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Kathleen Murphy
Kathleen Murphy

2.3K Followers

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Published in

Wise & Well

·Pinned

Hooked: How Common Obsessions Lead to Depression

We are wired to pursue pleasure, but too much often backfires — among both children and adults. Here’s how to break the cycle and restore balance. — This article is part of a Wise & Well Special Report: The United States of Depression. Gregory is an intelligent and kind young man in his mid-20s. At age 16, he dropped out of school. He still lives with his mother. …

Health

6 min read

Hooked: How Common  Obsessions Can Lead to Depression
Hooked: How Common  Obsessions Can Lead to Depression
Health

6 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Pinned

The Brain Science Behind Forgetting Kids in Hot Cars

You might think it happens only to bad parents. But anyone can fall prey to the brain glitch that causes these horrific accidents. — This article is part of a Wise & Well Special Report: Extreme Heat and Human Health. Each case is different. But there’s always that awful moment when the parent realizes what they’ve done. There’s a desperate sprint to the car. A nightmarish discovery. A gut-wrenching call to 911.

Child Safety

7 min read

The Brain Science Behind Forgetting Kids in Hot Cars
The Brain Science Behind Forgetting Kids in Hot Cars
Child Safety

7 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Pinned

The Scary Science Behind the Ouija Board

Does this eerie parlor game really give voices to ghostly spirits? While the answer is debatable, scientists envision even more intriguing clinical applications. — When I was a teenager, nothing was as terrifying as watching the movie The Exorcist. The story tells the tale of Regan, a 12-year-old girl who uses the family Ouija board to ask questions of “Captain Howdy” — a demon who takes possession of her soul. Generous head-spinning and pea-soup…

Psychology

5 min read

The Scary Science Behind the Ouija Board
The Scary Science Behind the Ouija Board
Psychology

5 min read


Published in

Human Parts

·Pinned

Retracing the Steps of a Concentration Camp Prisoner

Dachau was one of the most brutal places on earth. I traveled over 5000 miles to walk the path of my friend. — As a college student, I received a writing assignment to interview someone I didn’t know. So I walked up to an old man sitting in the lobby of my apartment building and asked if we could chat. And chat we did. Over many hours, the old man told me stories…

Nonfiction

6 min read

Retracing the Steps of a Concentration Camp Prisoner
Retracing the Steps of a Concentration Camp Prisoner
Nonfiction

6 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Pinned

How to Deal with Difficult People? Here’s the Secret Sauce

Lessons in civility learned from behind a fast-food counter — When I turned 16 I took my first job, at McDonald’s. I was a “counter girl” — meaning I took customers’ orders. These were the days before drive-thrus, so I got to talk to a lot of people face-to-face. I liked that a lot. …

Relationships

4 min read

How to Deal with Difficult People? Here’s the Secret Sauce
How to Deal with Difficult People? Here’s the Secret Sauce
Relationships

4 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Nov 30

New Mind-Body Therapy Provides Stunning Relief for Chronic Back Pain

The brain can generate pain in the absence of injury, but what the brain can learn, it can unlearn. — Chronic pain is one of the biggest health problems today, affecting more than one-fifth of all American adults — 50 million people. And the most common type of chronic pain? The kind I endure — low back pain. Aching backs are among patients’ most frequent complaints. Back pain lasting more…

Health

6 min read

New Mind-Body Therapy Provides Stunning Relief for Chronic Back Pain
New Mind-Body Therapy Provides Stunning Relief for Chronic Back Pain
Health

6 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Nov 16

Before Thanksgiving Turns Ugly

The holiday linked to gratitude and family togetherness has morphed into a conversational minefield. Experts weigh in on how to lower the temperature and keep your sanity intact. — Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving? The perfect turkey. The mouth-watering pies. The beautifully set table. The incredibly awkward moments with family members you barely know — and whose attitudes and opinions make you want to pack up and leave the country.

Mental Health

5 min read

Before Thanksgiving Turns Ugly
Before Thanksgiving Turns Ugly
Mental Health

5 min read


Published in

Crow’s Feet

·Nov 8

Broken Hearts: Why Couples Often Die Together

Many devoted spouses pass away within mere months of each other. Coincidence? Or can you really die of a broken heart? — Two years ago, three months to the day of each other, both of my sweet in-laws died. In the same way, my cousin’s parents passed away within three months, at the relatively young ages of 65 and 67. …

Grief

5 min read

Why Couples Often Die Together
Why Couples Often Die Together
Grief

5 min read


Published in

Crow’s Feet

·Oct 31

Hot News Flash: Chimpanzees Go Through Menopause, Too

Scientists have long believed human females are the only primates who go through the “change of life.” But new research throws a monkey wrench into that theory. — According to a new study, wild female chimpanzees survive well past their babymaking days to experience the hormonal shift of menopause — just like their human counterparts (so sorry, chimps!) The discovery was surprising to biologists, who previously believed the only primates who routinely outlive their fertility are human women…

Menopause

4 min read

Hot News Flash: Chimpanzees Go Through Menopause, Too
Hot News Flash: Chimpanzees Go Through Menopause, Too
Menopause

4 min read


Published in

Wise & Well

·Oct 16

Why Clowns are So Terrifying

Psychology explains why — for so many of us — these stars of kiddie birthday parties and peddlers of good, clean fun are truly no laughing matter — Trigger Warning: This article contains references to painted white faces, red foam noses, and receding hairlines with tufts of wild hair. Please engage in self-care while reading. Not so long ago, across at least 10 different states, creepy clowns terrorized America. In Florida, fiendish clowns were spotted lurking by the…

Psychology

6 min read

Why Clowns Are So Terrifying
Why Clowns Are So Terrifying
Psychology

6 min read

Kathleen Murphy

Kathleen Murphy

2.3K Followers

Health writer and essayist offering insights into physical and emotional wellness and successful aging. Subscribe: https://kathleenamurphy.medium.com/subscribe

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