Doses of Psyche

Docesofpsyche_ Attachment Trauma Looks Like... - Attachment Series Part 4

The attachment between a child and a parent is very important. Any issues with this bond can lead to a trauma in later years, well into adulthood.

If the attachment style was not secure, it often happens that the child grows up to be an adult with some attachment trauma. This leads to problems such as abandonment/commitment issues, avoiding building up connections and even withdrawing from people.

Others might have anger issues, become very impulsive, are afraid of affection or sometimes suffer from the inability to show affection.

Docesofpsyche_ Childhood Attachment Styles - Attachment Series Part 3

Psychologist Mary Ainsworth researched attachment styles in children by conducting a few experiments. In these experiments, Mary observed mothers and their one-year old’s by leaving them in a room with toys. In these experiments mothers had to leave the room and afterwards a stranger had to enter the room.

Then, how the baby reacted both to the stranger entering the room and the mother when she came back was measured. Based on these observations Mary Ainsworth described three different attachment styles: secure, anxious and avoidant attachment. Later, a fourth one was added by researchers Main and Solomon: disorganised attachment.

Secure attachment was noticed in babies that needed comfort from their caregivers/parents when they were scared, and were happy when their parent came back. Anxious attachment was seen in babies that became very distressed when their parent left and were difficult to console when they came back. Also, these babies with anxious attachment were very wary of strangers.

The third childhood attachment style is the avoidant one. These babies often avoided contact with their parent, and did not need comfort from their parents. There was no preference between strangers and their parents for avoidant attachment style babies. Lastly, the attachment style added was the disorganised one. These babies could act both avoidant and resistant, as well as confused and overwhelmed. Sometimes these babies even tried to take over the role of the caregiver by consoling them.

Dosesofpsyche_ The Six Stages of Attachment - Attachment Series Part 2

The bond between children and their parents is complex. The attachment of a child to its parent does not happen overnight. Many behaviours and interactions are needed to develop a strong attachment bond.

Child psychologist Gordon Neufeld identified six stages that a child can go through to develop a secure attachment with their parent. In these six stages, the responsiveness of the parent and the focus on providing the right needs are helpful to increase attachment and strengthen the bond.

The first stage is proximity, where the child needs to be close to the parent and have physical contact. The second stage is sameness, where the child wants to be like the parent and develops language skills. The third stage is belonging, where the child wants to be loyal to the parent and feel they belong to them.

The fourth stage is significance, where the child will attach more if the parent makes them feel important. The fifth stage is love, where the child will develop more complex emotions and understand the feelings of love for their parent if they reciprocate. Finally, the sixth stage is being known, where the child completes a secure attachment if they are seen and understood by their parents.

For more on attachment, stay tuned!

Dosesofpsyche_ Attachment Theory - Attachment Series Part 1
When a baby is born, they need help from their parents to survive in the world. Unable to provide food for themselves they rely on what their parent gives them. Psychologist John Bowlby first researched and discussed the attachment theory, arguing that newborns are helpless and programmed to attach to their mothers.
Attachment is needed for the baby to survive. But, mothers are also attached to their babies as they are programmed to bond and need to baby close to ensure the baby can grow up. Any threats to this bond trigger instinctive behaviours in both the mother and the baby. If this bond is damaged for whichever reason, the child can suffer lifelong mental issues.
Later on, experiments were done by Mary Ainsworth to see how newborns and toddlers reacted to their mothers being away and how secure they seemed regarding their emotions. Based on this research Ainsworth defined different attachment styles that she observed in infants and their mothers. These are the secure, anxious, avoidant and disorganised attachment styles.
More on attachment styles and their effects later in the attachment series! Comment below if you want to share about your experience/thoughts with attachment styles 👇
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Dosesofpsyche_ Mirror neurons in our brain are responsible for our ability to understand quickly and instinctively what others feel and experience. They encode not only the movement, but also the intention.

Also, mirror neurons help us to differentiate facial expressions which is important to develop empathy. People on the autism spectrum likely have a less active mirror neuron network and more difficulty understanding other people’s emotions.

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Dosesofpsyche_Comment below how you like to show kindness to others👇

In today’s post I wanted to focus on something that people might sometimes forget. What you see on the surface or how people present themselves towards you, might not be a reflection of their reality.

Often when someone finally opens up, some people might even give reactions: ‘But you always look so happy!’, ‘You look fine!’ or something similar. Many people go through difficult times but are good at hiding this.

So, my message is: treat people with kindness. It might save someone.

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Dosesofpsyche_Comment below how you feel about the holiday season👇

The end of 2021 is fast approaching. Crazy right? In many parts of the world this means that the holiday season is or was all around us. Whether this is Christmas,Thanksgiving, New Years Eve or any other celebration.

But, unfortunately, for many this is an extremely difficult time. Not everyone is looking forward to the holidays. Why? Because maybe there are strained family relationships, obligatory events, loss of a loved one, loneliness and still a raging pandemic.

So, with this holiday season happening, please try to be kind to others, take good care of yourself, set clear boundaries and try to get through this season if you are struggling. And remember, it is okay to ask for help.

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Dosesofpsyche_ Comment below how you deal with loved ones that are mentally suffering 👇

Many people in the world suffer mentally. There are so many reasons why life can be a challenge and result in issues. Whether it is job loss, disease, a break-up, grief, relationship struggles, you name it.

With mental suffering happening, people change. Sometimes their personality can seem different. Or, they withdraw from people around them trying to suffer in silence.

Therefore, in today’s post I wanted to share some signs of possible mental suffering. If you notice this in people around you, think about initiating a conversation. Letting people know you are there for them.

Or, help them with getting professional support if they really struggle. Often, people do not know where or who to turn to, or even dare talk about their suffering. Showing you care or just simply listening can already be a good first step.

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Dosesofpsyche_How to Stimulate Creativity

Starting with a creative process can be very difficult for some. Finding time, sitting down, brainstorming, overthinking and insecurities can play a role in witholding creativity. Luckily, for many being creative also means releasing insecurities or using creativity as a healing process.

While no individual is the same, there are some general advices on how to stimulate creativity. One important advice is to stop overthinking and just start with a creative outlet. Many think about the end state of a creation, how something should look or sound like. But the process itself is just as important.

Soms creations and creative ideas only come to fruition by trial and error. Ideas can be abstract and the expression of an idea can look completely different compared to what a person has in mind. Therefore, just starting the process can be a great way of expressing creativity and finding out what works and what does not.

Other advices are taking a walk, finding a change of scenery by visiting a new place, a vacation or even temporarily moving somewhere else could be valuable (working abroad appears to stimulate creativity, but it is quite an extreme measure for many). Also, breaking with certain patterns can stimulate the brain and the creative process.

Dosesofpsyche_Comment below on other insights how to stimulate creativity 👇🏻

Dosesofpsyche_ The Creative Brain

During the pandemic some find that they have more time on their hands. As there are social restrictions, many have more alone time. One advantage of this alone time is a focus on creativity. As humans, many are fond of creating, of ideation and thinking creatively about things in the world.

The brain is an essential part of creativity. Certain parts in the brain play a vital role in creativity and creative processes. For example, the prefrontal cortex is important in the creative process as it helps humans to think in abstract ways and uses the working memory to ideate.

Also, there is a link between the characteristic ‘openness to experience’ and the prefrontal cortex, which leads to a need of a human being to create and think about creative ideas. Ultimately, creativity is triggered by combining sensory input, stimulation, memory and new experiences.

More on how to stimulate creativity later. Stay tuned!

Dosesofpsyche_ Comment below which self-sabotaging behaviors you recognize in your life👇

As humans, we do not always make decisions that are in our best interests. Sometimes because we are scared, because we don’t know any better or simply because we do not know what our best interests are.

Often, we sabotage ourselves. That is, we act and find ourselves in situations that can be damaging and harmful to our mental health.

Today, I wanted to list a few self-sabotaging behaviors many people can find themselves in.

An important side note is that you should not be ashamed for engaging in these behaviors, but it would be good to recognize them as it can help with steps towards better mental health.

Comment below which self-sabotaging behaviors you recognize in your life👇

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Doses of Psyche updated their business hours.

Dosesofpsyche_Comment below what fascinates you about the brain 👇

What I love about psychology is not only the complexity and sometimes abstract concepts, but also the human anatomy.

Learning about the brain and the body is so important to understand how closely intertwined it is with our mental health and the psychology of human life.

Therefore, today a bit of a neuropsychology post with information about human brain waves!

Did you know that as humans we have brain waves at different frequencies that impact our consciousness and our ability to think?

These are 5 brain wave frequencies that we have as humans:

🔅Delta: 0.5 - 4 Hz -> Deep sleep (non REM), being unconscious

🔅Theta: 4 - 7 Hz -> REM sleep, meditation and memory formation

🔅 Alpha: 7.5 - 12.5 Hz -> Visualizing things, being creative and relaxation

🔅 Beta: 12.5 - 30 Hz -> Concentration, problem solving and thinking

🔅 Gamma: 25 - 100 Hz -> Insights, alertness and intense thinking

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Doses of psyche_Do you know an interesting fact about our brain? Comment it below👇

Psychology is a beautiful science to me. Because it is such a mix of more exact science and sometimes abstract science that is hard to measure but so interesting to create theories about and test these.

Especially the brain is so interesting to me as it is complex and in some cases still a mystery.

A lot of research has been done on the brain. Did you know that the brain has many different areas that are actually involved with separate functions? So if there is brain damage in one area, for example the occipital lobe, vision can be impaired.

In today’s post I wanted to give some information about our brain.

If you know any interesting facts about our brain, let me know below👇

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Dosesofpsyche_ Comment below which of these hormones you feel you need right now👇

As a human we have so many hormones in our body. Psychiatrists and psychologists know that many of these play such an important role in our mental health. A hormonal imbalance can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety.

Many have probably heard of four hormones that are responsible for happy and positive feelings and outcomes that keep us healthy. These are serotonin, dopamine, endorphin and oxytocin.

These hormones lead to a good mood and keep us happy. Luckily, they are natural and we can do things to ensure they are released in our bloodstream. Think about going outside, getting sunlight, exercising and cuddling others.

_Psychologist Madushi Bopage_

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Dosesofpsyche_ Comment below why mental health and psychology is important to you 👇

Hi all! As there will be many new people here on my account, I thought it would be good to introduce myself a bit more, welcome you and explain why I started this account.

I’m Madushi, 26 years old and currently living in Sri Lanka. I graduated from University of Kelaniya with an honors degree in psychology. I also graduated as a psychological counselor from Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.

For me, studying psychology always felt like an eye-opener. Things made more sense. Me, my surroundings, the world. There were so many insights that helped and interested me.

While psychology is not always an exact science, all the psychologists, therapists, historians, sociologists and philosophers have created and thought about many interesting theories shaping perspectives that greatly influenced the world. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

My goal has always been to help educate and share insights. There will be some outdated ones and there will be mistakes every now and then (I am only human after all 😊). I try my best to stay true to research that has been done, but will also share my opinion from time to time.

Last important thing to mention: Social Media is not therapy. Sharing insights does not mean you should diagnose yourself or see it as a substitute. I do not have the capacity to answer all. but I'll try my best. If you struggle, please seek help from a professional near you.

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