Psychology news

• Panic Attack Vs. Anxiety Attack: How to Tell the Difference

  27-09-2023 18:47 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: U.S. News and World ReportHow do you know if you're having a panic attack or an anxiety attack? Panic disorder falls under the umbrella of anxiety disorders, which can cause confusion when differentiating between a panic attack and anxiety. The two are often used synonymously, but only panic attacks are officially recognized as a medical diagnosis. Here are some key differences between these mental health conditions, as well as advice on when to seek help.
  
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• The pitfalls of perfectionism – and why ‘good enough’ should be your goal | Gill Straker and Jacqui Winship

  18-01-2026 15:00
  Healthy striving – a flexible wish to improve – accepts limits and understands that error is integral to masteryThe modern mind is a column where experts discuss mental health issues they are seeing in their workNew year’s resolutions are catnip for perfectionism. Each January we are invited to reinvent ourselves as fitter, more productive, more virtuous, with the rollover of the calendar offering us a clean slate and a chance to correct our flaws.While reasonable goals for mod
  
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• How can we defend ourselves from the new plague of ‘human fracking’?

  18-01-2026 13:00
  Big tech treats our attention like a resource to be mercilessly extracted. The fightback begins hereIn the last 15 years, a linked series of unprecedented technologies have changed the experience of personhood across most of the world. It is estimated that nearly 70% of the human population of the Earth currently possesses a smartphone, and these devices constitute about 95% of internet access-points on the planet. Globally, on average, people seem to spend close to half their waking hours looki
  
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• What happens to accidental heroes when the headlines fade? ‘You get your award and then there’s nothing’

  17-01-2026 20:00
  After traumatic events we look for reminders of humanity’s good, and flashes of courage from ordinary people become symbols of hope. But it can be hard to wear the hero’s crownFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe smell of burning flesh and pulverised concrete is seared into the psyche of Anneke Weemaes-Sutcliffe. On 22 March 2016, the Australian expat was due to check in for a flight when Islamic State su
  
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• People Readily Spot Gender and Race Bias But Often Miss "Lookism"

  17-01-2026 11:27 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostDespite strong evidence that physically beautiful individuals receive advantages in hiring, salary, and legal outcomes, biases based on attractiveness are met with much less condemnation than other forms of discrimination. A new study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, suggests one reason why: people are much less likely to detect this form of bias—dubbed "lookism"—than they are to spot gender or race bias.
  
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• AI Maps the Hidden Forces Shaping Cancer Survival Worldwide

  17-01-2026 11:27 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthResearchers have turned artificial intelligence into a powerful new lens for understanding why cancer survival rates vary widely around the world. In a report published in the cancer journal Annals of Oncology, an AI model analyzed cancer data and health system information from 185 countries to see which factors—such as access to radiotherapy, universal health coverage, and economic strength—are most closely linked to patient survival.
  
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• Why News Reports Often Refer to "Women and Children"

  17-01-2026 07:55 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: PsyPostHeadlines covering war, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises often refer to "women and children," and a new study suggests why. The research, published in the journal Cognition, reveals that highlighting these specific groups amplifies a psychological response known as moral outrage. The findings also indicate that this reaction is tied to traditional views regarding gender roles rather than a simple impulse to protect vulnerable groups.
  
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• Oxford Accused of Hiding Harassment Claims Against Miles Hewstone

  17-01-2026 07:55 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Social Psychology Network NewsThe University of Oxford has been accused of putting women's safety at risk by withholding information about persistent sexual harassment allegations against Miles Hewstone, a well-known social psychology professor. Hewstone resigned his position at Oxford in 2019 and further relinquished his emeritus title last November. He was accused by female students and researchers of abuse of power, inappropriate sexual advances, unwanted touching, and...
  
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• ACLU Sues Trump Administration Over "Racial Profiling and Unlawful Arrests"

  17-01-2026 07:55 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthThe American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, accusing federal immigration authorities in Minnesota of racial profiling and unlawful arrests amid widespread Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. In a 72-page lawsuit filed Thursday, the ACLU accused immigration agents of violating citizens' constitutional rights, arguing that Somali and Latino communities in the state have been...
  
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• The Risks of AI in Schools Outweigh the Benefits, Report Concludes

  15-01-2026 15:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: NPRThe risks of using generative artificial intelligence to educate children and teens currently overshadow the benefits, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution. The sweeping investigation included focus groups and interviews with K-12 students, parents, educators, and tech experts in 50 countries, as well as a review of hundreds of studies, and concluded that using AI in education can "undermine children's foundational development."
  
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• Massive Brain Study Reveals Why Memory Loss Can Suddenly Speed Up

  15-01-2026 15:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthA massive international brain study has revealed that memory decline with age isn't driven by a single brain region or gene, but by widespread structural changes across the brain that build up over time. Analyzing thousands of MRI scans and memory tests from healthy adults, researchers found that memory loss accelerates as brain tissue shrinkage increases, especially later in life. The report appears in the journal Nature Communications.
  
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• EPA to Stop Calculating Lives Saved by Curbs on Air Pollution

  15-01-2026 15:13 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: The Guardian - Climate CrisisThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop estimating the number of lives saved by air pollution rules that curb two deadly pollutants: fine particulate matter and ozone. Instead, the agency will focus exclusively on the cost to industry. The change is part of a realignment under Donald Trump toward a business-friendly approach to environmental protection, rolling back multiple policies meant to safeguard human health and slow...
  
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• Physics of Foam Strangely Resembles Artificial Intelligence Training

  15-01-2026 15:12 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top NewsScientists have long believed that soap suds, shaving cream, and other foams behave like glass, with components trapped in static, disordered configurations. Now, engineers have found that the internal motion of foam resembles the process of deep learning—the method typically used to train AI systems. The discovery suggests that learning, in a mathematical sense, may be a common organizing principle across physical, biological. and...
  
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• Trump Administration Rolls Back $2 Billion Mental Health, Addiction Cuts

  15-01-2026 15:05 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: NPRAfter immense political backlash from Republicans and Democrats, the Trump administration has decided to reverse more than $2 billion in cuts to mental health and addiction programs. Letters terminating funding for the programs went out late Tuesday night, sending shockwaves through the country's public health system, but the administration told NPR the next day that it would send new letters soon restoring the funding.
  
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• States Invoke 10th Amendment to Curb Immigration Crackdowns

  15-01-2026 15:05 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Google News - HealthMinnesota and Illinois officials filed lawsuits Monday seeking to curb the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown in their states. Although the lawsuits are separate and nuanced, both states cited the 10th Amendment to back their claim that the surge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents—which has stoked nationwide protests, violence, and fear—violates the state sovereignty guaranteed by the 10th amendment.
  
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• Grief over pet death can be as strong as that for family member, survey shows

  15-01-2026 13:55
  Researcher calls for guidelines for diagnosing prolonged grief disorder to be expanded to cover people who lose petsGrief over the death of a pet could be as chronic as that for a human family member, research has shown, confirming what many people already know about their bond with their furry friends.People grieving the loss of a pet can suffer from prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a mental health condition brought about by the death of a loved one, a survey published in the academic journal PL
  
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• The surprising science of dreams and nightmares – podcast

  15-01-2026 08:50
  Ian Sample puts listeners’ questions on dreams and nightmares to Dr Michelle Carr, director of the Dream Engineering Laboratory in Montreal’s Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, and author of the new book Into the Dream Lab. They look at why we dream, what we can learn by examining our dreams, and what we can do when dreams turn to nightmares. Dr Carr gives her top tips for taking charge of our dreams and trying to influence their contentSupport the Guardian: theguardian.
  
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• Rohingya People Called "Muslim Dogs" Before Attacks, U.N. Court Hears

  15-01-2026 06:09 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Nations NewsThe U.N. top court heard testimony Thursday that Myanmar committed genocide against the Rohingya people, with allegations that military officials incited violence by calling the ethnic minority "Muslim dogs" who should be made "extinct." The prosecuting team also quoted a soldier as saying: "'We will clear the villages where those animals live. We have guns, we have bullets. That's what we came with, with ammunition and the spirit to attack the...
  
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• Trump Administration Wipes Out Addiction, Mental Health Grants

  14-01-2026 17:07 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: NPRThe Trump administration sent shockwaves through the U.S. mental health and drug addiction system late Tuesday, sending hundreds of termination letters, effective immediately, for federal grants supporting health services. Three sources said they believe that total amount of cuts to nonprofit groups—many providing street-level care to people experiencing addiction, homelessness, and mental illness—could reach roughly $2 billion.
  
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• Millions with Dementia Still Prescribed Drugs Linked to Falls and Confusion

  14-01-2026 17:05 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthDespite longstanding guidelines, many dementia patients are still prescribed brain-altering medications that can raise the risk of falls and confusion. A new study, published in JAMA, shows that while prescribing has decreased overall, people with cognitive impairment remain more likely to receive these drugs. In many cases, there was no documented medical justification. The results suggest that medication safety remains a serious concern in...
  
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• We are living in a time of polycrisis. If you feel trapped – you’re not alone

  14-01-2026 14:00
  I hadn’t fully grasped how the idea of a better future sustained me – now I, like many others, find it difficult to be productiveA new year is upon us. Traditionally, we use this time to look forward, imagine and plan.But instead, I have noticed that most of my friends have been struggling to think beyond the next few days or weeks. I, too, have been having difficulty conjuring up visions of a better future – either for myself or in general. Continue reading...
  
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• Dorotha Graham Cicchinelli Featured as a VIP in the Winter 2025 Issue of P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized)

  14-01-2026 09:00 via pr.com
  Dorotha Graham Cicchinelli of Parker, Colorado, is featured as a VIP in the winter 2025 issue of P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) Magazine for her outstanding contributions and great success in the field of Mental Health Care.About Dorotha Graham Cicchinelli Dorotha Graham Cicchinelli is a social worker and serves as the executive director and founder of Colorado Pregnancy and [PR.com]
  
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• U.N. World Court Opens Landmark Myanmar Rohingya Genocide Case

  13-01-2026 16:55 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: United Nations NewsThe International Court of Justice opened a landmark case Monday brought by the Gambia against Myanmar, alleging genocide over the military's treatment of the Rohingya minority. Over the next three weeks, the Court will hear oral arguments from both sides, examine witnesses and experts, and consider whether Myanmar breached its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, to which the country is a...
  
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• Pentagon Embracing Musk's Grok As the AI Chatbot Draws Global Outcry

  13-01-2026 16:55 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: NPRU.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday that Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot Grok will join Google's generative AI engine in operating inside the Pentagon network, as part of a broad push to feed as much of the military's data as possible into the developing technology. Just days earlier, Grok drew global outcry and scrutiny for generating deepfake sexualized images of women and children without their knowledge or consent.
  
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• Malaysia, Indonesia Become First to Block Musk's Grok Over AI Deepfakes

  13-01-2026 16:52 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: NPRMalaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk's company xAI, after authorities said Grok was being used to generate sexually explicit and non-consensual images of women and children. The moves reflect growing global concern over generative AI tools that can produce realistic images, sound, text, and videos while existing safeguards fail to prevent their abuse.
  
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• Hidden Brain Signal May Reveal Alzheimer's Long Before Diagnosis

  13-01-2026 16:51 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: Science Daily - Top HealthResearchers have discovered a brain activity pattern that can predict which people with mild cognitive impairment are likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Using a noninvasive brain scanning technique and a custom analysis tool, they detected subtle changes in electrical signals tied to memory processing years before diagnosis. The findings point to a new way of spotting Alzheimer's early—by listening directly to how neurons behave.
  
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• The Only Cure by Mark Solms review – has modern neuroscience proved Freud right?

  12-01-2026 10:00
  An expert in both disciplines makes a bold attempt to convince sceptics, and partially succeeds Vladimir Nabokov notoriously dismissed the “vulgar, shabby, and fundamentally medieval world” of the ideas of Sigmund Freud, whom he called “the Viennese witch doctor”. His negative judgment has been shared by many in the near 90 years since Freud’s death. A reputational high-water mark in the postwar period was followed by a collapse, at least in scientific circles,
  
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• The friendship secret: why socialising could help you live longer

  12-01-2026 06:00
  Neuroscientist Ben Rein is on a mission to show that being around others not only feels good, but can even improve recovery from strokes, cancer and heart attacks. So why are so many of us isolated and glued to our phones?‘I hate it.” I’ve asked the neuroscientist Ben Rein how he feels about the online sea of junk neuroscience we swim in – the “dopamine fasts”, “serotonin boosts” and people “regulating” their “nervous system&rdquo
  
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• Why pleasure is the key to self-improvement

  11-01-2026 13:00
  Forget puritanical self-discipline – the way to really make a new habit stick is to lace it with instant gratificationLike many people, I spent New Year’s Eve making a list of the goals I want to achieve in the year ahead – a habit that never fails to arouse the ire of my boyfriend. “Why do you always have to put yourself under pressure?” he’ll ask, rolling his eyes. “It’s so puritanical!”And he has a point. When most of us turn our minds to
  
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• How AI Can Detect 130 Disease Risks From the Way You Sleep

  11-01-2026 12:34 via socialpsychology.org
  Source: DW- top storiesAll it takes is one night's sleep in a lab, during which physiological signals are recorded, for a new artificial intelligence model to estimate a person's risk for about 130 diseases later in life, including Parkinson's disease, dementia, heart disease, and cancers of the prostate and breast. The study, published in Nature Medicine and based on data from 65,000 sleepers, found the model could make such predictions years before the first...
  
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