La psicología del regalo

En noche de regalos es bueno saber algunas características de las personas detrás de los obsequios. Por ejemplo los individuos narcisistas compran grandes regalos para sentirse "únicos". Los científicos han estudiado la psicología que hay detrás de la costumbre navideña de regalar. Y han descubierto, entre otras cosas, que los individuos narcisistas compran grandes regalos, tanto para los demás como para sí mismos, con el fin de destacar entre la multitud y hacer sentir a los demás que "son únicos".  De ahí que sean más propensos a adquirir y osbsequiar a sus familiares y amigos con productos de ediciones limitadas, tal y como explica Aiden Gregg, de la Universidad Southampton (Reino Unido), coautor de un reciente estudio al respecto. “Es como si, al regalar, los narcisistas intentaran que los que le rodean fueran tan especiales como se consideran ellos”. Por otro lado, una reciente investigación estadounidense publicada en Journal of Consumer Research revelaba que, cuando se trata de regalar, más no significa mejor. En concreto, si en un paquete agregamos un obsequio barato a uno más caro –algo que suelen preferir quienes regalan si tiene poder adquisitivo- se reduce el efecto positivo del segundo en quien lo recibe. Los destinatarios de un presente apreciarán más un regalo más caro si es el único que reciben.  Montevideo, Uruguay UNoticias Fuente. Muy Interesante VA

Neuroimagen y trastorno bipolar

Los jóvenes con riesgo genético de sufrir trastorno bipolar muestran una reducción en la actividad de una región cerebral relacionada con las emociones.
19.12.2012. investigacionyciencia.es

Los jóvenes con un riesgo genético de sufrir trastorno bipolar, aunque sin signos clínicos de la enfermedad, presentan una reducción en la actividad de una región cerebral relacionada con las emociones, en concreto, la circunvolución frontal inferior.

A esta conclusión han llegado en fecha reciente investigadores de la Universidad de Nueva Gales del Sur y del Instituto Black Dog, en Sidney, mediante técnicas de neuroimagen. El trastorno bipolar se caracteriza, entre otros factores, por las fluctuaciones extremas y a menudo impredecibles del estado de ánimo y los cambios conductuales (conducta desinhibida, agresividad y depresión severa). Esta sintomatología influye de manera destacada en la vida diaria de los afectados.

Menos respuesta a las emociones

«Hemos encontrado que los jóvenes con un padre o un hermano con trastorno bipolar mostraban respuestas cerebrales reducidas ante rostros emotivos, en especial ante las cara que expresaban miedo», indica Philip Mitchell, de la Universidad de Nueva Gales del Sur y autor principal del estudio. «Sabemos que el trastorno bipolar es principalmente una enfermedad biológica con una influencia genética fuerte, pero existen desencadenantes que todavía no se han entendido», añade.

A través de imágenes por resonancia magnética funcional, los científicos observaron la actividad cerebral de 47 probandos entre los 18 y 30 años con al menos un familiar de primer grado que padecía dicha psicopatología; también de 49 sujetos de control (dentro del mismo rango de edad, pero sin una historia familiar de trastorno bipolar u otras enfermedades mentales graves). A todos ellos se les mostraron fotografías de rostros felices, temerosos o neutros (en calma). Los resultados revelaron que las personas con un riesgo genético de trastorno bipolar manifestaban una reducción de la actividad en una parte específica del cerebro que regula las respuestas emocionales: la circunvolución frontal inferior.

«Nuestros resultados muestran que el trastorno bipolar puede estar relacionado con una disfunción en la regulación emocional», indica Mitchell. Según prevén los autores, la identificación precoz de este trastorno mental podría mejorar la evolución de la enfermedad y permitiría implementar programas de intervención temprana. «Esperamos que la identificación temprana mejorará de manera relevante los resultados para las personas que van a desarrollar el trastorno, e incluso permita prevenir su aparición en algunos individuos», apunta Mitchell.

Más información en Biological Psychiatry

Fuente: Universidad de Nueva Gales del Sur / EurekaAlert!

Reappraisal Defuses Strong Emotional Responses to Israel-Palestine Conflict

December 18, 2012 
For Immediate Release

Contact: Anna Mikulak
Association for Psychological Science
202.293.9300
amikulak@psychologicalscience.org

Related Topics: Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Psychology, Emotional Control, Emotions, Intergroup Relations,Psychological Science

Reappraisal is a widely-used cognitive strategy that can help people to regulate their reactions to emotionally charged events. Now, new research suggests that reappraisal may even be effective in changing people’s emotional responses in the context of one of the most intractable conflicts worldwide: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Negative intergroup emotions play a crucial role in decisions that perpetuate intractable conflicts,” observes lead researcher Eran Halperin of the New School of Psychology at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel.

With this in mind, Halperin and his colleagues wondered whether cognitive reappraisal, a strategy that involves changing the meaning of a situation to change the emotional response to it, might be effective in diminishing such negative intergroup emotions.

Their research is published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

In the first study, 39 Jewish Israeli participants viewed a series of photos that were deliberately selected to induce anger. Some of the participants were trained in cognitive reappraisal — they were taught to respond to the images like scientists, considering them objectively, analytically, and in a cold and detached manner. The other participants received no instructions.

Then all of the participants watched an anger-inducing presentation. The four-minute presentation — with pictures, text, and music — described Israel’s disengagement from the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian response, including the launching of rockets, the election of Hamas, and the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier. Before watching, participants were asked to apply the reappraisal technique they had learned.

Halperin and colleagues found that participants who were taught to reappraise their emotional responses expressed less anger towards Palestinians, greater support for conciliatory policies, and less support for aggressive policies than the participants who received no training. The results suggest that the increase in support for conciliatory policies could be explained — at least in part — by decreased intergroup anger.

To examine whether these findings would extend to conflict-related events as they occurred in the real world, Halperin and colleagues conducted a second study.

The researchers knew that Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas would be presenting a bid to the United Nations seeking full UN membership for Palestine in September 2011. They recruited 60 Jewish Israelis to participate in a study and, six days before the UN bid, they asked the participants to rate their current positive and negative emotions and their general support for different types of policies.

Once again, the researchers trained half of the participants to use cognitive reappraisal. Over the course of the following week, the participants received three text message reminders to use the technique they had learned. A week after the training and two days after the bid, the researchers assessed participants’ emotional and political reactions.

As Halperin and colleagues expected, there was no difference in negative emotions among the participants before training took place. A week after training, however, the reappraisal participants reported lower levels of negative emotions toward Palestinians. The data suggest that the reappraisal actually made them more supportive of conciliatory policies and less supportive of aggressive policies, effects which could be attributed to a decrease in negative emotions.

Even more surprising, however, was the fact that these results held up five months later when the participants were asked to complete a brief questionnaire by an unfamiliar experimenter.

“We consider our findings to be preliminary yet provocative,” write Halperin and colleagues. “Political positions in conflict situations are considered rigid, well entrenched, and driven mainly by ideological rather than emotional considerations. It is therefore surprising to see shifts in these attitudes based on such minimal interventions.”

These results provide evidence that emotion regulation strategies like reappraisal can influence intergroup emotions, not just intrapersonal emotions, and can even shape political reactions.

The researchers believe that this research could eventually lead to interventions that incorporate cognitive reappraisal as a way of increasing support for peace in long-term conflicts.

Study co-authors include Roni Porat of The Hebrew University and Interdisciplinary Center – Herzliya (Israel); Maya Tamir of The Hebrew University (Israel); and James Gross of Stanford University.

###

For more information about this study, please contact: Eran Halperin at eran.halperin@idc.ac.il.

The APS journal Psychological Science is the highest ranked empirical journal in psychology. For a copy of the article "Can Emotion Regulation Change Political Attitudes in Intractable Conflicts? From the Laboratory to the Field" and access to other Psychological Science research findings, please contact Anna Mikulak at 202-293-9300 or amikulak@psychologicalscience.org.

Related Topics: Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Psychology, Emotional Control, Emotions, Intergroup Relations,Psychological Science

Scrooged! The Psychology of Ebenezer-Style Transformations

By Alice G. Walton

Forbes.com Dec. 2012.

Just in time for the holidays, a new study explores the real-life Scrooge-style moments of awakening in regular 21^st century folk. If you’ve ever wished this kind of transformation for certain people in your life, or for yourself, the good news is that they’re not just the stuff of fiction – they can actually happen to real people. Of course, the downside is that there’s often a lot of pain and suffering that precedes this sort of change. But afterwards, you might be a whole new person, and this shift in consciousness could last for the long haul. But the lingering question is, can we do anything to bring about these transformations, or do they just sort of…happen to us?

“I’ve often thought about this, whether these transformations are really sudden or gradual,” said lead author of the study, Jon Skalski, which will be published in The Humanistic Psychologist. “It’s like water boiling – you can look at that as a discontinuous change from not boiling to boiling, but there are certain elements going on beneath the surface that allow for the dramatic change to take place.”

The Big Change

People who are inching towards a major psychological shift usually “hit rock bottom,” as Scrooge did, before it happens. The new paper chronicles the shifts that happened for 14 people (found, interestingly, through Craigslist ads). For example, “Kevin,” a once-successful entrepreneur, was having increasing bad luck in business, a development that disrupted his whole identity. He had neglected personal relationships (somewhat like Scrooge), and says his “psyche was in very dark place.” But when Kevin hit his psychological rock bottom, a transformation occurred.

“And so I was almost just compelled to let go, to let it go… Because if I didn’t, if I held on to that, it’s just going to destroy me… I say it’s the best thing that could’ve happened, because my life is so much more rewarding than it once was. You can’t put a price tag on certain…events that I maybe missed before – certain events, and a marriage, and a family, birthdays, you know? Certain things that are just really fun to be a part of are more meaningful, and it is happiness – the kind that lasts. I know these truths have been around forever. But for me they’re new.”

Many of the participants said they had a whole new understanding of life and all the cause-and-effect actions that take place. For some, the change was linked to a discovery of God, but not all – some just found a new connection with the universe, and certainly with the people and events in the world around them, even the negative ones. “Even things that don’t make sense, make sense,” said another person in the study. “You know, like crime or this and that. It all makes sense in its own realm, in the big picture.” And a woman who’d previously derived her self-worth almost solely from her academic accomplishments said, “Now I measure success by my – how much time I spend serving and doing those things, because those – serving and being with people – are really what bring me satisfaction now.”

How Change Happens

The common denominator for all of the people who experienced a major internal transformation was a growing sense of “disintegration” before the transformation occurred. Disintegration simply means that people experienced mounting stress, anxiety, and general internal suffering: It’s almost like a breaking down, or at least a reshuffling, which sets the stage for change to occur. “Some form of disintegration and suffering was an essential and inseparable constituent of the experience,” said Skalski, who conducted the research while he was a grad student at Brigham Young University.

Whether the change that follows is a conscious choice or not is the question. But it’s likely that it might be both – that this kind of change can “just sort of happen” to us after a certain level of pain, and that there are some ways we can actually urge a change to occur within us.

“It seemed that most of these people who had these life transformation were bottoming out and basically got smacked upside the head,” co-author Sam Hardy, PhD, told me. “There are things in my life I’d love to change and improve, so, I wondered if there was a way to embark on such life transformation without bottoming out or getting smacked upside the head. People do change, obviously, but, the question is what role they play in that change.  I believe people have agency and thus that people generally have a lot of control over their lives.”

There are some models of (intentional) behavioral change, like Dr. James Prochaska’s, which outlines five stages of change, from pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, and action to maintenance of that change. His research has helped people make overall changes to their life as well asrecover from addiction. Other researchers like Drs. Linda and and Mark Sobellhave also developed programs of behavior change that use a combination cognitive-behavioral approach, and are aimed at people battling addiction, but also those trying to instill more general positive changes in their lives.

“In short, there is evidence that people can largely self-initiate salient life changes, and in fact probably more people do so than we might think,” added Hardy. “However, it is generally more of a long and difficult process…rather than a critical life event.  And, it takes a lot of drive and guidance, so in that sense is more difficult and complicated than getting smacked upside the head.”

Here are a few tips for making changes to your life. As Hardy points out, when you’re committed to change, you’re already in the middle of the process. For people who aren’t quite ready, there are some steps to ready yourself (see this more detailed description of all the stages).

Picture who you want to be. “What would your life be like if you were that type of person? How is that different than your current life? Visualizing the traits you want to embody helps give you a target to shoot for and also motivation to change,” says Hardy.

Commit to change – to yourself and others.  “Tell others about your goals as well. This holds you more accountable,” Hardy adds. This works in a few different ways: it adds a bit of (positive) pressure to your commitment to change. It also makes you have to verbalize why you’re not fulfilling your goals, if you aren’t – and, on the flip side, you’ll have someone to share your successes with when you achieve them.

Determine the positive traits you want to develop – not just the negative traits you want to get rid of. “In other words, it is best to think not just in terms of stopping a negative behavior (e.g., smoking), but replacing it with a positive behavior (e.g., exercise or meditation),” says Hardy.

“Pray, mediate, listen.” Skalski points out that looking outside the self for guidance has worked for people over many centuries, in many different religions and philosophies. Whether you go for guidance in the universe, God, or in a friend who triggers it (like Scrooge’s dead business partner Jacob Marley), this “other” can be an important way to take you out of your own head and get you in touch with the bigger picture.

See a professional. If you’re in the market for a major personality overhaul and aren’t having the “Ah-ha” moment you want, think about seeing someone who specializes in behavior (a psychologist, life coach, etc.) and can help you work through it methodologically. Some people are lucky and can do it themselves (or it just happens to them), but others need a little help from a professional who can be a guide in the process. It might be worth a try – in a year from now you could be a whole new person.

9 Holiday Depression Busters.

By Therese J. Borchard.

PsychCentral. Dec. 2012.

It’s supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year — but not if negative emotions take hold of your holidays. So let’s be honest. The holidays are packed with stress, and therefore provoke tons of depressionand anxiety.

But there is hope. Whether I’m fretting about something as trite as stocking stuffers or as complicated as managing difficult family relationships, I apply a few rules that I’ve learned over the years.

These 9 rules help me put the joy back into the festivities — or at least keep me from hurling a mistletoe at Santa and landing myself on the “naughty” list.

1. Expect the Worst

Now that’s a cheery thought for this jolly season. What I’m trying to say is that you have to predict bad behavior before it happens so that you can catch it in your holiday mitt and toss it back, instead of having it knock you to the floor. It’s simple math, really. If every year for the last decade, Uncle Ted has given you a bottle of Merlot, knowing full well that you are a recovering alcoholic and have been sober for more years than his kids have been out of diapers, you can safely assume he will do this again. So what do you do? Catch it in your “slightly-annoyed” mitt. (And maybe reciprocate by giving him a cheese basket for his high cholesterol.)

2. Remember to “SEE”

No, I don’t mean for you to schedule an appointment with an ophthalmologist. SEE stands for Sleeping regularly, Eating well, andExercising. Without these three basics, you can forget about an enjoyable (or even tolerable) holiday. Get your seven to nine hours ofsleep and practice good sleep hygiene: go to bed at the same time every night, and wake up in the same nightgown with the same man at the same time in the same house every morning.

Eating well and exercise are codependent, at least in my body, because my biggest motivator for exercising is the reduction in guilt I feel about splurging on dessert. Large quantities of sugar or high fructose corn syrup can poison your brain. If you know your weak spot–the end of the table where Aunt Judy places her homemade hazelnut holiday balls — then swim, walk, or jog ten extra minutes to compensate for your well-deserved treat. Another acronym to remember during the holidays is HALT: don’t get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

3. Beef Up Your Support

If you attend Al-Anon once a week, go twice a week during the holidays. If you attend a yoga class twice a week, try to fit in another. Schedule an extra therapy session as insurance against the potential meltdowns ahead of you. Pad yourself with extra layers of emotional resilience by discussing in advance specific concerns you have about X, Y, and Z with a counselor, minister, or friend (preferably one who doesn’t gossip).

In my life with two young kids, this means getting extra babysitters so that if I have a meltdown in Starbucks like I did two years ago — before I knew the mall was menacing to my inner peace — I will have an extra ten minutes to record in my journal what I learned from that experience.

4. Avoid Toxic People

This one’s difficult if the toxic people happen to be hosting Christmas dinner! But in general, just try your best to avoid pernicious humans in December. And if you absolutely must see such folks, then allow only enough time for digestion and gift-giving. Drink no more than one glass of wine in order to preserve your ability to think rationally. You don’t want to get confused and decide you really do love these people, only to hear them say something horribly offensive two minutes later, causing you to storm off all aggravated and hurt. (This would also be a good time to remember Rule #1.)

5. Know Thyself

In other words, identify your triggers. As a highly sensitive person (as described in Elaine Aron’s book, “The Highly Sensitive Person”), I know that my triggers exist in a petri dish of bacteria known as the Westfield Annapolis Mall. Between Halloween and New Years, I won’t go near that place because Santa is there and he scares me with his long beard, which holds in its cute white curls every virus of every local preschool. Before you make too many plans this holiday season, list your triggers: people, places, and things that tend to trigger your fears and bring out your worst traits.

6. Travel With Polyester, Not Linen

By this, I do not mean sporting the polyester skirt with the red sequined reindeer. I’m saying that you should lower your standards and make traveling as easy as possible, both literally and figuratively. Do you really want to be looking for an iron for that beautiful linen or cotton dress when you arrive at your destination? I didn’t think so — life’s too short for travel irons.

I used to be adamantly opposed to using a portable DVD player in the car to entertain the kids because I thought it would create two spoiled monsters whose imaginations had rotted courtesy of Disney. One nine-hour car trip home to Ohio for Christmas, I cried uncle after six hours of constant squabbling and screaming coming from the back seat. Now David and Katherine only fight over which movie they get to watch first. If you have a no-food rule policy for the car, I’d amend that one during the holidays as well.

7. Make Your Own Traditions

Of course, you don’t need the “polyester” rule if you ban holiday travel altogether. That’s what I did this year. As the daughter/sister who abandoned her family in Ohio by moving out east, it has always been my responsibility to travel during the holidays. But my kids are now four and six. I can’t continue to haul the family to the Midwest every year. We are our own family. So I said this to my mom a few weeks ago: “It’s very important that I spend time with you, but I’d like to do it as a less stressful time, like the summer, when traveling is easier.” She wasn’t thrilled, but she understood.

Making your own tradition might mean Christmas Eve is reserved for your family and the extended family is invited over for brunch on Christmas Day. Or vice versa. Basically, it’s laying down some rules so that you have better control over the situation. As a people-pleaser who hates to cook, I make a better guest than host, but sometimes serenity comes in taking the driver’s seat, and telling the passengers to fasten their seatbelts and be quiet.

8. Get Out of Yourself

According to Gandhi, the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in service to others. But that doesn’t necessarily mean holding a soup ladle. Since my name and the word “kitchen” have filed a restraining order on each other, I like to think there are a variety of ways you can serve others.

Matthew 6:21 says “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” In other words, start with the things you like to do. For me, that is saying a rosary for a depressed Beyond Blue reader, or visiting a priest-friend who needs encouragement and support in order to continue his ministry, or helping talented writer friends get published. I’d like to think this is service, too, because if those people are empowered by my actions, then I’ve contributed to a better world just as much as if I had dished out mashed potatoes to a homeless person at a shelter.

9. Exercise Your Funny Bone

“Time spent laughing is time spent with the gods,” says a Japanese proverb. So, if you’re with someone who thinks he’s God, the natural response would be to laugh! But seriously folks, research shows that laughing is good for your health. And, unlike exercise, it’s always enjoyable! The funniest people in my life are those who have been to hell and back, bought the t-shirt, and then accidentally shrunk it in the wash. Humor kept them alive — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Remember, with a funny bone in place — even if it’s in a cast — everything is tolerable.

My “9 Holiday Depression Busters” are also featured in a Beliefnet gallery. You can get to it by clicking here.

Psicoigiene e Psicologia Istituzionale

Psicoanalisi applicata agli individui, ai gruppi e alle instituzione.
José Bleger.

Open publication - Free publishing - More igiene mentale
José Bleger è, nonostante gli anni, di sorprendente attualità. La seconda edizione italiana viene ripresentata da Ariele Psicoterapia che porta avanti la diffusione e l’attualizzazione del pensiero di questo autore. Nella prima parte J. Bleger, muovendo da un’ottica psicoanalitica, accompagna il lettore nella complessa dinamica dei gruppi e delle istituzioni come rete tra gruppi. Per il pensiero psicosocioanalitico, messo a punto da Luigi Pagliarani, è sempre stato di particolare interesse il concetto di “psicoigiene”, inteso quale ramo dell’igiene mentale costituito dall’applicazione delle conoscenze psicoanalitiche alla Polis. Ciò trova nel pensiero di Bleger un punto di riferimento imprescindibile. Nella seconda parte i testi mettono a fuoco la tecnica che sostiene il lavoro dello psicoterapeuta che incontra i pazienti, ma anche che opera nella selezione del personale o nella valutazione degli studenti o ancora in ambito associativo.

Abuso Sexual Infanto Juvenil: reflexiones desde la práctica.

Lilian Sanhueza Díaz - Editora.

Ediciones UC Temuco. Universidad Católica de Temuco. 1a ed. nov. 2010.

Esta obra está bajo Licencia Atribución - No Commercial - Licenciar Igual 2.0 Chile de Crative Commoms. quedan los derechos liberados para copiar, distribuir, mostrar y relaizar su trabajo y trabajos derivados basados en ella, pero sólo para propósitos no comerciales. Nada en esta licencia menoscaba o restringe los derechos morales de los autores.

abuso sexual en chile

Listen to the sounds of the human mind: Remixed brain scans reveal our inner music

• Researchers suggest it could potentially lead to to advances useful for clinical diagnosis or biofeedback therapy

By DAMIEN GAYLE

PUBLISHED: 17:18 GMT, 16 November 2012 | UPDATED: 17:32 GMT, 16 November 2012
Dailymail.co.uk

Scientists have combined and translated two kinds of brain waves into music, offering a unique insight into the functional activity of our minds. Researchers used electroencephalography scans to create the pitch and duration of notes and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans to control the intensity of the music.

The study, published in the open access journal PLoS ONE, reveals an improved method to reflect the physiological processes of the scale-free brain in music. Previous research published in PLoS ONE by the same group has described how EEG amplitudes and waveforms may be converted to music. In the past, researchers at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate have also explored the possibility of a form of neuro-training called 'Brain Music'.

This uses music created from an individual's brain waves to help the individual move from an anxious state to a relaxed state. But this new study by Jing Lu and colleagues from the University of Electronic Science and Technology, China, uses simultaneous EEG and fMRI recordings to better represent the activity of the brain in musical notes.

According to the researchers, this brain music 'embodies the workings of the brain as art, providing a platform for scientists and artists to work together to better understand the links between music and the human brain.' The authors also suggest that combining EEG and fMRI data may produce music that better reflects the functional activity of the brain, potentially leading to advances useful for clinical diagnosis or biofeedback therapy.

A psychologist with schizophrenia talks about what helps him function effectively

Taken from the book: “Abnormal Psychology” by David Homes.  Harpers Collins. ©1991.

Frederick J. Frese III is a psychologist who has struggled with schizophrenia for over 20 years. He described the onset of his symptoms and talked about his occasional “breakdowns”. Most of the time, however, he functions effectively, and in the following comments he describes some of the things that help. Dr. Frese believes it is important that the person whit schizophrenia be aware of the nature of the problem in order to develop effective coping strategies. He said:

Person whit schizophrenia needs to carefully study how they function. Until they can identify their deficits, it is very difficult to start building compensatory mechanisms that will enable them to function better… persons recovering from schizophrenia should be able to identify, and be on the lookout for, the sorts of persons, places, and things that can cause the type of stress that may precipitate their breakdowns. They should know to get to environments that are helpful.

Just as a diabetic must take action to control his or her blood-sugar level, persons recovering from schizophrenia must learn to monitor and take measures to counteract an imbalance in subcortical neurochemical activity. But unlike diabetes, schizophrenia seriously interferes with rational processes, and once the irrationality begins, the person may have great difficulty in acting in a rational or responsible manner.

To overcome the irrationality, Dr. Frese also emphasizes the importance of feedback from others:

Because of our disability, it is very difficult for us to know what we do that normal do not understand. Therefore, it is very helpful to have a trustworthy normal around to let us know what it is about our thoughts that perhaps it would be better not to share with everyone else. In my case, my wife constantly gives me feedback whenever I am saying or doing things that normal people may consider bizarre or offensive. Some things are rather obvious. If you are hearing voices, it is generally best not to talk back to them while normal are around. If your thoughts are dominated by the importance of the colors or similar sounds in the environment, you probably do not want to reveal too much about this to others.

Whit help, other disabled persons learn to compensate for their disabilities and frequently lead dignified, productive lives. The blind learn to use canes and seeing-eye dogs; those with limited use of their legs learn to use crutches and wheelchairs. For the mentally ill, however, the parameters of our disability are often not easily defined. We need help and feedback so we can understand exactly the nature of our disability.

Whit regard to the results of psychological testing, Dr. Frese said:

Assessment results that us we have “gross pathology”, “extreme confusion” or “diffuse brain damage” are not really helpful. We need very specific information. Perhaps new assessment instruments need to be developed, possibly with input from us, so that we can better learn how it is that we are different from others or where our psychological blind spots are.

Unfortunately, feedback is not always enough. Sometimes the symptoms overwhelm the person, who then loses the ability to function. When that occurs, some flexibility on the part of other people in the environment is necessary. Dr. Frese commented:

Schizophrenia tends to be an episodic disorder. We are going to have periodic breakdowns. This makes holding employment very difficult because the usual practice is to terminate employees who require frequent periods of leave. Work for us should be structured so that our disabilities are taken into account. Many of us are well educated and/or have useful skills when we are not having episodes. Why can´t jobs be structured for us so that our episodic breakdowns do not automatically result in our loss of employments? As with those in the general population, we like and needs to be a little more flexible in understanding that we are going to behave strangely from time and there are going to be time when we do not function well at all.

"Abnormal Psychology" by David Holmes. Part 4, p. 303. Case study 15.1.

El fútbol bajo la lupa del psicoanálisis

"No te pido 28 pases como el Barcelona, sólo tres pases seguiditos..." Tano Pasman.

La autora analiza el modo en que el hincha expresa en la cancha sus broncas, agresiones y alegrías.
Adriana Guraieb* - diariouno.com.ar - junio 2012.

“Dios es redondo”.

Juan Villoro, escritor mexicano

Se escucha frecuentemente que el fútbol es pasión de multitudes y es propósito de estas líneas reflexionar acerca de la íntima e intensa relación del hincha con la pasión y la multitud.

El fútbol es nuestro deporte nacional por excelencia. Cuando hay partido, la hinchada se prepara con banderas, cantos, bombos, etcétera, todas expresiones del folclore futbolero que expresan el amor del hincha por su equipo, aunque también es cierto que cuando este “amor” es arrasador, puede convertirse en una batalla campal que lleve a extremos peligrosos.

Podemos pensar la pasión como una tendencia muy fuerte que anula la voluntad del apasionado y se siente arrasado por ella, y a diferencia de otros sentimientos como el amor, la simpatía, etcétera, las pasiones son muy difíciles de dominar. Sentimientos tales como el odio, la venganza y el amor pueden tomar características pasionales, y allí la persona pierde autonomía, pierde libertad para pensar y hasta puede tener comportamientos que se oponen a su propia moral.

La palabra pasión viene del latín “passio”, término asociado a la acción de padecer o sufrir. Por lo tanto, cuando hablamos de pasión, hablamos de un sentimiento muy intenso hacia un ideal, una persona o un equipo deportivo.

Dicen las voces populares: “Lleno de pasión, vacío de razón”. Ello significa que tendrá conductas muy entusiastas, frecuentemente incontroladas, con dificultades en planificar, pensar, aceptar, una realidad que contradiga su objetivo pasional, o sea que se produce una ruptura del equilibrio entre el pensar y el sentir y cuando ello sucede la persona lo manifiesta de diferentes modos: el desagrado, la tristeza, el desconsuelo y también, la violencia.

Decíamos también que el fútbol es un fenómeno de masas y esta palabra proviene del latín “massa” que significa “conjunto de gente que por su número puede influir en la marcha de los acontecimientos”.

Múltiples funciones del fútbol

En primer lugar, para el hincha su equipo representa el deseo de jugar al fútbol y de ganar, tener éxito, fama, dinero y poder.

También le da un sentido de pertenencia. Le posibilita una descarga emocional, una catarsis en la cancha como un lugar legalizado naturalizado para expresar broncas, gritos, insultos y todo tipo de manifestación de la frustración del hincha, no sólo por la pérdida de su equipo, sino por otro tipo de resentimientos y broncas personales laborales, y políticas que lo agobian y lo instan a descargar.

Podríamos decir que la cancha es un espacio permitido para que la multitud exprese sus síntomas de malestar psicosocial.

El hincha, al sentirse acompañado por otros que están a su lado, se permite liberarse de situaciones que están reprimidas y por más que sea algo momentáneo e ilusorio, si su equipo gana se siente poderoso y triunfador, y si su equipo pierde, se siente estafado, violentado. Y en esos momentos se ignoran las diferencias: burgueses, operarios, desempleados, ricos y pobres se hermanan en un mismo grito. Es un grito que iguala, que borra las diferencias y lo único que cuenta es la pasión deportiva.

*Miembro de la Asociación Psicoanalítica Internacional (IPA) y miembro titular en función didáctica en la Asociación Psicoanalítica Argentina (APA)

Otro artículo relacionado: "El fútbol reflexionado y (con)jugado desde el psicoanálisis" de Gibrán Larrauri (2009)

A Psychological Analysis of Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club

How the World of Psychology Applies to This Famous Novel.

by Bryan R. Price.

Yahoo! Contributor Network.

May, 2007.

Fight Club was originally a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, and was made into a movie a short time after the book's success. Palahniuk's contemporary and often vulgar writing style has made the author not only a good fortune, but a huge fan base of support. In all of Palahniuk's books, a great deal of psychology theory and ideas are present- and Fight Club is no different.

Fight Club's success is more than just well written content- it was a book and movie geared towards younger men. Books such as "Little Women" and other women-themed movies were plentiful- but the same could not be said for male content. The book and movie differ in many ways- so focus will be put on the movie. In the movie, the main character's name is somewhat of a mystery. Through various clues, the avid film buff will notice that small hints suggest the character's name is Jack Moore, as seen on a check.

Jack is a rather disturbed individual, who suffers from insomnia. Jack sees a doctor, who tells him to visit a support group to see what pain really was- and declined to give Jack medicine. Jack finds an ability to sleep after going to these support groups, often of which he ends up crying to relieve stress from a common office job, common apartment, and a dull, bland, life. This is where things take a turn for the worst- as Marla Singer is introduced. She makes an appearance at one of the support groups for males only- so she is clearly what Jack calls a "faker". Jack is also a "faker", of course, but he finds that he can not enjoy the support groups knowing that Marla is there faking along with him. Eventually, he confronts her and they work out a temporary solution- which ultimately ends up failing.

Meanwhile, Jack meets Tyler Durden. Tyler is a strong hater of common culture, and considered to be a nihilist. Tyler and Jack form a much more involved friendship after Jack's apartment explodes- which effectively ruins his life and everything he owned. Tyler and Jack end up fighting in a parking lot out of being curious, and end up forming a fight club when other men start to join. These applicants are usually the type that grew up without a father- a rather interesting fact to take note while watching.

Throughout the movie, Tyler and Jack start to drift apart, as Tyler forms a project to attack popular consumer culture. Eventually, Jack and Tyler find themselves at the end of their efforts, with Tyler ready to watch a few credit card buildings explode from the amount of explosives he had ordered to be planted. Jack realizes that Tyler is actually him- and nothing more than an apparition or split personality. Jack ends up putting a gun inside his mouth and pulling the trigger, only to still live and realize that Tyler is gone. Jack then wakes up in a mental hospital, with the movie ending with a scene of the fight club members planning to continue their efforts against society- and claiming Tyler will come back.

The movie and book both focus on existentialism- which is the philosophy that an individual must make meaning from a chaotic and empty universe- and this individual is often the object of suffering. Throughout the movie, there are scenes where there is clear cut evidence of this. For instance, Tyler claims, "Only after disaster can we be resurrected" [1]. Another piece of evidence of existentialism comes when Tyler states, "It's only after we've lost everything that we are free to do anything." At one point, Tyler inflicts a chemical burn onto Jack, which is a lesson that tries to explain the sole fact that you will never get anywhere in life until hitting rock bottom. Existentialism defines the need for one to make decisions to better one's life- and that a person is who they are determined to be. Clearly, the movie focuses on this philosophy throughout the entire movie- as several main themes and subtexts are based from it.

Sigmund Freud is a notable psychologist that suggested the existence of the id, ego, and superego. The id is essentially the driving force that demands pleasure constantly [2]. The ego is the checks and balances of the id, as it waits for a safe or healthy moment for pleasure to be obtained. Finally, the superego is the moral standard that suppresses the id. Jack has a very interesting system of morals in Freud's terms. Jack is first satisfied with the common, bland life of having a normal job and condo. His superego is clearly doing a great job. However, it may be functioning all to well- as the id apparently creates Tyler Durden in an attempt to overcome its suppressor. While the id is successful in achieving its purpose, the ego is still operational. While it is hard to see, as Tyler and Jack are exact opposites- the ego acts as a mediator between the two in the end of the conflict. As Jack and Tyler become equally aware of each other, the ego can claim responsibility of bringing a sense of peace to the situation.

Also, there is the matter of gender identity confusion to take into effect. Although Jack shouldn't be considered feminine, there is a definite difference between Jack and Tyler in regards to masculinity. For instance, Jack collects furniture for a hobby. This is far from masculine, and far from the gender identity of Tyler. It would seem that the gender identity confusion adds to the correct balance of id and superego [3] - and ultimately helps Jack achieve things he otherwise could not. For instance, Jack gets into his first fight, albeit with himself. He defies his boss, in an act of rebellion against conformity. He also finds an attractive woman to date off and on, depending on the state of his identity. This lack of masculinity could be attributed to Jack's lack of a father figure in early childhood- but either way, it ends up causing catastrophic consequences in his personality.

Another psychologist, Abraham Maslow, suggested the idea of self-actualization. This is the idea that all humans try to make the most of their abilities, and to strive towards success to the fullest ability [4]. Individuals who achieve such self-actualization are considered to be creative, embrace facts rather than avoid them, spontaneous, appreciate life, like to solve puzzles, and of course have morals. Essentially, this is the act of achieving the peak of one's potential. Interestingly, there is a paradox within Fight Club concerning this subject. Tyler claims that men who wish to achieve freedom from a controlling father-figure will only be self-actualized once they have children and become fathers themselves. Essentially, the only way to self-actualization in this statement is to become what you are trying to defy. However, the narrator eliminates Tyler through shooting himself- and achieves self-actualization in effect.

Obviously, following a matriarch-style of development has either directly given Jack his problems, or at least contributed to them. As with other characters in the book and movie, most notably in the fight club, the majority of men relate to Jack through not experiencing a father figure. This has led a generation of youth develop without the guidance of a father- and in essence shaped masculinity through much harsher means. Interestingly, this has made an increase in schizophrenics [5]. Poverty is usually a cause of schizophrenia, and this is very much more common among single mother families than that of couples or single father families. This makes it very possible that Jack was suffering from schizophrenia because of poverty- although other factors could have been a direct cause. Heredity is another big cause of the disorder- and Jack's father was not mentioned in this context. It would appear that the exact cause of Jack's possible schizophrenia can not be determined because of lack of evidence.

Finally, it is important to relate psychosis and sleep deprivation to the film. Jack suffers from a bad case of insomnia- which can have detrimental effects. These effects can lead to forms of psychosis [6] - which makes schizophrenia a very viable effect as a result. When Jack is denied medication, he instead finds release in another form. Because of this he experiences schizophrenia less than he was before, although he might not have known it. It would seem that everything follows a massive chain reaction- which eventually leads to schizophrenia and an eventual internal conflict.

Fight Club is incredibly accurate in terms of validity. This comes to no surprise, as the author is both very qualified and very knowledgeable. Everything that could be explained in medical terms can likewise be explained through several theories or ideas. The effects of these health afflictions are very real- such as the insomnia or schizophrenia. Interesting psychological terms such as self-actualization and gender identity come into play- and with amazing accuracy. It seems Hollywood has made a successful and fact-proven work of art. Although, it would seem the credit should likely go to Chuck Palahniuk- who sold the rights of his works to have a movie made. Overall, the movie is incredibly accurate, and is definitely worth a place in any movie collector's shelf.

Presión social y suicidio: banca española suspende desalojos.

Armando G. Tejeda

Corresponsal del periódico La Jornada
Martes 13 de noviembre de 2012.

 

Madrid, 12 de noviembre. Después de 400 mil familias desalojadas de sus viviendas y tras la conmoción social provocada por el último suicidio a causa de una deuda hipotecaria –el tercero desde el comienzo de la crisis–, la banca española acordó la suspensión de los levantamientos en casos de extrema necesidad. La medida supone un éxito para la protesta social que comenzó hace cuatro años, cuando las instituciones financieras llevan expulsando de sus casas a 570 familias diarias en promedio, drama al que ahora también el gobierno del conservador Mariano Rajoy busca solución de urgencia, en clave de moratoria.

En España la palabra desahucio se ha convertido en sinónimo de desesperación y dolor, y en el mejor reflejo de lo que está significando la crisis económica y los recortes públicos entre los sectores sociales más desfavorecidos.

Los ciudadanos y las familias con créditos hipotecarios que se quedan sin trabajo –en el país la tasa de desempleo es la más alta de Europa, con 25 por ciento– y no pueden afrontar los pagos del crédito bancario se ven, en poco tiempo, con la soga al cuello. Los tribunales dictaminan a favor de los bancos en 99 por ciento de los casos, fruto del espíritu de la legislación considerada ilegal por organismos especializados de la Unión Europea (UE).

Así, además de sufrir el desalojo de sus viviendas, que pasan a formar parte de los activos del banco, la deuda no desaparece y los intereses crecen sin parar. Un círculo vicioso que ha condenado a más de 400 mil familias a la marginalidad, la emigración o, en los casos más extremos, al suicidio.

Por primera vez en todos estos años la Confederación Española de Cajas de Ahorros y la Asociación Española de la Banca acordaron suspender los desalojos en casos de extrema necesidad, alegando razones humanitarias.

El compromiso de los bancos entró en vigor ayer, con lo que a partir de ahora quedaron suspendidos miles de procedimientos abiertos en todo el país y que afectaban a familias con hijos, o con alguno de sus miembros en situación de enfermedad grave o que tenga a su cargo personas mayores que requieran atención.

El comunicado de los banqueros advierte que han decidido suspender la ejecución de desahucios de vivienda habitual de colectivos especialmente vulnerables, hasta la entrada en vigor de la reforma normativa anunciada por las autoridades. Matiza que se aplicará esta moratoria en casos de extrema necesidad.

A pesar del clamor social y de los numerosos actos de protesta, movilizaciones y súplicas de los afectados y de los colectivos ciudadanos que formaron brigadas para detener los desalojos con sentadas masivas frente a las viviendas afectadas, el gobierno del derechista Partido Popular (PP), y el anterior, del Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE), han mirado para otro lado y se negaron hasta en cuatro ocasiones a modificar la ley hipotecaria o ayudar con medidas excepcionales a centenares de miles de personas.

Pero el último suicidio el pasado viernes de una ciudadana vasca de 53 años, Amaya Egaña, en Barakaldo, provocó que miles de personas salieran a las calles para expresar su repudio tanto a la banca como a la clase política, ciega ante este fenómeno trágico.

Esto provocó que por primera vez el gobierno y la ahora oposición socialista iniciaran conversaciones que se traducirán en algo concreto el próximo jueves, en el Consejo de Ministros, en el que se prevé la aprobación de medidas que facilitarán la moratoria de los desalojos, al menos en los casos más graves.

En las conversaciones, tanto políticos, gobierno y PSOE excluyeron a los únicos partidos políticos que se habían interesado por este problema y que habían presentado iniciativas para resolverlo, como son Izquierda Unida, Amaiur, Esquerra Republicana de Cataluña y Compromis.

Decenas de ciudadanos que han formado parte de las brigadas de Stop Desahucios se concentraron frente a la sede central del PP para llevar a cabo una sonora cacerolada para llamar la atención de la ceguera que ha caracterizado al gobierno sobre este problema. Ahí gritaron consignas como: Vergüenza me daría desahuciar a una familia o No son suicidios, son asesinatos, entre otros, al tiempo que reclamaron un lugar en las conversaciones públicas para expresar la postura de los afectados.

Ante la indignación general contra la banca, otro grupo de indignados realizó una protesta en el Banco de España, donde realizaron una ocupación simbólica y pacífica en la que también expresaron su opinión de que los suicidios que han tenido como trasfondo los desalojos por deudas bancarias son en realidad asesinatos del sistema y la banca. Según el código penal, quien lleva a otra persona al suicidio debe cumplir una pena de ocho años de cárcel. Por eso preguntamos: ¿por qué los bancos no pagan esa condena? ¿A cuántos más vais a matar?, preguntaron.