Exploring the forces that shape the human psyche
A healthy relationship is one where partners can be together without losing themselves. They can spend quality time with each other and also find time for themselves. A healthy relationship is one where both partners add to each other’s happiness. The key feature of healthy relationships is interdependence. Interdependence is depending on each other. The …
A crucial milestone in psychological development is developing a stable sense of self. People struggle with creating an identity in their teenage and typically achieve identity formation in young adulthood. Successful identity achievement helps a person clearly define who they are. When you’re clear about who you are- your beliefs, values, interests, and opinions, you …
Projecting onto someone means projecting your own traits onto someone. People tend to project their negative traits onto others, so they don’t have to accept responsibility for them. It’s an ego defense and blame-shifting mechanism that can be conscious or unconscious. Projection and trauma Conscious projection is a form of manipulation. You know you’re hiding …
Paradoxical as it may seem, humans are wired to be both selfish and selfless. As is evident in the world around us, selfishness usually wins when it comes head-to-head with selflessness. This shows that humans have a stronger drive to be selfish than cooperative. Humans will often only help others if, by doing that, they …
Commitment means sticking to something for a long time. When we talk about commitment, we usually talk about it in the context of romantic relationships. But the term also applies to other life areas such as work, interests, and hobbies. A person who has commitment issues has trouble dedicating themselves to one thing for a …
Children are expected to go through some normal developmental milestones as they grow up. One such milestone is being able to speak. While language is developed in stages, most children have already said their first word by age one. By age three, most children can engage in simple conversations. Some children miss these milestones, causing …
Conflicts in close relationships are common. The people you care about the most affect you the most. Sometimes, though, a line gets crossed, and conflicts in close relationships become toxic to your mental health. Parents have a significant influence on the psychological development and well-being of their children. What kinds of adults people become is …
Humans are social and hierarchical species. They can’t stop comparing themselves with others to know where they lie on the social hierarchy. When they make an upward social comparison, i.e., when they encounter someone who’s ‘above’ them or better than them in some vital way, they feel inferior. You’ll always find someone better than you …
Childhood emotional neglect occurs when one or both parents consistently ignore their child’s emotional needs. For optimal physiological and psychological development, children need the emotional support of their parents. They need to feel they matter—their thoughts and emotions matter. Parents who are responsive to the emotional needs of their children raise securely attached children. These …
Emotional numbness means shutting down one’s emotions, usually in response to extreme physical or emotional pain. It’s a defense mechanism of the mind that tries to protect us from further pain. Emotional numbness can be seen as a form of dissociation– a response to trauma. When people experience a traumatic event, they may dissociate from: …