Discover 5 psychology facts that could literally save your life! These life-changing insights will help you understand human behavior, improve your decision-making, and navigate challenging situations. Watch now to learn how psychology can empower you in everyday life!
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00How has psychology changed your life?
00:08If you're a long-time fan of Psych2Go, you know that psychology can improve your relationships,
00:13heal mental wounds, and help you cope with difficult circumstances.
00:17But did you know that psychology can even save your life?
00:21There are lots of things you might not know about how the human mind can put you in danger
00:25or help you escape it.
00:27Here are some psychology facts that can save your life.
00:30Someone else will get it.
00:31Picture this.
00:32You're walking across a parking lot when you bump into someone.
00:35You apologize, but the other person won't have it.
00:38Suddenly, they grab you by the shoulder and forcefully shove you to the ground.
00:42Talk about an overreaction.
00:43Luckily, it's a crowded area, so someone will help before the conflict escalates, right?
00:50Unfortunately, there's something called the bystander effect, which explains that the
00:55more bystanders are present in a crisis, the less likely they are to intervene.
01:00They assume someone else will help, so they don't have to.
01:04To prove this, a 2019 study tracked hundreds of bystanders in CCTV footage of violent incidents
01:10across Copenhagen.
01:11They found that additional bystanders reduced the chances of intervention, especially if
01:16they were strangers.
01:17They're not heartless.
01:19It's just tempting to think, someone else will do it when in a large crowd.
01:24Researchers suggest that in emergencies, you can trigger intervention by pointing at
01:27individual bystanders and delegating specific actions, like calling the police to make it
01:33their individual responsibility.
01:35This fact may help save someone's life, including yours.
01:39The calls coming from inside the house.
01:43If I asked you to imagine a dangerous person, who would you envision?
01:47A shrouded person skulking in the shadows at night, or one of your loved ones?
01:53You decide who you trust every day.
01:55But according to FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole, our intuitions about who's dangerous aren't
02:00always necessarily true.
02:02She explains that we tend to be wary of strangers and those who act oddly, while giving a free
02:07pass to our acquaintances and those who seem normal.
02:11She says it's actually more likely to be harmed by those we know.
02:15O'Toole also points out that almost every time the FBI uncovered a violent criminal
02:19or serial killer, the dangerous individual was friendly and outgoing, lived a seemingly
02:24normal suburban lifestyle, had a family, and had a respectable reputation in their community.
02:31Nobody suspected a thing.
02:33Look at Jeffrey Dahmer.
02:34Just a normal guy who kept to himself, right?
02:38To help us identify dangerous individuals, O'Toole lays out some better warning signs
02:42to look out for.
02:44Impulsive behaviors without regard for consequences.
02:47Anger that's excessive for the situation.
02:50Narcissism.
02:52Lack of empathy.
02:53And injustice collecting, where they hold grudges for years.
02:57A single trait or a single action doesn't automatically mean someone is dangerous.
03:02But if they show a pattern of these behaviors, you might want to watch out.
03:07Required reset.
03:08If you were too drunk to legally drive, would you still get behind the wheel, make a major
03:14decision, or send a crucial email?
03:17Hopefully, you would avoid such high risks.
03:19But if you don't have a solid sleep schedule, you're actually doing something just as risky
03:23without knowing it.
03:25If you don't get enough sleep every night, your body gets overwhelmed by stress hormones
03:29and your brain's functionality plummets.
03:31A study published in Nature tested the alertness of those who were sleep-deprived and compared
03:36to those who were intoxicated while performing basic hand-eye coordination tasks.
03:41After no sleep for 24 hours, their alertness nose-dived to the same level as those who
03:46had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10%.
03:500.08% is the legal limit.
03:53In other words, pulling an all-nighter slows your brain as much as being too drunk to drive.
03:58According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep per night,
04:02and adults need 7-9 hours.
04:05Sleep has a huge effect on memory, cognition, concentration, mood, and accident rates.
04:10The next time you're tempted to stay up, save yourself from calamity the next day by
04:14using the military sleep method to get to sleep quickly and refresh your body and mind.
04:19Firstly, get into a comfortable position and exhale slowly while releasing the tension
04:25in your muscles.
04:27Relax your shoulders to loosen your arms and hands.
04:31Continue to breathe in and out and flex your toes.
04:34Finally, empty your mind and imagine that you are lying on a canoe on a still lake.
04:40If any thoughts come to mind, repeat, don't think, until they go away.
04:44With enough practice, you'll be able to sleep like a pro.
04:48Keep calm and carry on.
04:50If you've had a panic attack, you already know, but if you haven't, let's set the scene.
04:55Your heart is pounding, you're sweating everywhere, you can't breathe but are breathing too fast
04:59at the same time, and you can't control your thoughts.
05:02Panic attacks aren't pretty, and they can often arise during stressful situations when
05:06thinking clearly is vital.
05:09If a panic attack has already started, you may not be able to contact your therapist
05:14or remember a coping technique.
05:16So how can you help to end the attack?
05:18You might be surprised at the answer.
05:20In a study by NYU School of Medicine and Boston University, participants with panic disorder
05:25were assigned to either suppress their emotions or accept them.
05:29Ironically, using the coping strategies you've been taught while in the panic attack actually
05:34made it worse.
05:36These techniques draw attention to your inner anxiety, thus making the attack more intense.
05:42Using acceptance techniques resulted in significantly less anxiety and avoidance.
05:47Instead of treating a panic attack as a problem to control, you can simply recognize that
05:52it's happening, acknowledge it in your mind, or aloud, accept that this is temporary and
05:58that these feelings will pass.
06:01If this works for you, let us know in the comments below.
06:03There you have it, 5 psychology facts that will save your life.
06:07Do you know any other psychological facts that could save your life?
06:11Have you ever used some of these facts?
06:13Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to like and share this if you think
06:15it'll help someone else.
06:18Are you looking for a cuddly companion that brings positivity and mental wellness to your
06:22daily life?
06:23Get your very own Psy.
06:25The lovable plushie is here to brighten your days.
06:28It embodies the spirit of Psych2Go and it serves as a reminder to prioritize your mental
06:32well-being.
06:33Its green leaf symbolizes growth, renewal, and the importance of self-care, whether it's
06:39for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one.
06:42Psy is ready to be your snuggly friend through all of life's ups and downs.
06:46Buy your Psy plushie today!
06:48Link is listed in the description box.