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Chrissy Le

Love and Addiction: 4. "Love" as an Addiction - 0 views

  • a human relationship can be equivalent psychologically to a drug addiction.
  • Chein, Winick, and other observers interpret drugs to be a kind of substitute for human ties. In this sense, addictive love is even more directly linked to what are recognized to be the sources of addiction than is drug dependency.
  • Freud noted important parallels between love and another psychologically compelling process—hypnotism.
  • ...25 more annotations...
  • From being in love to hypnosis is evidently only a short step.
  • Love is an ideal vehicle for addiction because it can so exclusively claim a person's consciousness.
  • Someone who is dissatisfied with himself or his situation can discover in such a relationship the most encompassing substitute for self-contentment and the effort required to attain it.
  • When a constant exposure to something as necessary in order to make life bearable, an addiction has been brought about, however romantic the trappings. The ever-present danger of withdrawal creates an ever-present craving.
  • Since the person who addicts himself to a lover has essentially the same feelings of inadequacy as the drug addict, why should such an individual choose another person, rather than a drug, for the object of his addiction
  • found that sexual relationships in the lower class tend not to involve as great a degree of life-sharing.
  • "The lower class person . . . is less dependent on people, and more oriented toward those gratifications which can be achieved without complicated cooperation of other human beings."
  • The latter can be defined as the need to cling to one human object for love and support. That object may not even be a true person, but only a conception of a person.
  • When people are economically comfortable but still sense a large deficiency in their lives, their yearnings are bound to be more existential than material. That is, these yearnings are tied into their basic conception of and feelings about themselves
  • A person feeling this inner emptiness must strive to fill it. In relationships, this can only be done by subsuming someone else's being inside yourself, or by allowing someone else to subsume you.
  • The result is a full-fledged addiction, where each partner draws the other back at any sign of a loosening of the bonds that hold them together.
  • The relationship was an addiction. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sheilah Graham sealed themselves off from the outside world by neglecting their work and by dropping all their other personal relationships in Hollywood.
  • The belief which underlay this feeling—and all of the relationship—was expressed by Graham when she said that "my living began when he arrived." If there is a need to participate in every aspect of another's life, its conclusive form is the complete control of or reliance on another, so that one person does not exist without the other's being there, too. This is the essential similarity to drug addiction, where a person feels he is living only when he is on the drug. The ultimate statement of the desire to be consumed by love is in the last passage quoted from Graham, where she wanted to crawl into Scott's mind, lose her consciousness in his, and form one human entity out of two incomplete beings.
  • The sadistic person is as dependent on the submissive person as the latter is on the former;
  • The difference is only that the sadistic person commands, exploits, hurts, humiliates, and that the masochistic person is commanded, exploited, hurt, humiliated. This is a considerable difference in a realistic sense; in a deeper emotional sense, the difference is not so great as that which they both have in common: fusion without integrity.
  • Above all else, these extreme emotional reactions conclusively establish that the relationship was an addiction. All along, the lovers' actions toward each other were dictated by their own needs. Therefore, when their connection was severed—even temporarily—they had no basis on which to relate. Each was incapable of respecting, or even conceiving of, the other in his or her own terms, as continuing to live his or her own life. It was impossible for either to be concerned about the other's well-being; if the one lover wasn't there to satisfy the other's needs, then he or she ceased to exist.
  • Because an addiction is sought only for the total experience it provides, it can only be accepted emotionally in that form.
  • Love is the opposite of interpersonal addiction. A love relationship is based on a desire to grow and to expand oneself through living, and a desire for one's partner to do the same.
  • Anything which contributes positively to a loved one's experience is welcomed, partly because it enriches the loved one for his own sake, and partly because it makes him a more stimulating companion in life.
  • If two people hope to realize fully their potential as human beings—both together and apart—then they create an intimacy which includes, along with trust and sharing, hope, independence, openness, adventurousness, and love.
  • If a person loves only one other person and is indifferent to the rest of his fellow men, his love is not love but a symbiotic attachment, or an enlarged egotism.
  • the tendency to regard social partners as commodities. People who show this orientation "fall in love when they feel they have found the best object available on the market, considering the limitations of their own exchange values."
  • Fromm therefore stresses that the respect inherent in all love requires a lover to think, "I want the loved person to grow and unfold for his own sake, and in his own ways, and not for the purpose of serving me."
  • An independent, open person exploring life seriously will instinctively (if not consciously) consider whether someone has anything of substance to add to his or her existence.
  • Criteria For Love Vs. Addiction
Daryl Bambic

The Psychology of Cults - All In The Mind - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting... - 1 views

  • participating without informed consent or proper screening
  • ulnerable state
  • Kenja
  • ...37 more annotations...
  • e suicided after being unable to cope, particularly when they leave the groups.
  • They consisted of two people sitting opposite each other silently looking at the other person’s eye and the recipient in session was able to have a look at the experiences and emotions and things in their life that they had not fully come to terms with, and that were unconsciously stopping them from being who they wanted to be. It was very emotional.
  • new pathway
  • ideas as much as the man that I found attractive.
  • Klowning was based on the idea that we are not who we think we are.
  • ble to find out the really human part of us.
  • here’s a whole language that goes with this group, isn’t there, and processing is one thing that you would go through
  • charismatic, he did have that capacity to have a group of people in front of him and hold their attention.
  • nudity has no significance other than what you give it, and if you think that this is in any way inappropriate that’s your dirty mind.
  • ut of research done by the CIA and the KGB after the Second World War in trying to understand how Hitler was able to persuade a whole population to a particular way of thinking and particular behaviour, and that research got out into the wider community
  • on Hubbard used a lot of these techniques in his organisation and then a lot of people who had been in Scientology
  • ocial animals,
  • emotional right-brain
  • Hypnotic states are nothing magical but in fact natural hypnotic states occur on a regular basis if we allow them to, about every two hours during the day. There’s a natural down time when our left-brain sort of quietens and our right-brain and our body is able to do a bit of a tune-up of physical processes like blood-pressure and heart-rate and cortisol levels.
  • dissociative state
  • driving somewhere
  • ay-dreamy
  • o when people use techniques that are going to help induce this state it’s not something you’re necessarily going to resist if you don’t realise that perhaps there is an ulterior motive.
  • ocus their attention
  • charismatic leader,
  • behaviour was right or wrong
  • It’s very interesting studying some of the gurus or the charismatic figures you say you often find that they are often people who have actually started out with very good intentions and just find they have this natural ability to attract people to them, or because they may be good listeners, people feel that they’ve got something to offer
  • hallucinate. I
  • en Dyers, was facing 22 charges of sexual assault on two 12-year-old girls
  • Before they were heard in court he took his own life.
  • ersonality definitely changed
  • almost layered by the group norm
  • staying as connected
  • learn all they can about the group and continue to just ask questions to try and find our more
  • But there are some positive things about some groups and it’s likely that some people live happier lives being part of some groups than they would on their own.
  • groups are often filling desperate needs in people that are not being filled by the way we now live. The way we are now is very isolating, people are often expected to work very long hours, or have very long commutes. More and more families are living apart, so we do not live in a community that is kind to people or respects people. So anybody really is vulnerable, it’s not just, you know, the weak-willed, it’s anybody at a particular time in their life, and particularly if they’re isolated from family and friends.
  • Some of the factors that are most important in human wellbeing are a sense of connectedness and a sense of control over your life now and in the future. So what often these organisations do is offer a whole list of very simple rules, if you just follow these rules then you’ll feel okay. If you just remove yourself from that world and you just mix with us everything will be okay. So they often offer a sort of a way of getting back some feeling of control.
  • describe some of the techniques, not necessarily the abuse that may have occurred, and then to help them understand that they were involved in quite a deliberate psychological process.
  • validate their humanity
  • what was missing before and helping them create a life now that is healthier and more balanced and does meet all their needs as a human being.
  • people who grow up in these organisations and really are trapped, and for those that grow up and then start to rebel as teenagers or as young adults and leave, it is very, very difficult because that’s been their reality.
  • recognition by the courts and by particularly the Family Law Court and we need education of the legal profession and I think the professional organisations, particularly the professional health organisations need to be more pro-active in first of all educating themselves about what these issues are and then making it very clear in their code of ethics of these different professional groups how the codes of ethics dovetail with belief systems.
alicia waid

The Man Who Shocked The World | Psychology Today - 4 views

    • alicia waid
       
      Brief summary of Stanley Milgram's life.
    • alicia waid
       
      Explanation of Stanley Milgram's experiment on Obedience to Authority.
  • try to expose the external social forces that, though subtle, have surprisingly powerful effects on our behavior.
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    • alicia waid
       
      Under the pressure of having someone "superior" to you, tell you to do something, most of the time, you do it even if you don't necessarily want to. 
    • alicia waid
       
      Milgram's experiment left everyone, even today, shocked.  It makes you think who people really are when put in different types of situations, and what kind of a world we live in too.
    • alicia waid
       
      More brief information about Milgram's studies and his early life.
    • alicia waid
       
      *Dissertation: A long essay on a particular subject, esp. one written as a requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree.
    • alicia waid
       
      Important to note Milgram's interests here.  He shows more and more interest in conformity.
    • alicia waid
       
      *Conformity: Behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions or standards.
    • alicia waid
       
      More information on Milgram's studies and achievements. 
    • alicia waid
       
      Stanley was very interested in the Holocaust: How could people do such horrible things?  Because they were told?  The idea intrigued him which led to experiments.  These experiments consisted of how changing aspects of an experimental situation might alter subjects' willingness to obey.
    • alicia waid
       
      Milgram's marriage and more information about his life and studies.
    • alicia waid
       
      Milgram's experiment has opened so many of our eyes'.  Although we knew we have a tendency to obey orders, we did not know to what depth we would go in order to obey those orders.  His experiment has forever enlightened us with a disturbing and harsh truth.  
    • alicia waid
       
      People, such as the U.S. Army have taken Milgram's experiment and has learnt from it.  The U.S. Army are making sure that anyone who is apart of their leadership team are leaders that will be aware of their authority and also their responsibilities (to make good decisions).
Chrissy Le

Harvard Education Letter - 2 views

  • Behaviors like embracing novel experiences, supporting peers, even pestering parents for lessons can predict whether a child will emerge as a leader in adulthood, according to researchers who say they are the first to plot a pathway from childhood experiences to adult leadership.
  • new studies use longitudinal data
  • relative importance of factors such as the role of parents, inner motivational drive, intelligence, childhood social skills, and personality traits like extroversion
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  • 106 subjects
  • one through age 29
  • everyday” leaders
  • “taking on the role of and engaging in the process of influencing others toward a common endeavor, goal or cause, regardless of designated formal position.
  • Researchers met with the children (and parents) twice a year for the first four years, then once a year through age 17 and once at 24 and again at 29.
  • 20 for each child
  • 18,000 variables
  • hat children as young as two reveal temperaments that predict for later leadership
  • novel situation
  • more extroverted, socially engaging and become everyday leaders.”
  • children who placed the most demands on teachers and parents to join or do activities were more likely to be leaders as adults.
  • quest to acquire new skills and knowledge
  • invested in and committed
  • parent’s support i
  • stronger motivation trumped higher IQ
  • She says the study offers a strong argument for schools “to do things fundamentally differently.
  • Carol S. Dweck
  • growth mindset
  • schools place such heavy emphasis on extrinsic rewards like test scores and classroom prizes that they risk stifling development of students’ inner drive.
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      What do you think?  Do you agree with this statement about schools reinforcing the extrinsic reward system?
    • Emilie L
       
      (after researching what "extrinsic" meant..) I agree with what Dweck and Adele Gottfriend observed- that we focus/reinforce exterior rewards like grades so greatly that students are at risk of losing their inner motivation. I think that especially in our youth we focus a lot numerical values like test scores and especially money (which, in the long run really do make up our future) so much, that we lack having motivation in what we truly want to do with ourselves. For example, at WIC, marks are a huge deal- however lets say, a top A student truly desires to become a photographer, yet, at school he or she is so convinced that they must do well within the 'extrinsic rewards' that they loose their passion. This isn't to say that it's a bad thing, but I think that often times who we are "meant to be" is diminished/over-shadowed by what society(SCHOOL) tells us we should do and focus on.
    • Julian Pendenza
       
      I do agree with this statement due to the fact that kids today have a lot of pressure and feel the need to get good marks, only because schools put heavy emphasis on it, and not because they are motivated. People have to realize that school is not just about getting good grades, but also it is about finding yourself and seeing what you would like to do in the future.
    • Marie-Lise Pagé
       
      I agree that teens focus a lot on their marks and that they don't take the time to get invovle in after school's activities. Because they need to have good marks to go to College, they have so much pressure to be one of the best students and that prevents them to show their leadership by being in charge of some activities in their school or in the community. Also, the marks give them an idea of how good they are at something and it makes them proud and they know it will help them for the future because it will be easier to get accepted in Cegep. However, when they get involve in an activity the reward is not numerical so they don't know that it will help them in the future.
    • Matthew Schaffer
       
      I do agree, I think schools want students to be academicaly knowledgable that they forget about the "street smarts" as we say. However, not all schools do this. Schools like WIC have a huge variety of E.C.A's that we can also get rewarded for. There is the new tie that shows how good of an athelete you are. SOme schools are taking the step up, however it is true that most schools look to closely into the academics of a child and not into their personality.
    • Ally Talarico
       
      I do not agree with this statement. I think that the reward system teaches discipline. It teaches that if you want good marks and you want to succeed, you must work hard by putting time and effort into your school books. Much of the time, we are graded on creativity but in some cases like Math class, a teacher cannot give a grade on the growth of one's mindset when the answer is not subjective. The grading system is not broken, so why are we trying to fix it? In my opinion, I think this is just another psychological fad like many. 
    • mauromongiat
       
      I do agree that schools put a lot of emphasis on grades and that our educational system is based on students getting better grades. Schools focus too much on the grades of each student. To be able to succeed in a career two things must be achieved the intelligence or knowledge and the ambition for success. In our schools we cannot only teach one part of the road to success, we must also encourage students to follow in what they want and to dedicate everything to it. With motivation and the drive to succeed people can achieve almost anything and we must teach that being motivated for a subject is better than having the smarts for it. Success comes with motivation and perseverance without them there is no way you can become successful. 
    • Camil Darwiche
       
      Personally, I don't agree with schools putting such emphasis on marks. But I can see where they are coming from. Later in life (cegep, university, etc.), students will be based on marks and not on enthusiasm or how they organize extra curricular activities. High school is supposed to prepare you for cegep and university. On the other hand, if all levels of schooling (from elementary school to university) were not based on extrinsic reward systems, there would be many more visionaries and independent workers coming out of school.
    • michelle tappert
       
      I agree with this statement because in my opinion, youth these days are focused on grades and numbers as motivation when we should be focusing on the reasons why we want to succeed. The reason why we focus on this is because of the influence for school but it has nothing to do with the fact that they are motivated. I believe that schools put too much emphasis on being "book smart" which is evidentially a good thing but they don't realize that that knowledge is only useful if they teach "street smarts" as well. It is important to be book smart and know all the facts but for kids to be motivated, they need to relate it to real life which is where the motivation should come from. 
    • Lauren Ganze
       
      I concur with the previous answers: schools tend to focus on pure knowledge and rewarding those who regurgitate memorized facts. The educational system usually ends up ignoring those who step up and try to use this knowledge, or dissuading them by giving them low marks and negative feedback until they conform to the system. We impress certain ideals and behaviours into children, and of this group of values, nourishing leadership is excluded in favour of teaching kids how to follow and how to work for immediate, physical rewards.
    • Julian Posteraro
       
      Yes I agree with this statement. The grading system holds back students from being open with their thoughts compared to what the teachers want them to think. Students should have freedom which would help them be more open minded. After school activities and natural intelligence are aspects that students can be good at outside of the classrooms. Success is based not only on grades, but on ambition, determination and perseverance also. 
    • Eli Michon
       
      I disagree. I believe that too much pressure on marks, awards, etc. leaves way too much pressure on the students. Being a student, I have experienced this many times and it can be quite unhealthy because stress is not a good thing for the mind or for the body.  -Eli Michon
    • Giuliano Musacchio
       
      I believe that this statement is true, we are free spirits, we should be able to think like free spirit students and have our own freedom! By taking initiative they are becoming leaders in their own way. Expressing yourself and following your thoughts is a huge part of today's society. What will our world be without students who can learn to eventually become leaders?
    • kelsey sazant
       
      I believe that schools rightfully put a large amount of emphasis on the academic results however this doesn't mean the other domains should be left behind. Grades and academic achievements are very important and schools should make this their main focus. This being said, I do feel as if most schools forget about the other aspects of an education. Schools should be able to cater to and identify with all of their students meaning that someone who isn't labeled as "smart" can still feel appreciated. Just because someone isn't academically gifted doesn't mean that they can not be successful. I think schools should reward their students for other things then just brain capacity. I think West Island College does a good job of that. Not only do we mark effort but we go as far as to commend students on various athletic skills, public speaking, helping the community (interact or green and grey). I think WIC does a good job of focusing on the well rounded student rather then just the one dimensional "genius" that most schools put up on a pedestal. As Albert Einstein once said "Everybody is  genius but if you judge a fish by it's ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing that it is stupid."
    • Chrissy Le
       
      I completely agree that this is the method that most schools use. A lot of emphasis is placed on extrinsic rewards in the educational system. I believe that this is a negative thing to do because students then lack inner motivation. They no longer want to do things for themselves, and more for the satisfaction of pleasing others, or receiving a high test score. Even though receiving a high test score might seem like a goal they want to pursue it's not truly for themselves, it is to please someone else.
  • rich variety of experiences and give students choices
  • take charge of their own learning
  • ‘make or break skills’ that come on top of the three Rs
    • Jordyn Shell
       
      I believe that the student is more likely to become a community leader because of the fact they they "choose" to do all this extra work, they're not being forced too. They're taking a choice to help others and inspire others. That's LEADERSHIP! When they say "children who placed the most demands on teachers and parents to join or do activities were more likely to be leaders as adults", that pretty much sums up my point exactly. I believe that those students are more likely to become leaders because they are taking such initiative now, it will only impact them positively in the future to do more!
    • Joe Inhaber
       
      I believe that a students desire to partake in schooling events, and acting as a leader is extriemly personal to the student. I think that students, as well as teenagers and children can develop leader ship skills, and the fact that it is to be rewarded in schools is in my opinion wrong. There is a variety of kids, that find themselfs in the role of "leader" in many situations other than in school. I think that in rewarding kids to become leaders, we are further removing their individuality, witch in my opinion is alredy being taken away through means adapted by our society.
    • vanessa parent
       
       I believe that leadership is not something that is taught but rather a personality trait that is developed by the individual themselves (as it said in the article, some children as young as two can have behaviours that may lead to the skills of a good leader). Some are born to be leaders, they have it in them to encourage, to motivate and positively influence others around them. People who demonstrate this features should definitely be encouraged by parents and by their school to develop these skills because if they start young and keep these habits they will most likely carry them through their whole lives. However i also think as jordyn said above, a good leader is someone who wants to take the initiative to partake in extra work or activities, not someone who is forced to do it. 
Erin Waxman

Postpartum Depression | Canadian Mental Health Association - 0 views

  • References to postpartum depression date back as far as the 4th century BC. Despite this early awareness, it has not always been recognized as an illness.
  • The sooner the condition is diagnosed, the more effective the treatment.
  • The mother may fear she is losing her mind or fear that others may feel she is unfit to be a mother.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      example: visions of seeing harm done to their baby, or even seeing them do harm to their own child.
  • ...13 more annotations...
  • The “baby blues” is the most minor form of postpartum depression. It usually starts 1 to 3 days after delivery, and is characterized by weeping, irritability, lack of sleep, mood changes and a feeling of vulnerability. These “blues” can last several weeks. It’s estimated that between 50% and 80% of mothers experience them.
  • Women with this condition suffer despondency, tearfulness, feelings of inadequacy, guilt, anxiety, irritability and fatigue.
  • A woman with postpartum depression may regard her child with ambivalence, negativity or disinterest.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      to me this is the most scary thing in the world. To have just given life to a child and to feel such negative feelings towards it when it should be the happiest time in your life.
  • An adverse effect on the bonding between mother and child may result.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      very important and can cause severe damage to the child. The lack of feelings of love and belonging in a child's first years can result in many behavioural and psychological problems in the future.
  • The depression can begin at any time between delivery and 6 months post-birth, and may last up to several months or even a year
  • Postpartum psychosis is a relatively rare disorder. The symptoms include extreme confusion, fatigue, agitation, alterations in mood, feelings of hopelessness and shame, hallucinations and rapid speech or mania. Studies indicate that it affects only one in 1000 births.
  • The exact cause of postpartum depression is not known.
  • One factor may be the changes in hormone levels that occur during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      this is the most common thought cause of the illness
  • There is no one trigger; postpartum depression is believed to result from many complex factors. It is important, however, to communicate to women with postpartum depression that they did not bring it upon themselves.
  • One certain fact is that women who have experienced depression before becoming pregnant are at higher risk for postpartum depression.
  • The risk increases in women who have experienced 2 or more abortions, or women who have a history of obstetric complications.
  • a difficult relationship, lack of a support network, stressful events during the pregnancy or after delivery.
  • Therapy, support networks and medicines such as antidepressants are used to treat postpartum depression.
Erin Waxman

Why Some Soldiers Develop PTSD While Others Don't - Association for Psychological Science - 0 views

  • The researchers re-examined data from a subsample of 260 male veterans from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study
  • three primary factors: severity of combat exposure (e.g., life-threatening experiences or traumatic events during combat), pre-war vulnerabilities (e.g., childhood physical abuse, family history of substance abuse), and involvement in harming civilians or prisoners.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      very important factors that were well picked for this study.
  • e, as 98% of the veterans who developed the PTSD syndrome had experienced one or more traumatic events.
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  • Of the soldiers who experienced any potentially traumatic combat exposures, only 31.6% developed the PTSD syndrome.
  • This suggests that there were other factors and vulnerabilities involved for the minority of exposed who did end up developing the PTSD syndrome.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      what could these factors be? Why did some soldiers get it and some not?
  • Among these factors, childhood experiences of physical abuse or a pre-Vietnam psychiatric disorder other than PTSD were strong contributors to PTSD onset.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      very important factor 
    • Erin Waxman
       
      makes sense because the brains of the younger men might not be as developed and the older men might have had more experiences in life to prepare them for this combat. 
    • Erin Waxman
       
      guilt shown as an important factor in the illness
  • The combined data from all three primary factors — combat exposure, prewar vulnerability, and involvement in harming civilians or prisoners — revealed that PTSD syndrome onset reached an estimated 97% for veterans high on all three.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      looks like they pretty much solved it. 
  • these results emphasize the need to keep the more vulnerable soldiers out of the most severe combat situations.
    • Erin Waxman
       
      good idea. Or maybe prepare the soldiers more for the type of environment they will be placed it.
  • Dohrenwend and colleagues also point out that the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, like the Vietnam War, are “wars amongst the people,” and they underline the need for research examining the circumstances in which harm to civilians and prisoners is likely to occur. Such research could provide important clues for preventing such devastating violations of the rules of war.
  •  
    Very interesting study done for the Association for Psychological Science about why some soldiers get PTSD and some don't.
Daryl Bambic

Is Anybody in There? Searching for Consciousness in an Injured Brain | Wired Science | ... - 2 views

  • eft to languish in nursing homes where no one bothers with physical therapy or even to check for glimmers of regained consciousness
  • many patients with no outward signs of awareness retain some degree of consciousness
  • In Wallis’ case, brain scans revealed evidence that his brain had rewired itself to some extent to compensate for the injury
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    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Brains re-wiring themselves is called brain plasticity.  
  • y rare, a 2009 study by Belgian researchers found that 41 percent of hospital and rehab patients with a vegetative state diagnosis were actually minimally conscious
  • ike a flickering light, and you’re going to miss it unless you systematically look for it,” Fins said.
  • n a few cases, this technology has enabled rudimentary communication with patients trapped inside an unresponsive body. In the future, some scientists believe, it may be possible to directly decode these patients’ thoughts.
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      For an explanation of how this decoding might work, go to the end of the article.
  • Getting these methods right is crucial, as pressure mounts to use them in medical decisions, including whether or not to terminate life support, and in the legal battles that sometimes ensue. There are a number of ongoing legal cases in Canada that involve vegetative or minimally conscious patients and end of life decisions, says Adrian Owen, a neuroscientist at the University of Western Ontario. “I’m absolutely sure fMRI is going to play a role in one or more of these cases in the next 12 months.”
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      The role of technology in ethical decision making.
  • technology that created these disorders in the first place.
  • ut a badly damaged brain is not necessarily unconscious. The recent research tells us quite clearly that human consciousness is not binary. It can exist in degrees, fade in and out, even when the body is unresponsive.
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Consciousness is not binary but a question of degrees.
  • wen also described a new way to assess mental function in unresponsive patients. It involves scanning someone’s brain as they watch an 8 minute clip of an Alfred Hitchcock film. When healthy people do this, various parts of the brain synchronize their activity at certain times in the clip. Owen argues that if brain injury patients exhibit similar patterns, it could be a telltale sign of residual cognitive function.
  • imple yes-no communication probably isn’t enough to allow patients to participate in decisions about their care.
  • Gallant’s lab has shown that it’s possible to reconstruct still images and video clips from the patterns of activity elicited in the brain of the person viewing them. If Gallant can see what your visual cortex is doing, he can tell you, more or less, what you’re looking at.
Daryl Bambic

Take The ACE Quiz - And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean : Shots - Health News : NPR - 0 views

  • Remember this, too: ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say
  • Resilience, he says, builds throughout life, and close relationships are key
  • nightmares
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  • recurring thoughts
  • re-enact the trauma
  • distracted or withdrawn.
  • ometimes misdiagnosed as symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
  • difficulty in regulating emotions and behavior,"
  • secure attachments with caring adults.
Emilie L

Narcissistic Personality Disorder - 0 views

  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder Individuals with narcissistic personality disorder generally believe that the world revolves around them.
  • This condition is characterized by a lack of ability to empathize with others and a desire to keep the focus on themselves at all times.
    • Emilie L
       
      Just like serial killers; like of empathy for others
  • cocky, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding.
    • Emilie L
       
      personality traits that describe a narcissist (but what makes them differ from someone who is just egotistical?) 
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  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder involves arrogant behavior, a lack of empathy for other people, and a need for admiration-all of which must be consistently evident at work and in relationships.
  • high self-esteem are often humble
  • Related personality traits include: Psychopathy, Machiavellianism.
  • oncentrate on unlikely personal outcomes (e.g., fame) and may be convinced that they deserve special treatmen
  • Narcissists tend to have high self-esteem
  • whereas narcissists rarely are
    • Emilie L
       
      lack of humility = lack of empathy = comes of as a jerk, the world revolves around me na na na
  • tend to be defensive
  • latest evidence indicates that narcissists are actually secure or grandiose at both levels
  • The sometimes dangerous lifestyle may more generally reflect sensation-seeking or impulsivity (e.g., risky sex, bold financial decisions).
    • Emilie L
       
      Like men who like messing around with different women; could be the lack of empathy that drives them to not care about the women's emotions once they 'hit it and quit it'... maybe some boys are not necessarily just jerks, but their brains have developed? to be narcissistic and thus get around the block... could be the same for women who enjoy fame and or money
  •  
    general description of narcissim- a good article to read as a 'start' to the subject. Reliability: very popular website, editors+writers from the site have educational background, REAL LIFE MAGAZINE (seems convincing enough to me)
Daryl Bambic

Brainology Program - Cultivate a Growth Mindset, by Carol Dweck, Ph.D. - 0 views

  •  
    Develop a learning mindset for life-long learning.  Get ready to become a future leader or at the very least, be in charge of your own learning.
Daryl Bambic

Animal Emotions: Exploring Passionate Natures | BioScience | Oxford Academic - 1 views

  • because emotions have evolved in specific contexts.
  • Categorically denying emotions to animals because they cannot be studied directly does not constitute a reasonable argument against their existence.
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      To deny that something is real without first investigating its existence is not good science.
  • Field research
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      meaning in nature and not in a lab
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  • phenotypes
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      This means a type of behaviour related to a species, like mating behaviour for example.
  • My goal is to convince skeptics that a combination of “hard” and “soft” interdisciplinary research is necessary to advance the study of animal emotions.
  • broadly defined as psychological phenomena that help in behavioral management and control
  • Likewise, no single theory of emotions captures the complexity of the phenomena called emotions
  • It is important to extend our research beyond the underlying physiological mechanisms that mask the richness of the emotional lives of many animals and learn more about how emotions serve them as they go about their daily activities
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Ignore the previous sentence because this one explains it: the study of emotions needs to focus more on how they help us in life and less on the biology of them.
  • emotions are real and that they are extremely important,
  • René Descartes
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      The philosopher who said, "I think therefore I am". He divided humans into mind/body.
  • B. F. Skinner
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Skinner was a pioneer in behaviour conditioning. He taught that emotions, because we can't measure them, are not important to understanding behaviour.
  • Why then are there competing views on the nature of animal emotions? In part, this is because some people view humans as unique animals, created in the image of God
  • researchers studying animal behavior came to realize that there was too little in studies of animal emotions and minds that was directly observable, measurable, and verifiable, and chose instead to concentrate on behavior because overt actions could be seen, measured objectively, and verified
  • Most researchers now believe that emotions are not simply the result of some bodily state that leads to an action
  • William James and Carl Lange
  • James and Lange argued that fear, for example, results from an awareness of the bodily changes (heart rate, temperature) that were stimulated by a fearful stimulus.
  • Walter Cannon's criticisms
  • there is a mental component that does not have to follow a bodily reaction
  • drugs producing bodily changes like those accompanying an emotional experience
  • do not produce the same type of conscious experience of fear
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      The textbook spoke of this.
  • Primary emotions, considered to be basic inborn emotions
  • Natural selection has resulted in innate reactions that are crucial to individual survival.
  • are wired into the evolutionary old limbic system (especially the amygdala), the “emotional” part of the brain
  • substrate
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Substitue 'circuit' for this word
  • . Each is connected to the other two but each also has its own capacities
  • current research (LeDoux 1996) indicates that all emotions are not necessarily packaged into a single system, and there may be more than one emotional system in the brain.
  • Secondary emotions are those that are experienced or felt, evaluated, and reflected on. Secondary emotions involve higher brain centers in the cerebral cortex.
  • ethologists
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      Ethology is the study of animal behaviour and mind
  • cognitive ethologists want to know what it is like to be another animal.
  • concerns how emotions and cognition are linked
  • A sense of self in the act of knowing is created,
  • various brain structures map both the organism and external objects
  • I am inclined merely to delete it [the mental realm] from biological explanation, because it is an entirely private phenomenon, and biology must deal with the publicly demonstrable.”
  • abanac postulated that the first mental event to emerge into consciousness was the ability of an individual to experience the sensations of pleasure and displeasure
  • Examples of animal emotions
  • Social play
  • Studies of the chemistry of play support the idea that play is enjoyable.
  • dopamine (and perhaps serotonin and norepinephrine)
  • rats enjoy being playfully tickled.
  • grief in geese
  • grief and depression in orphan elephants is a real phenomeno
  • It is unlikely that romantic love (or any emotion) first appeared in humans with no evolutionary precursors in animals
  • common brain systems and homologous chemicals underlying love that are shared among humans and animals
  • No one discipline will be able to answer all of the important questions that still need to be dealt with in the study of animal emotions
  • However, research that reduces and minimizes animal behavior and animal emotions to neural firings, muscle movements, and hormonal effects will not likely lead us significantly closer to an understanding of animal emotions.
  • All research involves leaps of faith from available data to the conclusions
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      What do you think about this sentence?
  • studies of the behavior of captive animals
  • Field work also can be problematic. It can be too uncontrolled to allow for reliable conclusions to be drawn.
  • behavior is primary; neural systems subserve behavior
  • Emotions are an integral part of human life, so why not for other animals?
  • in many instances, differences in degree rather than differences in kind.
Chanelle Miller

Stress Management - Academic Skills Center: Study Skills Library - Cal Poly, San Luis O... - 0 views

  • How Does Stress Affect You?
    • Chanelle Miller
       
      Psychological:  -Body produces hormones to fight harder or run faster. -Stress can cause heart disease due to the increase in blood pressure and tension that is put on the arteries. -Effects Your immune system therefore causing illnesses.
    • Chanelle Miller
       
      Psychological: -Lack of interaction and good decision making. -Stress can cause anxiety and depression
    • Chanelle Miller
       
      Behavioural: -Causes you to be excited or annoyed. -Takes part in the reason why people smoke, drink and laziness
  • What Causes Stress?
  • Academics
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  • Dating
  • Environment
  • Extracurricular
  • Peers
  • Time Management
  • Money
  • Parents
  • pressure of not failing.
  • relationship problems may add to the pressure/stress of academics.
  • viewing heated topics, slow moving traffic, trying to find a parking spot, etc.
  • extracurricular activities a part of their daily routine
  • pressure that is negatively influenced.
  • peer pressure
  • not knowing how to plan and execute daily activities
  • Money is a huge stressor that college students face.
  • Pressure from parents to succeed
  • Method for Identifying the Causes of Stress
    • Chanelle Miller
       
      To help manage your stress first you must identify what's causing your stress. Then, List and prioritize the sources of stress to help overcome and mange your stress level. Crating a management plan and keeping a stress journal would also help!
  • Stress Management Strategies
  • Learn how to say “NO!”
  • Attitude
  • Laugh
  • Avoid alcohol and cigarettes
  • Healthy eating
  • Exercise
  • Relaxing your mind and body
  • Sleep
  • Healthy relationships
  • Time management
  • Organization
  • Budget
  • Spirituality
  • Determine your learning style
  • Slow Down
  • Find a support system
  • Make changes in your surroundings
  • Delegate responsibilities
  • know your limits and do not compromise them.
  • Thinking rationally can take you a long way.
  • it is human nature to want to freak out.
  • Do something that you enjoy,
  • If you are feeling upset, express your feelings.
  • Once the chemical leave your body, you are back to feeling stressed and you are probably worse off than when you started.
  • Eat at least one hot-home cooked meal a day
  • Exercise for 30 minutes a day for at least 3 times per week.
  • physical activities can help you in not only burning off calories, but burning off stress. Exercise helps release tension.
  • take deep breaths
  • alone time”
  • focusing your attention on the present moment.
  • Avoid taking naps for more than 1 hour.
  • at least 7 hours of sleep
  • talk and hang out with friends. Find some you relate to and with whom you can share your problems with.
  • create a schedule, or even a to-do list.
  • Mark down your class meeting times, study time for a specific subject, mealtimes, fun activities, and sleep.
  • learn how to organize your notes, keep track of your assignments and note important due dates or date of exams. Establish your priorities for the day.
  • Distribute your money according to the bills you need to pay for the quarter
  • finding meaning in your life, the ability to connect with others.
  • find out whether you are a visual, auditory or kinesthetic learner.
  • Take your time so that you can ensure a well done job.
  • find someone you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with.
  • try moving to a place where there is no loud music, and brighter lights.
  • dividing up the work or responsibilities helps alleviate pressure and stress.
  • response to a demand
  • brain recognizes a threat.
  • your body releases hormones that activate your “fight or flight” response.
  • Physiological
  • hormones help you to either fight harder or run faster. They increase heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating.
  • heart disease.
  • increase in heart rate and blood pressure, prolonged stress increases the tension that is put on the arteries.
  • immune system
  • cold and flu illness
  • Behavioral
  • jumpy, excitable, or even irritable.
  • drink or smoke heavily, neglect exercise or proper nutrition, or overuse either the television or the computer.
  • Psychological
  • decrease your ability to work or interact effectively with other people, and be less able to make good decisions.
  • anxiety and depression.
Anthony Baloukas

Is Genius Borne of Nature or Nurture? - 0 views

  • Nurture would include education, parenting, learning, and time invested into the subject’s amount of learning.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      This is what a person is given through his/her environment when growing up.
  • Nature is the way we automatically perceive without instruction.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      This is what a person is given through genetics.
  • A student who is unexposed to academic curriculum cannot be expected to perform algebra simply by instinct.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      Example of how one could pretty much guide their child to be anything they want it to be. Whether it be successful, intelligent, athletic..
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  • Genius can be learned, it can be natural, but most importantly: it should be used.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      Perhaps there aren't ways to necessarily produce a genius, but we can for sure push a person to reach his/her full potential. 
  • Galileo, who applied his scholarly knowledge and found truth. Alexander the Great, tactically in battle. Benjamin Franklin, the inventor of many modern devices. Albert Einstein, a superb and original scholar. Andy Warhol, for his outstandingly appealing original creativity. Bill Gates, a technological thinker who applied his knowledge creatively.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      Examples of great geniuses in history
  • Therefore, we must assess that nature and nurture together combine to bring opportunity for genius.
    • Anthony Baloukas
       
      It has been concluded that both nature and nurture are combined to create what we call a "genius"
  • creativity is a part of our nature.
Erin Waxman

How to Help Your Depressed Teen - 0 views

    • Erin Waxman
       
      This connects the to problem of how depression often goes very much unnoticed in teenagers
  • The reality is that it is much more than a sullen mood and bouts of sadness. It is an actual medical condition that can have devastating, permanent effects on a teenager's life.
  • dependent on their parents or other caregivers to provide the medical attention they need, whereas adults are free to go to the doctor on their own.
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    • Erin Waxman
       
      very common as teenagers are known to be moody and hormonal 
    • Erin Waxman
       
      dopamine is a common example of a lacking neurotransmitter in a depressed brain
  • it can be difficult to distinguish between a foul mood and actual depression.
  • Physical examinations are always the first step in screening teens for depression so that other possible causes can be ruled out.
  • Simply prescribing teens an antidepressant is not good enough as a stand-alone treatment.
  • therapy
    • Erin Waxman
       
      talk therapy is one of the leading known successful treatments for depression, aside from medication
    • Daryl Bambic
       
      You have not established site validity.
Dayna Rabin

Our brains are wired for storytelling | Socialgrrrl World - 1 views

  • it is part of the human experience to want to communicate and share with each other through stories.
  • Even in a digital age, oral stories continue to be committed to memory and passed from generation to generation – fairytales, mythology, legends tie us to our history and give us a sense of belonging.
  • eople can only hold attention for 10 minutes at a time before they tune out
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  • we as marketers need to understand how we can adapt it to social media and digital technology.
  • The brain is so fascinating. It has been the focus of science and mystery alike trying to understand how it works including why it seems so wired for storytelling.
  • One thing we know is that large amounts of data or information with no context cannot be easily remembered;
  • The human brain can only hold about seven pieces of information for less than 30 seconds, which means, your brain can only handle a 7-digit phone number
  • omething interesting and relevant needs to happen in a lecture or presentation every 10 minutes so that the audience pays attention and remembers what you say
  • Hearing information told in the narrative from another person helps to reach the old brain, triggering emotion as we imagine ourselves in the story reacting and feeling.
  • Repeat to remember
  • ure data with no context is extremely difficult for the brain to put into long term memory –
  • thinking about fantasy first prepares us for situations that may come up in real life, narrative provides context.
  • The ‘old brain’ in humans is driven by basic primitive instincts such as hunger, sex and fight-or-flight are also intrinsically tied to emotion. 
  • The old brain does not understand numbers or abstract terms, like “integrated approach” or “comprehensive solution” which are an evolutionary part of our new brain
  • he old brain is influenced by beginnings and endings like in a simple story structure with patterns we can recogniz
  • It is important to not only recognize the history behind storytelling but explore why it is so prevalent across centuries, cultures and mediums
  • hearing a story in narrative about a specific situation actually helps us prepare for when this situation potentially happens to us.
  • share information with each other and will continue no matter what the medium.
  • We want stories to be memorable so they can easily be shared with others creating word of mouth.
courtney galli

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE CULT EXPERIENCE - NYTimes.com - 0 views

  • negative characteristics exhibited by the former cult members studied, said Dr. Clark, are depression, guilt, fear, paranoia, slow speech, rigidity of facial expression and body posture, indifference to physical appearance, passivity and memory impairment.
  • The techniques of many cults fall under the general rubric of brainwashing
  • Dr. Singer, ''cult leaders and their trainers exert a systematic social influence that can produce great behavioral changes.''
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  • 'have taken techniques from the human-potential movement, from the encounter, sensitivitytraining and humanistic-psychology movements, and combined them with cult ideology and persuasive sales methods - and packaged them in various combinations.''
  • nationally is variously estimated at 300,000 to three million.
  • Dr. Singer estimates that there are 2,500 to 3,000 cults in the United States
  • United
  • Dr. Singer estimates that there are 2,500 to 3,000 cults in the United States
  • Whether or not a cult is destructive is determined by the morality of the cult leader and the nature of the leader's charismatic dream,
  • Not all cults are destructive, the researchers said, and many of those who join and remain in cults do so out of a sincere quest for religious connection.
  • Dr. Cath defined a cult as a group of people joined together by a common ideological system fostered by a charismatic leader
    • courtney galli
       
      Temporal lobe epilepsy is a form of focal epilepsy, a chronic neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures.
  • ''the expectation is that they can transcend the imperfections and finitude of life.''
  • ''Often they set up a we-they philosophy: We have the truth and you do not.
  • ''Under the force of the conversion experience, people disappeared from their families and changed, sometimes after only a few days.''
  • More are male than female.
  • involves a vulnerable person
  • ''Cult recruiters frequent bus stations, airports, campuses, libraries, rallies, anywhere that unattached persons are likely to be passing through,''
  • Dr. Cath defined a cult as a group of people joined together by a common ideological system fostered by a charismatic leader
  • The symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy,'' said Dr. Clark, ''are similar to those seen or reported as resulting from cult conversions: increased irritability, loss of libido or altered sexual interest; ritualism, compulsive attention to detail, mystical states, humorlessness and sobriety, heightened paranoia.''
  • Dr. Cath said: ''Keeping devotees constantly fatigued, deprived of sensory input and suffering protein deprivation, working extremely long hours in street solicitation or in cult-owned businesses, engaging in monotonous chanting and rhythmical singing, may induce psychophysiological changes in the brain. The rhythmical movement of the body can lead to altered states of consciousness, and changes in the pressure or vibration pattern of the brain may affect the temporal lobe.''
  • ''cult-conversion syndrome'' represents an overload of the brain's ability to process information.
Zach Fenlon

Post-traumatic stress disorder - TheFamily Health Guide - 1 views

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      This link is credible because it is from studies conducted by the well known University Harvard
  • Under the current official definition, PTSD is diagnosed only if you have been exposed to actual or threatened death or serious injury and responded with fear, helplessness, or horror.
  • The point in a person’s life when a trauma occurs may also predict her likelihood of developing the disorder.
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  • some women develop PTSD after a traumatic childbirth.
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      I find this very interesting, i was completely unaware that a milestone this common could lead to PTSD. 
  • PTSD may also occur following a heart attack or diagnosis of cancer.
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      More examples that i never even considered possible. 
  • Avoidance: Avoiding thoughts, feelings, activities, places, and people associated with the trauma. This may result in social withdrawal and becoming numb to positive as well as negative emotions.
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      I did not know this to be a symptom. I wonder how easy it would be to identify. 
  • Symptoms lasting more than three months are considered chronic PTSD
  • Occasionally, someone develops “delayed PTSD” six months later or more, following a reminder of the event.
  • In the June 28, 2004, Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers from the Veterans Administration reported that women with PTSD have more medical conditions and worse physical health than non-traumatized women, even those with depression.
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      At first i only associated PTSD with causing suicide, but i didn't realize that it is also impacted the physical health or it's subjects. 
  • “The amygdala appears to be overreactive in PTSD. We’re currently examining whether it is already overreactive, making someone more vulnerable to PTSD, or becomes that way in response to trauma,”
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      This interests me because from what i understand, perhaps PTSD could be avoided in patients who are already more vulnerable. 
  • the hippocampus and the anterior cingulate cortex, appear not to function as well in those with PTSD.”
  • gradual and repeated exposure can reduce symptoms and help change how you respond to the triggering situations.
  • although not all clinical trials have shown them to work better than placebo.
    • Zach Fenlon
       
      I would like to read more on some of these studies. 
  • adrenaline acts to strengthen memories,
  • testing whether an adrenaline-reducing medication, the hypertension drug propranolol, might help block abnormal memory formation and prevent PTSD.
gillian baron-goodman

The Unconscious Mind - 0 views

  • The unconscious mind is still viewed by many psychological scientists as the shadow of a “real” conscious mind
  • unconscious is not identifiably less flexible, complex, controlling, deliberative, or action-oriented than is its counterpart.
  • traditionally defined the unconscious in terms of its unintentional nature; this research has demonstrated the existence of several independent unconscious behavioral guidance systems: perceptual, evaluative, and motivational.
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  • unconscious as the primary guiding influence over daily life, even today, is more specific and detailed than any to be found in contemporary cognitive or social psychology
  • unconscious relative to conscious modes of information processing largely depends on how one defines the unconscious
Daryl Bambic

Embracing stress is more important than reducing stress, Stanford psychologist says - 0 views

  • Psychologists have found that the ability to embrace stress requires a high tolerance for ambiguity and uncertainty. You have to be able to understand that two seemingly opposite things can be true at the same time.
  • People who had experienced the highest number of stressful life events in the past were most likely to consider their lives meaningful.
  • basic biology of the stress response
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  • Stress leaves an imprint on your brain that prepares you to handle similar stress the next time you encounter it.
  • stress inoculation
  • Going through the experience gives your brain and body a stress vaccine.
  • how you think about stress matters is because it changes how you respond to stress.
Emilie L

The Mind of the Narcissist - 0 views

    • Emilie L
       
      himself vs. reflection: major point
  • Some people explicitly state that they do not love themselves at all (they are ego-dystonic). Others confine their lack of self-love to certain of their traits, to their personal history, or to some of their behaviour patterns. Yet others feel content with who they are and with what they are doing (ego-syntonic). But one group of people seems distinct in its mental constitution – narcissists.
    • Emilie L
       
      * keyword: distinct mental constitution (that differs from all the different kinds of confidence kinda brain traits)
  • Loving your True Self is healthy, adaptive, and functional. Loving a reflection has two major drawbacks: One depends on the existence and availability of the reflection to produce the emotion of self-love. The absence of a "compass", an "objective and realistic yardstick", by which to judge the authenticity of the reflection. In other words, it is impossible to tell whether the reflection is true to reality – and, if so, to what extent.
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  • Narcissus is not in love with himself. He is in love with his reflection
  • Some people explicitly state that they do not love themselves at all (they are ego-dystonic).
  • the narcissist is preoccupied with projecting a loveable image, albeit compatible with his self-image (the way he "sees" himself).
  • If he cannot love himself – he must love his reflection
  • ut to love his reflection – it must be loveable
  • they direct their love to other people's impressions of them. He who loves only impressions is incapable of loving people, himself included.
  • The more successful this projected image (or series of successive images) is in generating Narcissistic Supply (NS) – the more the narcissist becomes divorced from his True Self and married to the image.
    • Emilie L
       
      Meaning, the better he is capable of mentally creating better image for himself in the eyes of others (therefore his 'reflection') the more he becomes 'in love' with the idea of himself then who he truly is
  • he prefers his image
  • The narcissist, therefore, is not selfish – because his True Self is paralysed and subordinate
    • Emilie L
       
      * very good point
  • narcissist is not attuned exclusively to his needs. On the contrary: he ignores them because many of them conflict with his ostensible omnipotence and omniscience. He does not put himself first – he puts his self last. He caters to the needs and wishes of everyone around him – because he craves their love and admiration. It is through their reactions that he acquires a sense of distinct self. In many ways he annuls himself – only to re-invent himself through the look of others. He is the person most insensitive to his true needs.
  • rains himself of mental energy in this process. This is why he has none left to dedicate to others
    • Emilie L
       
      he is so focused in pleasing everyone else to this image that he has no time to dedicate himself to others = lack of empathy
  • Why should people indulge the narcissist, divert time and energy, give him attention, love and adulation? The narcissist's answer is simple: because he is entitled to it
  • Clinical data show that there is rarely any realistic basis for these grandiose notions of greatness and uniqueness.
    • Emilie L
       
      meaning there is nothing really extravagant or particular about them that they should (or could even be really driven!!) to be narcissistic 
  • Actually, he feels betrayed, discriminated against and underprivileged because he believes that he is not being treated fairly, that he should get more than he does
  • With time, he comes to regard those around him as mere instruments of gratification, as two-dimensional cartoon figures with negligible lines in the script of his magnificent life.
    • Emilie L
       
      bases his own happiness on what others are doing around him + their reflection of him
  • He is a habitual "people-junkie"
  • The narcissist is forced to use other people in order to feel that he exists
  • A personality whose very existence is a derivative of its reflection in other people's minds is perilously dependent on these people's perceptions. They are the Source of Narcissistic Supply (NSS). Criticism and disapproval are interpreted as a sadistic withholding of said supply and as a direct threat to the narcissist's mental house of cards.
  • he reacts to what he perceives to be a danger to the very cohesion of his self. Thus, every minor disagreement with a Source of Narcissistic Supply – another person – is interpreted as a threat to the narcissist's very self-worth.
    • Emilie L
       
      * big point
  • The narcissist does not suffer from a faulty sense of causation. He is not oblivious to the likely outcomes of his actions and to the price he may have to pay. But he doesn't care.
  • He would rather discern disapproval and unjustified criticism where there are none then face the consequences of being caught off-guard.
  • that the narcissist cannot take chances. He would rather be mistaken then remain without Narcissistic Supply
  • blames others for his behaviour
    • Emilie L
       
      again, lack of humility
  • The narcissist – wittingly or not – utilises people to buttress his self-image and to regulate his sense of self-worth. As long and in as much as they are instrumental in achieving these goals, he holds them in high regard, they are valuable to him
  • This is a result of his inability to love others: he lacks empathy, he thinks utility, and, thus, he reduces others to mere instruments
  • He sees them only through this lens.
  • In 1977 the DSM-III criteria included: An inflated valuation of oneself (exaggeration of talents and achievements, demonstration of presumptuous self-confidence); Interpersonal exploitation (uses others to satisfy his needs and desires, expects preferential treatment without undertaking mutual commitments); Possesses expansive imagination (externalises immature and non-regimented fantasies, "prevaricates to redeem self-illusions"); Displays supercilious imperturbability (except when the narcissistic confidence is shaken), nonchalant, unimpressed and cold-blooded; Defective social conscience (rebels against the conventions of common social existence, does not value personal integrity and the rights of other people).
    • Emilie L
       
      1977 Criteria to Narcissistics * very interesting, gives personality traits + actions 
  • The narcissist is portrayed as a monster, a ruthless and exploitative person. Yet, inside, the narcissist suffers from a chronic lack of confidence and is fundamentally dissatisfied. This applies to all narcissists. The distinction between "compensatory" and "classic" narcissists is spurious. All narcissists are walking scar tissue, the outcomes of various forms of abuse.
    • Emilie L
       
      strong on the outside, weak on the inside * contradicts with the other article I read earlier..
  • Freud (1915) offered a trilateral model of the human psyche, composed of the Id, the Ego, and the Superego.
    • Emilie L
       
      * find further research
  • According to Freud, narcissists are dominated by their Ego to such an extent that the Id and Superego are neutralised. Early in his career, Freud believed narcissism to be a normal developmental phase between autoeroticism and object-love. Later on, he concluded that linear development can be thwarted by the very efforts we all make in our infancy to evolve the capacity to love an object (another person).
  • This choice – to concentrate on the self – is the result of an unconscious decision to give up a consistently frustrating and unrewarding effort to love others and to trust them.
  • The frustrated and abused child learns that the only "object" he can trust and that is always and reliably available, the only person he can love without being abandoned or hurt – is himself.
    • Emilie L
       
      ouuuu
  • So, is pathological narcissism the outcome of verbal, sexual, physical, or psychological abuse (the overwhelming view) – or, on the contrary, the sad result of spoiling the child and idolising it (Millon, the late Freud)?
    • Emilie L
       
      What makes a narcissistic (i.e., triggers it?)
  • Overweening, smothering, spoiling, overvaluing, and idolising the child – are also forms of parental abuse.
    • Emilie L
       
      Too much love can apparently ruin a child
  • This is because, as Horney pointed out, the smothered and spoiled child is dehumanised and instrumentalised. His parents love him not for what he really is – but for what they wish and imagine him to be: the fulfilment of their dreams and frustrated wishes. The child becomes the vessel of his parents' discontented lives, a tool, the magic airbrush with which they seek to transform their failures into successes, their humiliation into victory, their frustrations into happiness. The child is taught to give up on reality and adopt the parental fantasies. Such an unfortunate child feels omnipotent and omniscient, perfect and brilliant, worthy of adoration and entitled to special treatment. The faculties that are honed by constantly brushing against bruising reality – empathy, compassion, a realistic assessment of one's abilities and limitations, realistic expectations of oneself and of others, personal boundaries, team work, social skills, perseverance and goal-orientation, not to mention the ability to postpone gratification and to work hard to achieve it – are all lacking or missing altogether. This kind of child turned adult sees no reason to invest resources in his skills and education, convinced that his inherent genius should suffice. He feels entitled for merely being, rather than for actually doing (rather as the nobility in days gone by felt entitled not by virtue of its merits but as the inevitable, foreordained outcome of its birth right). The narcissist is not meritocratic – but aristocratic.
    • Emilie L
       
      too much love explained: the child is smothered by love and thus thinks theres a reason for it nana the world revolves around me because mummy and Daddy think so I am there pride and joy, because I am in fact an angel... now look at me I am a narcissitic and it's like a legit mental disorder.
  • This is Millon's mistake. He makes a distinction between several types of narcissists. He wrongly assumes that the "classic" narcissist is the outcome of parental overvaluation, idolisation, and spoiling and, thus, is possessed of supreme, unchallenged, self-confidence, and is devoid of all self-doubt.
  • Yet, this distinction is both wrong and unnecessary. Psychodynamically, there is only one type of pathological narcissism – though there are two developmental paths to it. And all narcissists are besieged by deeply ingrained (though at times not conscious) feelings of inadequacy, fears of failure, masochistic desires to be penalised, a fluctuating sense of self-worth (regulated by NS), and an overwhelming sensation of fakeness.
    • Emilie L
       
      * much importanto: there is only reaaally one type of narcissism despite having two different paths to it i. too much love ii. not enough 
  • hey tend to ignore him – or actively abuse him – when these needs are no longer pressing or existent.
  • The narcissist's past of abuse teaches him to avoid deeper relationships in order to escape this painful approach-avoidance pendulum. Protecting himself from hurt and from abandonment, he insulates himself from people around him. He digs in – rather than spring out.
  • This shocking revelation deforms the budding Ego. The child forms a strong dependence (as opposed to attachment) on his parents. This dependence is really the outcome of fear, the mirror image of aggression. In Freud-speak (psychoanalysis) we say that the child is likely to develop accentuated oral fixations and regressions. In plain terms, we are likely to see a lost, phobic, helpless, raging child.
    • Emilie L
       
      child-like ego problems: strong dependence on parents creates a super vulnerable child
  •  
    "The World of the Narcissist (Essay)" - tons of information +lots to read through, primary resource! like a fountain of info on narcissists. Reliability: not many ads, written by a doctor (has his CV published online, http://samvak.tripod.com/cv.html), wrote two books- one of which is an "ebook"
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