The Science Behind Echoic Memory: How Sound Lingers in Your Mind

The memory of a sound might linger in your mind very briefly after the actual auditory stimulus has ended. It is a bit like an echo of a sound that exists only in your mind. The brain utilizes severaldifferent types of memory, and echoic memory serves an essential purpose. Martin-dm / Getty Images Maybe it’s a ringing noise or a honking noise. Perhaps it’s the sound of your cat’s meow or dog’s bark....

April 26, 2025 · 4 min · 653 words · Teresa Fields

The Science of Happy Hormones: How to Enhance Your Mental Well-being

Ever notice how good you feel after exercising? My blood pressure rose, my fists clenched, and my jaw tightened. I was getting ready to snap back at him but decided my workout was more important. Getty Images / Verywell Mind I could fight with him afterward. All that anger I felt earlier? Did those happy hormones actually make me feel better and prevent a potentially explosive fight with my husband?...

April 26, 2025 · 3 min · 602 words · Tammy Booth DVM

The SCOFF Questionnaire Screens for Eating Disorders

Common eating disorders includeanorexia nervosa,bulimia nervosa,binge eating disorder, orother specified feeding and eating disorder. It was devised to be used by non-professionals. What Is the SCOFF Questionnaire? Peerawat Kamklay / Getty Images The SCOFF questionnaire is a simple, five-question screening measure to assess the possible presence of an eating disorder. It was developed in the United Kingdom by Morgan and colleagues in 1999. It also does not translate exactly as the “sick” is specifically means “vomit....

April 26, 2025 · 1 min · 182 words · James Sampson

The Seductive Trap of the Lifestyle Creep

Now, you have the extra funds to revamp your home or invest in a new wardrobe. Add another subscription service. Treat yourself to some fine dining events. Verywell Mind / Getty Images You deserve these nice little luxuries and plus, money is meant to be spent, right? But it’s easy to get carried away binge shopping on Amazon and Target and risking your financial health. That said, there are ways to avoid this sneaky trapand we lay them all for you below....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 265 words · Douglas Sanchez

The Sensorimotor Stage of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage is the earliest in Piaget’stheory of cognitive development. He described this period as a time of tremendous growth and change. Through trial and error, children discover more about the world around them. Illustration by Hugo Lin. © Verywell, 2018. Primary Circular Reactions (1-4 months) This substage involves coordinating sensation and newschemas. For example, a child may suck their thumb by accident and then later intentionally repeat the action....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 243 words · Barbara Lopez

The Sexualization of Young Girls and Mental Health Problems

Sexualization can also negatively impact girlscognitive functioningas well as their physical and mental health. Boundaries are constantly being pushed by themediaand by individuals. It’s incredibly valuable to become aware of what you are saying to a young woman in your life. Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou When girls experience sexualization or objectification first-hand, it can stir up a wide range of emotions. Depending on the severity of the instance, it can lead to anxiety, depression, or evenPTSD....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 246 words · Michael Lopez

The Signs of Grandiose Narcissism and How to Deal With It

Grandiose narcissism is also known as “overt narcissism.” People with narcissistic grandiosity have a highly inflated sense of self-importance. They crave admiration and tend to make social situations all about them. Getty / Antonio Saba They can be charming but destructive. What Does the Term Grandiose Narcissist Mean? Their haughtiness is highly visible, even showy. They’re not just propping themselves up, either. Their inflated sense ofself-esteemoften comes at the expense of relationships or activities that would benefit them in other ways....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 380 words · Jonathan Vega

The Size of the Human Brain

It’s capable of surprising feats of memory and learning. It’s susceptible to damage, and yet remarkably adaptable to change. Considering all of its many capabilities, you may begin to wonder, how big is the human brain? Matt Cardy / Getty Images For the sperm whale, the brain is only about 0.06% of body weight. A newborn baby’s brain weighs approximatelythree-quarters of a pound(350 to 400 grams). The brain is considered fully formed at age 25....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 258 words · Jonathan Hicks

The Sleep Fix With ABC News Anchor and Former Insomniac Diane Macedo

She often appears on Good Morning America, World News Tonight, and World News Now. Shes also the author of “Sleep Fix,” a book that describes how she overcameinsomnia. By reading countless studies and interviewing many experts, Diane discovered strategies that helped her get better quality sleep. Verywell / Julie Bang Now, shes sharing those strategies to help other people learn how to fix their sleep problems, too. Why Diane Macedo Is Mentally Strong Diane isnt an expert on sleep....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 248 words · Ashley Anderson

The Social Media and Mental Health Connection

Verywell / Catherine Song In recent years, there has been a significant increase in social media use. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of Americans in the U.S. use social media. This has some researchers wondering about the long-term effects of social media use. Because social media use is still relatively new, there are no long-term studies documenting its effects. But several studies indicate that social media impacts mental health in a number of ways....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 249 words · Michelle Tapia

The Spiritual Journey: Meaning, Examples, & Books-Being Institute

What Is The Spiritual Journey?

April 26, 2025 · 1 min · 5 words · Bethany Rodriguez

The Spotlight Effect and Social Anxiety

This phenomenon, known as the spotlight effect, can lead toself-consciousnessand anxiety. What Is the Spotlight Effect? However, for people with social anxiety, this feeling can be overemphasized. Getty / Yuval Navot / EyeEm You may blush or make a run at hide from your coworkers, convinced they pity or mock you. Some situations where you might notice this include the following: What Causes the Spotlight Effect? The spotlight effect is acognitive biasan error in thinking that affects your judgments about yourself and the world....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 266 words · Kristina Schroeder MD

The Stages of Change Model of Overcoming Addiction

The stages of change or transtheoretical model is a way of describing the process by which peopleovercome addiction. This model was developed from research looking at how change occurs in natural recovery from addictions. Maintenance and relapse are also sometimes included as additional stages. Hinterhaus Productions / Getty People in the precontemplation stage typically do not consider their behavior to be a problem. People in this stage usually experience their addictive behavior as a positive or pleasant experience....

April 26, 2025 · 2 min · 424 words · Samantha Rogers