by admin | May 29, 2022 | Mind, General
Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy
Recognizing and changing subconscious behaviors, thoughts and habits has become more and more popular, as people begin to realize that they have literally picked up things, which don’t really serve them. However, the quest to changing those patterns is not easy and especially if that relates to hard-wired behaviors, emotions and thoughts.
Nevertheless, the change is best induced in the proper state of mind, one that has nothing to do with your belief about situations, people, or even your own inner biology. Hypnotherapy has gained a lot of traction as a way for a person to tap into their subconscious programs… and change them!
In this article, we’re going to give you some insight on hypnosis, hypnotherapy and how you can use it for your own greater good.
What Is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a technique which helps you enter an altered state of mind, where you can direct your attention to specific goals or toxic thoughts and beliefs that you hold within. Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis isn’t woo-woo magic but rather a scientifically proven method for psychological intervention.
With the right approach, a hypnotherapist can help you understand yourself to a deeper extent, in what appears to be a deep meditative state. The best thing? You are actually conscious throughout the entire process meaning that you are in control.
Hypnosis & The Conscious State
Wait, what? You are actually conscious and in control during hypnosis? Aren’t you supposed to be borderline asleep? Well, not really! These are just some of the commonly asked questions so allow us to further clarify for you, what the difference is between the hypnotic-conscious & normal-conscious states.
The MAIN difference is your brain activity – In hypnosis, the brain is tuned to different brainwave frequencies, thus entering a more playful state of mind, that does not follow the main thought & emotional sequence. This state of mind gives you easy access to the subconscious and therefore allows you to more easily change thought, emotional and behavioral patterns.
What Can Hypnosis Do For You?
If you know a thing or two about the brain, you probably know that the majority of your wake time is governed by the subconscious. On there, you have a recorded version of what appears to be a reasonable picture about the world in all of its aspects, as well as your regular habits.
That story and all of its scenes are strongly supported by your beliefs about them. Hypnosis can practically tap into any existing beliefs and help you change those for the better.
For instance, through hypnotherapy, you can do the following:
- Quit smoking
- Quit alcohol
- Overcome fears
- Overcome phobias
- Overcome anxiety
- Develop discipline/motivation
Those are just a part of the things you can do with a hypnotherapist but before you rush into it, let’s discuss why that ACTUALLY happens.
The Different Modes Of The Brain
As we mentioned, in hypnosis, the brain works on different brainwave frequencies, each of which is associated with a certain state. These so called “modes” of the brain, change throughout the day and generally follow a cycle.
Let’s have a look.
Beta Brainwaves
These brainwaves are of the highest frequency and the brain is tuned to them during your wake life, as this mode makes you more alert of the environment. Think of beta as the brainwaves on which you think and do tasks in your wake life.
Alpha Brainwaves
The alpha brainwaves represent a more mellow state and you usually tap into those in the process of falling asleep. Think of alpha as the brainwaves on which you reach a more relaxed, day-dreaming state. This state is the primary goal of a hypnotherapy session, as well as meditation.
Theta Brainwaves
This third type of brainwave is of a very low frequency, where you reach a very deep, unconscious meditative state. In theta you’re usually past the conscious point and up into sleep, which is why working in those frequencies with a hypnotherapist is probably suboptimal.
Delta Brainwaves
Finally, delta brainwaves are of the lowest frequency and represent a full-blown state of deep sleep. This is a totally unconscious state, where you are in your deepest recovery, which is why it is not applicable during hypnosis.
Take-Home message
There are a number of rumors about hypnosis – Some people say that hypnotherapists can instill in their patients things against their will, but the truth is that hypnosis only works with states you can naturally tap into, while being conscious. Think of hypnosis as a playful, day-dreaming state that can help you neutrally analyze and change behaviors, thoughts and emotions.
This is perhaps one of the best approaches when you want to change hard-wired beliefs and emotions that are no longer serving you well. Have you tried hypnosis and if yes, what was your experience? Share with us in the comment section below!
by admin | May 29, 2022 | Health, Mind
Is passive aggression good for you?
Everybody has got a friend that just acts out passive-aggressively. You don’t blame them, nor do you want to judge. Maybe sometimes you do it, too. But what does it actually say about you? Let’s first talk about the different communication styles and differentiate one from the other.
4 Styles Of Communication
Passive communicators typically avoid expressing their true emotions or feelings as not to engage in confrontational conversations. It’s an excellent method for not hurting someone’s feelings, but there is always a chance you will fall into a pit. Many people that express themselves passively fall into depressive moods, feel anxious, and can’t get a grip on real emotions.
Aggressive communicators are mainly focused on the Ego and step into a conversation thinking not for the other conversationalists’ emotions or thoughts. People that communicate like this often leave others to feel afraid, insecure, intimidated, and in general discomfort.
Passive-aggressive communicators are the ones that present themselves as passive but, at a certain moment, reveal anger simultaneously. Most people communicate like this because they feel powerless or don’t stand up intellectually to the level of the conversation.
Assertive communicators are the healthiest communicators of them all. They clearly state their attitude and feelings while taking in mind other people’s thoughts and feelings.
The Passive-Aggressive Epidemic
As we’ve concluded that passive aggression isn’t good for us, then comes the question – why are there so many people that communicate like that? Think about It – in many cases of having to meet new people or engaging in conversations with people that you already know comes a moment when one of you becomes passive-aggressive.
There are a few reasons for that.
So, let’s start with…
Understanding Anger
One of the basic and most typical of human emotions is anger. We are taught that anger is bad in an early stage of our lives. It’s either in school or at home we need to suppress the anger in order to be socially approved. All this leads to hiding your anger and pushing it in the closet so as not to offend someone or seem not normal. This kind of social pressure leads to an unhealthy emotional base for conversations.
You’re Sugarcoating It
Anger doesn’t just vanish after you’ve suppressed it. It’s there, and it’s building up. The result is you being confused as to how you are supposed to speak with others so you start to express yourself in alternative ways which leads to passive aggression.
It’s Simply Easier
It is way easier to be passive-aggressive than assertive. Learning how to communicate is something that you build step-by-step in your younger years.
If It’s not tough at the right age, there are quite a few symptoms that can show later in life. Sulking, Indirect communication, and emotional withdrawal are the results of the lack of social knowledge.
You Feel Like You HAVE TO
At a certain point, you feel like in order to reach a specific stage in your professional growth you can’t be assertive because people see it as a weakness.
This becomes a model of approach in your life, and you cannot let yourself seem weak by being Mr. goody-two-shoes.
It’s… Rational?
Often in our lives, we like to rationalize things that seem to be a part of us without thinking they actually may be bad. In a scenario where we procrastinate, don’t feel like doing something or we’re overall lazy we use passive aggression as a tool to seem like the victim. This is a severely common practice in our modern society, and If not stopped at an early age, it becomes a life-altering behavior.
Nevertheless, Remember…
Though passive aggression is normal and in fact, quite common, it is a form of anger that people don’t want to show outwardly. They may not say anything at all, but they will get their revenge in other ways by doing things like withholding affection or refusing to help with tasks around the house.
If you’re feeling passive-aggressive and need some emotional balance, try these three quick tips:
- 1) take care of yourself (nourish your body and mind)
- 2) make time for self-care (take a bubble bath or read)
- 3) practice mindfulness meditation techniques such as deep breathing exercises when you feel the rage boiling up inside.
Stay ZEN!
by admin | May 29, 2022 | Mind
Is Psychology A Science The Way Physics Is
What Are Some Of The Differences And Similarities Between The Two Psychology is quickly evolving and can be seen in multiple areas of our society. People are finally learning to accept its usefulness and leave some harmful stigmas at the door.
Misconceptions, however, can still be seen and can sometimes change the perspective of people who could otherwise benefit from what psychology has to offer. They include that therapists can read minds, that it only deals with crazy people and others but most often that psychology isn’t a science in the first place.
The way this misinformation spreads is pretty simple.
Because psychology is just now gaining the respect and focus it deserves, many people used to be told by older generations that there was nothing tangible in it, that it was all just theories shared by people with no real proof. This is, however, far from true, and in this article, we explain why.
Definitions
Firstly let’s look into our trusty dictionaries and make sure we understand what the terms we’re talking about actually mean. We have used the definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary because it is deemed the most reputable source for this sort of information.
- Psychology (as defined by Oxford English Dictionary) is the scientific study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context.
- Science (as defined by Oxford English Dictionary) is the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment.
Even just by that, it’s pretty clear that psychology is indeed a science, not only because the word is a part of its definition, but because it covers all the conditions that must be met when defining a science. To make things even clearer, we have compiled a list of differences and similarities between psychology and common science.
Not As Much Physical Proof
Because the subject psychology focuses on (the human mind and behavior) is not a physical item, it’s hard to expect that everything explaining it would be. The same way you can understand what a bone is made of by using a microscope (a physical tool testing a physical item), psychology uses questions to understand how we think. This does not mean that it has no empirical proof, just that there is more to it than that because of the focus of its study.
Different Degrees
Universities often offer two Bachelor’s degrees when it comes to psychology – one in Arts and one in Science. This is because although their core studies are the same, they focus on different options for future development. Students that obtain a Bachelor in Arts have more considerable freedom in connecting psychology to different disciplines – business, education, law, and media are just to name a few.
They often choose the Arts option because they are interested in multiple fields and would like to explore them with the help of psychology. However, people who want a Masters’s degree in psychology tend to choose the other option. A Bachelor in Science gives you a more focused look at experiments, research, and applied psychology courses.
It is often deemed harder than the Arts degree, but if you are interested in dealing with healthcare, industrial-organizational psychology, research, or furthering your studies, especially in medical school, this is the better option.
Different Professions
There’s a lot you can do with a psychology degree. You can be a therapist, a counselor, a researcher, a psychiatrist (after you receive a medical degree), and more – these are what psychology is known for and what people associate it with. However, you can also become a teacher, have a role in media, deal with human resources, organize various events or help the law system and still be a psychologist.
The vast options you are presented with when you finish your studies is part of the reason why some people believe psychology isn’t a regular hard science. Variety, however, shouldn’t be considered as a bad thing, seeing as it helps you specialize in exactly what you want to do without lowering its seriousness.
Similarities
Alright, well, with the differences out of the way, let’s have a look at the actual similarities between the two.
The Scientific Method
This is the bread and butter as to why psychology is a science. The methods this field uses always include and are often governed by the scientific method – the process of systematic observation, measurement, and experiment leading to formulating a hypothesis which is then tested and modified if needed.
This is how all of the knowledge we now have about the human brain and behavior was gathered. All of the empirical evidence psychology relies on (theories and subjective beliefs are not part of this) has been obtained through the same sort of critical and analytical thinking, experimenting, and deciphering all sciences use.
Also, psychology students are taught in pretty much the same way as all other future scientists – the quality of their work is assessed by its reliability and their thorough understanding of it. Designing and collecting research, formulating and conducting experiments, analyzing and cataloging data, and presenting it all in the form of finished scientific labor is essentially what they teach you to do in every university’s psychology department.
This is precisely why psychology should be considered science the same as any other.
Research
Most of what we use as proven theories and tested methods in psychology came into being exactly because of research. Scientists spend years, sometimes decades, formulating, deciphering, and cataloging data from multiple sources to develop self-standing statements and facts.
Research is a vital part of psychology because it gives it the reliability it needs to be used correctly. Research is also the only way you can get in touch with as many people as possible to make sure every minority in a specific topic is accounted for.
Connection With Other Sciences
Psychology works hand in hand with many other sciences. Its relationship with biology for one, is how we understand our brains and their connection to our emotions. Neuropsychology for example deals with the structure and function of the brain and nervous system and their correlation to our behavior.
Psychology and physiology also work together – they explain why and how some of the functions of our body are impacted by our state of mind. Together, they can answer questions such as why do we have trouble sleeping when we’re under stress, how do our bodies respond when put under mental pressure, and more.
Psychology is also beneficial to studies in philosophy, sociology, education, law, and more. All that being said, it’s hard to disagree with the statement that psychology is indeed a science. It uses the same tools in gathering information, forming theories, and educating people as hard sciences and thus should be treated as such.
Learning more about psychology and its many sides will allow you to form an objective and structurally sound opinion about it as well as share it with the ones around you, which is how most information is learned.
by admin | May 25, 2022 | Mind
EFFECTIVE WAYS TO LEARN THINGS FAST
Have you ever realized that learning new things quickly gets more difficult when you grow older? When you’re at your youthful days, it feels that you can absorb an infinite amount of knowledge in a short period. On the contrary, learning, like the ability to remember and recall statistics and figures, deteriorates as you get older.
Some basic tools help you understand how to learn quickly and recall more, as you’ll see in this post. If you make time to master these methods, you’ll grow a lifelong passion for learning. This will also improve your physical well-being and enhance your self-confidence.
1. WRITE INSTEAD OF TYPING
Writing down what you’ve learned has double the effect because you’re forcing yourself to consider the truth twice rather than hearing it once and letting it go. Also, when you’ll be summarizing what you say into key points that will mean much to you later, writing that down by hand will give you a greater investment and consideration in the terms you put down.
This will help you remember and apply what you’ve learned easily in comparison to typing. You can make a habit of carrying a notepad in your bag. This shall allow you to jot down thoughts that come to you during the day. It’s particularly helpful in meetings or conferences, where you can quickly jot down important points to revisit later.
2. AVOID MULTI-TASKING
Second, it’s important to pay attention and devote 100 percent of your attention to the task at hand while remaining focused and trying to remember something. That said, avoiding multitasking is one of the keys to learning quickly, for you engage all your faculties entirely. Years of watching people work in workplaces have shown that multitasking is a myth. Sure, multitaskers seem to be very active and profitable.
They are, however, wasting their time and resources in a very inefficient way. It’s like attempting to race, dance, and cycle at the same time, as they don’t go so far. It’s like attempting to race, dance, and cycle at the same time – quite impossible.
3. DRINK SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS OF WATER
As soon as you start drinking 2 to 3 liters of mineral water per day, you’ll start feeling much more energized, an increased appetite, and your brain faculties shall perform much better. You’ll remember facts more easily and quickly, and that your ability to recall information will significantly be improved.
On top of that, consuming sufficient volumes of water during tests has been linked to increasing students’ test scores, according to a new scientific report.
CONCLUSION
Many people would read a post like this, nod yes to every issue, and then go on searching for another related post to carrying along with their studying desperation.
Make sure you take action and start incorporating one, if not all in your routine. Oh, almost forgot. Check this out if you also want to boost your memory.
by admin | May 24, 2022 | Mind
REASONS YOU SHOULDN’T IGNORE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Mental illness signs you should not ignore
You’re far from alone if you or someone you love is dealing with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 7% of adults in the United States (almost 17.3 million individuals) have had at least one major depressive episode.
Furthermore, according to a survey conducted in the journal JAMA Network Open in September 2020, the rate of depressive symptoms in the United States tripled after the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the spike in these cases, a survey conducted by the Geneva-based organization found that fewer than half of the world’s 139 countries have mental health programs.
Just to state an overview, mental health is a state of well-being in which a person recognizes his or her faculties, can deal with everyday pressures, works productively, and contribute to his or her community. Chronic medical disorders, brain injury, PTSD, drug misuse, a childhood history of abuse or neglect, or a lack of stable relationships are possible causes of mental illness. Otherwise, others are maternal such as schizophrenia.
So what happens when you delay treatment once you realize a pattern of these symptoms? It gets more difficult to address the issue until the symptoms become grave, it will be more difficult to get them under control, which is why it is important to pay attention to the warning signs.
1. UNUSUAL ANXIETY
Have you ever found yourself worried for hours on end and unable to stop? Not being able to handle the fears, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, can be a symptom of an anxiety illness. Insomnia, random headaches and discomfort, very sudden and rapid thinking, or getting quickly annoyed are several other symptoms.
2. DIFFICULTY COPING WITH DAILY STRESS
Forget to lock up your bike, lost your keys, and you have to wait for your roommate to get home? According to the Australian Department of Health, being stuck in bad days for more than two weeks may be a symptom of depression or anxiety. Being unable to function in a position where you will usually be able to perform is a significant warning.
3. EXTREME OUTBURSTS
We’ve just had those moments where we’re enraged and unable to control our emotions. Rage outbursts, especially uncontrollable ones, could be a symptom of stressful events, substance dependence, psychotic illness, OCD, depression, or Irritable bowel syndrome, among others.
Although venting can be healthy at times, no one can be forced to hide their pain when a loved one passes away (Vent to someone). However, it must be monitored, as it can cause permanent harm if left unattended for too long.
BOTTOM LINE
Mental health is a challenge you shouldn’t perceive as a negative thing (Effective coping). Take it as something to fuel your personal, social, and professional goals.
Shun away from toxic people (even your parents, you can love them from a distance if so), negative events, and ways of entertainment such as music or films that could trigger mental-related issues.
Down the line, don’t suffer alone if you struggling. Seek professional help, surround yourself with positive people (Online communities to cope), and strive to create positive events. You’ve got one life to live, so why waste your time on stuff and people that don’t make you happy?
by admin | May 22, 2022 | Mind
Metacognition – How To Apply It
Using Your Most Powerful Tool – Self Awareness! Do you know what your superpower is? No, not THAT superpower. We’re talking about your most powerful tool – self-awareness! Self-awareness is the key to unlocking your potential and achieving your goals.
When you know yourself well, you can use your strengths to your advantage and work on improving your weaknesses. With self-awareness, you can make better decisions and become a happier, more fulfilled person. In part 1, we touched on the art of “being aware of your awareness,” also referred to as “metacognition.”
In this second part of the article series, we’re going to delve deeper into the so-called “metacognitive skills.” Metacognitive skills provide a basis for broader psychological self-awareness, including how we gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.
It could also be applied in different social scenarios as a way of inspecting yourself internally. So without further ado, let’s discuss this fascinating topic further.
The 3 Pillars – Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation
Much like anything else that we can apply in our lives, metacognition too has its fundamentals. In our eyes, those three fundamentals are namely your ability to plan, monitor, evaluate and adjust! Let’s discuss these three pillars!
Planning Strategies.
Planning refers to the selection of strategies and allocation of resources that influence task performance. Selecting good strategies and good allocation of sources is a sign of accurate planning. As people learn to plan, they learn to anticipate the strengths and weaknesses of their ideas.
Planning strategies used to strengthen metacognition helps to scrutinize plans at a time when they can most easily be changed. Dr. Robin Fogarty and Brian Pete call this strategy “Inking your Thinking.” It’s a simple writing log that requires a person to reflect on an event, lesson, learning, etc., they are going to embark on.
Sample starters may include “I predict… “, “A question I have is… “, or “A picture I have of this is… “. Writing logs are also helpful in the middle or end of assignments, projects, etc.
Monitoring Strategies.
Monitoring strategies used to strengthen metacognition help people check their progress and review their thinking at various stages. Different from scrutinizing, this strategy is more reflective in nature. It also allows for adjustments while the plan, activity, or assignment is in motion.
Monitoring strategies encourage recovery of learning. For example, we can recover our memory by scanning or re-reading. Fogarty and Pete call this “Alarm Clock.” It is used to rethink an idea once you realize something is amiss.
The idea is to develop internal signals that sound an alarm. It involves thinking about “What I did,” then reviewing the pluses and minuses of one’s action. Finally, it means asking, “What other thoughts do I have?” moving forward.
Remember, the idea is not to tell yourself or others what you or they did wrong. Rather, help monitor and think about learning. These are formative skills that last a lifetime.
Evaluation Strategies.
Evaluation refers to assessing the end product of a particular task. The efficiency with which the task has been executed is also assessed. According to Fogarty and Pete, the evaluation strategies of metacognition “are much like the mirror in a powder compact.”
“When one opens the compact and looks in the mirror, only a small portion of the face is reflected back, but that particular part is magnified so that every nuance, every flaw, and every bump is blatantly in view.” Having this enlarged view makes inspection much easier.
When people inspect part of their work, they learn about the nuances of their thinking process. They grow in the ability to apply their learning to new situations. “Connecting Elephants’ ‘ is one of many metacognitive strategies to help students and people self-evaluate and apply their learnings.
In this exercise, the metaphor of three elephants is used. The elephants are walking together in a circle, connected to the trunk and tail of the other elephant. The three elephants represent three big questions – 1) What is the big idea?, 2) How does this connect to other big ideas? and 3) How can I use this big idea?
Using the image of a “big idea” helps people magnify and synthesize their learning. It also encourages them to think about how that newly learned knowledge can be applied to new situations. Closely related to the word metacognition are the different learning styles. Anyone who knows, or knows and thinks about thinking, knows which learning style suits them best. (Yes, that was a complicated sentence.)
Final Thoughts
It’s time to start thinking about your thoughts. If you’re an introvert, the chances are that this isn’t anything new for you. Introverts have a natural tendency towards deep thought and reflection on their experiences in the world around them – which might be why they find social interactions so exhausting!
But regardless of whether or not it comes naturally to you, metacognition is something worth practicing because it can help improve moods, relationships with others, and even mental health. So, hey, stay aware of your awareness and do your meditations!
