Imagine yourself relaxing by the pool. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, you feel faint, your chest hurts, you can’t breathe, your legs tremble, you think you’re having a heart attack and you’re dying. You may be having a heart attack or you could be one of several thousand Canadians suffering from panic disorder. What is […]
What is obsessive-compulsive disorder? Have you ever had a strange or unusual thought just pop into your mind that is entirely out of character for you? Maybe you’ve had the thought of suddenly blurting out an embarrassing or rude comment, or of causing harm or injury to another person, or of doubting whether you acted […]
What is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)? If you have Generalized Anxiety Disorder you will experience chronic, excessive, and uncontrollable worry. You may also be on edge, be easily fatigued, have difficulty concentrating, feel irritable, experience muscle tension, and have problems sleeping. GAD is one of the most common anxiety disorders. Canadian data suggest that one […]
What are gambling and gambling problems? Most Canadians play games of chance for money or other prizes. Popular gambling activities include lottery and raffle tickets, scratch tickets, casino games, slot machines, video lottery terminals (VLTs), bingo, sports betting and informal card games. In Canada and around the world, people have had more and more opportunities […]
Why does pain from needle procedures matter? Needle procedures are used to prevent, diagnose, monitor, and treat various health conditions. For example, insulin injections and finger pokes are a common experience for people with diabetes while bone marrow aspirations and lumbar punctures are experienced by people with cancer. Immunizations/vaccinations are the most common source of […]
Do you, or someone you know, ever start to feel dips in your energy, become irritable, and feel down every fall? Keep reading to see if you may need to talk to someone about how you feel. What is Seasonal Affective Disorder? Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or Depression with Seasonal Pattern, is a condition that […]
What is Social Anxiety? It is common to feel some anxiety in social situations from time to time. Many of us feel anxious when we’re at a job interview, on a first date, or giving a speech. We all want to make a good impression and be liked. However, some people feel very nervous and […]
What are enuresis and encopresis? Enuresis means urinating (peeing) where you shouldn’t (e.g., in bed or in clothing). Encopresis means defecating (pooping) where you shouldn’t (e.g., in clothes or on the floor). To have enuresis or encopresis: A child must be old enough to be toilet trained, meaning 5 years old or older for enuresis […]
What is health anxiety? Most people have felt anxious about their health or the health of loved ones at some point in their lives. In fact, we are often faced with health situations in which it is entirely appropriate to feel some anxiety. For example, you may be waiting for the results of a biopsy […]
Most of us have experienced at least one traumatic event in our life. The events can have long lasting impact on our life, on our sense of self and identity, our belief system and on our overall functioning, whether personal, social, or occupational. We might have constant distressing memories of the upsetting or traumatic event, […]
Experiencing Anxiety Related to Climate Change Climate change is a “long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth’s local, regional, and global climates.”[1] Because of the uncertainty and severity of climate change, people are seeking treatment for negative feelings related to climate-related events and the future of our planet. These […]
What are the symptoms of depression in older adulthood? The Canadian Psychological Association’s fact sheet on Depression lists the symptoms of depression. These symptoms also identify depression in older adults. Symptoms typically manifested by older adults suffering from depression include loss of energy, decreased interest and pleasure in usual activities, pain and somatic complaints, and […]
What is acute pain? Acute pain is typically described as a mild to intense sharp pain. It comes on quickly and lasts for a short period of time, usually providing a signal to the body that something is wrong. Experiencing acute pain is important because it is a part of our body’s built-in warning system. […]
What is schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a serious disorder that is related to a range of behavioural and thinking problems. Despite common myths, schizophrenia does not refer to ‘multiple personalities’, but rather a loss of contact with reality. The symptoms of schizophrenia are different from person to person, and symptoms, at least in a milder form, tend to […]
What Every Canadian Needs to Know about Suicide Some Facts. Although death by suicide is relatively uncommon, on average there are more than 10 deaths by suicide daily in Canada. Thinking about suicide and engaging in self-harm and in suicidal behaviour are much more common. When feeling overwhelmed or in psychological pain, people might contemplate […]
What is perfectionism? Perfectionism is a multidimensional personality style that is associated with a large number of psychological, interpersonal, and achievement-related difficulties. It is not a disorder but a vulnerability factor that produces problems for children, adolescents, and adults. People often confuse perfectionism with achievement striving or conscientiousness. Perfectionism is distinct from these attitudes. It […]
What is Racism? What Can We Do to Address it? Racism is a combination of stereotypical thinking, negative and hateful emotions, and discriminatory acts targeting individuals or groups of individuals who are regarded as being inherently inferior, somewhat socially deviant, and deserving of inferior status in society. While all humans have the capacity to hold […]
Pandemics are complex dynamic systems that shift and change over time due to the influence of a huge and interacting set of variables. Cultural contexts, although they tend to change more slowly, are similarly complex. Research on cultural processes unfolding under pandemic conditions is therefore fraught with uncertainty. Nonetheless, thanks to research conducted during and […]
What is a phobia? A phobia is an excessive and persistent fear of a situation (e.g., enclosed places, driving, flying, seeing blood, heights) or an object (e.g., animals such as rats, snakes, spiders, dogs, or birds). The focus of an individual’s fear is generally anticipated harm or danger related to the situation or object (e.g., […]
COVID-19 is an infectious disease that is not only posing significant risk to public health and the way we cope with our daily lives; it is also posing a significant challenge to how we are dying and how we are mourning loved ones. Death and Dying Physical distancing restrictions related to COVID-19 have meant that […]
Canada’s COVID-related Research Support Public health emergencies such as COVID-19 affect the lives of people, families and communities. In early March, the Government of Canada announced an investment of more than $275 million in funding for research on measures to combat COVID-19. Of this investment, $27 million was allocated to research through the three federal […]
As the COVID-19 situation evolves around the globe, students’ day-to-day lives are being increasingly disrupted: courses have been moved from in-person settings to online formats; visits with friends and families have been prohibited; access to resources such as the on-campus library, student counselling services, or other campus spaces has been lost; some students have had […]
COVID-19 is not only impacting everyday life; it is also impacting faculty and research teams in many ways, from how to transition to online classes, how to work and best support students remotely, how to adapt current research projects while ensuring the welfare and safety of research subjects, and how to pay salaries/stipends and other […]
What Is Cognition? Cognition is how people process information. It is the ability of your brain to register, consolidate, store and retrieve information to solve problems. Cognition depends on several mental functions including attention, perception, memory, language, and reasoning. What Is Dementia? Dementia is the advanced stage for a cluster of clinical neurodegenerative disorders involving […]
The effects of COVID-19 on mental health, and what to do about them. See more “Psychology Works” Fact Sheets at https://cpa.ca/psychologyfactsheets/.
During the current Covid-19 Pandemic, a number of Canadian Governments have announced programs designed to support employers, with the specific goal of mitigating some of the economic consequences of Canada’s response to small business. As a result of social distancing and other policies, economic activity in Canada has dramatically slowed. This has resulted in financial […]
During the current COVID-19 Pandemic, a number of Federal, Provincial and Territorial governments have announced programs designed to support employers, with the specific goal of mitigating some of the economic consequences on Canada’s small businesses. As a result of social distancing and other policies, economic activity in Canada has dramatically slowed. This has resulted in […]
Quick chat with CPA CEO Dr. Karen Cohen about the fact sheet Psychological Practice and the Coronavirus, as well as the future of psychological tele-health services.
This is a time of tremendous uncertainty and change as the world faces the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some stressors are universal, frontline health care providers also face unique challenges in terms of physical risk, as well as emotional and psychological toll during this time of heightened, prolonged medical demand. The information that […]
As the COVID-19 situation evolves around the globe, students’ day-to-day lives are being increasingly disrupted. From courses being moved from an in-person setting to online classes and not being able to visit friends and family, to not having access to the resources such as the library, the mental health clinic, or other spaces on campus, […]
Adolescents are likely to be strongly affected by public health emergencies such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Public health directives to reduce transmission have likely meant cancellations of organized sport teams and recreational activities, missed celebrations, cancelled school trips, reduced or lost employment, loss of opportunities to socially engage with peers, and loss of in-class […]
Infectious diseases, like any life stressor, challenge the way we cope. Whether we learn about them on television or experience them personally, we can feel upset, fearful and anxious as a result, both for our own personal safety and that of our family, friends, colleagues, and community. Stressful events can also bring up feelings and […]
COVID-19 has demonstrated profound impact on the health of individuals and communities and on the delivery of health services, at precisely the time when health services are what individuals need, both for their physical and mental health. Health care leaders and governments are advising and requiring changes to all manner of services so that face-to-face […]
The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious illness that currently poses significant risk to public health and is rapidly changing the work landscape in Canada. The current recommendations from the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC; https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html) about social distancing have an obvious impact on our work lives. Many employers in Canada are recommending that […]
What is food allergy? If your child has a food allergy, their immune system misinterprets a certain food as harmful and reacts by triggering an allergic reaction. Almost 500,000 Canadian children under 18 years of age have an allergy to food (Soller et al., 2015). The severity of allergic reactions to food is unpredictable and […]
What is COVID-19? COVID-19 is a new coronavirus that is rapidly spreading throughout the world. According to the WHO, it is classified as a pandemic. Most people (80%) experience mild symptoms, although the virus is most harmful to seniors (over 65 years of age) and people with compromised immune systems (e.g., with cancer, chronic inflammatory […]
What is a Concussion? A concussion is an injury to the brain that is caused when a force is applied to the head or body. Concussions are the most common type of head injury, with an incidence of 210,000 per year in Canada (Longman & Rach-Longman, 2017). Concussions are often referred to as mild traumatic […]
Most women have questions or experience some concerns about their sexuality at some point in their lives. Information on sexuality can be easily accessed via books and a variety of online and social media resources. However, it is difficult at times to separate advice-touting articles from the fact that sexuality is a highly individual experience […]
What is Pediatric Palliative Care? Pediatric palliative care is an active and comprehensive care approach embracing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. It focuses on enhancing the quality of life for a child or adolescent and their entire family throughout the course of a life-limiting or life-threatening illness. Life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses can be broadly […]
Cancer in Childhood and Adolescence Compared to cancer in adults, cancer in children and adolescents (hereby referred to as ‘childhood cancer’) usually grow in different types of body tissues, result from unknown causes, and tend to grow rapidly and aggressively, and are more responsive to therapy (Pizzo & Poplak, 2010). The three most common types […]
What is alcohol use disorder? Most of us drink alcohol. A large survey showed that about 78% of Canadians drank alcohol in the previous year, 21% exceeded low-risk consumption guidelines and about 6% drank heavily at least once a month (five or more drinks per occasion for men and 4 or more drinks per occasion […]
Bereavement is the state of loss when a loved loved one such as a parent, child, spouse, or close friend has died. Grief refers to the psychological reaction to the bereavement. Grief can occur due to various losses: Spousal death: Under the age of 55 about 1% of adults are widows, but by age 85 […]
What is irritable bowel syndrome? Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) include pain or discomfort in the lower abdomen (below the belly button area) and changes in bowel habit that involve frequent, urgent diarrhea or constipation. Bloating is another common symptom. IBS is a medical disorder of the lower ‘gut’ (the small and large intestine) […]
Psychological Distress and Coping with Serious Incurable Illness When people become seriously ill, they are often immersed in an intense process of medical testing and treatments. They may be overwhelmed with navigating a complex health pathway and unfamiliar medical language. Understandably, this unfamiliar illness pathway affects different parts of people’s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual […]
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurological (brain-based) disorder that affects the development of social and communication abilities, as well as other aspects of behaviour, in characteristic ways. The term “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD) reflects the current view that the impact of ASD on learning and behaviour can range […]
