Category Archives: neuropsychology

November 10

From Fear to Fascination: Why We Find Pleasure in Experiencing Horror 

posted by

Why do some people willingly subject themselves to the unsettling world of horror? This article is a deep dive on the neurological basis of fear and why some people find pleasure in experiencing horror.

»»
October 12

Ten Years in the Making

posted by

10 years ago, I was in a medically induced coma. On life support, my life rested in the hands of the incredible staff at Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego (RCHSD). On October 8th, 2013, I suffered a severe traumatic brain injury due to a suicide attempt: I had jumped 3 stories from the parking garage […]

»»
July 27

To believe or not to believe: belief effects and the placebo.

posted by

A book called ‘The Secret’ caused a real buzz when it was released in 2006. It claimed that you could use the power of your mind to attract and ‘manifest’ all the awesome things you wanted in life. Suddenly, everyone was all about “manifesting their dreams,” as if it were a magical spell. Although most […]

»»
May 04

Shape of you – neuroscience of body image perception

posted by

The rise of Ozempic “Everybody looks so great. When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder: Is Ozempic right for me?” Jimmy Kimmel joked during his Oscars monologue earlier this year.  Ozempic, or Wegovy, or Mounjaro, has become quite popular in the last year. A drug primarily used for treating type 2 […]

»»
December 22

Fatal Attraction: What is Sex and Love Addiction?

posted by

Have you ever been in love? Has it made you do crazy things? Whether it was sending your lover bundles of flowers, stalking their social media (or stalking them in person), or boiling a rabbit in a pot of water, we’ve all been there. We know that love is enthralling. It is potent enough in […]

»»
October 27

The Language and Psychology of Modern “Cults”

posted by

We use the term “cult” loosely in today’s colloquial language. Ask around, and you might hear the opinion that people who religiously attend expensive spin classes or CrossFit are in a cult. MLM’s (multi-level marketing schemes) are a cult. Academia is a cult! As a member of the cult of academia, I promise I am […]

»»
August 18

The Fear of Missing Out

posted by

There is no shortage of slang to be found on the internet. In recent years, a piece of slang in the form of an acronym has piqued my interest – FOMO. This acronym stands for “fear of missing out,” and is something I am certain most people can relate to. Despite its prolific use in […]

»»
July 21

Media Misrepresentations of Mental Illness: Dissociative Identity Disorder

posted by

It’s no secret that watching movies can create lasting impressions on viewers. This is true in cases of medical dramas, where viewers are introduced to rare diseases through interactions with fictional patients seeking help. It is also true of mental health conditions – both in the cases of television and movies, it has become increasingly […]

»»
December 17

The Big Sleep: How We Hibernate

posted by

As December deepens, we rapidly find ourselves coming up on the first day of winter. Though winter officially begins on the 21st, many animals began their preparations for the season far earlier this year. Any birdwatcher could easily tell you that most birds migrated south a long while ago, and any hiker could tell you […]

»»
November 12

How Light Leads to Darkness: A Neural Link Between Nighttime Light and Depression

posted by

Nighttime light exposure can lead to depression. A new study brings us closer to understanding why, and what we can do about it.

»»