demands of the day. During sleep, the body repairs cells and tissues, and the brain consolidates memories and processes emotions.

To protect us from predators. In the wild, animals sleep in safe places to avoid being eaten by predators. Humans may also sleep to protect themselves from danger, even though we no longer face the same level of predation as our ancestors. To consolidate memories. Sleep helps the brain to consolidate memories, which means strengthening and storing them. This is why we often wake up feeling refreshed and clear-headed after a good night's sleep. To regulate emotions. Sleep helps to regulate emotions and reduce stress levels. This is why people who are sleep-deprived often feel irritable, anxious, and depressed.

To boost creativity and problem-solving skills. Sleep helps to improve creativity and problem-solving skills. This is why many people find that they have their best ideas when they are relaxed and well-rested. It is likely that sleep serves multiple purposes, and that the specific benefits of sleep may vary depending on the individual and the circumstances. However, it is clear that sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. When we don't get enough sleep, we can experience a range of negative
consequences, including:

Irritability

Depression

Anxiety

Memory problems

Decision-making difficulties

Increased risk of accidents

Increased risk of chronic diseases

So, why do we sleep? The answer is still not fully understood, but it is clear that sleep is essential for our health and well-being. We should all make an effort to get enough sleep each night. In addition to the theories mentioned above, there are a few other possible explanations for why we sleep. For example, sleep may help to strengthen the immune system, regulate hormones, and protect the brain from damage. More research is needed to fully understand the benefits and purposes of sleep.

If you are concerned about your sleep, or if you are having trouble sleeping, it is important to talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying medical condition that is affecting your sleep. Your doctor can help you to determine the best course of treatment for your individual needs.

References

Lovett, R.M.S.W.J.J.M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e (2nd ed.). OpenStax.  

                               https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781951693237

 Displacement in Dreams

In his book The Interpretation of Dreams, Sigmund Freud described a process of dream formation called displacement. Displacement occurs when the most important or emotionally charged elements of a dream are not represented in the dream itself, but are instead replaced by less important or less emotionally charged elements.

For example, a person who is having a dream about their fear of public speaking might not actually dream about giving a speech. Instead, they might dream about being in a crowded room, or about being naked in public. These less threatening images are a way for the dream to disguise the dreamer's true fear.

Displacement can also occur when the dream content is focused on a trivial or unimportant detail, while the most important elements of the dream are left out altogether. For example, a person who is having a dream about their relationship problems might dream about a small argument they had with their partner. The argument in the dream might seem insignificant, but it could be a displacement for the dreamer's deeper concerns about their relationship.

Displacement is one of the ways that the dream work censors the dreamer's unconscious thoughts and desires. By displacing the most important or emotionally charged elements of the dream, the dream work can prevent the dreamer from becoming aware of their true feelings.

Freud believed that displacement is a necessary part of dream formation. He argued that if the dream content were to directly represent the dreamer's unconscious thoughts and desires, it would be too threatening to the dreamer's conscious mind. By displacing these thoughts and desires, the dream work can make them more palatable to the conscious mind.

Displacement is a complex process, and it is not always easy to understand why a particular element has been displaced in a dream. However, by understanding the concept of displacement, we can begin to see how the dream work protects the dreamer from their own unconscious thoughts and desires.

I hope this blog post has been informative. Please feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions.

References

Freud, S. (1911). The Interpretation of Dreams (3rd ed.). Hayes Barton Press.                    https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/L-999-74204