First Psychology blog

If you’ve grown up with brothers or sisters, it’s likely that at some point in your life you’ll have experienced sibling rivalry. Or perhaps you’re now the parent of more than one child and you’ve become the one in a position of responsibility. Either way, if you don’t have the right tools to deal with certain situations, sibling rivalry can become stressful for both the children and parents. In a 2021 study published in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence available at  National Library of Medicine , sibling bullying is linked to lower self-confidence and self esteem and in some instances it can double the risk of depression and self-harm in young adults. Why does sibling rivalry happen? In reality not everyone gets along with each other all of the time, adults included, so it’s not surprising that children have arguments from time to time and this is normal behaviour. However, when these arguments become more of a regular occurrence, it’s time to take action. There are many rea...

Stress is part and parcel of everyday life and it’s a natural human response to certain situations. However, if you find yourself feeling stressed most of the time and don’t deal with your symptoms, this can lead to more serious mental health issues such as depression. What causes stress? Everybody is different and what might be stressful for one person might not be for another. But there are some situations that tend to be stressful for the majority of people, such as: Moving home Job insecurity Relationship problems Financial issues Stress is our body’s way of responding to mental or emotional pressures and it can be a sign that we need to take action to preserve our wellbeing. Symptoms of stress There may be times when stress goes unnoticed but the longer it does so, the worse it can become so it’s important to recognise early signs and take action. Some of the symptoms of stress include: Feeling angry or irritable  Headaches Sleep disturbance Exhaustion Lack of self-confidence ...