by admin | Jun 9, 2022 | Mind
What’s The Difference Between Psychologists And Psychiatrists
How To Distinguish The Two Terms Most People Confuse When new words and terms come into use, it’s easy sometimes to get them confused. Many people get misled by someone else’s explanation of a term that they haven’t heard before and hence spread the wrong information afterward.
This is no one’s fault, but it’s essential to correct your mistakes once you know the correct information. Psychology and psychiatry are both fast-developing sciences, and because of that, we constantly have new terms and definitions in these fields.
Some people, however, tend to confuse the two, and although they are in the same broad area of science, they positively do not mean the same thing. Here we explain where their differences and similarities lie so that you can make sure you’re using the correct words in your next conversation.
The Definition Of A ‘Psychologists’
Alright, now, to understand what the term “psychologist” really means, we have to delve deeper into a couple of things:
- What is psychology?
- What does it focus on?
- What sort of education is needed?
- How do they help people?
- What are the most common practices?
What Is Psychology?
According to the American Psychological Association, the definition of psychology is “The scientific study of the mind and behavior.”
It includes many sub-fields and connects with different sciences (for instance, biology, chemistry, and history).
What Does It Focus On?
Psychology’s main focus and purpose are to describe and explain human behavior with the help of research, statistics, and listening to the individual in question. Next, its idea is to predict what their behavior may be in certain situations and change or control it if that’s needed.
Pretty… Cool, eh?
What Is The Education Required?
To become a clinical psychologist (the most common type one associates with the word), you need an undergraduate degree (four or five years in college). Then, you also need a doctorate/master’s degree in psychology (four to seven years in graduate school).
After that, you need to obtain a license to practice. There are over one million practicing psychologists in the world.
How Do They Help People?
Psychologists help their patients through therapy and behavioral modification. There are many different sorts of therapy that psychologists may choose from as the correct one/ones for their patient, including but not limited to talk therapy, cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic.
If the individual requires medication, they work with psychiatrists and physicians to provide them with the proper treatment.
What Are Some Common Practices?
A typical therapy session with a psychologist is around an hour or two, and it consists of an honest two-way conversation. In it, the therapist asks questions and assesses the patient’s answers. Then, the psychologist offers advice, points out some critical statements, and focuses the conversation on what’s actually important.
The patient is never judged on their behavior, thoughts, and emotions and is encouraged to say exactly how they feel and what they think in the safe space the psychologist provides.
What they say is also strictly confidential. Sometimes the therapist gives “homework” to the patient. This can take the form of anything – from watching a movie, writing down some thoughts, or taking a walk in a specific place.
What About Psychiatrists?
Okay, now, in short, psychologists strive to understand how people think, feel, and behave, to help them modify certain behaviors.
But what about psychiatrists? Well, let’s do the same breakdown we did above!
What Is Psychiatry?
Psychiatry is the branch of medicine that focuses on diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental and behavioral disorders.
It includes physical and psychological evaluation and considers the patient’s biology, personal history, and neurological state.
What Does It Focus On?
Psychiatrists focus on the mental state of their patients and its relationship to their physical well-being.
They deal with long-term conditions, sudden changes, addiction, and all sorts of disorders.
What Sort Of Education Do You Need?
In order to become a psychiatrist, you need to finish medical school and take a test for a license to practice medicine. After that, you need to complete four years of psychiatry residency training. Most psychiatrists then take a voluntary test to become certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
A good note here is that every certificate needs to be re-issued every ten years. Here’s also an interesting fact: There are approximately 400 000 practicing psychiatrists today.
How Do They Help People?
They often perform complete physical and psychological tests, alongside discussions with the patient himself, to paint the whole picture of their mental state and offer treatment. They can also provide immediate medical help if needed and offer different types of therapy, such as electroconvulsive therapy.
Seeing as they are doctors they can determine if medications are necessary, and prescribe them, as well as appoint therapy with psychologists.
What Are Some Of Their Most Common Practices?
A typical visit to the psychiatrist takes between one and two hours and includes filling some paperwork and assessments followed by some questions. Again, the patient is never judged based on his feelings and thoughts and is encouraged to be as honest as possible. After the psychiatrist has all the information required, he shares his advice on getting the help required.
This often involves working with a psychologist in the form of therapy and medication, if needed. It is common to order some lab tests before prescribing meds for the first time to make sure they will respond in the right way to the patient’s body.
A follow-up visit is also scheduled to ensure everything is going in the right direction.
The Differences
As you can see, though the names sound similar, the two professions are vastly different, mainly in the way they help people. Although they work together, psychologists and psychiatrists work towards bettering the patient’s mental state using different tools. One most commonly being therapy and the other, a full medical evaluation and advice.
It is also crucial to highlight that only psychiatrists are allowed to prescribe medication! Another vital difference is that one has a medical education while the other has a different doctorate degree. Both psychologists and psychiatrists are equally important but for different reasons, and although they often have the same patients, they are not interchangeable.
Realizing the differences between the two will ensure that people get the type of help they need. We hope you enjoyed this article and if so, stay tuned with our blog for more articles like this!
by admin | Jun 9, 2022 | Health, Massage
When Should You Go To Therapy?
Accepting The Help You May Need We’ve all had some tough times through the years – it is simply natural for things to go up and down from time to time, following the natural cycle of life. Sometimes it can be hard to admit to yourself and others that you’re worried or have a problem, especially if you’re shy or introverted.
People often experience difficulty when they have to open up for the first time and share their inner worries. However, it is ultimately better to do so as this is the only way to seek help from anyone. In fact, going to therapy for professional assistance is quite common nowadays, and that is indeed a good thing!
Some reassuring numbers we can share with you to prove that therapy is nothing to be ashamed of, for instance, is that one in every eight adults has gone to therapy in the last year. So you see, it’s something most people do and more people should do.
But how to figure out if therapy is something you need or would benefit from?
Let’s answer this and more questions!
Question Yourself!
Whether you have a minor or a major issue with how you perceive, feel and act, one thing is for sure – You have unlimited access to your self-awareness and consciousness. Before you decide to get help from another person that has those, make sure to use your own to the best extent possible!
One of the best methods to do so is to… Ask yourself questions! Here are 4 questions you should ask yourself and answer, to find out whether or not professional help is needed in your case.
Am I Happy?
This seems like a pretty basic question but may prove challenging for some people, especially if they aren’t introspective. Happiness is the ultimate goal for most of us, and as such, it’s hard for us to accept that we aren’t always experiencing it. This is why some people choose to go to therapy – to understand their momentary negative emotions and become more accepting of them.
A different perspective is that some people are too busy and sometimes neglect their own feelings because they lack time to reflect on them.This often leads to feelings of pressure or agitation, which need to be battled with the help of a psychologist.
Am I Avoiding Something?
A frequently used defense mechanism is to try your best to ignore your problems. People tend to avoid what they’re uncomfortable with, with the hopes that it will fix itself or disappear completely, but this happens rarely. In fact there is the opposite correlation – the more we brush some things off as not important, the bigger their adverse effects turn out to be.
This is why you should regularly ask yourself if you are actively or subconsciously avoiding something. If there is, you should search for a therapist that can help you understand why and how to deal with it more healthily.
Am I Confused About Something?
Confusion is a regular part of life – regardless of age, gender, nationality or culture. There isn’t a single person who knows and has always known all of the answers to the mystery of life. We live in a time when it’s easy to feel overwhelmed because of the speed at which some things happen, and how much people expect of us.
Oftentimes, this leaves us confused and worried. Indeed, life is full of contradictions and complications, so questions are entirely natural, and finding your personal answers may prove to be a daunting task. This is why many people start therapy – thoughts like ‘where should I study?’, ‘why do I feel this way?’ and ‘what should I focus on?’ are often why individuals decide they need assistance.
The good thing here is that most psychologists are always happy to help, as they LOVE solving the puzzle of the human brain!
Do I Have The Skills & Knowledge To Improve?
Progress, in general, is what most of us strive for. However, it is not always as simple as it sounds, as we are often met with different trials and tribulations along the way. This can leave us wondering what our next step should be. With this in mind, we can say that many people try to find assistance regarding their self-improvement. And that, my dear friends, is done in …
You guessed it – A Therapy office!
Final Thoughts
Regardless of whether you have a specific goal and direction or just know you want to improve your life and yourself in general, you will likely find some answers and inspiration through the help of a psychologist. Statistics show that therapy is incredibly beneficial for most people.
Clients report that their lives have positively changed in many aspects and that they often wish they would have started earlier. Reports show that thanks to therapy and medication, people move in the right direction to better their lives and leave their past behind.
Psychologists have a positive influence on many aspects, including but not limited to suicide rate, drug abuse, trauma, and more, and that is only true because their clients took that first step to go to their office.
And Remember
Therapy works for people with different backgrounds and problems, and it works even if one does not have specific such! You’ll often hear many people say that their psychologist’s office is the safest place in the world for them. A place free of judgment, where they can share anything and work through their issues with the best individual means for the person.
All of these statements point to the fact that therapy is beneficial and that you shouldn’t worry about anything regarding the process itself because you will be in the trusty hands of a professional.
by admin | Jun 9, 2022 | Mind
The Best Places To Study Psychology
Where Can You Find The Best Teachers, Practices, And Prospects Progressing and developing further in any chosen field should always be a priority. Certainly, though, efficiently learning new things can be difficult if the environment and people that are supposed to provide you with this new information do not suit your needs.
Finding the best university and professors can be a daunting task. However, there are some places which most people agree provide exactly what their students need and thus have a good standing name in the field.
So what are the best places to study psychology according to people’s experience, and what makes those places unique?
Let’s find out.
Oh, and by the way… If you think universities are not worth it, think again!
Because universities are just places where you can meet people with experience and establish/join communities of like-minded individuals. Shift your paradigm and get ready to LEARN!
The University of Cambridge
At the University of Cambridge, you can specialize in four different types of psychology – social, cognitive, biological, and developmental. You can further your studies in multiple fields of neurology (neuroimaging and neuroanatomy for example) as well as relations, psychopathology, statistics, and more.
What’s really important about the psychology degrees here is that you can alternate between laboratory work and regular schooling. This variety of options is what puts The University Of Cambridge in the top 3 on our list!
Stanford University
Psychology was one of the first departments established at The Stanford University and as such, holds great importance among faculty and staff.
Positive and mutually beneficial interactions between the different sciences and psychology are encouraged in this place, seeing as the professors know how interconnected some fields are (for instance, the links between psychology and biology, medicine, or business). The special bonus in Stanford is that you can do research regarding many different topics such as addiction, stereotypes, and more as a student.
If you want to get in touch with the ins and outs of psychology, this is definitely a place to go!
Princeton University
Princeton is one of the universities with the most publicly awarded psychology graduates. Six Distinguished Contributions awards from the American Psychological Association, three William James Fellow awards from the Association of Psychological Science, and one Nobel prize have been given to former Princeton students in recent years.
Generally speaking, this university focuses mainly on neuropsychology because of the collaborative work with their own Neuroscience Institute. Mainly because of that, the Princeton University is your best bet if you are oriented towards studying the relationship between psychology and neuroscience.
Harvard University
Psychology is one of the most popular studies at Harvard. For undergraduates, it is separated into three parts – general psychology, cognitive science and neuroscience, as well as evolutionary psychology.
For graduates, these tracks become more specialized and focused, with the option to study in different fields. Tutorials, research, and projects are vital parts of each of the specialized tracks of study as well as the opportunity to conduct research the department itself.
Plus, the name “Harvard” in and of itself is a symbol for high intelligence, and that’s for a reason!
National University of Singapore
This university offers the oldest psychology program in the republic. It is divided into two degrees, a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of sciences. This allows you to cover the fundamentals of cognitive, developmental, biological, and abnormal psychology.
To top this off, the university has its own study called health psychology. Further specialization is offered in the form of a master’s degree, which splits into six different tracks, each requiring both coursework and research. If you’re ready to fasten your seatbelt and get familiar with all the nitty-gritty of psychology and its effects on the human being, do consider this Uni!
King’s College
This is the oldest psychology training program in the UK. Its benefits include mainly research-based teaching and voluntary work in conjunction with South London and Maudsley hospital. Also, their department of psychology is part of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience.
Students who specialize in psychology here spend four years on campus and one additional year either abroad or in a professional placement arranged by the university.
When Choosing, Remember…
The study of psychology relies on communication and understanding but is made much easier by hands-on work and research. With this in mind, it is vital for the best universities to offer outstanding professors and on-site projects possibilities. What’s also incredibly important is the connection psychology has with other sciences, making collaborations and partnerships between students and faculty an incredibly beneficial ideology.
The universities listed here offer all of those things and more and dictate how best to study psychology in their respective countries and the world as a whole. Last but not least, we must not forget that psychology in general is at the fundament of human existence, so whether or not you decide to sign up for a full-on psychology study in a university, do your best to understand how the human psychology operates.
Be it through books, courses or just studying human behavior around you.
Live. Learn. Love!
by admin | Jun 9, 2022 | Fitness, General
Where Does Lost Fat Go?
If you’ve been working on improving your activity and nutrition with the goal of losing weight, you’ve probably asked yourself this question at least once. As you probably know, energy (in this case, fat) cannot be created, nor destroyed.
So the question here is – How do your fat deposits transform when you are on a weight-loss diet? In this article, you’re going to learn more about fat loss and what happens to the weight that disappears from the scale during a successful diet.
Let’s get to it, shall we?
How Do You Lose Weight, Even?
Though many fad diets have taken priority spots in people’s lives, fat loss is mainly about one specific principle, called “Eating in a caloric deficit”. Your body requires a certain amount of energy to maintain its physiological processes and mass in space.
That amount of energy depends on the following factors:
- Gender
- Age
- Height
- Weight
- Non-training activity
- Training activity
- Food intake
If you consume more energy from food than your body needs to maintain its weight, you will progressively gain weight. On the other hand, if you consume LESS energy from food than your body needs to maintain its weight, you will LOSE fat.
It’s quite simple and there is no way around it! Every fad diet that makes you lose weight, does so not because of the diet itself, but because of the caloric deficit that it helps you establish.
But Where Does Lost Fat Go?
When you’re in a deficit of energy, your body uses its energy deposits (fat) to compensate for that deficit.
That is to say that during fat loss, your body actually burns off the fat in order to use it for a variety of functions.
When oxidized (burned with the help of oxygen), fat leaves the body in the form of carbon dioxide and water!
That is to say that the two main “exhausts” for lost fat, are:
- The lungs
- The urinary system
In other words, when you lose fat, you exhale the carbon dioxide and then the water gets into your circulation, until it leaves the body as sweat and urine.
How Much Of The Fat Is Water?
Interestingly enough, when you lose fat, most of it comes out as carbon dioxide, through your lungs. To be precise, about 80-85% of lost fat turns into carbon dioxide, while the other 15-20% turn to water. For instance, if you lose 10 kg of fat, roughly 8 kg of it comes out through your lungs and the remaining weight is excreted in the form of urine/sweat.
Fun Fact
As a matter of fact, basically everything you consume comes out as carbon dioxide! Nearly every gram of carbohydrate, protein, fat, and even alcohol, get converted to carbon dioxide and water, while the byproducts of the food leave the body as excrements.
The only exception for a nutrient that reaches your colon intact, is dietary fiber, which cannot be absorbed or digested but may help the digestive processes.
Everything else besides fiber is absorbed and then takes exit via the lungs!
Conclusion
Fat loss is simple, yet interesting – It only requires a caloric deficit, but can make your body undergo drastic visual changes over a short period of time.
The process becomes even more interesting when you think about the fact that 85% of the weight that disappears from the scale, takes its exit through your lungs! If you have any other interesting questions, let us know in the comments below!
by admin | Jun 8, 2022 | Massage
Why choose natural therapies?
When it comes to numerous health challenges, issues, and worries, many people turn to natural solutions. Many people feel that the harmful ingredients in over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals can truly harm a person’s health.
It’s important to remember that we may sometimes need pharmaceutical intervention and that should not be overlooked if it’s really a necessity but if we can use a natural solution it is of course nice to have that choice.
The good news is that various natural therapies may be used to improve one’s health. You’ll find a wide range of suggestions to adopt to maintain and optimize a healthy lifestyle listed throughout this post on remedies that don’t require medications. If you want a more natural approach, they could be perfect for you!
1. Herbalism –
The usage of natural herbs is a very common kind of treatment among many people. With a little investigation, you’ll find that there are literally thousands upon thousands of herbs to choose from. You can choose one that is suitable for almost every form of health problem. Herbs can be bought in different categories, such as bitter, aromatic, nutritious, astringent, and even gummy. There are teas and tisanes, poultices and oils, flowers, roots, leaves, barks and more.
2. Light therapy –
Another form of natural medicine that can be incredibly beneficial to a person’s general health when suffering from a medical problem or condition is light therapy. Individuals with fibromyalgia, for example, benefit from light therapy to increase and optimise Melatonin production in the body. When it comes to managing the sleep cycle, this component is essential. Light therapy can also be used to treat seasonal affective disorder and other light therapies can treat skin issues, such as acne, rejuvenation, wrinkles and more.
3. Aromatherapy is another type of natural remedy that has proven to be effective for many people. Essentially, this form of therapy employs natural and essential oils to induce a specific mental state but also applied topically the oils penetrate into the skin with many therapeutic benefits. Aromatherapy can be applied by massage or inhalation.
4. Exercise –
Believe it or not, simple exercise has now been accepted as an essential to improving one’s health. You don’t have to go to the gym, run ten miles or do cardio for hours a day but you must do something. Stretching, for example, can improve the amount of oxygen delivered to the body’s various components. As a result, cell synthesis increases, assisting in the creation of a natural immune system boost. Get out for a walk or a jog, do some stretching yoga asana exercises, or simply go for a swim if you want to be healthy. Just get moving
5. Meditation and Mindfulness has been practiced throughout history to achieve a greater state of mind and a higher level of ideal health. Mediation may be just what you need if you’re seeking an easy, low-stress way to deal with any health issues that arise. Mindfulness teaches us to be present without judgement and has huge health benefits associated to it especially with stress reduction.
6. Acupuncture is a type of alternative medicine that relies on the insertion and manipulation of needles to treat pain and illness. It originated in China and is now taught and practiced all around the world. Even though numerous medical studies have failed to resolve the debate over this sort of treatment, the scientific study continues to try to show or deny its health advantages and medicinal value.
For people who find results and relief in this amazing treatment it can be truly life changing. Acupuncture is used to treat post-operative nausea, vascular headaches, labor pain, menstrual cramps, migraines, osteoarthritis, dental pain, tennis elbow, and persistent lower back pain, fertility, among other conditions. Inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, and palpation are all conventional methods of diagnosis used by acupuncturists.
The face and tongue are the focus of inspection, whereas auscultation and olfaction cover the entire body. Chills, fever, sweat, hunger, thirst, adequate taste, bowel habits, pain level, sleep, menses, are some of the questions that may be asked during a consultation. Palpation is looking for tender spots on the body and checking the right and left radial pulses. Despite using needles many people report that they are barely felt and that it is a very relaxing and calming therapy.
7. Music and Sound
– Many people embrace music as a natural cure for their health problems. There are many various types of benefits that can be obtained just by simply listening to music. Circulation can be improved, and stress levels can be reduced, among other things. Suppose you’re seeking a unique method to make the most of your resources while also improving your physical well-being.
In that case, you’ll love the therapeutic benefits that come from listening to various forms of music. Professional music therapists treat all kinds of conditions mental, emotional and physical. Similarly, Sound therapists use various forms of vibration and sound tools to realign and balance the body’s energy systems and may use chimes, bowls, gongs and more. It is a hugely relaxing experience.
As you can see, there are a plethora of natural therapies available to people just like you! These are just 7 of the literally thousands of therapies now available worldwide. It’s critical to remember that this is an extremely short list with only a few samples of therapies that you might find intriguing. You can choose which one to use, or you can use more than one! That’s the beauty of natural remedies: the possibilities for selection and use are endless! Mix and match and keep exploring until you find those which speak to you, above all enjoy the journey.
