All About Psychology Newsletter
The Psychology of Friendship. Wonder Woman, Lie Detectors & The Coolest Psychologist of the 20th Century. Chronic Stress.
A very warm welcome to the latest edition of the All About Psychology newsletter—the official newsletter of All-About-Psychology.com, a website providing comprehensive information and resources for psychology students and educators since 2008.
The Psychology of Friendship: How Friends Impact Health and Happiness
Why Friends Are More Than Just Company 🧠💬
Did you know that your friendships could literally help you live longer?
From boosting your immune system to reducing your risk of depression, the psychology of friendship reveals just how essential our connections are—not just emotionally, but biologically.
But friendship isn’t always easy. What makes a good friend? Why do some friendships fade? Can exes really stay friends? And how do mental health challenges affect our social ties?
This in-depth article explores the science, emotion, and lifelong impact of human connection—based on research, psychology, and real-world insight.
Read the full article: 👉 https://www.all-about-psychology.com/psychology-of-friendship.html
Here’s a short video based on the article:
Moments in Psychology:
A fascinating glimpse into the stories that shaped psychology
Wonder Woman, Lie Detectors & The Coolest Psychologist of the 20th Century
In 1915, Harvard graduate student William Moulton Marston began exploring how physiological responses could reveal deception. His research led to the development of the first systolic blood pressure-based lie detector test—a foundational moment in the history of forensic psychology.
But here's where psychology meets pop culture...
As shown in this remarkable photo from the Schlesinger Library archives, Marston is conducting one of his blood pressure experiments. Standing beside him, notebook in hand and wearing a distinctive bracelet which looks like it could be used to deflect bullets, is Olive Byrne—the very woman who inspired Wonder Woman.
That’s right. William Moulton Marston, under the pen name Charles Moulton, went on to create Wonder Woman—the superhero with a golden Lasso of Truth, directly inspired by his lie detection research.
Psychologist. Inventor. Comic book creator. Cultural icon.
William Moulton Marston may just be the coolest psychologist of the 20th century.
🔗 Explore the fascinating field of forensic psychology
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Psychology Q&A
Someone asked the following question on the All About Psychology Q&A page.
Why do I feel tired, irritable, and mentally foggy all the time—could it be chronic stress, and what can I do about it?
Here’s the answer they received:
It’s a question more people are asking than ever before—and with good reason. If you’re feeling constantly exhausted, tense, scattered, or emotionally brittle, there’s a good chance you’re not just “busy” or “overworked.” You may be experiencing the cumulative effects of chronic stress—a slow, invisible pressure that wears down the mind and body over time.
Unlike acute stress—which is short-lived and often tied to a specific challenge—chronic stress is the kind that lingers. It builds gradually, often unnoticed, as you juggle deadlines, financial concerns, caregiving responsibilities, digital overload, or emotional strain without enough time to recover.
What Chronic Stress Does to the Mind and Body
Psychologically, chronic stress hijacks your brain’s threat-detection system. The amygdala stays on high alert, sending constant “danger” signals, while the prefrontal cortex—the part responsible for focus, decision-making, and impulse control—struggles to keep up. This can leave you feeling foggy, forgetful, indecisive, or reactive.
Physiologically, your body is flooded with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While these are helpful in short bursts, they’re damaging in the long term. Chronic exposure to elevated cortisol has been linked to:
Fatigue and burnout
Weakened immune function
Digestive issues
Insomnia
Anxiety and depression
Difficulty concentrating
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
In other words, chronic stress doesn’t just make you feel bad—it disrupts the very systems you rely on to function, connect, and recover.
What You Can Do: Evidence-Based Steps to Regain Control
The good news is that the brain and body are incredibly adaptive. Research in neuroscience and health psychology shows that chronic stress can be reversed—but it requires intentional interruption of the stress cycle.
✅ 1. Name It
Awareness is your first line of defense. Label what you’re feeling. Saying, “I’m under chronic stress” activates the brain’s regulatory systems and helps you begin to respond rather than react.
✅ 2. Create Micro-Recoveries
You don’t need a week-long vacation to calm your nervous system. Studies show that even brief moments of restoration—a 5-minute walk, deep breathing, listening to music—can reduce cortisol and rebalance your stress response.
✅ 3. Reset Your Stress Physiology
Engage in regular movement, mindfulness, and sleep hygiene. These are not luxuries—they’re biological resets. Exercise burns off excess stress hormones. Mindfulness helps downregulate your alarm system. Sleep is when your brain detoxifies and restores itself.
✅ 4. Re-evaluate Your Stress Inputs
What’s feeding your stress? Information overload? Toxic work culture? Constant accessibility? Chronic stress often requires boundary-setting, not just coping.
✅ 5. Don’t Go It Alone
Connection is a biological stress buffer. Talk to someone—friend, therapist, coach. You are not weak for needing support; you are human.
Final Thought:
If your body is trying to get your attention, don’t ignore it. Tuning in isn’t self-indulgent—it’s essential for resilience. You can’t run on empty and expect to thrive. But with awareness and action, you can rewire your stress response, reclaim your energy, and restore your clarity.
Psychology Q & A is open to everyone and is designed as a space for those with an interest in psychology to both give and receive help. So, if you have a psychology-related question, feel free to ask! And if you believe you can answer any of the questions posted, I encourage you to share your insights. Please note that any content generated by psychology Q & A is provided for informational purposes only. It does not signify that I endorse the material provided or the views expressed. None of the information within psychology Q & A should be considered a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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