Category: psychology

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Creative People Have a 90% Higher Chance of Becoming Schizophrenic

If you look to history (which you always should), you’ll find plenty of anecdotal evidence that creatives tend to lose their minds at a higher rate than the average population. Famous people, too – van Gogh, Beethoven, Plath, Hemingway…the list of creators with mental illness is as long as my arm and yours put together.

Though previous studies attempting to link the two have been small and varied, a recent study in The British Journal of Psychiatry found that people with “artsy” degrees are 90% more likely to be diagnosed with schizophrenia, 62% more likely to suffer from bipolar disorder, and 39% more likely to struggle with depression.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

This new study is in line with brain scans published in 2010 that revealed similarities between neural pathways of schizophrenics and creative people. In 2015, a different study also found a raised risk of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in creatives – though a 2012 study found that only writers fell into the higher risk category.

The reason behind the growing links remains a mystery, with some believing that a tendency to think more deeply can cause emotional instability and depression. Artists also tend to create in spurts, and bouts of productivity and high energy are also linked to bipolar disorder. Genetics could, of course, also influence both mental health and a creative nature.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

One of the study’s authors, James McCabe, sums up further:

“Creativity often involves linking ideas or concepts in ways that other people wouldn’t think of, but that’s similar to how delusions work – for example, seeing a connection between the color of someone’s clothes and being partof an MI5 conspiracy.”

If you work in a creative field, it’s important to be mindful of your own mental health. That said, the incidents of schizophrenia in the world as a whole are still small, so your chances of being diagnosed remain slim.

h/t: IFLScience

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12 People Admit Their Worst Habit That They Can’t Seem to Break

We all have bad habits. Traits that we’re aware are less than desirable. And sometimes, even with all the awareness in the world, we just can’t seem to change it.

These 12 people are brave enough to share theirs on the internet. Props.

12. Really need a maid

“I’m really lazy. I mean, I can function – get to work, get dressed, feed myself and my kids. However, most of the time I’d prefer to park myself in front of a tv and do nothing at all. I “clean” my house, meaning I pick up everything, but it hasn’t had a good cleaning when chemicals, etc in awhile – or a dusting. So lazy. Really need a maid because I know after this long, counting on me to magically get the ambition to do it regularly is never going to happen.”

11. Socially awkward

“Not waiting for people to finish their sentences and finishing it in my head

Long winded story telling because I can’t dissect the essentials

Not being able to push myself hard in physical exercise and rather coast through with enough effort but not enough to grow a lot

Dumping sad stories on friends and being an overall narcissist

Inability to accept compliments because they contradict my negative self talk.”

10. Rampant oversharing

“I over share what’s going on in my life. I have no idea why, but it just spills out of me. I try to stop, but I only realize I’m doing it after talking to people.”

9. Introverts unite!

“I enjoy my “me” time a little too much. My social skills are fine but it’s getting harder and harder to leave the house.”

8. It can wait

“I’m a full time procrastinator.”

7. Only negative opinions

“I have a hard time trusting people, or believing that people actually enjoy having me around. I always assume people have a negative opinion of me. It sucks, but I’m trying really hard to break it.”

6. Escape from reality

“Getting caught up in daydreaming/fantasies. My god they’re addictive (and really just an escape from reality) and it’s so hard to get out of it.”

5. Not so funny

“I joke around too much. It’s my way of coping with stress, anxiety, and other emotions and while it can be enjoyable at times, I know it can be frustrating for others too.”

4. Paralyzed

“I get paralyzed when I have important life changing things to do. I always wait until it is too late to do them becAuse the fear of confronting them is paralyzing to me”

3. Not stuck-up

“Social anxiety, but it comes off as me being stuck up to everyone else.”

2. Sorry not sorry

“I apologize for everything (even when it’s not my fault) to the point where I need to apologize because I’ve over apologized and annoyed people in the process.

I also procrastinate a hell of a lot.”

1. My face gets tired

“Resting bitch face. I can try to hold a different expression, but my face gets tired.

I swear I’m not an asshole. Anyone can approach/talk to me. :(“

h/t: Reddit

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10 Tricks That You Shouldn’t Knock Until You Try Them

Sure, all of these sound totally weird, but some folks over at Brightside tried them all and are here to say – do it with an open mind.

You might be surprised.

#10. Sub soy sauce for caramel on vanilla ice cream

Photo Credit: Brightside

Apparently it tastes the same? You first!

#9. Change your socks

Photo Credit: Brightside

Having a bad day? Change your socks. Transitioning from work to play? Swap out your tights. It feels so good it will give you a whole new outlook on life.

#8. Eat your pizza wet

Photo Credit: Brightside

Seriously. Before you heat it up, put a wet paper towel on top or spritz it with water.

#7. Put vinegar on your fries along with salt

Photo Credit: Instagram

The Brits are definitely onto something.

#6. Add a melted marshmallow and peanut butter to your burger

Photo Credit: Facebook

These are so popular they’re on the menu at some burger joints these days.

#5. Take a sun bath

Photo Credit: Reddit

Turns out cats are onto something – 15-20 minutes in a warm, sunny spot will liven up the rest of your day.

#4. Feeling lazy? Take a shower.

Photo Credit: Brightside

It’s better than coffee when it comes to washing the stress away and giving you a boost of energy.

#3. Rub salt or stainless steel on your hands to get rid of a garlic smell

Photo Credit: Brightside

It works on your breath, too – hold a spoon or fork in your mouth for 30 seconds to diminish an overload of garlic.

#2. Put salted peanuts in your coke

Photo Credit: Reddit

It’s a delicious salty-sweet beverage AND a snack, all in one.

#1. Salt is magic!

Photo Credit: Brightside

Put it on fruit or in hot chocolate to cut the sweetness, and into your coffee to dissolve some of that unpleasant (to some) bitterness.

h/t: Brightside

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5 Things Men Secretly Pay Attention to in Women

There’s a stereotype (that’s often true) that men are only half-paying attention to anything their better halves are saying, wearing, doing, etc on any given day. In my personal experience, that is absolutely true (and goes double for my young son), but according to this research, there are some things that men absolutely notice.

Go forth and experiment on your own, friends!

#5. Text Signals

Photo Credit: Brightside

Think women are the only ones who obsess over every word in a text message? Think again.

Linguists say that frequent phrases like “I think, I feel” mean that a person is likely to be more selfish. It’s easier to pick up on these kinds of tendencies while texting, which is why people who are tuned in to analyzing and making judgement based on what we send.

#4. Facial Expression

Photo Credit: Brightside

Despite what you may believe, men can absolutely gauge emotions by reading expressions. Don’t let them off the hook!

#3. Drink Preference

Photo Credit: Brightside

It turns out you can tell a lot about someone from how and what they drink. Men pay attention so that they’ll know what to order, but also to gauge a loved one’s mood. They also notice whether a woman is a social or habitual drinker when searching for a long-term partner.

#2. Outfit Color

Photo Credit: Brightside

They may not know who the designer is or remember whether the tie went on the front or the back, but color? Men notice. This is because it sends subtle signals about the mood and appetite for the evening.

#1. How Much Meat We Eat

Photo Credit: Brightside

Women who eat salads appear shy and often less attractive than a woman who orders a steak – she’s confident and relaxed!

h/t: Brightside

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10 Ways To Stop Wasting Time Today

I’m writing this article mostly because boy, could I waste less time while trying to work on the internet. Technology, man. It gives and it takes away – like, it sucks more of your life away than Count Rugan dreamed was possible.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Let’s not waste anymore and get on with it, shall we?

#10. Get enough sleep

Photo Credit: Pixabay

I know, it can be easier said than done to press pause on Netflix, but time management really begins with having a fresh, rested body first thing in the morning.

#9. Beware of the time suck

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Facebook. Television. Cable News. Podcasts. We all have our secret vices, the things that end up stealing more time from our day than anything else. The easiest way to make sure they don’t derail your productivity is to recognize yours and avoid starting/opening it at all.

#8. Put time in your planner for planning

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Carve out 10-15 minutes per day to make a to-do list, bullet journal, or whatever works for you so that you’re ready to tackle whatever needs to be done.

#7. Use the alarms on your phone

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Alarms will jolt you out of whatever you’re focused on and remind you that it’s time to move on to something else. Bonus tip: listen to them!

#6. Schedule yourself free time

Photo Credit: Pixabay

No one can work every waking hour of every day. Make sure you’re giving yourself time to stare off into space, check out a movie, or take a walk – you’ll end up being more productive because of the break.

#5. Break your goals into chunks

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Instead of thinking “I need to get ready for work,” start with “I need to brush my teeth” and then move onto “I need to get dressed,” and so on.

#4. Assume a worst-case scenario

Photo Credit: Pixabay

If there is somewhere you absolutely have to be on time, like an airport or a meeting, think through the worst-case scenario when deciding when to leave. If you account for things like potential traffic or your outfit not coming together just right, you’re more likely to have the extra time that can help you relax.

#3. Focus on a specific time

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Instead of thinking “I need to leave for work at 8:30,” retrain your brain to think about 8:00 as your deadline instead.

#2. Mix up your alarms

Photo Credit: Pixabay

If you’ve been using the same generic tone for everything, your brain might be getting to the point where it can tune it out as something unimportant. Try picking a different sound or song for differing tasks, or just a new sound to help jar you out of your complacency.

#1. Adjust your clock

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Some people set all of the clocks in their house ahead, but in the age of cellphones, this doesn’t work quite as well. Another trick to try: switch the clocks in your house to the kind that actually tick. There’s something about watching the time literally tick away that can spur you into action.

h/t: AddituteMag

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10 People Share Examples of Double Standards That Ruin Things for All of Us

In this day and age of feminism and “wokeness,” it’s sometimes hard to believe that double standards still exist. At least, I’ve heard that’s the case if you’re a man.

If you’re a woman, these 10 incidents probably aren’t going to surprise you. But they’re still going to make you mad.

#10. Reverse ageism is a thing

“Search my bag as I leave the store? How about all the older people than myself that you let stroll on by without bag checking?

At my workplace the only people I’ve ever seen shoplift or attempt to shoplift are those over 50.”

#9. Hypocrisy is the worst

“Anything involving politics. Obama/Hillary does a thing the right goes nuts, Trump/Bush did the same thing the right makes excuses. The left does the same thing. They are so oblivious to their hypocrisy it is maddening. Or they excuse their parties actions because the other party did it before or still does it. If it is wrong it is wrong no matter which side does it ffs!”

#8. Thin skin abounds

“Someone being able to poke fun at you but then can’t handle it when they’re the one being poked fun at back.”

#7. Let people be

“As someone whos underweight and has a hard time gaining weight, nothing pisses me off like how people feel its okay to make fun of my weight, body proportions, etc. But god forbid the same was done for someone overweight.”

#6. Give respect/get respect

“My father is always yelling at us (don’t worry, I’m 17 and almost out of here), but when I (or really anyone) tries to talk to him, he gets angry and accuses me of having “an attitude”. I get that I need to stay calm and all, and I do. But for real. Am I really the one with an attitude here?”

#5. I married the babysitter

“Woman taking care of her children without her partner = nothing special.

Man taking care of his children without his partner = babysitting.

A man taking care of his own children is doing nothing more special, heroic, or out his range of normal skills and duties than a woman. You don’t “babysit” your own children.”

#4. Dog days

“Nobody bats an eye when my dog takes a dump in the middle of a park while staring at a group of kids, but everyone loses their minds when I do it”

#3. Be successful anyway

“Most girls are okay with being in a relationship where the guy is more financially or academically or whatever successful, but most guys are uncomfortable and intimidated if the tables are turned.”

#2. Score a point for the men

“Woman: here are things about you I don’t like, you need to change.

Man: Ok, here are some things you should change.

Woman: if you can’t accept me for who I am then maybe we shouldn’t be together.”

#1. Rinse and repeat

“Stereotypes are bad.”

“Everyone from the South are a bunch of hillbilly racist KKK Nazis.”

h/t: Reddit

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These 8 Tweets Sum up the Link Between Toxic Masculinity and Gun Violence

There are a lot of opinions out there when it comes to gun violence, ownership, and mass casualty events in the United States. And while some of them focus on the guns themselves or access to mental health, comedian Michael Ian Black thinks we should be looking toward a different culprit – a culture of toxic masculinity that is robbing boys and young men of the opportunity to develop healthy outlooks on the world around them.

He explains why in this series of 8 poignant tweets:

Whatever your opinion, it’s definitely food for thought!

h/t: Huffington Post

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12 People Share the Terrible Moment They Realized Their Parents Were Right

No one likes to admit when they’re wrong. Even worse? When you have to admit you were wrong and your parents were right.

Now, most of us got over this particular uncomfortable moment when we hit that magical age somewhere in our twenties and realized our parents were more right than wrong, but for these twelve people, it came as a rather rude awakening.

#12. And also bad for you

“Don’t start smoking, it’s addicting and expensive”

Oh I wish I listened to them”

#11. Listening could have saved years of your life

“When they warned me how easy it is to stay in a comfortable situation rather than the right one.

Wasted a lot of time because I was cozy with the routine, then I looked up and realize I had spent 3 years being comfortable.”

#10. Of course she enjoyed it

“A little while after I had finally got my ex out of my life for good. They had been against our relationship from day one. My mum enjoyed that conversation.”

#9. Solid advice

“You really shouldn’t spend money if it’s not in your bank account (credit cards).”

#8. Truer words…

“As a kid, I was always fascinated – obsessed, even – with being an adult. Being college educated, living on my own, making my own money, etc.

My parents always told me, “Don’t wish your life away. Adult life isn’t as easy and fun as it looks!”

I’ve since learned that is a severe understatement.”

#7. Mother knows best

“This isn’t that exciting but when I was 17 I didn’t know what I wanted to do after high school. I was a little shit back then. My mom tried to convince me to take the paralegal program at a community college and I was like hell no. Welp, 8 years later I ended up in the paralegal degree program and loved it. Idk how she knew I’d like it so much. Especially back then.”

#6. Genetics are no joke

“That addiction and alcoholism runs in the family. I thought that because I’d seen what it did to them (and other family members), I’d be able to outsmart the addiction…Luckily, I was able to recognize the signs early on and get help, and nothing really got out of control, but I realize I’ve still got it. If you gave me a drink, I’d just not stop.”

#5. Ouch

“ you keep trying do do wheelies on your dirt bike your going to break a leg”

#4. Short but sweet. Like your breath.

“Take care of your teeth.”

#3. Tried and true

“If it sounds too good to be true, it is.”

#2. Stealing this

“‘Look the part then learn your lines’.

In other words, focus on appearances initially because people judge you on first impressions. If you’ve nailed the body language, tone, eye contact and dress; you can figure out what you’re doing after the fact.”

#1. Quite the lesson

“i grew up in quite a rough neighbourhood between the ages of 4-11, kinda place that drug deals went down, used condoms everywhere and just rough people all over the place. one day, i think i was about 6 years old, i wanted to go to the local park so my dad looked out our window to check it out (our flat overlooked the park) and said no as there were some dodgey looking folk hanging about there but agreed to let me play outside the front of our building. i had no intention of doing that and instead went over to the park like i wanted and started playing, this caused the 2 guys (who were both drinking) to keep looking over at me until they eventually approached me and kept cornering me so i couldn’t escape.

i started panicking but they told me to shut up otherwise they were gunna hit me and one of them grabbed ahold of me. thats when my dad came over like mufasa from lion king and hit one of the guys and kept pushing the other one. the guys were pretty drunk but backed up immediatly when my dad was there. my dad was super angry and it was the first time i’d ever heard him swear but yeah, the guys f*cked off and my dad took me home.

he was absolutely livid with me for going over to the park after telling me not too but he knew i would, turns out he’d actually followed me over and was watching the whole thing anyway, he didn’t expect the guys to get physical with me which is why he was so angry with them but he did expect them to try and bother me, he wanted me to learn a lesson about stranger danger lol. it worked though as i never did anything stupid like that again.”

h/t: Reddit

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8 Pieces of Useless Advice That People Should Stop Giving

My personal submission for this topic is “everything happens for a reason.”

#8. “Just forget about it.”

It’s that easy, eh? I think not.

#7. “Think about the people who have it worse than you.”

Someone will always have it worse than you, but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be upset when things go poorly, ffs.

#6. “Don’t stop, keep moving.”

What if I’m headed in the wrong direction?

#5. “Take vitamins.”

Unless your friend hocking that crap has an M.D. or a degree in nutrition, take their advice with a grain of salt.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

#4. “Just get used it.”

Oh, you’re on fire? It’s stop hurting in a minute.

#3. “Buy a new dress, go out, and have fun.”

Look, shopping isn’t fun for everyone. Not only that, but some of us prefer to decompress in front of a television or with a book, not at a club with music so loud you can’t hear yourself think.

#2. “Don’t blame yourself for past mistakes.”

Who am I supposed to blame, exactly? And what happened to own your mistakes?

#1. “Just deal with it.”

If you say this to me and don’t get a middle finger in response, I’m having an exceptionally good day.

h/t: Brightside

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