Commentary on how pop psychology presents relationships

774 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Relationship media and society

The media today publishes many articles on relationships. These are often presented as advice columns or news articles and many of the writers will usually include some sort of psuedo-psychology to back up their claims. This may look good from the readers’ perspective as it attempts to provide some scientific grounding for the basis of the article; most of the time however, the ‘psychology’ presented is either misinterpreted, based on poor research, or just completely false. In this paper I will use examples of relationship psychology found in popular media and will compare them to accepted psychological theory.
Appendix I shows an article published by the Daily Mail talking about a new phenomenom called ‘love addiction’ and uses quotes from “Pia Mellody, senior clinical adviser at The Meadows treatment centre in Arizona” and “psychotherapist Maureen Courtney” to create and argument from authority. The article makes several claims; the first is that love addiction actually exists as a condition and it also contains a quote from Maureen Courtney to suggest that love addiction has roots in how attachments were formed during childhood. Research has been conducted into whether love is an addictive disorder and the results have been mixed. Reynaud and Karila et al published a journal article in 2010 which found that there are currently inefficient data to be able to classify love addictiction as a clinical disorder. Within this study however they found that in some extreme cases, people suffering from love addiciton would exhibit symptoms similar to that of a drug addiction (eg. Intoxication and withdrawal symptoms). A journal article written by Sussman in 2010 defines love addiction and outlines possible treatments; this suggests that...

... middle of paper ...

... A., Luminet, O., Rim'E, B., Gross, J. J., De Timary, P. & Mikolajczak, M. (2013). Oxytocin increases willingness to socially share one's emotions. International Journal Of Psychology, 48 (4), pp. 676--681.
Macbeth, L. (2014). Should sex be a dealbreaker?. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/love-sex/sex-blog/should-sex-be-a-dealbreaker-in-a-relationship [Accessed: 23 Feb 2014].
Reynaud, M., Karila, L., Blecha, L. & Benyamina, A. (2010). Is love passion an addictive disorder?.The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, 36 (5), pp. 261--267.
Sussman, S. (2010). Love addiction: definition, etiology, treatment. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 17 (1), pp. 31--45.
Willoughby, B. J., Carroll, J. S. & Busby, D. M. (2014). Differing relationship outcomes when sex happens before, on, or after first dates. Journal Of Sex Research, 51 (1), pp. 52--61.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Embraced By The Needle

    716 Words  | 2 Pages

    The author uses his knowledge of the human brain to emphasize the importance of “Endorphins” when growing up and how the lack of the chemicals “in infancy and early childhood,[creates a greater need] for external sources” (289) such as drugs. Along with his scientific evidence, Mate also uses many of his patients traumatic childhood experiences such as having “dishwashing liquid poured down his throat . . . and was tied to a chair in a dark room to control to his hyperactivity” (289). These patients help create an image for the readers to be able to understand the feelings and the pain addict 's often face in their childhood, that leaves them feeling abandoned and neglected from the rest of the world. Mate even analysis the fact that addict 's can come from home where there is no abuse and the parents try their best to provide a loving and nurturing home. The problem in families like this is often a parent is the one who faced traumatic experience as a child and are not able to transmit the proper love to their child, because they lack the feeling themselves. The author uses the strategy of looking at both the child and the parent experiences to show that the root problem originates from the same outcome, wanting to feel “unconditionally [loved and be] fully accepted even when most ornery”

    Read More

  • Mark Knapp's Model of Relationship Development

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Mark Knapp’s model of relationship development, there are 5 stages of romantic relationships coming together and 5 stages of romantic relationships coming apart. In this paper I will chose 4 stages to further explore. With each of the four stages I will use song lyrics to help analyze these stages. The first stage I have chosen to analyze is the stagnating stage and I used the song do I by Luke Bryan. Secondly, I chose the song falling for you by Colbie Caillet to help examine the intensifying stage. Third, I chose the integrating stage and I used the song from this moment on by Shania Twain featuring Bryan White to help interpret this stage. Lastly, I chose the song when I said I do by Clint Black and Lisa Hartman to explain the bonging stage of Mark Knapp’s model of relationship development.

    Read More

  • Gerald May's Addiction And Grace

    1081 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gerald May does an incredible job of integrating spiritual concepts and theology into the treatment of addictions in his book Addiction and Grace. He clearly asserts that all humans are born with the desire for God’s love. This desire is what gives our lives personal meaning. Addiction is defined as any personal attachment that takes an individual’s focus away from God. As human beings, we all have addictions; personal attachments that can be viewed as positive or negative. Addictions are not limited to substance abuse (i.e. drugs, alcohol, and food). Addictions can also include behaviors (i.e. love, work, family, exercise). It can be difficult to view loving someone as a negative addiction; however, Gerald

    Read More

  • Addiction & Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions.

    1953 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the book, Addiction & Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions, May explores how addiction develops and can be treated from a psychological, physiological, and spiritual standpoint. This theme is clearly shown throughout the text as it shows addiction from a whole person's perspective. The book covers the development of addiction from desire through the experience of addiction. The key focus is on looking at the matter of addiction from multiple stand points then broken down by explaining how addiction is an issue psychologically, physiologically, and spiritually. By focusing on these three areas, the author is able to present the reader with a clear understanding of addiction from all sides of the problem.

    Read More

  • Codependency Essay

    3229 Words  | 7 Pages

    The concept of codependency is a controversial subject in the counseling profession, due to there being several different definitions of codependency. Clinician’s that primarily work with substance abusers believe that codependency is a valid diagnosis. Codependency appeared in the treatment scene in the seventies and was a term that developed by Alcoholic Anonymous. Codependency involves a habitual system of thinking, feelings, and behaving toward ourselves and others that can cause us pain (Beattie, M.). A spouse uses coping skills such as pleading, threatening, arguing, avoiding, withdrawing sexually, being indulgent, taking control or responsibilities, seeking outside help and taking steps towards separation. There is an increasing evidence to suggest that maladaptive ways of thinking and behaving ...

    Read More

  • Youth and Substance Abuse

    1740 Words  | 4 Pages

    Lash, S. J., Timko, C, Curran, G M., McKay, J R., Burden, J L.; (Jun, 2011). Psychology of Addictive Behaviors; Vol 25(2); 238-251. Doi: 10.1037/a0022608

    Read More

  • Hyper Sexual Addiction Research Paper

    1611 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hyper Sexual addiction is a disorder that can be defined as a person having a habitually elevated sex drive, fantasies, and urges. Nevertheless, compared to other sexual addictions, this could be known as one of the most riskiest and dangerous addiction. Hyper Sexual Addiction has become more prevalent because of the infidelities amongst some celebrities and political figures. Sexual addiction has always existed, but because of technology and social media, people have become more aware of it. People who suffer from this disorder are like drug addicts that crave drugs; they think they can stop, but the urges are constantly there. According to An Elements Behavioral Health article (2016), for the sex addict, sexual activity provides an intense,

    Read More

  • A Comparison of Psychoanalytic Formulations of Addiction and Cognitive Models of Addiction

    661 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this paper I will be comparing and contrasting the Psychoanalytic formulations of addiction and the Cognitive models of addiction. According to Dennis L. Thombs, “people tend to get psychoanalysis and psychotherapy mixed up. Psychotherapy is a more general term describing professional services aimed at helping individuals or groups overcome emotional, behavioral or relationship problem” (119). According to Thombs and Osborn, “Cognitive refers to the covert mental process that are described by a number of diverse terms, including thinking, self-talk, internal dialogue, expectations , beliefs, schemas and so much more” (160). I believe these two factors play a major part in an individual’s life that has an addiction.

    Read More

  • Reward System And The Reward System

    1408 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...lanced system. There is a great overlap in the psychology of drug addiction and human love that share the same levels of process when it comes to addiction (Fisher et al. 2010). Understanding these processes may help with future treatments when it comes to addiction in many different aspects of addiction (Fisher et al. 2010). In the article "The Behavioral, Anatomical and Pharmacological Parallels between Social Attachment, love and addiction", they state how "treatments used in one domain may be effective in the other; for instance, treatments used to reduce drug cravings may be effective in treating grief from loss of a loved one or a bad breakup" (Fisher et al. pg58, 2010 ). Over all, knowing that pair-bonding and drugs of abuse have such a strong correlation shows how intense human love really is. It is crazy to think we may be addicted to the ones we love.

    Read More

  • Medicalization of Sex Addiction: Society's Obsession with Medical Diagnosis

    1257 Words  | 3 Pages

    While alleged sex addictions have existed for many years, they have only recently been accepted as valid excuses for sexual deviancy. Attitudes toward sex addiction in the past offer a stark contrast to how it is viewed today, as the constantly medicalizing society insists on putting everything under the technical microscope. Sex addiction is commonly associated with a person’s inability to control his sexual behavior, implying an abnormally high sex drive and obsession with sex which have negative effects on his personal life (MedicineNet 2007, 1). Rather than breaking down the science behind the disorder, a customary practice in today’s medicalized society, older attitudes towards sex addiction placed it under the same light as alcoholism, where a lack of control and unwillin...

    Read More

  • The Biopsychosocial Model and Research in Mental Health

    1009 Words  | 3 Pages

    Toates, F. (2010) ‘The nature of addictions: scientific evidence and personal accounts’ in SDK228 The science of the mind: investigating mental health, Book 3, Addictions, Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 1-30.

    Read More

  • Sex Addiction

    1385 Words  | 3 Pages

    Patrick Carnes, Ph.D., the first person to identify and treat this affliction, hypothesized sex addiction results from a person needing certain neuro-chemical changes (4). Everybody experiences certain neuro-chemical changes that make the physical act of sex feel pleasurable. A normal person produces this stimulus, attains the natural high, and is satisfied. An addict, however, uses this chemical to escape pain or seek relief from stress (4). This theory supports a nature argument because there is nothing a person can do about it. Their body creates an altered response to a completely normal act and fosters an uncontrollable need to experience sex. It is comparable to an alcoholic's reaction to alcohol (4). The sex addict needs this chemical to be released in order to desensitize themselves from their problems. This is not healthy, but i...

    Read More

  • Disease Of Addiction

    375 Words  | 1 Pages

    Disease of addiction can be a lot like falling in love. Imagine someone falling in love with the woman or man of their dreams only to find out that they are abusive, or shows qualities of a ‘gold digger’. Everyone tells them the person is toxic but, yet they stay in the relationship

    Read More

  • The Nervous System

    761 Words  | 2 Pages

    Smith, Melinda, and Lawrence Robinson. "Understanding Addiction." : How Addiction Hijacks the Brain. Robert Segal, 1999. Web. 20 May 2014.

    Read More

  • True Love Does Exist

    2243 Words  | 5 Pages

    Boston: Bedford/St. Martins,. 349. The. “Psychological Theories About the Dynamics of Love (I).” 01 Mar. 2005 http://psychology.about.com/library/weekly/aa022000a.htm Richmond, Raymond Lloyd.

    Read More

More about Commentary on how pop psychology presents relationships

Open Document