4. 2
Psych2Go
Psych2Go started as a blog to feature short psychology facts in the format of memes
(text-posts that are rapidly spread around the internet). Our mission was to brand
ourselves as a forum/platform for people to get quick psychology information to further
discuss and debate about the posts. We wanted to create an open forum of discussions
to help foster critical thinking about research methods and limitations.
To accomplish that, the Psych2Go team is transparent about the fact that we don't
always post legitimate psychology information, but only do so in order to get people
to really question ALL our posts and think on an analytical level. Sometimes what you
think is true is actually not true and sometimes what is not true is yet to be supported
by research.
We have found that understanding research methods and having an open and
encouraging forum for all of this is essential. Several Facebook groups have also
been created, already aiming at this - including groups that allow people to express
their creativity like our “Poetry” and “Doodle” group, and our “Research and Writing
Discussion” group which creates discussion among expression of ideas, and academic
assistance.
As time went on, it made sense that Psych2Go should start providing supplementary
materials such as sources, references, as well as some explanation to our viral meme
posts that are featured on our Tumblr (as you’ll see an example from the “Psych to
Go” article in this magazine issue) which generates large discussion from audience
members. From these realizations to include more material content, psych2go.net, the
sister site was born.
When we started, Psych2Go had a team of 10 writers and published over 200 articles
within less than 2 months and received over 1 million page views. And the articles
followed a specific format:
1. Intro
2. Bring up research.
3. Identify the research methods and the limitations
4. question for our readers
This format is aligned with our mission statement to analyze research, create
discussions, and provide the resources needed to facilitate those discussions.
Then, as time went on, we thought about implementing a mentorship program to help
further facilitate this learning process for our younger audiences (since a majority of
our readers were not yet psychology students).
And that’s where psych2go.net is today! We have editors, mentors, and intern writers,
who our Human Resource team has a very close relationship with and helps them every
step of the way.
Our goal is to become the go-to site for psychology, writing, help, research, studies,
and so forth. Psych2Go serves as an easily accessible and inclusive platform for our
young audiences.
Tai Tai
Manager and Creator of Psych2Go
Psych2go@outlook.com
Psych2go.tumblr.com
Psych2go.net
WAIT, WHAT EXACTLY IS "PSYCH2GO"?
6. 4
Psych2Go
HELLO!As a special part of the “Psych2Go” team, we believe that this magazine sets itself
apart from other science magazines out there. Understanding this magazine is not in a
traditional “magazine” format gives our magazine a creative and unique feel.
This was made by a collection of young entrepreneurs from all over the world. This
publication includes international contributors from places like Slovenia, The U.K., the
Netherlands, the Philippines, Canada, and people within various places of the U.S. like
New York, Maryland, D.C., Tennessee, and California.
Keep in mind that not all of us are trained professionals in the Psychology field, but
simply people that are intrigued by Psychological concepts, only wanting to pass our
research along, while involving people to talk about their personal experiences, as well
as informing an audience with interesting Psychological facts.
We hope that you enjoy this collaborative publication that acts as an extension of our
online blog, psych2go.net, and we ask that you get involved with this entrepreneurial
organization as well! After all, Psychology is the science that’s all about you, and as a
growing company, we’re offering the opportunity for you to grow with us.
Teresa Johnson
Editor-in-Chief, Manager & Coordinator of Psych2Go Magazine
(https://twitter.com/teresaxjohnson)
12. 10
Psych2Go
Hello all! I’m Sneha and I’m currently pursing my Master's degree
at University of Pennsylvania's School of Design and I’ve been
practicing Arts & Design for around 5 years. My work inclines toward
a palate of textures that influence the organic and structured notion
of spaces around me. Recently, I completed a Diploma in Learning
Disorders Management and Child Psychology.
U.S. (Pennsylvania)
Hi, I’m Sophie! I’m currently doing my BSc in Communication
and Media, but I have always been interested in psychology. I am
especially interested in criminal psychology and how the mind of
a psychopath works, but I am also interested in personality, social,
and child psychology.
Netherlands
Hi, I’m Teresa and I attend Community College as a sophomore in
hopes of taking on NYC my Junior and Senior year of college. I plan
to receive a bachelors degree of communications and journalism
due to my love of writing, communicating and self-expression. In my
free time I love to sing, draw, write, and explore new places. I started
by making videos for Psych2Go on their YouTube channel, but now
I’m project manager and editor-in-chief of this magazine!
U.S (Maryland)
I'm Imogen, I'm 21 and going into my final year of an MSci in
Psychology and Psychological Research. I work as a staff writer
and a HR rep for psych2go.net, and I love learning and teaching all
things psychological. I hope to one day become a researcher, and I
love forensic, child and animal psychology!
The U.K.
Sneha
Sophie
Teresa
Imogen
I'm a sophomore/junior at American University, and I’m majoring
in Psychology with minors in Spanish Language/Translation and
Business Administration. I love blogging and crafting, as well as
watching YouTube like it's my job. I'm super excited to be a part of
this magazine, and I can't wait to see where this adventure takes
me!
U.S. (Maryland)
Lauren
Hello, I’m Larissa, and I’m a third year Psychology major working
towards a minor in Law and Society as well as Ethics and
Philosophy. Some of my greatest passions in Psychology include the
topics of eating disorders, self-harm, psychopathology, and forensic
psychology. When I’m not working or doing homework I enjoy
watching Netflix, sleeping, reading, playing with cats, and writing!
U.S. (Minnesota)
Larissa
13. 11
ISSUE 2
Hi! I’m Kayleigh. Besides having a passion for writing, learning new
things and gathering interesting facts (Did you know the majority
of lizards can’t run and breathe at the same time?), I love creative
things like drawing and making jewelry. I'm currently studying at
University and in my free time I can be found listening to music,
reading and writing, or browsing the internet.
Netherlands
Hi I'm Hannah. I have my BSc in Psychology and I'm completing
my post grad in journalism at the moment. I’m fascinated by
human sexuality & sexual behavior, and the science behind mental
illness. I enjoy editing papers and long runs on the elliptical. My
two hedgehogs keep me motivated, and they say that they hope you
enjoy our articles and magazine! Just know that whenever you read
something by me, a hedgehog was nearby.
Nova Scotia
I’m Sheena, and I study Psychology BSc with the University of the
Highlands & Islands in Scotland. Being both the kid who grew up
reading encyclopedias and the ‘Agony Aunt’ friend, I’ve always been
interested in how what happens in our heads affects the way that we
live our lives, and in practicing acceptance (and hopefully spreading
it too!).
The U.K.
Being a media student, I am a huge supporter of anti-consumerism
and media awareness. In my spare time you can find me reading
(especially fantasy literature), listening to music, watching
Japanese anime, taking long walks in the nature and most often
writing. Above all I am simply a girl, madly in love with stories in all
shapes and sizes.
Slovenia
Kayleigh
Hannah
Sheena
Katja
Hi there! I'm oftentimes described as a shy girl with a quick wit.
Amazingly, I've managed to channel my passion to different facets
of art and psychology, and blended my two loves. A firm believer that
you never stop learning
Philippines
Risha
I began having an interest in Psychology at age 12 and hope to
attend Ruhr-Universität Bochum for a double major in Linguistics
and Psychology. I am a musician who writes Electro-Pop songs in
reference to life struggles and mental illnesses, soon to release my
album in April. In my free time, I like to create graphic designs for
fellow artists.
Ontario, Canada
Dancia
14. 12
Psych2Go
Hello! My name is Gabriel, and I’m a psychology major at William
Carey University. I plan to get my Bachelor’s degree in 2017. After
that, I aspire to obtain my Master’s degree and my or PsyD. I plan
to become a psychiatrist or a Christian counselor. My hobbies
include making candles and selling them on Etsy, reading, and
listening to music. I love learning about mental illness and
other branches of psychology. I’m very excited to be a part of
this magazine, and I hope I am able to help people through my
writings!
U.S (Mississippi)
Kimiya
I'm Tyra Davis, a middle school English Teacher living in NYC, but
I've always been a writer at heart. Although my background is not
in psychology, I have suffered from anxiety and depression in the
past, which brings with it a lot of experience dealing with negative
feelings and emotions. I hope to bring some of this experience to
light in my advice to our readers.
U.S (New York)
Advice Column Team
Tyra
My name is Laura Corona and I am 21 years old. Currently studying
Communications and soon will begin working my way into becoming
an American Sign Language Interpreter.
U.S. (California)
Advice Column Team
Laura
Hi I'm Lauren, I graduated with a degree in psychology and a
masters in counselling. I've been a youth worker, a counsellor and
currently I'm working towards becoming a social worker. I wanted
to be apart of the magazine as I know what it's like to struggle with
your feelings and I want help where I can. That's my passion in life.
My other passion is art. I post videos of my digital art on YouTube in
the hopes of creating a relaxing space for others. You can find me at
Rad Little Drawings.
Northern Ireland
Advice Column Team
Lauren
I love writing about subjects regarding the mind. I'm a straight-A
tenth grader in high school, pursuing my dream of becoming an
author one day. In my free time, I read, write, and talk to my friends.
U.S (Texas)
Hi! Jessica here. I'm a psych major in college working on my junior
year. I've been inspired to study psychology by my passionate high
school teacher but my favorite topic is the brain. I'm studying hard
to research and learn to help others.
U.S (Maryland)
Jessica
Gabriel
15. 13
ISSUE 2
Starting the new year off, here’s
a few things that made psychology
newsworthy this past year.
Psychcentral released a top 10
list of important and intriguing articles
including the Hoffman report which
looked into the APA’s efforts to keep
psychologists as consultants during
torture interrogations. The investigation
led to a few resignations, and the people
negatively affected, led a vigorous effort
to stop the study’s findings from going
further.
A big argument that has seen
constant debate in psychological studies
also had a paper published on it this year.
Published by a Norwegian psychologist,
it argued that psychology cannot be an
empirical science. He uses the paper to
argue that old truths just require new
ways of looking at them in psychology,
while other sciences can actually discover
new ones.
This article comes not too
soon after the attempted replications of
multiple studies revealed that an attempt
to recreate the same studies by different
researchers doesn’t work. In a look at
over 100 studies, there were 36% that had
results remaining statistically significant.
All that said, it is hard to determine if
it was due to researchers not having
expertise in a specific field or a variety of
other confounding variables.
At last, but very important
newsworthy item came from the
Scientific American. An article released
on studies speaking about the
differences in the brain of transgender
people. While the studies were released
in 2011, the newfound interest in social
justice issues, especially involving trans
people made this a very interesting,
important, and validating article.
Essentially, it pointed out a biological
basis for being trans. This can allow a
huge shift in thinking.
Sources cited:
Can Psychology Be an Empirical Science? -
Neuroskeptic. (2016, January 2). Retrieved January
2, 2016, from http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/
neuroskeptic/2016/01/02/can-psychology-empirical-
science/#.Vof9n0orLIU
Is There Something Unique about the Transgender
Brain? (n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2015, from
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-there-
something-unique-about-the-transgender-brain/
Report of the Independent Reviewer and Related
Materials. (n.d.). Retrieved December 29, 2015, from
http://apa.org/independent-review/index.aspx
Top 10 Important or Intriguing Psychology Articles of
2015. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2015, from http://
psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2015/12/29/top-10-
important-or-intriguing-psychology-articles-of-2015/
By: Hannah Bennet
Artwork by: Sohaina Maratita
IN THE NEWS
16. 14
Psych2GoPsych2Go
Us: “What did you think of that in-
stitution?”
MU: There’s some very impressive archi-
tecture and a really nice looking campus.
It felt like a really great mixing-pot of dif-
ferent people and ideas. The world-class
research that comes out of the University
of Birmingham really drew me towards
studying there.
Us: “What made you pick psychology?”
MU: My interest in psychology basical-
ly stems from an interest in how things
work. I like to know what makes people
tick – why do they behave the way they
do, especially when that can seem count-
er-intuitive? That and an interest in biolo-
gy / neurology, especially pathology.
Us: “Have you had much career advice as
part of your course?”
MU: Somewhat, not really as part of the
course but the careers network at
the university is quite useful. I feel that
the experience can be a bit hit-or-miss
however depending on who your personal
tutor is.
Us: “Would you like to study psychology
further?”
MU: Possibly, it’s such a deep subject
connecting all sorts of topics that I’m
sure I’ll be involved with it in some way
or another.
Us: “Whats your favourite part of psy-
chology?”
MU: Finding out something that sur-
prises you, something you didn’t expect
because it’s just so weird or wonderful.
Also, the amount of introspection learn-
ing psychology gives you.
Miles
Underwood
INTERVIEW
Interview conducted by: Imogen Bowler
The interview for this issue is
with Miles Underwood, he grad-
uated from a 3 year BSc Psy-
chology course at the University
of Birmingham in 2015. He is 23
years old and from London, UK.
From: The U.K.
17. 15
ISSUE 2ISSUE 1
Us: “Whats your least favourite part of
psychology?”
MU: Probably the number crunching and
data entry you have to do when research-
ing something. It can be quite tedious, but
at least it does serve a purpose.
Us: “If you could change something
about your studies, what would it be?”
MU: Do more reading, not just the core
textbooks but explore a bit more around
the subjects. I’m quite a lazy student
however, and there’s always something
you could have put more effort into.
Us: “What is the one thing someone
studying psychology should know?”
MU: Not to have too many preconceptions
of what you’re going to encounter. Go at
it with an open mind and just enjoy what
you discover.
18. 16
Psych2Go
By: Alex Velarde
Artwork by: Fiensh
TECHNOLOGY & THE HUMAN BRAIN:
SocialPsychology
How The Advancement of Technology Has Affected
Social Interaction
It’s almost in every room we’re
in. It’s in our homes, our jobs, and our
classrooms. It’s subtly apart of our every-
day lives, and we don’t even notice; Tech-
nology is all around us, and thanks to
how fast it has progressed and evolved, it
is everywhere we go. Due to the creation
of smartphones, tablets, laptops, and
even the new smart watches, it is almost
impossible not to see someone fidgeting
with technology in some form or anoth-
er in our everyday lives. While innovative
tech and the advent of the internet have
given us easy access to more information
and a wide variety of ways to socialize
with people all over the world, it brings
into question just how good of an addition
the advancement of technology has been
in regards to our everyday social interac-
tion and the human psyche.
The best place to start is to take a look
at how the overuse of technology affects
the mind. The Chinese Academy of Sci-
ences researched and found that people
that used the internet more often--on
average—had abnormal connections
between the nerve fibers in the brain.
Frequent internet usage was found to be
addictive to many people, and the exer-
tion going on in the brain paralleled the
same type of activity in the brain of a drug
addict. It explains the abundance of cell
phones you see in people’s hands, even
when they’re right next to each other. It’s
almost too easy to default to the com-
fort of our phones when we feel uneasy
in a social situation; We’re all guilty of it,
but scientists argue that it’s enabling a
culture that lacks empathy and “human
touch,” and that’s not to mention the toll
it can potentially have on our health.
Tablet and Smartphone usage at night-
time has shown to cost us our sleep.
A study done by professor Russell E.
Johnson from Michigan State University
concluded that people have a hard time
keeping work away from home with easy
access to work information at our finger-
tips. Not to mention that smartphones in
particular have caused many people to
have a bad night’s sleep due to the light
from the screen prohibiting melatonin
release in the brain. While there are
both pros and cons to such accessibility,
smartphones have been integrated into
our lives and our children’s lives-- for
better and worse.
Multiple reports have shown that tablet
and smartphone use can be beneficial to
a child’s mind. With improved multitask-
ing skills, motor tasks, and peripheral
vision there is a clear benefit to the ad-
vancement of technology. However, with
technology being so new, it’s hard to know
the full effect that it can have until more
time passes. Studies show that children
need face-to-face interaction with others
to learn and grow, and with 56 percent
of kids aged between 10 to 13 owning a
smartphone (as well as 25 percent of kids
that are between 2 and 5) smartphones
have caused many to question if children
should be allowed to own smartphones
at all. Parents must set a good example
and judge whether or not a smartphone
or tablet is right for their children.
With distractions such as Facebook, Twit-
ter, and other popular social media sites
at our fingertips, many scientists believe
that we are losing our ability to social-
ize and communicate with each other
in person. Dating apps such as Tinder
have made it easier than ever to hook-up
with someone or find a new relation-
19. 17
ISSUE 2
ship, whereas a couple of decades
back you would have actually needed to
leave your home and meet new people.
The current trend has also been shown
to cause problems with couples due to
research exhibiting that it can raise in-
securities in relationships where one
partner uses their phone more than the
other--often times leading to one person
feeling they’re not important enough for
their significant other. Giving someone
your full attention is a vital part of build-
ing new relationships, and phone usage
during dates can be the last nail in the
coffin of what could have been an other-
wise healthy relationship.
Overall, we as a society must make an ef-
fort to live a balanced life. Smartphones,
tablets, laptops, and smart watches have
all made our lives easier, but they also
have made our lives more stressful and
distracted. Define what you believe to
be an adequate amount of time on your
phone or laptop and then put it away
when it’s time to stop. Share your tech-
nology with your children, but have rules
and guidelines for when and where they
can be used. Avoid pulling out your phone
whenever you’re uncomfortable around
somebody because maybe you wouldn’t
be if you actually spent the time to talk
to them. The advancement of technolo-
gy has helped us grow as a species, but
it should never hinder us. Let go of the
likes, the networking, and the selfies—
put down the phone, and talk to a fellow
human being today.
Sources cited:
Coplin, David. “Why we should be embracing new tech-
nology.” CNN. 2015. Web. 27 May. 2015
Morris, Chris. “Is technology killing the human touch?”
CNBC. 2015. Web. 15 Aug. 2015
Mount, Harry. “Was Einstein right? Physicists once said
he feared that technology would surpass human inter-
action-and these photos show that time may not be far
off.” Daily Mail.com. 2015. Web. 28 Jan. 2015
Williams, Amy. “How Do Smartphones Affect Childhood
Psychology?” PsychCentral. 2015. Web. 22 Dec. 2014.
“The Psychological Toll of the Smartphone.” Associa-
tion For Psychological Science. 2014. Web. June. 2014v
20. 18
Psych2Go
If you think about it, there’s
no one like you in the world.
You are unique, one-of-a-kind,
and you should love yourself
for the very fact that you bring
something so special to the
people that live in your life.
Regardless if you think so or
not.
It’s understandable to struggle
with issues regarding physical
appearance and conflicting
internal issues with yourself.
We’ve all been there.
Personally, I’ve struggled with body
dysmorphia; where I criticize my ap-
pearance to the point where it’s some-
times difficult to go somewhere If I feel as
though I don’t look decent enough. There
are different levels of severity regarding
this disorder, as with any other. Some-
thing as simple as this problem may
sound selfish, however, categorized as an
obsession, it’s all in your mind about the
way you appear to yourself – even though
you may look fine to someone else.
Other mental disorders such as depres-
sion, bipolar disorder, and anxiety are
common to surface in a person’s teenage
to adult years (and sometimes even soon-
er). No matter how you may be feeling,
you need to make sure you are receiving
proper treatment, counseling, or getting
SELF
LOVE
&
MENTAL
HEALTHBy: Teresa Johnson
Artwork by: Laura Mulrooney
21. 19
ISSUE 2
necessary help. If you are feeling
stressed out about college exams or
personal issues and life in general, feel
free to wrap yourself up in a warm blan-
ket, drink some tea, coffee, or something
that’s comforting to you and shut those
problems out for a while. Your mental
health comes before anything else. You
can also release stress in healthy ways,
such as drawing, singing, composing
songs, poetry, exercising, and whatever
else it is that you like to do. The list is
limitless! Just don’t release your internal
pain or stressors through unhealthy out-
lets, as it will only do more damage than
good.
There are over two-hundred classified
forms of mental illness – it doesn’t just
stop at the most commonly known ones.
And each is just as real and exists to the
same extent. As a reminder, being men-
tally healthy does not mean that you will
never experience mental hardships. Ev-
eryone goes through loss of loved ones,
changes to ones’ surroundings, and
these life situations can evoke mental
issues like anxiety and stress. You can
improve upon your anxious tendencies by
balancing your emotions. By recognizing
that you have an illness is your first step
to finding proper treatment. Remember
people want to help you! Physical health
goes hand-in-hand with mental health.
It’s important to get enough rest, prac-
tice a nutritious diet, exercise, get sun-
light, limit alcohol, and avoid cigarettes.
To those that may suffer from Seasonal
Affective Disorder, where you may not
be getting enough sunlight seasonally,
happy lights are sometimes a helpful
tool to use to help mimic sunlight which
has been proven to improve mood. Drugs
also may make you feel good in the short
term realm of things, but excessive use
may lead to negative consequences on
your mental health and mood instead of
improving your overall wellbeing.
Biologically speaking, it’s important to
release endorphins, as these are the
brain’s “feel-good” chemicals which help
you function with a more positive mind-
set. Eating chocolate, listening to music,
smelling scents like vanilla or lav-
ender, and even laughing can trigger the
release of these hormones. Having pets,
such as a cuddly cat or dog can help re-
lease stress and alleviate mental issues,
as well as practicing self-discipline and
control, and discovering the beauty of
nature. All different kinds of animals can
aid in making someone feel better, while
having a little animal to love. Also, as a
fun fact, regardless if you may be allergic
to cats or not, their purr is proven to calm
a person’s nerves and help relax others,
including themselves! Regarding self
discipline, one may eliminate a food item
from their diet to improve their health.
Sometimes it’s nice to be able to go for a
hike somewhere in a park or up a moun-
tain to discover the world around you.
Sometimes experiencing peacefulness in
nature can reduce stress.
There are multiple ways to find help and
to improve your mental health. Don’t
think that because you feel one way now,
it will never get better. It’s difficult, but
know that it’s possible to overcome a lot
of obstacles that may hinder your happi-
ness. It gets better!
Sources Cited:
Endorphins: 8 Natural Boosters. (n.d.). Retrieved
December 25, 2015, from http://www.rd.com/
health/8-ways-to-naturally-increase-endorphins/
Improving Emotional Health. (n.d.). Retrieved Decem-
ber 25, 2015, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/
emotional-health/improving-emotional-health.htm
*A mental health hotline page is listed at the back of
the magazine on page__*
22. 20
Psych2Go
MENTAL ILLNESS
By: Sneha Easwaran
Artwork by: Lea Sophia Hopfenmüller
AND THE VIEWS OF ARTISTS
Artists can be very expressive in a
multitude of ways to bring out qualities
of the ephemeral and unimaginative. A
lot of vital artists, ones that pop into my
mind in particular, are coined ‘mad’ or
‘unique’ in a sense that they all bring out
a certain characteristic to the work they
bring out. Salvidor Dalí, the surrealist
artist is unique in a sense where the real
is unreal for him and he brings out the
unusual, grandiose behavior in his work.
His eccentric work ethic brings him many
criticism as well as curious minds to
come together to appreciate his palate.
There are other artists, like Vincent Van
Gogh and Virginia Woolf for instance who
had a great sense in the way they saw the
world. Sadly, the surreal feel to their work
and lifestyle ended their lives through
mental illness and finally, suicide.
It’s a strange phase where a lot of prom-
inent figures in the art world suffered
from some fatal, or mere form of men-
tal illness. Is there some sort of reason
that’s linked to this statement? There is
indeed a scientific study, which was con-
ducted by Dr. Nancy Andreason of the
University of Iowa1. She stated that men-
tal illness is common among a lot of cre-
ative people, especially that of the bipolar
disorder. In an experiment she did with
people with similar intelligence levels of
a control group, creative writers seemed
to stand out in terms of having a high lev-
el of the bipolar disorder. They are also
genetically linked. Another professor, Dr.
Arnold Ludwig of University of Kentucky2
looked at how mental illness is linked to
cultural factors.
There is also biological evidence in re-
lation to how the brain functions in rela-
tion to these problems. All information is
technically stored in the frontal lobe
of the brain (temporal and parietal lobes)
and when there is a fuzzy notion happen-
ing within these areas, certain mental
illnesses can arise such as schizophre-
nia and manic depression. Hyperactivity
within these regions may cause delusion-
al thoughts. The cycling of norepineph-
rine may also be a cause of depressive
symptoms – this happens in the frontal
lobe. Norepinephrine is an organic chem-
ical that functions in the brain and the
body as a neurotransmitter and as a hor-
mone as well.
It’s interesting because these illnesses
sometimes takes an artist away from the
real world and they reach more into a
far-fletched stage to explore their ideas
a lot more in depth – things that deem
more valuable to themselves. They aren’t
affected by societal norms and expecta-
tions. Edvard Munch articulates his suf-
ferings to be a part of his artwork. “My
troubles are a part of me and my art. They
aren’t separate from me and it [treat-
ment] would destroy my work ethic3”.
Henry Darger on the other hand, an art-
ist that spent part of his childhood in an
asylum, made his eccentric lifestyle into
something he culminated to be of impor-
tance to him. He was deeply interested in
abolishing the entire notion of child slav-
ery, depicting his support and interest in
his work ‘In the Realms of the Unreal’.
Sources cited:
1
Andreasen, Nancy. “Secrets of the Creative Brain.”
The Atlantic, August 1, 2014.
2
Cumbie, Kim. “Mind and Art: Does an Artist’s Style
Suggest a Predisposition to Mental Illness?” UK Chan-
dler Medical News. http://www.uky.edu/PR/News/
MCPRNews/1998/mental.htm.
ExploringMentalHealth
23. 21
ISSUE 2
“these illnesses sometimes takes an
artist away from the real world and
they reach more into a far-fletched
stage to explore their ideas a lot more
in depth”
24. 22
Psych2Go
One of the greatest 20th century
novelist, winner of the Nobel Prize for
literature and the Pulitzer Prize, Ernest
Hemingway survived World War I, World
War II and the Spanish Civil War. He was a
part of Gertrude Stein’s Lost Generation
though his unique writing style sets him
apart from other writers of his era. We
are all familiar with his work as a war
correspondent and we have probably all
read at least one of his books. Hemingway
was a strong masculine figure, an
adventurer, a player – he married four
times and divorced three times. Yet what
most of us don’t know is the man behind
the public face.
A proper psychological diagnose was
never performed while Hemingway was
still alive. Significant evidence supports
the assumptions that he suffered from
bipolar disorder, alcohol dependence,
traumatic brain injury and narcissistic
personality traits. He had a biological
predisposition for mood disorders
and alcoholism since his parents also
suffered from mood swings – both of
them ended up shooting themselves
in the head. His mother gave Ernest
inconsistent messages about masculinity
and femininity when she dressed him
up in girly clothes and at the same time
praised his skills at hunting and fishing.
All this had to be extremely confusing for
a young boy. Ernest however, never spoke
about that part of his life. While his mother
suffered from insomnia, headaches
and “nerves”, his father, Dr. Clarence
Hemingway put enormous stress on his
children with his mood swings. With an
unpredictable temper, strict upbringing
and discipline, some scholars say he
might suffer from bipolar disorder. Yet it
was Ernest’s mother who was the head
of the family. Young Hemingway was also
spanked and beaten and held so much
rage inside him that at a certain point he
held a gun to his father’s head. In the end,
it wasn’t him who pulled the trigger. Dr.
Clarence Hemingway committed suicide
for which Ernest blamed his mother.
Later on he openly admitted how much
he hated her.
It wasn’t just his parents who killed
themselves. His brother Leicester and
sister Ursula committed suicide as well.
The entire family had a history of manic-
depressive illnesses and was dangerous
to him. Even before he suffered in
wars he was psychologically damaged.
Hemingway’s youngest son Gregory
also suffered from bipolar disorder and
“But man is not made for defeat…
A man can be destroyed but not defeated.”
By: Katja Stojic
THE STRUGGLE OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY
Significant People Enduring Mental Illness in Psychology History:
Artwork by: Misha Sung
ExploringMentalHealth
25. 23
ISSUE 2
substance dependence, showing
that the mental illnesses affected three
generations of the Hemingway family.
Despite his struggle with depression
and suicidality, Ernest Hemingway lived
a long and fruitful life. After high school
he started working in journalism and
served in World War I as an ambulance
driver. After that he worked as a war
correspondent in World War II and the
Spanish Civil War. His presence in the war
zone took its toll. Hemingway suffered
many injuries including a broken knee,
broken skull, burns, dislocated shoulder,
kidney and liver ruptures. While on a
safari in Africa his plane crashed twice.
This over involvement in accidents might
be a result of his defence mechanisms.
Writing was the most important of course,
but so was alcohol and recklessness. He
was a heavy drinker and wouldn’t stop
consuming alcohol even after several
advices from the doctor. His family also
urged him to stop drinking and although
Hemingway himself worried about it and
tried to limit it, he wasn’t successful at
it. All that alcohol consumption damaged
his brain which caused additional mood
swings.
As a boy, Ernest would stay awake all
night, drinking wine and reading poetry.
His immense energy had nowhere to go
at the time and it was only later that he
learnt to direct it into his writing. He was
a man of many contradictions; unstable
relationships full of conflicts did nothing
to help his condition. Due to inconsistent
parenting he lacked a stable identity
and possessed a tendency towards
narcissism. Cruel at times, Ernest divided
everyone into good and bad guys. He was
very competitive and vane, refusing to
wear glasses in public despite the fact
his eyesight was quite bad.
After four suicides in his family it is only
logical that the thought of death would be
present in his head. Even as a young boy
his writing showed how much he actually
thought about it. In his adulthood he
spoke about suicide to his friends
and knew he would die by his own hand.
However, he did want to disguise his
suicide so his children wouldn’t have to
suffer as much as he did. Hemingway’s
condition got worse in 1960 when he
thought his friends wanted to kill him
and the FBI was following him. His doctor
urged him to go to the hospital where
he was treated with electroconvulsive
therapy. After feeling temporarily better,
his depression gradually returned and it
was worse than before – he couldn’t write
anymore. After three suicide attempts
he was sent to the Mayo clinic again
to undergo another series of electro
shocks. It didn’t work; only days after
being released from the clinic, he put on
his “emperor‘s robe” and shot himself in
the head.
Despiteallofthestrugglehehadtoendure
and the terrible things he saw in wars
Ernest Hemingway lived a full life and
wrote some of the most important books
of the 20th century. Even at his worst he
could write eternal writing which is a
great lesson to remember – even though
we are struggling with mental illnesses
we can still create art, do extraordinary
things and become inspiring individuals.
Illness should never govern somebody’s
life and Hemingway is a great portrayal
of that. It was only at the age of 61 that
he gave up on life despite the fact that
he “suffered from enormous burden of
psychiatric comorbidities and risk factors
for suicide”. Ernest Hemingway’s life was
both a tragedy and a story of triumph.
Sources cited:
Jordison, S. (2012, May 25). A Moveable Feast rises
above the struggle of Hemingway’s later years. In the
Guardian. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.
com/books/2012/may/25/moveable-feast-struggle-
hemingway
Martin, C. D. (2006, February). Ernest Hemingway:
a psychological autopsy of a suicide. In the
American Psychiatry Magazine. Retrieved from:
http://creativityandmadness.com/wp-content/
uploads/2014/01/Martin-Handout.pdf
http://ernesthemingwaybiography.weebly.com/
personal-struggles-and-suicide.html
26. 24
Psych2Go
“The Closet” is a metaphysical place
where those who are not straight reside
in, where society cannot judge them. It is
a technique both males and females uti-
lize in order to prevent the rest of society
from discovering their passions.
Most people who are not sexually straight
begin their journey in the closet upon
comprehending society’s disapproval on
romantic or sexual relations with those
that are not of the opposite sex. These
people, especially when influenced by re-
ligious or conservative families, attempt
to force themselves into having an at-
traction of the opposite sex. This can lead
them to dating, marrying, and even cre-
ating a family with someone they do not
find appealing.
Living in “the closet” can be due to pas-
sions, pride, or profession. Many fear to
lose the affection of those around them
and their support system. Some come
from a family with a background that
prides on strength (for example, a mili-
tary family). Adults are sometimes con-
cerned about how it would impact their
profession.
There are various anti-homosexual atti-
tudes in society which include homopho-
bia, heterosexism, moral condemnations
of homosexuality, and antigay violence.
These add on to the list of reasons why
a non-straight person may choose to re-
main in the closet. However, according to
recent studies, coming out of the closet
has many benefits.
“Coming out of the closet” is classified
as a three-part passage that requires a
person to unlearn principals of essential-
ist heterosexuality, unlearn stereotypes
associated with other sexualities, and
submerge themselves into the new cul-
ture they are entering and learn the
culture’s ways. Those who find difficulty
in this may move away to sever ties with
their past relationships in order to have a
fresh beginning.
Regardless of how it is achieved, non-
straight people who are open in regards
to their sexuality experience fewer symp-
toms of depression, anxiety, and stress. It
is hypothesized this is because they have
been discriminated their whole lives, be
it by purpose or not. This allows them to
build up their mental strength, allowing
them to be less prone to depression and
anxiety.
Tests were conducted at Louis H. Lafon-
taine Hospital, affiliated with the Univer-
sity of Montreal, in order to research the
stress levels of those who are straight,
versus those who are not straight. The
study was lead by Dr. Sonia Lupien, who
recruited 87 males and females around
the age of 25. Over the course of several
visitations, researchers collected ques-
tionnaires, blood, saliva, and urine sam-
ples.
The research took a primary focus on cor-
tisol, the stress hormone. Chronic stress
results in excess amounts of cortisol,
which is a contributing factor of the “wear
and tear” of various bodily systems. This
is also known as “allostatic load”. The ex-
tent of this can go as far as being unable
to fight off a cold due to the weakening of
the immune system.
Researchers utilized measures of psychi-
atric symptoms, cortisol levels through-
out two days, and a battery of over 20
biological markers to assess allostatic
load. Biomarkers like insulin, sugar, cho-
lesterol, blood pressure, adrenalin, and
inflammation aid in the construction of
To Be or Not To Be... in the Closet
LGBTQA:
By: Dancia Susilo
Artwork by: Pilar Chavez
LGBTQ+Psychology
27. 25
ISSUE 2
as allostatic load index. This can be
used to detect potential health issues.
The stigma-related stress tends to force
non-straight people to develop coping
strategies which make them more effec-
tive at managing future stressors than
straight people.
However, “coming out of the closet”
might be beneficial solely in the presence
of tolerant social policies which facili-
tate the disclosure process. Intolerance
during the disclosure process impairs not
only confidence, but also self acceptance.
This increased distress contributes to
both mental and physical health issues.
On the contrary, those who remain clos-
eted often develop poor coping mech-
anisms, leading to self destructive be-
haviours such as alcoholism, drug abuse,
or sexual addiction. Some decide hiding
is too difficult a task while coming out is
not an option, leading them to experience
intolerable fear and shame that lead to
suicide. To hide a part of themselves is
called dissociation and it had a great im-
pact on a person’s self esteem.
Those that tend to be dissociative often
report feelings of transparency, invisibil-
ity, losing a voice, and being stuck behind
barriers. “Hiding and passing as hetero-
sexual becomes a lifelong moral hatred
of the self; a maze of corruptions, petty
lies, and half truths that spoil relations
in family and friendship,” says Herdt and
Boxer (1993).
If the person has a therapist, it is the ther-
apist’s job to affirm the patient’s sense of
worth. Therapists should understand the
patient’s struggle of self definition as the
key therapeutic focus. They should show
ecstasy and pride when a person comes
out, comprehending what a milestone
that is. As a requirement to remain sex-
ually confined, it may be based on ratio-
nal concerns, pushing someone to notify
others of their sexual orientation should
not be the case. Rather, patients should
be taught to accept who they are.
Since social intolerance is the main
factor that hinders a person from reveal-
ing themselves, societies need to learn
how to promote self-acceptance, toler-
ance, and progressive policies. Society
needs to take some responsibility and by
being more open minded in regards to al-
ternate lifestyles.
Sources cited:
Pappas, Stephanie. (2011). “Savvy Decisions: Many
Gays Keep One Foot In The Closet”. Live Science.
Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/14681-
gay-lesbian-coming-selectivity.html
Krans, Brian. (2013). “Coming Out Of The Closet Could
Help You Live Longer”. Healthline News. Retrieved
from http://www.healthline.com/health-news/coming-
out-increases-mental-well-being-020413
Universite de Montreal. (2013). “Health Benefits
Of Coming Out Of The Closet Demonstrated”.
ScienceDaily. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedaily.
com/releases/2013/01/130129074427.htm
Silver, Aaron. (2007). “Damaging Effects For Gays Of
The ‘Closet’”. UK Gay News. Retrieved from http://
www.ukgaynews.org.uk/archive/07/Jan/3104.htm
Drescher, Jack. (2004). “The Closet: Psychological
Issues Of Being In And Coming Out”. Psychiatric
Times. Retrieved from http://www.psychiatrictimes.
com/articles/closet-psychological-issues-being-and-
coming-out
28. 26
Psych2Go
THE HIGHS
AND THE LOWS
OF MUSIC FESTIVALS
By:Gabriel Taylor
Artwork by: Dhiyan Faza Khalisa
MusicPsychology
One of the things a majority of peo-
ple in their twenties do is attend a mu-
sic festival, whether it be a very grand
and popular festival such as Coachella
in Indio, California, or a relatively small
festival such as the Gulfport Music Fes-
tival in Gulfport, Mississippi. If you were
to ask millennials why they go to music
festivals, you would get a myriad of an-
swers, such as the atmosphere, the fun
people, and the music itself. In an inter-
view, I asked someone to share the best
part of attending the Gulfport Music Fes-
tival. “I enjoyed both the experience and
the people I met.” She said. “It kind of
rained that weekend, so it was super hard
to walk without stepping in mud or a pud-
dle and there were TONS of people there,
but everyone was super nice.”
There are many positive psychological ef-
fects of experiencing music festivals. You
meet a lot of open-minded people, for
example. Most of the young adults who
attend them are open-minded, excited
individuals looking to have a great
time by meeting other open-minded,
excited individuals and listening to great
live music. Depending on the festival,
you are very likely to meet a lot of differ-
ent people from different regions of the
country. These people will have different
backgrounds, different personalities, and
different outlooks. Music festivals are a
great way to expose yourself to new types
of people as well as new types of music.
Music can make an enormous impact on
your overall health. Attending music fes-
tivals can serve as a means for your brain
to release dopamine, the chemical that
gives you all those happy feels. Research
has shown that certain types of music can
relieve stress and symptoms of depres-
sion.
No matter what type of music is your fa-
vorite, or what festival you attend, you are
always promised a riveting experience.
In another interview, an attendee was
asked what emotions he experienced
29. 27
ISSUE 2
during his trip to Voodoo Fest and
Buku Fest in New Orleans, LA. He said
he was overwhelmed since it was his first
festival experience. He later added that
he “quickly adapted to the environment,
then felt euphoric. Like I was on top of the
world.”
Though there are many great effects of
freeing yourself at a great music festival,
there can be many negative or controver-
sial factors. You have most likely heard
the stereotype that everyone gets high
at music festivals. While there are many
people who attend the festival solely for
the music, a great number of people in-
dulge themselves with narcotics. Ecstasy
and cocaine are drugs that are mentioned
the most at popular music festivals Elec-
tric Daisy Carnival and Coachella, re-
spectively, according to Instagram. The
most mentioned drugs used at popular
music festival Bonnaroo were marijuana,
mushrooms, and crack cocaine. For a lot
of people, music is not the only contribu-
tor to their happy feels.
Another negative effect of attending a
music festival is the crowding of people
around you as you sing and dance to your
favorite band or artist. The blaring music
and mass crowds of people can be over-
stimulating to a claustrophobic person
or a highly-sensitive person. Also, you
will spend a lot of money due to music
festivals. If you plan to go to one of the
most popular festivals in the U.S. (Coach-
ella, for example), you can expect to pay
around $400 for a three-day pass. Since
festivals tend to be all-day events, you are
bound to get hungry and want to buy food
from one of the vendors. Like all festi-
vals or events, the food tends to be rather
costly. Depending on the festival, a water
bottle alone can cost up to $5-6.
Whether you should attend a music festi-
val is entirely up to you and your health.
If you are a highly sensitive person who is
easily overstimulated by noise, or if you
are uncomfortable being around a lot of
people at once, then perhaps giant fes-
tivals are not for you. If neither of these
things bother you, and you have the time
and money, then going to a music
festival will be a great and unforgettable
experience.
Nevertheless, music festivals tend to
bring a sense of community. You feel as
though you are one with the crowd as ev-
eryone is being moved by the music and
shouting the lyrics to their favorite song
being played. Linnea Mohn of Go 96.3
radio station states that a person at-
tending a music fest feels “as though you
are briefly one with humanity gathered
together for a common purpose.” That
purpose is to enjoy great music while
making great memories.
30. 28
Psych2Go
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
is a type of personality disorder that
can cause unstable moods, behaviours
and relationships. The symptoms can
include a fear of abandonment, strug-
gling with a sense of self, risk taking
behavior, self injury and random mood
swings. It usually develops in adoles-
cence or early adulthood and is noto-
riously difficult to diagnose as BPD
often occurs with other illnesses. This
has been investigated by The National
Comorbidity Survey Replication and it
is estimated that 85% of BPD sufferers
have another mental illness, for exam-
ple: Major Depressive Disorder (60%)
and Self Injury (55% - 85%). While an
agreed upon cause of BPD is far from
concrete, most research suggests it is
largely influenced by brain structure
and the developmental environment.
I interviewed a BPD diagnosed student,
Shannon, to discuss her diagnoses and
to gain an insight into how living with
BPD can be.
When did BPD first present for you
and when were you diagnosed?
I think it all started around age 13, I start-
ed having really bad periods of depression
but I wrote it off for years as just mood
swings that came with puberty. Self harm
became my main coping mechanism for
the lows and I kept it hidden throughout
most of my teenage years. I had it in my
head that I’d tell my parents but I kept
moving the goal post, “I’ll tell them this
year, no, next year, no maybe when I start
university.” When it actually came to go-
ing to university it made the BPD so much
worse, I couldn’t just hide in my room
anymore until it subsided. I would come
home at the weekends completely miser-
able – it got to the point where I had to
tell them about the self harm. They were
the ones who suggested going to a doctor
about it. I wasn’t diagnosed until age 19.
What does having BPD feel like?
If I’m on a low, it does mimic depression.
It feels like I’m in a dark deep tunnel and
I’m trying to slowly climb out of it and
self harm kind of shoots me to the top.
Self harm is a key ingredient to BPD but
I still don’t understand how it works. It
makes you feel better somehow, like you
finally gain control but I don’t remember
starting it. It was never a conscious
BORDERLINE
PERSONALITY
By: Courtney Leigh Allison
Artwork by: Ruth Estipona
PersonalityPsychology
DISORDER
31. 29
ISSUE 2
decision to start self harming, it hap-
pens because you lose control. You lose
control of your thinking and your whole
self. Numbness is a huge part of BPD too,
you check out mentally of social situa-
tions very easily. You also lose a sense of
personality—I don’t really know what my
true personality is. The highs of BPD ar-
en’t as extreme as the highs of say some-
one who was bi-polar, it’s more to do with
not caring and indulging more in risk tak-
ing behavior, the lows are definitely more
of an issue for me.
Does it affect your everyday life and do
you find it manageable?
It affects my life sometimes, it comes and
goes. The medication helps with the ex-
treme lows but for the most part I man-
age my BPD with the techniques I learnt
in therapy, like thought catching and try-
ing to think rationally about things. I have
a better sense of self worth now so I’m
trying more to keep it at bay. I keep it in
the background, I don’t let the extreme
emotions take over; otherwise it’s very
easy to spiral out of control. I wish I didn’t
have it but it’s definitely manageable. It
helps to have a good set of friends who
understand it and can help me when I’m
going through a bad low.
What helps manage it the most?
For me, actually talking about it helps the
most. After all those years of keeping it
bottled up it helps that people know and
I can talk about it and complain about it
if I need to.
What advice would you give to someone
Who thinks they may be developing BPD?
Talk to your general practitioner about it
but don’t rely on medication; medication
alone will not set you on the right path.
It can be difficult to manage if you don’t
have the right guidance so talking to a
professional like a psychiatrist or a psy-
chologist is a must. And most important-
ly, tell someone. Tell someone you trust.
Shannon – Northern Ireland
@_Nannon_
32. 30
Psych2Go
DevelopmentalPsychology
Where would we be without lan-
guage? It is always present and con-
stantly changing: just look at internet and
video game language, which are quite re-
cent developments if you compare it to all
of human history. Pretty much everyone
uses language on a daily basis, there’s
absolutely no escaping it. We use it to
learn, to interact with friends and fami-
ly, even shopping for food or clothes re-
quires language. To make it possible for
us to use language in these situations, we
have to start learning it somewhere first,
as children.
When can a child learn a language?
Children usually learn language during
what is called a ‘Critical period’ (Snow &
Hoefnagel-Höhle, 1978). A critical peri-
od is a stage in life during which a child
is sensitive to particular stimuli which
won’t have the same effects on the child
outside of this period. The critical period
for language stretches from infancy to
puberty. It is important for a child to learn
a language within this timeframe, be-
cause after puberty it is extremely hard,
maybe even impossible, to learn a first
language. What is possible, provided the
first is learned within the critical period,
is learning a second, third or even more
languages after this. However, as you
might know, this is not equally ‘easy’ for
everyone. It is necessary to learn the first
language within this period because the
child will also gather basic knowledge
about how ‘language’ works in general,
for example understanding what verbs
and nouns are, turn-taking in conversa-
tions, and syntax.
Feral children
In a very rare and extreme cases a child
will not have learned a language
within the most appropriate period. A
good example of this would be ‘Genie’,
who grew up locked in a bedroom mostly
strapped to a children’s toilet or crib by
her father up until she was 13 years and
7 months old. During this time her father
also forbade anyone from interacting
with her, so she never learned a language
when she was in the critical period for it.
Within the first few months after being
discovered by child protective services
she learned nonverbal communication
skills. She continued to learn and man-
aged to acquire some language, but nev-
er fully learned a first language (Curtiss,
1977). Genie is still alive, living in an
adult-care home.
What facilitates learning a language?
The caregivers of a child play a major
role in helping the child learn a language.
Playing non-verbal games, like peek-a-
boo for example, is often one of the first
efforts to ‘converse’ with a child. When
using ‘real’ verbal language, caregivers
and other grown-ups usually change
their style. This is called motherese—
better known as child-speech or child-di-
rected speech. It includes short and
simple sentences that refer to objects
or events that are clearly visible for the
child. In this style caregivers also speak
more slowly and often in a higher pitch
than they normally would. This simplified
version of speech helps children learn
about the relationship between words
and phrases as well as some of the most
important basic segments of grammar
and syntax. Research has shown that
new-borns and four week-olds prefer
to listen to child-directed speech rath-
er than adult-directed ‘normal’ speech,
Language
development
in children
By: Kayleigh Herber
Artwork by:Drew Borja
33. 31
ISSUE 2
even when it’s not in their native
language (Werker & Tees, 1984).
So whatever your native language may
be, and if you speak one, two, three or
more languages, we all started out at the
same point: a crying babbling human un-
able to form words. The fact that you are
now reading and understanding this text
means that you achieved good mastery of
a language during a very critical stage of
your life, congratulations!
Sources cited::
Curtiss, S. (1977). Genie. Encyclopedia of Special Ed-
ucation.
Snow, C. E., & Hoefnagel-Höhle, M. (1978). The critical
period for language acquisition: Evidence from second
language learning. Child development, 1114-1128.
Werker, J. F., & Tees, R. C. (1984). Cross-language
speech perception: Evidence for perceptual reorgani-
zation during the first year of life. Infant behavior and
development, 7(1), 49-63.
Further reading:
Other feral children include Victor of Aveyron, Kaspar
Hauser, Peter the Wild Boy, Marie-Angelique Memmie
le Blanc, Oxana Malaya and Danielle Crockett/Lierow.
The critical period for lan-
guage stretches from infancy
to puberty. It is important for
a child to learn a language
within this timeframe,
because after puberty it is
extremely hard, maybe even
impossible, to learn a first
language.
34. 32
Psych2Go
To those unfamiliar with Autistic
Spectrum Disorders (ASD), our ideas
about what it really is are shaped by
representations in popular culture,
and perhaps the two most prominent
examples are the film ‘Rain Man’ and
Jim Parson’s Sheldon Cooper from
the American comedy series ‘The Big
Bang Theory’ (although the latter is not
diagnosed, it is widely accepted that he
is). Representational media is incredibly
important to all of us, but it can present
its own problems, as in this example,
where both characters are portrayed
similarly: as troubled geniuses with
strangely obsessive interests, ‘quirky’
behaviors and difficulty in socializing
with others. All of these traits are
associated with autism, but the reality is
much more complex than the simplistic
understanding many seem to have of
it - it’s a spectrum disorder, with many
different levels of functionality and kinds
of expression.
As someone who has known a number
of people at different points on the
Autistic Spectrum, a trend I’ve noticed
is that once children reach about seven
or eight years old, there comes a division
in which neurotypical children exclude
and sometimes even bully peers who
have autism. Promoting the inclusion of
those on the autistic spectrum in schools
is vitally important to allowing them to
create friendships, relationships, and
support systems which are key to living
a fulfilled life for all people. Creating
awareness of autism among those
who attend school with people who
have ASD and dealing with the stigma
of it at a very young age could greatly
improve tolerance and understanding
of the sometimes confusing behavior
that people with autism can exhibit, and
allow them to develop sympathetic and
supportive friend groups with peers,
separate from the parental and formal
support that can easily become the only
support a person receives coping not only
with their disorder, but the other stresses
that young people face growing up.
To this end, Kimberly Maich and E.
Christina Belcher from Ontario, Canada
and Melbourne, Australia respectively,
have investigated the use of picture books
depicting and exploring autism in schools
to promote awareness among children
from a young age. Their study looked at
a variety of books already in print which
address this issue, including both books
which specifically addressed autism
and autistic behavior (such as XXX) and
books which portray autism in an indirect
manner (like XXX). It’s important to use
both types of portrayal so that children
both understand the complexity of the
disorder, but also that to have autism does
not have to be a disruptive or defining
thing in normal everyday situation.
The paper suggests ten factors to be
considered when approaching this issues
in this way (‘including (a) story selection
tools, (b) direct labelling, (c) indirect
terminology, (d) the wider context, (e)
finding positive perspective, (f) pictorial
and literary value, (g) curricular
S.E.E.P
SURVEYING THE
SPECTRUMBy: Sheena Mackenzie
S.E.E.P.(Special,Exceptional,ExtraordinaryPeople)
35. 33
ISSUE 2
considerations, (h) participation
possibilities, (i) instructional approaches,
and (j) putting a plan in place’), but
concludes that, although it needs to be
done in a very carefully planned manner
in educational setting, it is beneficial for
both neurotypical pupils and pupils with
ASD.
The key thing to remember when
educating people about the autistic
spectrum is that those with ASD are
people who have autism, not autistic
people. This particular condition, to
varying degrees, does have an impact
on an individual’s social, intellectual,
and emotional development, but it is
not their defining characteristic. Autistic
is not a personality trait or a lifestyle,
and those who have it are people before
they are autistics, people with dreams,
motivations, a sense of humor and their
own way of being in the world.
36. 34
Psych2Go
WHAT IT’S
REALLY
LIKEArticle by: Savannah Brown
@sReagan98
S.E.E.P.(Special,Exceptional,ExtraordinaryPeople)
When I was younger, I would act
out to try to get along with other kids.
Because of this, I was diagnosed with
ADHD, given medicine for it, then (for
my parents, at least), that was the end
of it. A few years later, when I was ten,
my parents got divorced and I started
feeling things like extreme depression
and anxiety. But that wasn’t what worried
me; I knew feeling those things after a
divorce was normal, but I also started
having breakdowns that I couldn’t seem
to control. Around this time, in fourth
grade or so, I stopped acting out in
school and became more self-conscious
and shy. Seeing as though I had moved
schools that year, that seemed relatively
normal from my parent’s view of things.
But in reality, I had become absolutely
terrified of social interaction. I’ve never
been able to make myself look anyone in
the eyes unless I’m very comfortable with
them, and even then, holding eye-contact
scares me.
The mood swings and fear of social
interaction went on for a long time, but
the breakdowns never happened unless
something genuinely stressful was
happening in my life. When I was 15, I
started dating a guy who had very bad
anger issues. We dated for a little over a
year and, while the relationship was
never abusive, we fought so much that
my breakdowns started happening again;
but this time, they got so bad that I would
blackout. It got to where I finally couldn’t
live with it on my own without help
anymore, so I asked my mom to take me
to counseling. I went to the psychiatrist
and told her about everything I had been
feeling and the parts of my personality
that worried me. After three weeks, I was
diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum
Disorder), and my parents were called in
for a meeting. They claimed that, since
they never noticed my breakdowns, that it
couldn’t be true, and to this day, they still
don’t believe it. I was recommended to be
on medication for the mood swings but,
so far, I have dealt with it all on my own,
without the help of medication.
Autism is a spectrum disorder which
means that there is a wide degree of
variation in the way that it can affect
people. I have “high-functioning” autism.
I am able to bend my personality to almost
exactly fit whoever I am talking to, but I
get physically and mentally sick if I am in
a big group of people for too long. There’s
sometimes no rhyme or reason for them,
I’ll just be lying in bed or doing homework
and all of a sudden it’ll hit me like a
37. 35
ISSUE 2
train. Breakdowns are uncontrollable;
I no longer act rationally, but instead act
impulsively. Depending on how bad the
breakdown is, I’ll either get so mad that I
punch a wall or yell at someone, or I curl
into a ball and cry (that is usually when
a blackout would happen). I’m unable to
process emotions in a healthy and normal
way, and push emotions away until a little
disturbance sets me off.
I want to bring a little understanding
into what I experience with ASD. I’m
able to “hyper-focus” and concentrate
on only one thing at a time (while other
people tend to multitask without knowing
it), and, because of that, I can appear
as a normal student in school, just as
someone who happens to be very socially
shy. I was raised by the best dad I could
possibly ever ask for, and because of
him, I find the courage to put myself
into social situations that I’m not always
comfortable with, and I never use autism
as an excuse for why I can’t do something.
I don’t feel as though I should be treated
any differently because of it, and I’m
grateful for this opportunity to provide a
little insight on what it’s actually like to
live with this disorder.
39. 37
ISSUE 2
Causality is the understanding that
doing one thing causes another thing to
happen. It is an understanding that goes
beyond simple associative learning, and
for an understanding of causality to be
present the individual must truly under-
stand that doing the first thing causes
the second thing to happen. Often, un-
derstanding causality can be thought of
as understanding the underlying mecha-
nism of a relationship.
In the comparative literature, there is a
lot of debate about whether animals are
capable of having a true understanding of
causality or not. It is an example of a high-
er cognitive function, and some argue
a lot of these higher cognitive functions
are unique to humans, and that there
evolution may have driven our evolution.
So what does the empirical evidence say
about this view? One study conducted
trying to look at this area was done with
Asian elephants (Nissani, 2006).
This study consisted of two experiments.
In the first 4 Asian elephants where pre-
trained to remove a lid from a bucket in
order to receive a food reward hidden
inside. Crucially, on 5 critical trials the
lid was placed near the bucket, but not
on top of the bucket. Therefore, the ele-
phants would not need to move the lid to
obtain the reward. However, they contin-
ued to move the lid. This seems to sug-
gest they simply learnt through associa-
tive learning that moving the lid resulted
in a food reward. They did not understand
the underlying mechanism – the fact
that they were moving the lid as it was
blocking the food. Therefore, they were
not demonstrating an understanding of
causality.
The second study was very similar, but
also included 11 extra elephants to see
if a larger sample size could pick up
some “more intelligent” elephants that
did pass. However, the findings where
the same and so it does seem unlikely
that elephants understand causality. It
also raises an interesting point that is
applicable to all comparative psycholo-
gy. At first, it may have appeared as
though the elephants where acting as
they were because they understood the
causality behind moving the lid out of the
way to get to the food. However, in real-
ity, they had simply learnt this through
associative learning. Therefore, it can be
difficult to draw conclusions based on an-
imal’s behaviour, as there may be alter-
native explanations for our observations.
To try and counter this, those conducting
comparative research need to test as
many theories that could explain their
findings as possible, before conclusions
about animal abilities can be drawn.
Also, while it does seem from the above
evidence that elephants are not able to
understand causality, this does not mean
there is no evidence for any animals un-
derstanding causality. Some studies have
suggested that chimps and bonobos
(Bräuer et al, 2006) and corvids (Weir,
et al, 2001) could have understanding of
causality.
Sources cited:
Bräuer, J., Kaminski, J., Riedel, J., Call, J., & Tomasel-
lo, M. (2006). Making inferences about the location of
hidden food: social dog, causal ape. Journal of Compar-
ative Psychology, 120(1), 38.
Nissani, M. (2006). Do Asian elephants (Elephas maxi-
mus) apply causal reasoning to tool-use tasks?. Jour-
nal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Pro-
cesses, 32(1), 91.
Weir, A. A., Chappell, J., & Kacelnik, A. (2002). Shaping
of hooks in New Caledonian crows. Science, 297(5583),
981-981.
41. 39
ISSUE 2
When one first learns about the
difference between psychopathy and
sociopathy, they may believe and relate
with the popular British television series,
that Sherlock Holmes is wrong when
he says that he’s “not a psychopath,
[but] a high-functioning sociopath.”
After all, a psychopath is manipulative,
unable to form emotional bonds, and
have charming personalities, whereas
a sociopath is more impulsive, easily
agitated, and unable to stay employed.
Perhaps a more in depth look as to what
a sociopath truly is may help clear up
any confusion and explain why Sherlock
Holmes is, indeed, a high-functioning
sociopath.
According to WebMD some of the most
basic features of a sociopath include
having a conscience, even though it may
be extremely weak, they act impulsively,
they have the ability to form emotional
bonds, but that formation is extremely
difficult to achieve, and often their crimes
are not well planned out. The Huffington
Post describes the sociopath as the
“undeveloped psychopath.” This is not
only because psychopaths are careful
planners and able to easily manipulate
others whereas sociopaths are impulsive
and can form emotional attachments,
but this is extremely difficult to do –
especially when sociopaths do not
regard social norms. Sociopathy is also
seen as a result of nurture rather than
nature, which is often associated with
psychopathy.
Crimes committed by a sociopath
are generally haphazard, which can
leave evidence for the police, and
since sociopathy is also associated
with disorganization and impulsivity,
individuals in prisons are more likely
to exhibit sociopathic traits than
psychopathic traits.
As a “high-functioning sociopath” the
individual possesses sociopathic traits,
but they also have an extremely high IQ.
Often they still have the same traits as an
average sociopath – lacking empathy and
remorse, shallow emotions, and ease
when using deception; however, they are
also extremely detailed.
Sherlock may, at first glance, appear
to portray psychopathic traits, but when
one examines his personality more, it
can be seen that Sherlock does not try to
form emotional bonds, but he gradually
begins forming emotional bonds with
other characters. If Sherlock were a
psychopath, he may be able t exhibit
superficial attachments but those bonds
would not be authentic. However, as a
high-functioning sociopath Sherlock
is able to form bonds while still being
the apathetic character so many have
come to love. If one is into pop-culture
or watches Sherlock, reexamining the
episodes to search for sociopathic versus
psychopathic traits may appear to be
extremely eye-opening.
Sources cited:
Bonn, S. A. (2014, January 22). How to tell a sociopath
from a psychopath. In Psychology Today. Retrieved
from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wicked-
deeds/201401/how-tell-sociopath-psychopath
Robinson, K. (2014, August 24). Sociopath vs.
psychopath: What’s the difference?. In WebMD.
Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/mental-
health/features/sociopath-psychopath-difference
Siciliana, R. 92014, September 24). Psychopath vs.
sociopath: What’s the difference?. In Huffington Post.
Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-
siciliano/what-is-a-sociopath_b_5877160.html
Sociopath traits. (n.d. ) In MD Health. Retrieved from
http://www.md-health.com/Sociopath-Traits.html
43. 41
ISSUE 2ISSUE 1
“To me there’s no major difference between a mental and physical discomfort
with the exception of its continuation.
There’s a cause and effect and in that case pain in general is an indicator
when something wrong is happening and the rest relies on our personal
judgment of how we treat it or even heal it.
I wanted to address that by drawing a very basic human figure holding an um-
brella. The bad weather here is a reference to all the bad physical to mental
things we experience.
Sometimes we believe that the rain will never stop, but the only and perhaps
best way to embrace the fact, that the rain will never stop is to start using our
imagination and make it actually stop.
Our state of mind plays the main role for our experiences. It can be our worst
enemy, but also our best friend. It all depends on what you think, because
as you can see, our hero here has an umbrella, that makes the sun always
shine for him. You’ll ask, how is this possible, how did he get it? Well in fact it
is possible, because he’s has learned to trust his good thoughts. And it’s not
just a question of perspectives and believes here, but also the very fact that
we need to feel protected and secure.
This is actually a borderline, that sooner or later everybody reaches, which
is a very natural thing called self-preservation. Yes, there are really tough
times when we feel so swallowed up by our negative emotions, that its seems
impossible to let go, but we’re not designed to feel bad all the time.
After all, dealing with a problem can be part of growing and becoming stron-
ger. Even when we need help, the goal has to be towards teaching the person
how to deal with the consequences, by relying on himself as well.”
– Victoria, 27-year-old artist from Bulgaria
Links to find her art:
http://c2lart.tumblr.com/
http://www.behance.net/condemned2love
http://www.facebook.com/condemned2love
ART SUBMISSION WINNER
THEME:
“Comparative Contrast between dealing with a
Mental vs. Physical Illness”
If you would like to have the chance to win and have your art
showcased in our next issue, be on the lookout for the next art
theme which will be posted on our social media!
44. 42
Psych2Go
CareerBuilding
Congratulations! You are out of
college and on to bigger and better
things! But what should you do with your
Psychology Degree? What do you want
as a job? Here are a few options to look
through so you know what battles you will
be conquering next!
Master’s (M.A. or M.S.)
This program helps students prepare for
the professional world in a specialty area
(Clinical, Counseling, Forensic, Human
Factors, Industrial-Organizational,
Teaching, Social, Experimental) and
hopefully your degree helped you decide
which one you are most interested in!
This might also interest you in doctoral-
level studies. There are two types of
Master’s Degrees: Master of Arts or M.A.
and Master of Science or M.S. These take
about two to three years to complete.
Some students also work while working
on their Master’s.
There is also an option to complete a
thesis, which is a work of research to
show the reader everything you have
learned and applied. This is only if you
are planning to continue your academic
career instead of entering the workforce
after completing a Master’s program.
Requirements:
- Work experience: internships,
research, experience
- Letters of recommendation
- Interview
- Graduate Record Examinations & GRE
Subject Test
Psy.D.
This is a newer program that not many
people have heard about. Psy.D. stands
for Doctor of Psychology. It’s similar to a
Ph.D. It was created to focus on clinical
work and not as much research as Ph.D.
programs. It takes about four to seven
years to complete. These programs give
students more training in psychological
testing, clinical settings, and treatment
to learn more about family therapy to
mental institution patients.
Requirements:
- Work experience: internships,
research, experience that is clinically
related
- Doctoral dissertation
- Letters of recommendation
- Interview
- GRE
Arming Yourself: Look at your interests
and get experience related to your
interests to write about what you’re going
to bring to their program. Not sure how
to find a specific program? Talk to your
professors! They can let you know about
opportunities on campus and maybe be a
good letter of recommendation.
Ph.D.
This professional license stands for
Doctor of Philosophy. This will teach
students how to understand, apply, and
conduct research. It also includes more
requirements to apply. Depending on the
GRAND PRIX
FROM DEGREE TO YOUR
By: Jessica Jang
Artwork by: Pilar Chavez
45. 43
ISSUE 2
program there might be some to no
clinical work. It also takes four to seven
years to complete. This option provides
more career opportunities.
Requirements:
- Research Experience: presentations,
publications
- Doctoral dissertation
- Letters of recommendation
- Interview
- Graduate Record Examinations & GRE
Subject Test
Ed.D.
This uncommon degree stands for
Doctorate in Education. This program will
train students into becoming teachers.
These programs take about three to
five years to complete. Most of these
programs require a Master’s.
Requirements:
- Work experience: internships, research
experience
- Letters of recommendation
Counselor
There are counseling programs to help
students receive a license for a specialty
area professional. There are different
requirements to become a certified
counselor in certain states (United
States) but the program takes two years
to do so.
The GRE
This is like the standardized SAT for
graduate school. It stands for Graduate
Record Examinations. There are three
parts: analytical writing, verbal reasoning
and quantitative reasoning. The analytical
writing portion consists of two essays,
one about the student’s standing on an
issue, and the other requires response
to a given statement. Verbal reasoning
contains testing focused on vocabulary
and reading comprehension, and
quantitative reasoning tests math and
data interpretation. All students that
are applying for graduate school must
take the GRE. For most programs, GRE
scores should be at 50th percentile. If
you can, take both the regular GRE and
the Psychology GRE (based on intro
psychology) to be more competitive and
set yourself apart from the rest of the
people who are testing with only one.
Don’t do so well on tests? Well, you’re in
luck! As an alternative, there are also
programs at specific schools that don’t
require the GRE.
Important Tip: Don’t take the GRE in the
Fall if you need it for December because
it takes time for scores to be revealed.
There are many programs out there so
there will definitely be a good fit for you!
I know a lot of this sounds like the same
things you hear about graduate school
but I hope you learned more about the
different programs. Good luck out there!
47. 45
ISSUE 2
After conducting this research I did
some serious brainstorming. I tried to
see this from their perspective and came
to my s an avid writer and author, a reader
of mine posted a comment about a recent
photo-shoot I had. This individual want-
ed to know my secret, and advice on how
she could get lean like me. Funny story,
it took my stubborn self sometime to get
this shoot done because of the weight I
have gained. Until the vibrant lights in my
mirror glistened over me, and I thought,
“Paul. You know how to work it. So get
up and do it!” Soon after, those negative
emotions that haunted me vanished, and
I realized all the confidence I worked for
was being taken! I called the photogra-
phers that had been desperately trying to
get me into the studio right away. When
the photos were released all the feed-
back was outstanding. It’s all about the
confidence. I worked that camera.
When I wrote back to her, I stated, “Em-
brace yourself as you first. Visualize
and set a goal, but be confident now so
the journey of your weight loss is much
more enjoyable!” Your style sets a tone
of how you are feeling inside. We grew up
in a society where they make you feel as
if you weren’t the smallest size the world
around you will mock your beautiful pres-
ence. So, as humans we tend to become
insecure, unless you’re one of the lucky
ones. Some become even more insecure,
especially gay men and women.
Your perception of beauty is a factor of
many things; how you treat yourself, how
others may have treated you in the past,
and what you believe you are because
of that. When I was younger I was a size
extra small, but wasn’t nearly as happy as
I am now! I was in a constant battle with
myself. I would do anything to stay thin.
I hid my insecurities. I wouldn’t dare let
any see the battle, because I always had
that inner diva shining. When the time
came and I finally woke up, I embraced
myself; also many twist ice creams with
rainbow sprinkles. I have no more shame
in my reflection. Curves, or not, I work it
and so can you! Shaking up, or revamping
your wardrobe can also help you gain a
new perspective on your fashion sense.
Author Karen Pine states something sim-
ilar to that in her book, Mind What You
Wear: The Psychology Of Fashion.
From living life I learned it’s never about
the clothing. It will always be the about
the person wearing them. Style your-
self from inside out! You are you, and no
matter what, you’re beautiful! Never rely
on that body! Where will that get you? A
diva shines because he, or she is kind
and projects their best inner-self. We
radiate the whole room because others
experience our energy. Also, don’t forget
the hair! We need the perfect hairstylist!
I would be lost without mine. The truth is,
confidence is found the moment you are
ready to start loving yourself, and your
fashion will shine like the diva you are!
48. 46
Psych2Go
Creativity is thought to be the per-
sonality trait which sets us apart from
other animals - it allows us to think more
intelligently, develop existing ideas and,
ultimately, bring gratification to our lives.
It is because of this, many psychologists
all over the world have developed mod-
els to explain the psychology of creativity
over the past few decades.
One theory is Guilford’s Model of Cre-
ativity, which proposed the concept of
convergent thinking (creating a single
correct solution to a problem) and diver-
gent thinking (developing multiple cre-
ative solutions to a problem) (Guilford,
1950). This theory was proposed at a time
when creativity was correlated with intel-
ligence; the higher a person scores on an
IQ test, the more creative they will be, a
highly reductive theory. Guilford’s model
states that if one is a divergent thinker,
then it is likely that they will be more cre-
ative, rather than simply reducing it down
to intelligence based figures alone.
Over the past few years, various longitudi-
nal studies have been conducted around
the world to study the development of
creativity in schools. With schools de-
veloping teaching tactics to encourage
pupils to think more independently and
incorporating “learning through play”
teaching, it would be assumed that this
would mean that pupils would be be-
coming more creative as each generation
passes. It might then be surprising to
hear that recent research has sug-
gested that, particularly in Western,
individualist cultures, levels and traits of
creativity has fallen drastically over the
past few decades.
One such study which demonstrated this
was carried out by Kyung Hee Kim, using
a sample of American school students
from kindergarten through to 12th grade
over three decades. Using the Torrance
Tests of Creativity, she measured the lev-
els of creativity among students to study
its development. Her analysis demon-
strated that somewhere between 1984
and 1990, scores dropped significantly,
and have been on the decline ever since.
Kim noted that children were, “less emo-
tionally expressive, less energetic, less
talkative and verbally expressive, less
humorous, less imaginative, less uncon-
ventional, less lively and passionate, less
perceptive, less apt to connect seemingly
irrelevant things, less synthesising and
less likely to see things from different
angles,” (Kim, 2011). Kim attributed the
term “creativity crisis” to the steady de-
cline in creativity among pupils.
It could be said that it is the modern
school system which has contributed
to this decline in creativity, as creativity
would thrive in environments which en-
courage independence and freedom of
choice. Therefore, it makes sense that
creativity would drop in environments
which are strict and limiting, such as
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF CREATIVITY,
and the Steady Decline of Creativity in School Kids
By: Aoife Gamble
Artwork by: Lea Sophia Hopfenmüller
“Shouldn’t we encourage tomorrow’s world leaders, politicians and
scientists to see things from different angles?”
CommunitySubmissions:
January:PsychologyofCreativity
49. 47
ISSUE 2
the atmosphere of regulations and
testing in modern school environments,
which many pupils will be familiar with.
In today’s society, it is clear that not all
problems, such as the current refugee
crisis and global famine, have one solu-
tion, and so shouldn’t we encourage to-
morrow’s world leaders, politicians and
scientists to see things from different
angles? If we wish for today’s children to
succeed, it is pivotal to bring an end to a
system which teaches children a restric-
tive way of thinking.
All this begs the question, is it time for
an educational reform which encourages
the divergent thinking of
Guilford’s model?
Sources cited:
Kyung Hee Kim (2011): The Creativity Crisis: The De-
crease in Creative Thinking Scores on the Torrance
Tests of Creative Thinking, Creativity Research Journal,
23:4, 285-295
Dodds, R., Ward, T., & Smith, S. (2004). A review of ex-
perimental research on incubation in problem solving
and creativity. Texas A&M University.
Creativity: The Psychology of Discovery and Inven-
tion, Mihaly Csikszentmihaly, 2013 (Harper Perennial;
Reprint edition (6 Aug. 2013))
51. 49
ISSUE 2
“This is my sister and I asked her how
she deals with such a busy family. Since
we are all busy and I’m clinically de-
pressed I wanted to see how she handled
everyday life. I took off work one day and
followed her one morning.
She explains how some mornings she
will just take a walk to the park and enjoy
it herself. She does not bother asking our
family to go with her because she feels as
if we won’t enjoy it as much.
She goes to a local donut shop nearby
and enjoys her favorite donut.
She tells me how she tries to enjoy many
things slowly because everyone else in
our family is always moving fast and it
seems like we do not enjoy anything to
its fullest. How, unlike her, we would eat
a doughnut fast and not enjoy the glaze
on the top. Not noticing how fluffy the
doughnut is in its middle and how it it
melts in your mouth.
She mentions that when I am having a
bad day and stay home, she always wants
me to go out to enjoy the fresh air and
sun. She doesn’t want to seem sad in that
moment, as I am, and enjoys the outside
as much as possible. Hoping I will notice
and do the same.
I did not notice this before from her, so
I took these pictures trying to show how
she is always outside trying to enjoy her
own life as much as possible.”
– Josias Lopez
“Humans of Psych2Go”
Psych2Go Community Photography
57. 55
ISSUE 2
Jacqueline Vellarino
“First thing: A woman playing a piano”
The fact that this has movement
fascinates me. Answers containing a
certain action signify a strong ego, which
has high correlations with emotional
maturity, and the ability to balance the
ego and the superego. The idea with the
woman playing the piano signifies the
strong identification with one’s humanity,
empathy reflected to other people, and
recognizing and accepting that people
are not perfect.
Ilkha Lohmann
“Two knights in a tournament, riding
against each other. But their horses
other.”
This answer is a mixture of a human
component and that of an animal.
Despite the tension between the humans
in this answer, it still shows a connection
with the human self. Most notably, the
horses in this answer did something
that is usually associated with a human
act (kissing), which strengthens the
association with the human persona. It
also shows one to be empathic to other
people, and able to recognize and accept
that people are not perfect. For the
horses, it may be close to their attributed
trait, which is companionship.
Ines Lopes
“I see nothing but a blur of grey…”
Don’t worry! It’s completely normal to see
that, and sometimes people really do see
nothing but gray. It might reflect one’s
shy and withdrawn nature, or maybe it
just shows that you are naturally passive.
Sagan Clark
“2 bunnies and a marble bust”
Having animals in the answer may be
the recognition of an attributed trait; in
this case, the creativity of the rabbit. It
may also be the recognition of primitive
impulses, such as the need for food. As
for the bust, one recognizes the conflict
between the id, the ego and the superego,
and more often than not, is able to
appease all three aspects of the self, as
well as for the holistic wellbeing of the
individual.
Lori Go Lightly
“Hedgehogs, sleepy and cuddly…”
This one is a cute one! This answer both
recognizes basic impulses, and most
notably in this case, the need for people
to sleep. Referring to the characteristics
of the hedgehog—the hedgehog is known
for its independence, and doing it with
grace and resilience—these attributions
might be found in oneself, or it might
have been a conscious ability already. The
other standout answer here is the texture
of the hedgehog, as described as ‘cuddly’.
It relates with one’s need of affection,
and that one is able to connect and have
intimate relations with other people.
59. 57
ISSUE 2
This movie stars Brie Larson and
Jacob Tremblay as a mother and son. I
went into this movie not knowing anything
about it. It is about a mother and son who
have been spending the past five years of
their lives in a room. The movie is shown
from the perspective of Jack (Tremblay)
the son. He was clearly born in the room,
and his mother chose to tell him that
there was no world outside of “Room”.
The movie begins with a snapshot of life
inside of Room. Jack’s mother, who we
later find to be named Joy, gets Jack to do
sprints and stretches. It shows a couple
views of a man known as “Old Nick” and
he appears to get them what they need
on Sundays. It becomes clear that he is
holding Joy there against her will.
At first glance, the room looks to be
big enough to live in. It does not look
extremely cramped and it appears
somewhat of a minimalist house.
The beginning of the movie focuses on
Joy and Jack creating an escape plan.
She pretends he has a fever, and when
Old Nick refuses to bring him to the ER,
comes up with a different plan for the
next day. She rolls Jack into a rug, acts
as if he has passed away, and screams at
Nick not to look at him but to get rid of
him.
Jack rolls out of the rug in the back of
a truck and comes to realize there is a
whole world outside of the room they had
been kept in. Jack escapes the truck and
starts to run, when a man and his dog
stop to help him and Old Nick attempts to
take him away.
The man with the dog calls the police,
and Jack is rescued. We see the effects
of isolation on Jack when he deals with
the police. He is frightened, confused,
and alone. He just wants his mother.
It takes some coaxing, but the female
police officer eventually gets some
information out of Jack. She gets him to
explain the type of building “room” is in,
and determines coordinates out of that.
The police find the house, rescue Joy and
arrest Old Nick. The rest of the movie
deals with the aftermath and adjusting
to society that comes with being
released.
When Joy is first released, she
experiences great happiness, and is
extremely excited just to be free, but as
time progresses, we see her mental state
deteriorate.
As they sit down to dinner, you see her
yell at her father. Her father won’t look
at Jack, and this frustrates her to no
end, especially due to her parents having
gotten divorced while she was gone. It
appears that she is angry life has moved
on around her, but she got stuck in a funk.
Later, she and Jack are looking through
old yearbooks, and she sees her old
friends. She says “What happened to
them?” and then starts crying and yelling,
“Nothing happened to them they got
to go on with their lives!” This is where
you see her clearly resentful of what had
happened to her.
Eventually we get to see the final “break”
where the door is only a bit open to the
bathroom, and Jack tries to find his
mother. He discovers that she’s fallen
somewhere in the bathroom and Joy’s
mother comes running to see what had
happened.
In a flurry of people and rushing, it
is revealed that joy has taken pills in
an attempt to die by her own hand.
Immediately, an ambulance is called.
During the rest of the movie, Joy watches
Jack living more of a normal life, and
the movie ends on a happy note. I think
the exploration of mental health issues
that could be faced after being captured
was fairly relevant and the movie did
a great job of showing it without being
moralistic or acting like a man could save
the family. In fact, there was no romantic
interest in the movie. “Room” displayed
the psychological healing that Joy and
Jack went through after escaping their
kidnapper, and the progression of Jack’s
development in the real-world, outside of
the “room” he grew up in.
61. 59
ISSUE 2
One
When I was a child, I was used to breakfast
Being bowl of my earnest love for my mother
being shoved down my throat
With a helping of “you were the reason why
your father left us!”
That was where I told myself that if this was
love, then maybe my father was right
My body would often bleed with deep hues of
purple, blue, and green
I spent the better half of my childhood
convincing myself
That maybe my mom just wanted to see that
her kid can become a star too
So she tried her best to paint the galaxies in
my body
Two
The first time I learned the word ‘lonely’
Was during my 10th birthday
Where the word etched itself in the walls of
my heart
When the only one who was wishing me a
‘happy birthday’
Was a mascot of a bee
If only I had known that the commercial was
supposed to make people happy
Then maybe I would have asked my mother to
buy us more television sets
Three
People would often call me a complexity
A puzzle needed to be solved
An object that was never really broken but
everybody felt compelled to fix
Never minding the notion that maybe I’m
human too
Just need a little love, is all
Because people don’t know how difficult it is
To offer your heart to passersby who are not
patient enough
To wait for me whenever I run away from them
People don’t understand how hard it is to talk
When you have
Pain
Anxiety
Fear
Rejection
All clamping down your throat
Wishing nothing more than for you to shut up
For the longest time I didn’t have any friends
Because the voices telling me to run away
Was easier to listen to
That the voices who were trying to figure out
If people would have the same love for me my
mother did
Four
That was until I met you
Five
The first time I saw you
I wanted to ask you if you’ve ever met my dad
Because you have the same bright eyes
Same easy smile
That every time I see it, it just makes me feel
like someone
I wanted to jump-tackle a random girl in front
of the convenience store
Just for you to notice that I’m here, I’m alive
Even if I’m just that crazy girl from across the
street
Because of you, I forgot that I was afraid that I
might not be good enough for you
Because of you, I forgot how long it took for me
to write this
Because of you, I forgot that I was cold and
alone suffering in my own personal nightmare
And three hundred sixty five days ago
People would often call me a complexity
A ghost
A broken compass
But I think it’s time you’d know
That I am a star
I have the galaxies to prove it
COMPLEXITIES
Poem by: Risha Mae Ordas
Artwork by: Trisha Mae Laya
