Hanan Parvez 
Survival is a top priority for the brain. You feel physiological and psychological stress when you encounter a survival-threatening or traumatic situation. When you’ve dealt with the threat, the stress fades, and you return to psychological and psychological balance. However, when a stressful event is high-impact or low-impact but continuous, it’s hard for the mind
Most people don’t give much thought to their actions and decisions and then wonder why they ended up where they did. Choosing a long-term partner is a high-stakes decision that should be given a lot of thought. Yet, people prefer to go purely by their heart in matters of the heart. Of course, feelings are
In attachment theory, the anxious and avoidant attachment styles are two insecure attachment styles. Individuals with these styles often exhibit insecure behaviors in romantic relationships, which can lead to friction or even dissolution. Before we delve into the anxious-avoidant relationship dynamics, let’s first understand the two attachment styles. To be specific, in this article, I’ll
What is hyperphantasia? Hyperphantasia (Hyper = over; Phantasia = power of imagination) is when a person has a vivid and powerful imagination. Seeing things with their mind’s eye is precise and detailed, as if they’re seeing it in reality. In other words, they’re capable of vivid imagery. Imagery means experiencing the sensory properties of things
Both men and women can be toxic in relationships. While the toxic behaviors of men (toxic masculinity) are well-known and frequently discussed, it’s rare to hear people talk about the toxic behaviors of women (toxic femininity). There are a few reasons for this. First, many toxic female behaviors tend to be covert. Second, society and
What is reverse body dysmorphia? Reverse body dysmorphia is when a person becomes obsessed with the false belief that they’re weaker and smaller than they really are. Even though people with this condition have average or above-average muscularity, they think they’re insufficiently muscular.1Blomeley, D., Phillipou, A., & Castle, D. J. (2018). Sizing it up: a
What is Post-infidelity Stress Disorder? Post-infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD) is inspired by the term Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While PTSD is a generic condition that can be caused by any life-threatening trauma, in PISD, infidelity is the trauma-inducing incident. The term was coined because infidelity can lead to PTSD-like symptoms in the betrayed partner.1Baucom, D.
Where there’s need, there’s manipulation Humans have a deep need to be loved. Manipulators are experts at exploiting others’ needs for selfish gain. That’s why love bombing even occurs. It’s a manipulative technique where the manipulator bombards you with attention and affection. The goal is not to build a healthy relationship but to gain power
Emotional dysregulation is the inability to handle emotions. Emotions are signals our minds send us to help us meet our needs. In this sense, they’re adaptive and enable us to navigate life. However, they can spiral out of control and become maladaptive if not appropriately handled. For example, it’s normal to feel jealous when your
You’re probably aware of the freeze response. Like the fight-and-fight response, it’s another way humans deal with stressful and traumatic events. Freezing in the face of fear allows mammals to avoid detection from a predator. It also gives an organism time to process the threat and decide a course of action. This response is usually