First Psychology blog

In a society filled with expensive technology, designer clothing and flash cars, you can see how tempting it is to want the best of everything. But do we want these things to make us feel good or is it ultimately to impress the people around us and post about it on social media? Sadly, much of the time, people crave belongings to increase their social status rather than to make themselves happy. Although our possessions might impress some people, generally, most of us are more impressed by how a person behaves. Imagine, if you were the only person to exist on the planet, would you really strive so hard to possess all the same unnecessary belongings? Would you still wear designer clothes, or would you opt for something more comfortable? What many of us don’t realise is that we also buy unnecessary things to fill a void within ourselves or to cheer ourselves up when we’re feeling down. However, these are just temporary fixes and even though you might feel good initially, the feel-good ...

Being in love is a wonderful thing but there are times when being in a relationship can make us feel as though we’ve lost a part of our identity. It’s important to recognise when this happens to prevent any feelings of resentment and to protect our mental wellbeing. When we neglect ourselves and sacrifice too much in a relationship, it can seriously harm our mental health and we might start to feel anxious, stressed or depressed. Signs you might be losing your identity You feel like you can’t be yourself all the time You feel drained You stop socialising with friends You neglect your hobbies and interests You feel insecure about your appearance You dress for your partner not for yourself You make too many sacrifices You’re afraid to be open with your thoughts for the fear of causing an argument You stop chasing your dreams To make a relationship work, it’s vital that you stop neglecting your own desires and the things that make you happy. Remember, your opinion, feeling...