We are continuing our series on THE BRAIN - and today's episode is about the LIMBIC SYSTEM (often called "the emotional brain"). Let's dive in!
PHOTO COURTESY OF EVERGREENPSYCHOTHERAPYCENTER.COM

Are you staying in a relationship, a friendship, a job or any other situation which is no longer serving you - or even harming you and weighing you down? When exactly should you just let it go? And HOW do you let it go? Let’s dive into all of that in this episode.

Forgiveness can mean different things to different people. Why is it that some people can forgive even the most horrific acts perpetrated against them, while others simply cannot forgive? What enables someone to forgive? What stops someone from forgiving? Let's take a look at this from a clinical, philosophical and even personal point of view.

AI PSYCHOSIS (or chatbot psychosis, chatgpt psychosis) - although not yet formally recognised as a diagnosis in the DSM-V and ICD-11 - is a growing concern at the moment. There are well documented cases of catastrophic consequences due to AI psychosis; and clinicians and ED departments are seeing more and more patients who are presenting with overt psychosis, delusions, ideas of reference, breaks in reality and even paranoia due to an extreme addiction to immersive AI. In this episode I describe the symptoms of AI psychosis; I talk briefly about the AI INTERACTION & REALITY (AIRT) SCREENING TOOL; I give some "red flags" to look out for; I mention symptoms which require immediate medical attention and intervention; and finally, I give some suggestions for prevention, intervention and treatment of AI psychosis.
CREDIT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO:
Dr. October Boyles and icanotes.com
Psychcentral.com
Psychologytoday.com
Verywellhealth.com
Stanford University Psych Dept.
Harvard University Psych Dept. and others.

When people talk about "re-wiring" your brain, what they actually are talking about is NEUROPLASTICITY: the brain's ability to create new neural pathways and re-structure existing neural pathways. In this episode I explain how neural pathways work; how synaptic reflexes work; how semantic memory and habituation influence our brains and neural pathways; and, not least, how we can maintain our brain's function AND increase our neuroplasticity.

We are continuing our series on THE BRAIN - and today's episode is about the HYPOTHALAMUS. It is often overshadowed by the attention-grabbing Amygdala; but it is the hypothalamus - in conjunction with the PITUITARY GLAND - which contantly maintains homeostasis (balance) in all of your body's systems. It is quite simply the conductor for the symphony of hormones in your body. Let's take a look at this tiny - but incredibly important - part of your brain!
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALAMY.

In this crazy world in which we live, where there is so much fake news and uncertainty about what's true or false, there is a greater need than ever for AUTHENTICITY. In this episode I take a look at what it means to be authentic; to live your life from a place of integrity and principle; and I describe some of the characteristics and personality traits which tend to distinguish authentic people.
CREDIT & ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO:
Michael Kernis and Brian Goldman's Authenticity Inventory.
Psychologytoday.com.
Psychcentral.com.

AI is an incredible tool. It has access to vast amounts of information and can save you a lot of time. But it is also an algorithm which is designed to MIRROR YOU. It is programmed to tell you what you want to hear; it will reinforce any cognitive biases you might have; and may distort your perception of reality. Let's take a closer look at how AI is actually using THEORY OF MIND to manipulate us; and its effects on us from a psychological perspective.
CREDIT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT TO CAMILLO LØKEN for allowing me to share some information from his book: "BLIR VI LURT AV AI - JA!" ("Are we being fooled by AI - Yes!).
Camillo's book can be found at:
https://www.camilloloken.com/bok-AI-Blir-vi-lurt
You can find Camillo at the following links:
https://www.facebook.com/Camil...
https://www.instagram.com/cami...
https://camilloloken.no

Are you the kind of person who needs to feel "in control" of every aspect of your life? Have you developed some unhealthy coping mechanisms in order to re-establish a sense of control? Are you a perfectionist; or someone who micromanages everything and everyone? Are you controlling in relationships - leading to possessiveness and jealousy? Let's dive into the fascinating topic of CONTROL ISSUES!

What motivates someone to start a conspiracy theory? What kind of person is most likely to believe in conspiracy theories - and why? What are some red flags you can look out for to check if you are prone to believing in conspiracy theories? And how can you try to protect yourself from being dragged into a conspiracy theory? Let's dive in!