First Psychology blog

There are only a few hours left of 2014 and at this time of year people traditionally review the outgoing year and think about things they'd like to achieve/ improve in the incoming year. It can be easy to get carried away and set unrealistic goals that are almost impossible to keep. Statistics show that only 12% of us actually stick to our New Year's resolutions. "Setting realistic, achievable goals is the key to success", says First Psychology's Professor Ewan Gillon. Here are some of Ewan's top tips to setting achievable goals for 2015. Start small and build up. Make sure you don't get carried away. Promising yourself that you will do 5 exercise sessions a week when you currently do none is not realistic. Start smaller, perhaps set yourself a goal of walking to work or going for a run at weekends. As you gain fitness and adjust to the new regime, you can add more sessions in. Setting realistic goals helps you remain positive and will keep you on track...

The winter holidays are a time that many of us choose to spend with family and friends. Films and media portray this period as a happy time full of fun, presents and goodness, but for many people who have lost someone dear to them, it can be a difficult time, full of painful memories. Whatever the circumstances, if you're struggling with the loss of someone dear to you, Christmas can be an unwelcome reminder that they're not here any more. Grief is a complex emotion and it can take years to come to terms with it. The five stages of grief The process of mourning and grief is one that people go through no matter who they are or what they do in life. However everybody experiences grief differently. There are five stages of grief and loss, which were first proposed in 1969 by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her book "On Death and Dying". It can take a short or long time to work through loss and each stage may not be experienced in order, indeed you may move back and forth b...

Today is what has historically been known in the UK as Black Friday / Mad Friday / Black eye Friday or Nasty Friday. It is the last Friday before Christmas and the most popular night for the office Christmas party, which makes it a busy night for the emergency services, hence its name. The work night out is a good opportunity to get to know your colleagues socially, so if you have a work night out tonight, then read our tips for happy partying: Ten tips for happy partying Don't leave it too late: get there early so you don't have to walk into a room full of people. Whether you know the people or not, it can be daunting walking into a room when a party is in full swing. Create a good first impression: when meeting new people remember to smile and make eye contact.  Ask people about themselves: everyone loves talking about themselves, so create a good impression by taking an interest in others. The more you ask people about themselves, the more likely you are to f...

At this time of year there can be lots of social events to attend: with carol singing; work night outs; entertaining clients; and parent get-togethers among other things, we can start to feel a bit worn out. But if the thought of interacting with others fills you with panic or dread, then it may be that you're socially anxious. Shyness and social anxiety affect most people at some point. Often unusual events such as having to give an important speech, going on a first date, going to university for the first time and having to meet a group of new people can trigger feelings of anxiety. However these feeling usually fade. When you are continually affected by your interactions with other people, it is likely you are suffering from social anxiety/phobia. What is social anxiety/phobia? Social anxiety is the third most common form of psychological disorder. It is an extreme form of shyness that draws out feelings of being judged, not liked, or inferior to others. As a result, those ...

If you notice a downturn in your mood over the winter months - particularly from December to February, then it may be that you need to get outside more and take in more daylight.  During the winter months when the weather is cold, we often stay indoors more. This means that we also reduce the amount of natural daylight, fresh air and exercise we do. The result can be 'winter blues', the symptoms of which include loss of appetite, anxiety and lethargy.   Winter mood boosters TIP 1  Take up an outdoor hobby like gardening or an outdoor sport This will help relax your body while also increasing your exposure to daylight and fresh air.  TIP 2  Take some exercise Exercise is beneficial as it will boost your energy during the short winter days.  TIP 3  Eat healthy foods  Ensure your diet includes a wide variety of fresh fruit and vegetables for a valuable boost to your nutrition, energy and overall health during the winter m...