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Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. In 2014, 15.7 million people over the age of 18 admitted to experiencing at least one major depressive event during the year. This constitutes 6.7 percent of adults in the United States who experienced depression, and those numbers are growing every year.

No one likes to be deceived. Whenever someone attempts to pull one over on us by misleading us or flat-out lying, we are rightly frustrated or offended. But what if the deception comes from within? Is it possible to lie to ourselves and be guilty of self-deception? Psychologists and philosophers who study the human condition respond with a resounding, “Yes!” Self-deception is incredibly common and occurs due to a combination of factors. It primarily involves two psychological components known as cognitive dissonance and compartmentalization.

Passing the bar exam for licensure to practice law is well known to be an intensely difficult test, one that challenges even the most prepared candidate. But according to a recent study, lawyers may be facing even greater difficulties after conquering the bar exam.

For many years therapists and counselors have used various forms of psychodrama, such as role-playing and dramatization, to help treat addiction. A recent development hopes to extend and improve on this approach by using virtual reality (VR) technology.

The widespread use of cell phones has turned into an obsession for many people. The ubiquitous presence of these mobile devices leads many to lampoon the bizarre love affair people have with smart phones.

Benzodiazepines are a class of medications, commonly called tranquilizers, which chiefly depress or slow down the central nervous system, causing sleep, partial loss of consciousness or reduced nervousness. They are widely used to treat anxiety, stress, panic disorders, insomnia and seizures. They also have other medical uses, such as treating depression, reducing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, easing nausea or as a muscle relaxant. In general, when prescribed for short-term use, benzodiazepines are considered to be safe and effective medications, but they do carry potential side effects and a high risk of addiction.

In a letter accompanying Facebook’s initial public offering, founder Mark Zuckerberg clarified the underlying goal of the social network was to bring people together, "to make the world more open and connected.” Based on the extraordinary popularity of the service, it appears they are well on their way to exceeding that goal.

Memory can be a tricky thing. Sometimes it seems so easy to remember minute trivia, and other times, it's difficult to remember where you put your keys. Most people have at one time or another tried to remember a name, a phone number or an important piece of information and been unable to. There are all sorts of tips and tricks for improving your memory, but did you know that your diet can have an impact on your memory?

Dreams are a universal part of the human experience. At some point in your life, you have dreamed, but the way people remember their dreams differs from person to person. Some people are able to remember their dreams after waking up, but many people have a difficult time remembering dreams. Understanding how dreams are connected to memories may help explain why it can be hard to remember your dreams.

Memories are a constant companion in life. Both good and bad, memories stay with you and inform your choices from day to day. Because memories are such an important part of life and a critical component of mental health, it's important to understand how your brain makes them and how you can keep your memory healthy.

Prescription opioids, which include well-known drugs such as Vicodin, Percocet and OxyContin, can provide safe and effective pain relief when taken as prescribed.

Mixing substances is a common activity among people who suffer from addiction. When tolerance for a drug increases, it becomes harder and harder to achieve the desired effects; adding another substance to the mix becomes a way to get the high you crave. With this knowledge in mind, it's no surprise that nearly half of addiction-treatment clients have been found to suffer from addiction to more than one substance. Experimenting with drug cocktails can cause serious health effects, and sometimes mixing substances can even be deadly. In this post, we'll take a closer look at certain drug combinations and discuss the risks of mixing substances.