Dark Triad of Psychology

What  Is Dark Psychology?

Psychology is the study of human behavior that is concerned with our thoughts, actions and interactions.  Dark psychology is the power of mind control and manipulation where people learn the strategy of motivation, persuasion, manipulation and coercion to get what they want.

The Dark Triad

There are three traits concerned with dark psychology:

·         Machiavellianism: manipulation to deceive and exploit people with no sense of morality.

·         Narcissism: egotism, grandiosity and a lack of empathy.

·         Psychopathy: despite being charming and friendly, these people exhibit impulsivity, selfishness, a lack of empathy and remorselessness.

While no one wants to fall victim to such tactics, it happens a lot in this day.  Such dark psychology tactics are found in commercials, internet ads, supervisor’s behaviors, and as sad it may be to think, our children’s behaviors as they grow and experiment with behaviors to get what they want .  These behaviors can be used from people we know and love can be seen below:

·         Love flooding: compliments, affection or flattering someone to request an action.

·         Lying: exaggerations, partial untruths, untruths, untrue stories.

·         Love denial: withholding love and attention.

·         Withdrawal: avoiding the person or using the silent treatment.

·         Choice restriction: giving choice substitutions to distract someone to give you the choice you want.

·         Reverse psychology: telling someone to do the opposite with the intention to get them to do what you want.

·         Semantic manipulation: words used to connote similar meaning or mutual definition, but the manipulator has reveals a different understanding or meaning of the conversation.  Words can be powerful tools.

People use these tactics with the intention of getting what they want.  They learn it from their parents, during their teenage years or adulthood.  And there are some who don’t intentionally use these tactics, but used it once to get what they wanted and it worked—they continue to use them.

Some people are trained to use such dark psychology tactics, such as training programs where sales and marketing use dark psychology and unethical behavior to manipulate others to buy their products.  The following people use dark psychology tactics to manipulate others into getting what they want:

·         Narcissists: these people, with proper medical diagnosis, have an inflated sense of self-worth.  They need people to their belief of superiority.  They believe they deserve to be adored or even worshipped.  And they use these tactics to manipulate others into getting this.

·         Sociopaths: these people, again with proper medical diagnosis, are charming and intelligent but often impulsive.  They show a lack of emotionality and remorse as they manipulate to get what they want.

·         Attorneys: some attorneys become focused on winning their case they use dark psychology tactics to make sure they win.

·         Politicians: most politicians use dark psychology to manipulate voters they are right to win votes.

·         Leaders: leaders and supervisors use dark psychology to gain compliance, great effort, and higher motivation from subordinates.

·         Sales people: sales people use dark psychologies to achieve the sale by motivating customers buy their product.

·         Public speakers: dark psychology is used among public speakers to heighten the emotional state of their audience knowing it leads to more sales.

·         Selfish people: selfish people, those with a “self before others” agenda, use dark psychology to exploit others to meet their needs first, even if are at the expense of others.

Why You're Losing Your Voice

Respiratory Illness

The most common culprit for that rasp in your voice?  An infection in your airways.  A cold, the flu, bronchitis, or another upper respiratory infection can make your vocal cords swell temporary – also known as laryngitis.

Seasonal Allergies

Just like viruses, outdoor allergies to certain trees and plants in bloom can cause laryngitis.  The irritation and drainage that hit your airways might also make you clear your throat more often and inflame your vocal cords.

Tonsillitis

A virus on your tonsils (the oval-shaped tissue pads at the back of your throat) causes tonsillitis – and can lead to a scratchy, muffled voice.  You’ll likely have other symptoms like a fever, swollen tonsils that look white, yellow, or red, and a sore throat that makes it hard to swallow.

Voice Stress

When you misuse your voice, it can do temporary damage on your vocal cords.  It could happen if you talk loudly for a long time, shout, belt out a song at the top of your lungs, or talk in a really high or really low voice.  It should better with time, rest, and lots of water.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Sometimes the inflammation caused by this condition can affect a small joint in your neck near your vocal cords called the cricoarytenoid joint.  If you have RA, ask your doctor about your hoarse voice, especially if you feel like there’s something stuck in your throat.  It could cause trouble breathing later on.

Thyroid Problems

The thyroid gland sits in your neck just in front of the nerves that control your vocal cords.  Problems with it that can lead to long-lasting hoarseness include:  hyperthyroidism (it makes too much thyroid hormone, and your body burns energy too fast), hypothyroidism (it makes too little, and your system gets too slow), or even thyroid cancer.

Nerve Conditions

Diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or myasthenia gravis can cause a hoarse, raspy voice because of their effect on your vocal cord nerves.  It’s unlikely that voice problems would be the first and only symptom you’d have.  Usually, they’re just one of many other signs of these diseases.

Yeast Infection

Do you get chronic laryngitis?  It’s rare, but sometimes a fungus – like those that cause yeast infections – could be to blame.  If you use an asthma inhaler, you might be more likely to have yeast in your vocal cords.

Precancerous Cells

Abnormal cells growing on your larynx or voice box, the hollow organ that holds your vocal cords – can press on your vocal cords and keep them from working the way they should.  Your larynx is lined with squamous cells, no cancerous cells go on to be squamous cell carcinomas.  If you find cancer of the larynx early, it’s easy to treat.

Noncancerous Bumps and Lumps

Growths like polyps, cysts, or nodules aren’t cancerous, but they can push on vocal cords in the same way precancerous growths do.  Professional singers are at high-risk of getting them.  they result from the constant friction of your vocal cords rubbing together, much like a blister forms on your heel when your shoe is too tight.  Typically, it takes rest, therapy, or surgery to treat them.

Acid Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), makes stomach acid rise up into your throat or even onto your vocal cords.  Over time, this laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) irritates your throat issues.  Usually your hoarseness will be worse in the morning, if GERD is the cause.  You may not have any heartburn at all when you have LPR.

Smoking

Breathing in smoke, either by smoking yourself or by taking it in secondhand, can cause permanent changes to your vocal cords over time.  When they swell, the pitch of your voice could get deeper.  Smoking also raises your risk of throat cancer.

Medications

Corticosteroids, the medication inside an asthma inhaler, can sometimes cause dysphonia – otherwise known as difficulty speaking.  Other meds that can mess with your voice quality include antihistamines, diuretics, anticholinergics used to treat bladder problems, Parkinson’s disease, or depression; and blood clot medications.

What Your Hair & Scalp Say About Your Health

Does Bad Hair Mean Bad Health?

Is your hair trying to tell you something about your health?  Maybe.  Some conditions and medications affect your body as well as your hair.  In other cases, you may just need to take better care of your hair and scalp.  Use this pictorial guide to see what separates myth from fact when it comes to your health and your hair.

White Flakes Pose No Health Risk

Dandruff isn’t contagious.  So how do you get it?  Doctors aren’t sure, but one theory is that it may be due to an overgrowth of a fungus.  Other possible risk factors include oily skin, stress, obesity, cold, dry weather, and having eczema or psoriasis.  Although it’s embarrassing – and the itching can be bothersome – dandruff isn’t harmful.

Tips for Dandruff Treatment

To decrease the buildup of dandruff’s dead skin cells, try using an antidandruff shampoo daily.  Leave shampoo on for 5 minutes, then rinse well.  You may need to try several dandruff shampoos to find one that works best for you.  if one stops working, try another.  If that doesn’t help, call your doctor.

Yellow Dandruff

If the dandruff flakes you see are greasy and yellow, you may have seborrheic dermatitis.  It’s an inflammatory skin condition that can occur where there are lots of oil glands, like the scalp and face.  Though seborrheic dermatitis is related to hormones, fungus and even some neurological conditions like Parkinson’s disease or HIV, these conditions are all treated the same as dandruff; with antidandruff shampoos.

You May Shed More Than You Think

It’s not a perfect measure, but some experts estimate that we may shed up to 100 or more hairs a day.  That’s not cause for alarm, nor does it mean you’re going bald.  About 90% of your 100,000 hair follicles are producing hair at any given time.  The other 10% are in a resting (telogen) phase, and the hair falls out after about 2 to 3 months.  It’s replaced by new hair, and the growth cycle starts over again.

What Causes Telogen Effluvium?

A shock to your system – surgery, vaccinations, giving birth, some medications, crash diets, severe stress, thyroid problems – can push hair into its resting, or telogen, state.  About two months later, you may see hair falling out and thinning – a condition called telogen effluvium, sometimes described as hair “coming out in handfuls.”  In most cases, new hair starts growing right away.

An Attack on Hair Follicles

In alopecia areata, your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, causing hair to fall out – often suddenly.   Most people will have one or two bald patches, which can be treated easily with injections but in some cases all body hair falls out.  alopecia areata isn’t harmful or contagious, but it can be tough psychologically.  Hair may grow back on its own, and treatment may help it grow back more quickly.  Unfortunately, some people may experience alopecia areata repeatedly.

Genes Cause 90% of Male Hair Loss

Though hereditary, the trait may be more influenced by your mother’s family than your father’s.  So a look at your maternal grandfather’s locks may give you a better clue about the future of yours.  Male pattern baldness often starts with receding hair at the temples, then on the crown, leaving a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the sides of the head.  Medications to slow hair loss include finasteride (Peopecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine).

Female-Pattern Baldness

Age-related thinning may mean hair thinning all over the head, but pattern hair loss is usually most common on top of the head.  Unlike men, women rarely go bald, and they tend to lose hair more slowly than men do.  Contrary to popular belief, longer hair won’t put a strain on the roots, causing more to fall out.  nor will shampooing pull hair out – it just gets the ones that were falling out already.  Minoxidil 5% applied once daily may help hair growth and prevent thinning.  Spironolactone and Flutamide (oral medications) can also be used in women.

Avoid Sun Damage to Hair

Too much sun can turn your hair into a brittle, dry mop that breaks and splits easily.  This is especially true in those with blonde or grey hair.  And if you already have thinning hair, you risk a sunburn on your scalp.  Choosing hair care products with sunscreen provides some protection, although it can be hard to coat your hair evenly.  That’s why it’s a good idea to wear a hat when you’re out in the sun – especially if your scalp is exposed.  Choose a hat made of sun-protective fabric with UPF-30 (ultraviolet protection factor).

Luscious Locks Need Nutrients

Could a crash diet cost you your hair?  In extreme cases, it could.  Your hair needs protein and iron to stay healthy, along with omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and vitamin A, but not too much – which can promote hair loss.  Very low-calorie diets are often lacking in sufficient nutrients and can stunt hair growth or leave hair dull and limp.  If the nutritional deficiency is big enough – like for someone with an eating disorder – hair can fall out.

A Hair- and Heart-Healthy Diet

Help keep hair shiny by eating salmon and walnuts for omega-3 fatty acids; spinach and carrots for vitamin A; brazil nuts for selenium; and oysters and cashews for zinc.  All help maintain scalp and hair health, as do low-fat dairy, whole grains, and vegetables.  Double the results :  Foods good for your hair are also good for your heart.

Premature Gray Hair Is Genetic

Going gray isn’t always related to aging. If you’re not yet 40 and see more than a few gray hairs, chances are it runs in your family.  Gray usually isn’t a sign of poor health, though anemia, thyroid issues, vitamin B12 deficiency, and vitiligo can cause premature graying.  You can highlight or color hair to cover the gray, but beware:  Some people are sensitive to the chemicals in dyes.  The result could be an itchy, burning scalp.

Traction Alopecia Damages Follicles

Pulling hair too tight – as can happen with ponytails, braids, and cornrows – can damage hair follicles and cause hair to break or fall out.  Hair extensions and hairpieces can sometimes cause traction alopecia, too, because their extra weight pulls on existing hair.  Changing your hairstyle usually lets hair grow back.  pulling hair back tightly for a long time, though, can lead to permanent hair loss.

Overstyling Weakens Your Hair

Blow drying, using a flat iron, coloring, bleaching, even over-brushing – all can damage the outer layer (cuticle) of your hair.  When the inner core of hair is exposed, your locks become dry and dull.  Although it doesn’t cause any permanent health damage, you can overstyle to the point that your only option for healthy hair is to cut it off and start over.  When it comes to your hair, doing less leads to healthier tresses.

A Surprising Side Effect

Among the medications that list hair loss as a side effect are anticlotting drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and drugs for menopause, birth control, and antibiotics.  Usually, hair grows back when the medication is stopped, but may not in some cases.

Scalp Massage Feels So Good

There’s no evidence that massaging your scalp will slow hair loss or improve any scalp conditions – but it can do wonders to relieve stress.  Your scalp is covered with nerve endings that make it super-sensitive to touch.  Rubbing your scalp may help release tension.  Massage may also trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine and serotonin.

Hair Analysis Not Reliable

Some companies claim they can analyze hair clippings to see if you are deficient in vitamins or have health problems.  Although hair analysis can detect some poisons like lead or arsenic, findings can be inconsistent and varied.  Everything from air pollution to shampoo may affect test results.  The American Medical Association is against hair analysis to determine treatment.

Ways to Stay Healthy in Retirement

Find a New Purpose

When you retire, you don’t just leave a job.  You enter a new stage in your life.  if you do something you find meaningful, you’ll be happier and healthier.  Volunteer at a hospital or library.  Take part in projects at your house of worship.  Tutor kids who need help in school.  Care for animals in a shelter.  Help assemble gift boxes for soldiers overseas.  Long-term, this can help both your mind and body.

The Right Surroundings

Where you live can help set you up for good health.  If you want clean air, you have a variety of choices, like Melbourne, FL; Elmira, NY; Pueblo, CO; and Salinas, CA.  you can exercise outdoors amid the mountains of Boulder, CO, the seacoast of Portland, ME, or the sunshine of Tucson, AZ.  For top-notch medical care, it can be good to live near Cleveland, Boston, Baltimore, Houston, New York City, or Rochester, MN.

Man’s (Or Woman’s) Best Friend

A dog gives you unconditional love and more.  Just 15 minutes with Fido can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress level.  Over time, a faithful companion can help cut your cholesterol, fight depression, and keep you active.  Having a cat can also help lower your blood pressure and stress levels.

Healthy Food

You’re more likely to have problems linked to nutrition, like weight loss of a lack of certain vitamins, as you age.  So a balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbs is more important than ever.  Cut down on packaged foods, because they have lots of salt, which can raise your blood pressure.  One good option is to eat like people in Greece and its region:  lots of fruit, veggies, whole grains, and olive oil.

Get Out of the House

An active lifestyle can help you be happier, live longer, and lower your chances of some ailments, like dementia.  Play cards with friends.  Travel with a seniors group.  Reconnect with friends from high school or college.  If you have a hobby – like reading, knitting, or gardening – join a club that focuses on it.

Keep Tabs on Your Health

Regular medical checkups are a must.  Your doctor can help you guard against a heart attack or stroke by watching your blood pressure and cholesterol.  Timely shots help protect you from the flu and other illnesses.  If you’re a woman, you need tests for breast and cervical cancers; if you’re a man, your doctor can help you decide about a prostate cancer test.

Exercise for Fun and Fitness

Being active not only gives your health a boost, but it also helps you stay independent as you age.  Pick something you enjoy so you’ll keep doing it.  Aerobic exercise, like walking, swimming, or dancing, can give you more energy and help keep your mind sharp, too.  Exercises with weights or bands can build your strength.  Yoga keeps you flexible.  If exercise is new to you, ease into it, and check with your doctor first.

Behind the Wheel

With time, changes in your eyesight, physical fitness, and reflexes can affect how well you can drive.  Your safety depends on keeping track.  Can you see road signs clearly?  Are you limber enough to turn around and check traffic behind your car?  Does traffic confuse you?  Your doctor may be able to help with issues like these.  And groups like AARP and AAA offer classes to help you measure and beef up your skills.

Bone Health

If you’re a woman, your bones need a boost.  The changes in your hormones after menopause can make them more brittle, a condition called osteoporosis.  To fight that, make sure your diet gives you plenty of calcium, the bones’ key building block.  Good sources include broccoli, spinach, and low-fat or nonfat milk and yogurt.  When you reach 65, have your doctor check your bones with a DEXA test – a low-dose X-ray.

Stimulate Your Mind

Your brain needs exercise, just like your body.  Read, do puzzles, play a musical instrument, or pick up an old hobby.  Take a class in a subject you’re curious about, like cooking or computers.  Using your creative side, through things like painting and gardening, can help your brain stay healthy, too.  For example, an acting course may boost your memory and problem-solving skills.

Get Your 40 Winks

It may be harder for you sleep through the night as you get older.  You might need to pee or to shift in bed so a joint stops aching.  But you can take steps to help.  Stop drinking liquids 2 hours before bed.  Don’t have any caffeine within 8 hours of bedtime.  Make your bedroom as dark as possible.  During the day, limit naps to 10 or 20 minutes.  To help with aches, ask your doctor if you should take a painkiller when you turn in.

Safety Around the House

 Household accidents become more dangerous as you age.  Get nonslip mats for your bathroom floor and tub.  Fix frayed rugs or carpets.  Be sure there’s plenty of light.  Fasten down loose cords.  If your home has stairs, put handrails on both sides and put anti-skid strips on the steps.

Intimacy

Physical changes can make sex fade from your life.  But you can get the sizzle back.  First, each of you should talk about your feelings and concerns.  Reassure your partner that you’re still attracted to them.  hand-holding and massages are good ways to reconnect.  If there’s a physical problem, like erectile trouble, see your doctor.

Manage Your Time Well

One of the main joys of retirement is having time on your hands.  You can do what you want, when you want.  Researchers have found that retirees are happiest when they plan how to spend their time and make the most of it.  If you manage it well, that can pay off even if you don’t have lots of time to spare.  And it can keep you from being bored.

Is ‘Work’ a 4-Letter Word?

Working after you retire can keep your memory and brainpower in shape, not to mention your pocketbook.  If you enjoyed your old job, do a scaled-down version of it.  That’s an option for professions ranging from bookkeeping to home health to home repair. Or this could be your chance to try that job you always wondered about.  Second careers are sometimes the most rewarding.

The Truth About Triglycerides

What Are They?

Triglycerides are a type of fat in your blood. Oil, margarine, butter, and most other fats in your food are triglycerides. Your blood absorbs them after you eat. But that’s not the only source. Your body also turns extra calories -- especially from “simple carbs” such as pastries, white bread, candy, sugar, and alcohol -- into triglycerides and stores them in fat cells.

Are Triglycerides Cholesterol?

No. Both are known as “lipids,” but only triglycerides are fats. Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by your liver and intestines (you get some from food as well) that helps make your cell membranes and hormones. It also helps your body digest food.

Can They Be Good for You?

Yes, in the right amounts. Your body uses them to transfer and store energy for later use. But too many can raise your risk of heart disease, especially if you already have high levels of “bad” (LDL) cholesterol.

What Are Lipoproteins?

Triglycerides can’t float around in your blood on their own. So they ride along with certain proteins, called “lipoproteins.” That way, they can move around your body until you store them in fat cells.

How Do You Know Your Level?

Your doctor will likely test your triglycerides and cholesterol together. They will take a sample of blood, and they may ask you to avoid certain foods or drinks or to stop eating for a half-day or so beforehand, to make the results more accurate. A laboratory will test the blood.

What's a Lipid Profile?

It tells you the levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol, “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, and triglycerides in your blood. Your doctor may plug those numbers into a formula to get a single number that shows “total blood cholesterol.” A high number can raise your risk for heart disease. Age, family history, smoking, blood pressure, and other things may affect your numbers. So talk about it with your doctor.

Should I Fast Before My Test?

Triglyceride levels are usually higher after you eat. That’s why doctors sometimes ask that you not eat or drink (except water) in the 12 hours before your blood test. Your diet, alcohol use, whether you’re having your period (for women), the time of day, and recent exercise can also affect your results.

What Do the Results Mean?

Check your triglyceride levels against these numbers, which are based on 12 hours of fasting:

• Desirable: Less than 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)
• Borderline high: 150 to 199 mg/dL (1.7-2.2 mmol/L)
• High: 200 to 499 mg/dL (2.3-5.6 mmol/L)
• Very high: 500 mg/dL or greater (5.6 mmol/L)

Do High Numbers Cause Symptoms?

Not usually. That’s why it’s a good idea to test your lipid levels, including triglycerides, on a regular basis. Over time, high levels can be a sign of other conditions that raise the risk for heart disease. They’re also tied to obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and thyroid disease.

When Should I Get Tested?

You should talk to your doctor, who will come up with a plan of how often to test based on your family history, age, and gender. Your doctor will also take into account any other medical conditions you have and medications that you take.

High Triglycerides? Now What?

First you need to know the cause. It may be that you simply need to change your diet and get more exercise. But problems with your liver, thyroid, or other conditions like diabetes can also cause high levels. Or it may be a combination. Once your doctor figures this out, you can treat the root of the problem.

Does Diet Matter?

Yes, a lot. But not in the way you might think. Even though they consist of fat, most triglycerides are made by your body from extra carbohydrates. Sugary and starchy carbs are the worst type. Seek out “complex” carbs like vegetables and whole grains instead. Cut saturated fats (found mainly in animal products) in favor of “good” fats found in olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish.

What About Weight?

If you’re overweight, losing some of those pounds can lower your triglyceride levels. Even 5 to 10 pounds can make a difference. It may help to focus on benefits like more energy and better health, not just numbers on a scale. And remember that if you overeat, your body turns extra calories into triglycerides and stores them as fat.

Does Exercise Help?

Yes. Aim for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Regular exercise can lower triglycerides and boost "good" cholesterol. Take a walk, swim laps, or go dancing -- anything you enjoy and that gets your heart beating faster. Even if you can’t find a 30-minute chunk, you can squeeze it in 10 minutes at a time: A walk at lunch time, pushups while you watch your favorite TV show, a dance party with your kids.

What About Alcohol?

It doesn’t help. It’s high in calories and sugar, which by themselves are bad. And alcohol seems to be bad for triglyceride numbers apart from that. Even small amounts can raise your levels.

What Medications Are There?

You still need to keep up with your diet, exercise, and weight. If that’s not enough, you your doctor may recommend adding meds or supplements. These might include statins (which also curb “bad” cholesterol), omega-3 supplements, niacin (a vitamin, but don’t take it without talking to your doctor first because of possible side effects), and a type of drug called fibrates.