Thursday's Psychology Research finds: To Treat Depression, Drugs or Therapy? By RICHARD A. FRIEDMAN, M.D. JANUARY 8, 2015 8:00 AM well.blogs.NYTimes

Stuart Bradford (From well.blogs.NYTimes.com)

Thought for the Day: Today, instead of creating a trivia post, I decided to share a great article I found today from a blog connected to the New York Times (well.blogs.NYTimes.com) by Richard A Friedman, MD. It raises some very important questions about how best to treat depression. It is refreshing to hear a physician question the strong bias towards medication over psychotherapy, even when research findings are supporting psychotherapy or a combination of psychotherapy and medications. I hope you will take a look. Here's the link:
             http://nyti.ms/1xJHC0k

Tuesday's Psychology Survey: Is Violence On the Rise Among Children? Be Part of the Solution

Thought for the Day: I was extremely excited by all the responses to the qualitative research project that I did over the last week and a half. I decided to try SurveyMonkey to address another important issue: Violence and Children. I hope you will take a few minutes to complete this anonymous survey. Even if you post your e-mail, it will not be connected to your specific responses. I will not share any e-mails either. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas. I will collect responses for the next week till November 4, 2014 and begin sharing results about a week later. Thanks in advance for your help.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Tuesday's Psychology Research: Note 2 Younger Self Part !V: Are You a Social Learner an Action Taker or Both?

Thought for Today: Somehow the fall has been exceptionally busy for me. I will be spending time again on a critical incident today, so that my writing time is minimal. Therefore, I decided to write about two of the typical groups of responses to people's notes to their younger self. (If you have not read the previous segments, you may want to take a look. Part I: Results From Advice To Your Younger Selves: What Makes Us Regret Our Youth?, Part II: What Makes One Person Survive And Thrive & Another Bend & Surrender? & Part 3: Mind Games Or How Do We Learn To Trust Ourselves?). These two groups, "Social Learners" and "Action Takers" raise multiple questions. If you see yourself In either of these groups, I would love to hear from you. What or who taught you these life lessons?

The 1st group are "Social Learners." They were a relatively small segment of the responders. Only 4 of the 72 responses mentioned improving social relationships as their advice to their younger selves. Their advice included: Be Kind, Love More, Love only Who Treats You Right, Be More Social. Unfortunately, these responders did not elaborate on their choices. I can only guess that they were more socially isolated or awkward and learned over time that friendships and relationships were important for their emotional well being. Perhaps they had a few broken hearts in the process.

The second much larger group, included a little under 1/3 of the responses to the question of what 2 word advice you would give to your younger self.. In the "Action Takers" group, action is the key to finding the path to health and happiness. Their advice sounds like a cheer leading squad encouraging their younger selves to take action, "Focus Deeply, Chill Out, Take Action,  Eat Healthy, Keep Writing. Keep Active, Love Yourself, Be Love, Leave Home, Take Risks, Set Goals (2), Dream, Let Go, Be Brave, Be Real, Lighten Up, Pay Attention, Enjoy Today, Go On, & Think Ahead." These responders did not share what led to their 2 word conclusions. Therefore, they leave me with multiple questions. Were the people in this group always risk takers? Their advice does not connote the kind of painful learning processes that the "Survivors" or "Mind Gamers" seemed to have gone through to reach their conclusions. Did these people grow up in families that encouraged them to take risks, dream and be brave, making it easier for them to mature and accomplish things in their lives? If you are inclined to confront challenges in this way, I would love to hear more about how you became an "Action Taker."

I hope to complete this series this week, but your comments will help me develop additional topics that interest you. Thanks in advance for any comments and suggestions. 

Motivational Mondays:: Part I: Results From Advice to Your Younger Selves: What Makes Us Regret Our Youth?

Thought for the Day: I am starting a new series of post. Each will include a number of questions. I hope you will share your thoughts and comments to enrich the learning that can result from posts like the one which stimulated the current series. I look forward to your thoughts and comments as I explore a new format for the blog. Thanks in advance for your help!

When I first posted the question:  If you could write a note to your younger self what would you say in only two words?  I never imagined where the results would lead me. The question fascinated me from the moment I read it. Although I had my own response, I held my tongue since I wanted to hear what the people who follow my blog would say. The responses flowed in from across social networks. There were multiple responses from groups on Google+, responses on Facebook, Quora, Tumblr and therapists from a LinkedIn group responded with insightful comments. Although I have over 10,000 twitter followers, I’m unsure why no one tweeted any 2 word advice. As the two word notes to people’s younger selves came in, I began to ask for additional information. How old were they now? When did they realize that these 2 words of advice were important to them? Why did they choose these two words? When people replied the stories behind the notes were fascinating.

To make sense of the results, I began to put the responses into 6 categories. The categories have  a great deal of overlap. At times I was simply guessing as to where the responses belonged since not all people shared their back stories. I did my best to group them together and tried to make sense of what they could teach about gaining insight and wisdom. Using these groupings, I’d like to start to describe what these words of advice mean and how they might help people at any point in their lives.

First let me say that I think the task reflects how people grapple with growing up. It also reflects what I have called the challenge of learning to become one’s own “dream parent.” We have two parents. Most do the best they can to help their children become productive members of society and live good lives, but parents are not perfect. Very few of us are lucky enough to have what I call “dream parents” in my book. However, in addition to our parents, we may have encountered some parenting figures along the way who have helped us cope with life challenges. A “dream parent” can be the combination of our parents, an aunts or uncles, neighbors, coaches or teachers who helped us along the way. These two word messages are signs of what we have learned about self parenting ourselves as adults.

Some people who responded to the questions felt that developing wisdom takes a long time. They see age and experience as necessary to acquire what it takes to offer good advice to their younger selves. I preferred to keep an open mind without preconceived notions of what allows one to gain wisdom. I wanted to find out how and at what age they learned the advice. I also wanted to see whether people developed insights to share with their younger selves or not. The findings may surprise you. Read on to hear more about what your responses have taught me and some additional questions they have raised for me...

Thoughtful Thursday: Making This Blog More Responsive To Your Needs:

Thought for the Day: I know that it is Friday, but I have been really busy communication with my readers. Thanks to their wonderful comments and conversations I have been having with them, this has been an inspiring week for me. There have been over a hundred responses to my post on Monday! I have tried to correspond with everyone who has written a comment. I must admit it has been a bit overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. The question, "What 2 Word Advice Would You Give To Your Younger Self?" hit a chord for many people. As I said yesterday, I want to give people time to write back and tell more of their personal stories. Then I want to take time to understand how they reached their 2 word note to themselves. After I organize and make sense of the responses, I believe I will have several posts on how we grow, develop and learn from our experiences.

I also feel Monday's post may have shifted my approach to this blog. I love having more interaction with you, my readers. I know that the blog is being read since there have been over 133,000 page views since I began writing less than 3 years ago. I also know that many people enjoy the posts, but I want to be sure it really meets your needs. I not only want it to help you learn about yourselves but also show you how psychology can help you improve your lives. In the interim, from now till next Monday, if you have more 2 word notes to yourselves that you would like to share as part of this experiment, feel free to do so. On Monday, I will try to present the first set of results.

If you have ideas or topics you would like me to address, please share them. Thanks in advance for your help and comments as I begin to redesign the structure of this blog and make it more responsive to your needs.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Be Part of a Psychology Research Project: Keep Sharing Your Words of Wisdom to Your Younger Selves

Thought for the Day: On Monday, I did an experiment and started a research project. I posted an image asking people to share their 2 word advice to their younger selves. I promised to write more about it later in the week. Since then, I have had multiple conversations with readers on all my social networks. The stories and candid sharing have been amazing. I am truly touched by what I am learning and want to think about them in a thoughtful way. Writing too quickly may take away from the process of hearing your thoughts and stories. Instead of analyzing what people have been sharing, I made a slide show of some of the words of wisdom that have come in so far from people responding to this question. I hope their thoughts will encourage you to find your own words of advice to your younger self. I hope you will keep sharing your 2 words of advice to yourselves and wait to hear how these words of wisdom can help you and others improve your lives. Thanks to everyone who has shared so far and in advance to those who will add their thoughts in the next few days.

#FF Wonderful Weekend Review: Psychology. Music, Comics & More

Click to view the Magazine

Thought for the Day: Another wonderful week has passed and it's time to share some great finds. There are two great articles from the field of psychology. The Brain and Creativity Center at the University of Southern California is doing very interesting research on the impact early intensive training in music versus sports on brain development of children. They are also doing studies of the brains of accomplished musicians. The article includes some videotapes and should be a great summer read. I also found some sage advice on healthyplace.com on how to help if someone you know suffers from bipolar disorder. News of professionals heading to Africa to help fight the Ebola outbreak is also admirable, interspersed with some great inspirational quotes.

     I jump-started Saturday's Songs for the Soul section of this magazine when I shared some of my impressions from Wednesday's Lincoln Center Out Of Doors Americana Music Festival's NYC's 1st event with  +Emmylou Harris & +Rodney Crowell on Thursday. 
     Today, I was able to make up for my iphone recording challenges and to share some videos of three songs they performed that I loved. "Red Dirt Girl" and "The Rock of My Soul," are hauntingly beautiful semi-autobiographical songs that brought tears to my eyes. I grew up in a very different part of Houston from Rodney Crowell, but was fascinated by how he has incorporated some of his tough early life experiences into his music. The 1st two songs were recorded recently, while "Till I Gain Control Again" is an interesting studio recording session of Harris and Crowell from earlier in their careers. 
     You can also stream Wednesday's concert by going to Lincoln Center Out of Doors' website. This weekend there is an awesome lineup of performances which will be streamed live online if you are not in the New York area, tune in to hear Cassandra Wilson on Friday, +Rosanne Cash on Saturday +Buddy Miller and more on Sunday! 

Finally, there are inspirational photos and quotes, fun animated GIFs and comics for your enjoyment!

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: T or F Free Birth Control Is Linked To Promiscuity

Thought for the Day: It is Thursday and time for a Psychology Trivia question. As always, most of the answers to these questions are far from trivial. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to hear 89 year old B.B. King live at the Jazz Up July 2014 Series in Stamford CT. It was a pleasure to hear a jazz icon outdoors on a beautiful summer night. I hope you are enjoying the summer! Here's today's trivia question on what has been a controversial subject, free birth control for girls and women.

Trivia Question:

     True or False: Free birth control is linked to promiscuity

Read on to see the answer... 

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Could Your Parents' Marital Status Predict Your Weight or Lead to Eating Disorders?

Thought for the Day: It's time for Thursday's Psychology Trivia. This week an article about a recent study caught my eye. It has to do with how marital status of parents can impact on their children's eating habits. Since the eating habits we form in childhood tend to stick with us for life, this study is clearly not trivial. Here's the question:

A recent study of third graders found:

a) Children of divorced parents had a 54% higher prevalence of general overweight (including obesity)

b) Children whose parents never married were 20% more likely to be underweight 

c) There was an 89% higher prevalence of abdominal obesity compared to children of married parents

d) Boys with divorced parents were especially at much higher risk of being overweight than boys with married parents.

e) Girls with married parents had a higher risk of having eating disorders than girls whose parents never married

f) a), c) & d)

g) b) & e)

h) all of the above

Do you think you know the answer? read on to see what they found... 

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Can You Will Yourself to Get Deep Sleep?

Thought for the Day: It is well past the normal time for Thursday's Psychology Trivia, but better late than never on a busy week. It is a well-known fact that slow wave sleep (SWS) i.e., deep sleep, “plays a critical role in body restoration and promotes brain plasticity and our mental health; however, it markedly declines across the lifespan.” Here's today's trivia question:

True or False:Even when you are feeling sick or exhausted from a hard day’s work, no matter how much you wish for a good deep sleep, you may not be able to get it through your own will.

Read on for the answer... 

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Is Technology Endangering Our Children?

Thought for the Day: It's time for Thursday's Psychology Trivia. As those of you who have been reading my blog know, I believe that social media and the internet hold great possibilities for the future of mankind. Just last week, I wrote about the The Power Of #Hashtags To #Empower Us. Today's psychology trivia question raises some important issues regarding the use of social media and technology by children. Here's the question: 

Which of the following correlations about young children's overexposure to technologies (cell phones, internet, iPads, TV), has been found to be true? 

a) Executive functioning & attention deficits, increased impulsivity & tantrums
b) Cognitive delays, impaired learning, & overall delayed development
c) Increased obesity
d) Sleep deprivation
e) Mental Illness, i.e., depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis
f) Problematic behavior & aggression
g) Addiction to technology
h) A category 2B risk (possible carcinogen) due to radiation emission
i) a), b), f), & g)
j) All the above

What do you think the answer is?

Tuesday's Psychology Tips: Is Love Better Than Valium for Anxiety/Neurosis?

Thought for the Day: It's time for Tuesday's psychology Tips. Today I'm sharing a Tip that I created  with a little more information than the 100 characters allowed on HealthTap. Is love bettern than Valium for Anxiety or Neurosis? Read on to hear what love can do for personality development and see how the tip appeared on HealthTap:

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: T or F: Analytical People Are Left-Brained while Creatives Are Right-Brained?

Thought for the Day: Here in New England, everyone seems to be basking in the rays of sunlight which have been doled out in small doses over the past week or two. Somehow Mother Nature has not been convinced that we have had enough cold wintery weather for the year. Hopefully, the frequency of sunny days will increase and spring will take over. Hopefully today's Psychology Trivia question will help you pass some time and ignore any remnants of wintery weather that are still around. Here's the question:

True or False: Logical, methodical and analytical people are left-brain dominant, while the creative and artistic types are right-brain dominant. 

What do you think the answer is?  

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: How Much Does Your Newborn Know On Day One?

Thought for the Day: This week I have been focusing on early childhood. Yesterday, I noted the importance of an infant's learning to smile in the development of self esteem and the ability to love. On Tuesday, I explained why sometimes childhood depression goes undiagnosed. How the game of Hide and Seek could help a child develop more positive relationships with their parents in therapy was the topic on Monday. Today's trivia question looks at how much newborns know before they are born. Here's the trivia question:

      Which of these facts are true:

a) Day old infants already recognize their mother's voice
b) Newborn babies prefer the sound of their mother's native language
c) By week 14,  there is some evidence that fetuses can taste bitter, sweet, or sour flavors in the amniotic fluid
d) The more varied a mother's diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the more likely that the infant will accept a new food
e) In the first few hours after birth, a baby's sense of smell may be more important in helping him identify his mother than vision
f) Babies in utero experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is associated with dreaming, at around 32 to 36 weeks
g) None of the above
h) a), b), c), d), e), and f)

Read on to see the answer...

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: T or F Insufficient Sleep & Excessive Hours Online Lead to Emotional Problems for Teens?

Thought for the Day: There's close to 2 feet of new snow outside my door & I have come down with bronchitis. However, I still want to post today. Last night the Photo Contest ended and we have a winner. I want to announce the winner and keep the regular schedule of the blog in place. The winner is Patty N Neal Bilyeu from Facebook. They chose the Boston Strong image which was number one for last year. I will be contacting them to arrange their prize. 







Today is Thursday & it is time for the Psychology Trivia Question:

True or False: Insufficient sleep and excessive hours online lead to depression and emotional problems in teenagers

The answer is true.  Teens who don't get enough sleep are 4 times more likely to develop major depressive disorder than their peers who sleep more. In a recent study by University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, a study of 4,000 teenagers found a strong correlation between lack of adequate sleep and depression. It is unclear from the study which comes first depression which leads to poor sleep patterns or visa versa, that poor sleep leads to depression. Seventy percent of teenagers go not get the 9 - 10 hours of sleep recommended by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. 

In another recent study, from Sweden the researchers found that lack of sleep and excessive media involvement were associated with depression and suicidal behaviors.  The Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm collected data from over 12,000 European adolescents. They found that teens in both groups, insufficient sleep and excessive hours on the internet were 3 times as likely to have mental health problems.

These findings make it important for parents to monitor their children's bed times and internet use. It does get harder during the adolescent years, however, given these finding, helping your kids to learn to make time for sleep and limit their internet consumption is important.

If you would like to read more about these studies, click here.

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Do Opposites Attract?

Thought for the Day: Today's psychology trivia question continues February's Valentine's Day (Wednesday's Words of Wisdom: Albert Einstein & Dr. Lavi On Gravity, Levity & Love) theme:

"True or False: Opposites attract"

Although many people believe that opposites attract, research does not uphold the common myth about love relationships. It may be that during the infatuation stage of romance people are attracted to traits which they wish they had. For example, a shy reclusive person may be attracted to a more outgoing gregarious partner, hoping that they will make their social interactions easier. However, when push comes to shove, if the relationship continues, that personality trait may pull them apart in the same way that opposite poles of a magnet push away from one antoehr. The introvert may prefer to stay home, watch TV, read or play games on the computer while the extrovert will feel bored and caged in at home, craving social interactions, parties and events. The same holds true for fitness activities, hobbies, educational differences, and ambitions.

If you would like to read more on this topic, Karl A. Pillemer, Phd, a professor of Human Development at Cornell University, recently released a study, 'Opposites Attract' Or 'Birds Of A Feather' -- What's Best For A Long Marriage? He interviewed older couples who have been married for decades. His findings suggest that even if there are differences, similar core values and outlook on life are the most important ingredients for happy long marriages. He also looked at couples who were married for shorter amounts of time.

If you are looking for Mr. or Ms. Right, keep in mind that while opposites may be attractive at first, it may lead to friction as you get to know one another.  Similarities will predict better long term compatibility.

Don't forget to enter our Valentine's Day Voting Contest. It's easy. Just like our facebook page in order to enter & vote for your favorite photo from twenty of last year's blog posts. One lucky winner will receive a free 1/2 hour phone consult with me and a free copy of The Wake Up and Dream Challenge. The voting ends on Feb. 12th so that you can start moving towards your dreams by Valentine's Day.

#FF Reader's Choice: #Top5 Friday's Fabulous Finds 2013 & A Contest & Sport's Psych 101 Radio

Thought for the Day: Over the last month, I have been celebrating the blog's 2nd birthday. I've posted the Reader's choices of the Top 10 posts in the various categories based on the number of page views. Today is the last of the Top Posts in #FF Friday's Fabulous Finds from 3013. Don't miss the #1 post if you did not see it before, the Stem Cell Rapper is well worth viewing! When 2014 began there were almost 80,000 page views over the course of 2 years. Today there are 85,600 page views. Thank you for reading, sharing & commenting on the blog!



I had intended to just post the Top 5 #FF Posts today, but yesterday decided to run my first Voting Contest to have you help choose the best image from this blog last year (from 20 top images). One lucky participant will win a free 1/2 hour phone consult with me and a paperback version of my best selling Kindle book, The Wake Up and Dream Challenge. Click this link to enter from now till February 12th. It is easy and will only take a couple minutes of your time.

I was also interviewed on SportsPsych101. Now you can listen to the podcast at your convenience. Ep.052 - Sports Psych 101 feat. Dr. Barbara Lavi Hear: How are sports good for children?; How parents influence their kids sports aspirations; Overbearing parents in sports; Team vs Individual sports as confidence builders for kids; How baby boomers changed physical fitness; How advertising affects our diets & how to counter those effects; How to achieve your goals in sports & life; The difference between DQ and IQ; & How Dream Positioning can help overcome roadblocks.

Here are the Top 5 #FF from 2013:

# 5 #FF Flipping Classrooms, World Mental Health Day, Childbirth & Sexuality & Bullying Prevention 10/11/13

# 4 #FF: A Beautiful Teen, Working Parents/Bickering Kids, Job Creation & Les Mis 2/1/13

# 3 #FF Why We Sleep, SleepTexting, If Your Child Is A Bully & A Mental Health Crisis 10/18/13

# 2 #FF Follow Up Friday: Humbling Insights from Recovery 

# 1 #FF: Professor Rap, Jane Fonda, Table Talk & Juggling Parenthood 2/8/13

#FF Friday's Fabulous Finds: Flipping Classrooms, World Mental Health Day, Childbirth & Sexuality & Bullying Prevention

Thought for the Day: I don't know about you, but I for one am glad it's Friday. It has been a busy week & I am ready for the weekend. I hope you caught my humorous special edition yesterday Part II in Wake Up Washington: Putting Congress on the Couch. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reactions to the post since it is so different from most of my posts.

     For today I have some interesting articles for your weekend reading. A fascinating article from the NY Times, on "flipping classrooms," using video lessons at home & homework projects at school. This new concept has been helping kids in previously low functioning school districts make dramatic strides. The 2nd find is an article on taking care of yourself & helping those with mental illness on World Mental Health Day. Many people have held the opinion that natural childbirth leads to lower sex drive in women. The 3rd find this week discredits this myth. My 4th find this week is a bit disturbing. It seems that some programs intended to prevent bullying in our schools may be having the opposite effect & teaching bullies how to harm their peers. More research & more comprehensive programs must be investigated & implemented.

     Have a great weekend & I hope you enjoy these finds!

Turning Education Upside Down By TINA ROSENBERG

2013 World Mental Health Day: Taking Care of You By LISA KANTOR, ESQ. AND RACHEL TEICHER

Childbirth Does Not Cause Sexual Dysfunction, Says Study  By Lydia O'Connor The Huffington Post

Bullying Prevention Programs May Have Negative Impact: Study By Rebecca Klein The Huffington Post

Thursday's Psychology Trivia: Is Persuasion In the Eye of the Beholder?

Thought for the Day: Today's psychology trivia question is:

     True or False:
         People who make eye contact are more persuasive and viewed as more likable & competent.

You may think you know the answer, but it may surprise you. 

Thursday's Psychology Trivia Answer: Would You Help If A Friend Told You They Were Being Abused By Their SpouseAt Home?

Thought for the Day: On Tuesday I asked : What percentage of women who disclosed that they were suffering from domestic violence or had been sexually assaulted were helped by a friend after speaking up about it?
           a) 59%
           b) 85%
           c) 42%
           d) 75%

Sadly, although 54 million Americans have been victims of domestic violence and 32 million have been a victim of sexual assault. 60 percent of Americans know a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, the answer to the question is  c.  Only 42% of respondents who were told by a friend about suffering from domestic violence or sexual abuse, helped their friend. In another study, when people were asked if they thought they would help someone they knew in the same situation, 75% said they would. Given how hard ot is for people to speak up when they are being abused, these results are disappointing. There will be a campaign to raise public awareness to the problem. Hopefully it will help move more people to action when they hear about someone dealing with domestic violence or abuse. You can read more about it here, Inaction May Compound the Problem of Domestic Violence from the website Everyday Health.