Voices in the Family

A lot of people feel outrage when they’re online – about the news, about injustice or violence in their neighborhood, country, or the world. But where does that outrage take people? A new study from Lancaster University analyzed over a million posts linked to online petitions. It found that moral outrage helps posts go viral, but it doesn’t significantly increase signatures on petitions. Outrage doesn’t seem to lead to action, but – scientists are finding that feeling outraged while spending lots of time online can have real health consequences. In one of their occasional conversations, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the findings.

Do you often beat yourself up when things don’t go according to plan? You didn’t meet the deadline at work, you didn’t lose the ten pounds you wanted to shed before your class reunion, or maybe you were impatient with your partner? Instead of berating yourself, forgiving yourself may be a better, more constructive way to go. WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss what that looks like in one of their conversations.

A comprehensive new study akes a strong case that exercise is very effective in combatting depression and anxiety. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the results.

Are your New Years’ resolutions starting to fade away? Back to hitting the snooze button on your alarm instead of the gym?

Women are far more likely than men to suffer from conditions like chronic pain, fibromyalgia, and migraines. Some researchers point to cultural norms and expectations as a contributing factor. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the details:

After the devastating and deadly fire that raged across Maui, Hawaii, mental health professionals warn that survivors could face many challenges related to both the trauma and smoke inhalation. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the specifics.

Anxiety disorders are on the rise in this country, especially since the pandemic. What are the reasons for this steep increase? In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss anxiety, and Dan suggests a different way to look at the issue.

Your neighborhood affects your quality of life in many ways – whether you feel safe, comfortable, or have access to healthy food or green spaces. But – it goes beyond that. Rutgers researchers have found that the connections we have with our neighbors really matter.In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the findings:

A lot of people carry shame – about who they are, things they’ve done – or failed to do. And when that shame becomes overwhelming, therapists refer to it as “toxic shame.” What are the roots of that kind of deep shame – and how can people get over it?

Levels of anxiety are way up among adults and children – and many people cope by avoiding activities and things they are afraid of. An approach called “exposure therapy” has long shown promise in helping people with anxiety – and it’s coming into play more these days. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss how it works.

Acting in selfless ways – helping others – can make people feel like they have more control over their lives and can reduce feelings of despair. That’s according to new research. In their weekly conversation, WHYY’s Maiken Scott and psychologist Dan Gottlieb discuss the implications.

A new initiative headed by the American Board of Internal Medicine aims to re-build trust in healthcare organizations across different dimensions – within the organizations themselves, and with the patients and communities they serve. In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY’s Maiken Scott discuss what is at stake with this effort:

Do you ever feel like you’re just not good enough at your job – that any moment, you could make a huge mistake, and everyone would realize that you’re a fraud? That sentiment is often called imposter syndrome. In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY’s Maiken Scott discuss what to do when you’re feeling like that.

Mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or eating disorders among kids and adolescents have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. Many educators, pediatricians, and mental health providers are calling the situation a crisis. In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY’s Maiken Scott discuss what families can do to help kids navigate these difficult times.

A targeted psychotherapy approach shows promising results in treating chronic back pain, and potentially other forms of chronic pain. The approach was studied at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “For a long time, we have thought that chronic pain is due primarily to problems in the body, and most treatments to date have targeted that,” said lead author Yoni Ashar, who conducted the study. “This treatment is based on the premise that the brain can generate pain in the absence of injury or after an injury has healed, and that people can unlearn that pain. In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY’s Maiken Scott discuss the approach and results.

The coronavirus variants have brought new worries – and new restrictions. And in many ways, it feels like our lives are on hold. This prolonged period of living with uncertainty has put many people into a state of limbo, feeling like they are languishing. In their weekly conversation, psychologist Dan Gottlieb and WHYY’s Maiken Scott discuss this feeling, and how we can deal with it.