APA Blogs
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Brain Imaging Shows the Impacts of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, is an effective treatment for many mental health disorders. Advances in brain imaging are increasingly allowing researchers to observe the changes in the brain resulting from psychotherapy treatment.
How Common are Mental Health Disorders Among Children and Teens?
An estimated 15% of children and adolescents will be diagnosed with a mental disorder before age 18, according to a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry last month.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder and a Culture of Perfection
Body dysmorphic disorder is an obsessive-compulsive related disorder that has garnered some media attention recently. Contrary to the offhand way it sometimes referred to in the media, body dysmorphic disorder is a serious mental health condition with potentially severe consequences. Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are preoccupied with what they see as flaws in their physical appearance. They believe they look ugly or abnormal. These flaws are not noticeable to others or only seem to others as very minor.
Athletes’ Superstitions and Rituals
- By Claudia L. Reardon M.D., Helen Tran
Rituals and superstitions among athletes, and non-athletes, are very common and are typically harmless. In fact, they are at times helpful for athletes facing unpredictability in their sport and these rituals and superstitions can help them feel more in control. People may jokingly or offhandedly refer to these behaviors as OCD-like, referring to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, they are not the same as OCD, a potentially debilitating mental health disorder.
Kleptomania
Most people are familiar with the term kleptomania, a real, but rare, mental health condition. The key feature of kleptomania is the repeatedly acting on impulses to steal items even though the items are not needed. A person with kleptomania does not usually preplan the theft and does not work with others. The stolen objects typically have little value and the person often gives or throws them away. Kleptomania is different from ordinary theft or shoplifting.