Psychology

Our brains on psychedelics: Getting creative in the treatment of mental illnesses

Health, Psychology, World / /

Bill Wilson co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous in the 1930s. He had struggled with alcoholism since his early twenties and depression even longer. But while AA helped Wilson recover from alcoholism, he remained frustrated with available mental health treatments. So, in the ‘50s, he began collaborating with psychologist Betty Eisner and discovered the power of LSD. In […]

Our brains on psychedelics: Getting creative in the treatment of mental illnesses Read More »

Chromesthesia: The blending of sounds and color

Psychology / /

Kanye West, Billie Eilish, Lorde, Pharell Williams, and many other talented artists all share a unique characteristic that enhances their abilities: synesthesia. Defined as a perceptual phenomenon where two or more senses are connected that allow the individual to experience their sensations differently than most, synesthesia is an idiosyncratic phenomenon. There have been documented experiences

Chromesthesia: The blending of sounds and color Read More »

Of mice and mental health: How loss of social status leads to depression

Psychology / /

Although mice don’t have Instagram likes or followers to keep track of, social status is still a huge part of their societies. There is a clear hierarchy, with the top mice receiving first pick when it comes to food and mates and subordinate mice scrambling for whatever’s left. As shown by a study at Zhejiang

Of mice and mental health: How loss of social status leads to depression Read More »

What what you say says about you: How how you speak speaks for you

Psychology / /

They say first impressions are important. Clothing, hairstyle, posture — all these things affect one’s opinion of others. Admittedly, outward appearances are relatively easy to tailor to one’s environment — it’s about as appropriate to wear a bathing suit to a job interview as a business suit to the beach, after all. Unfortunately, it is

What what you say says about you: How how you speak speaks for you Read More »

Opinion: What indigenous communities teach us about mental health care

Opinion, Psychology, World / /

The historical and current exploitation of resources, systemic oppression, and forced assimilation that has been part of the colonization of indigenous homelands have taken an enormous toll on the health of indigenous communities around the world. Today, modern healthcare in colonized lands is not fulfilling its responsibilities to provide indigenous people with equal access to

Opinion: What indigenous communities teach us about mental health care Read More »

The dark side of dreams

Psychology / /

Almost everyone can recall a particularly weird nightmare they have had, ranging from being late to having an exam to being chased by a monster. They often leave us with feelings of anxiety, confusion, distress, and fear after waking up, wondering how our brains could have conjured such a narrative. Around 85% of people report

The dark side of dreams Read More »

After psychology professors advocated, Northeastern changed a course’s name. Professor Kyle Gobrogge explains why.

Psychology / /

The concept of normalcy is heavily relied upon within healthcare in order to classify and diagnose individuals who are deemed to be “abnormal.” However, the idea of abnormality may be heavily contributing to stigma within the clinical psychology field. Because of this concern, Northeastern renamed its “Abnormal Psychology” course. To discuss this topic, I sat

After psychology professors advocated, Northeastern changed a course’s name. Professor Kyle Gobrogge explains why. Read More »