Posts in category: Dating Tips, Guide and Advice

Gabapentin, sold under the brand name Neurontin, is an anticonvulsant used to treat seizures and nerve pain. It is also sometimes prescribed “off-label” to treat migraines, fibromyalgia, and pain. If you’ve been on this drug for some time, you may experience withdrawal when discontinuing its use.

As of 2023, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has not classified gabapentin as a controlled substance because experts have always believed it showed little potential for abuse or dependence. However, several states have independently declared it as a controlled substance. Despite its legal status, gabapentin prescriptions have increased significantly over the past decade, and recent research points to an uptick in illicit abuse and accidental overdose-related deaths.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Prevalence

It is rare to experience withdrawal symptoms from gabapentin, but it does happen. A review of medical journals published between 1993, when gabapentin was approved, and 2015 found 18 case reports of gabapentin addiction, dependence, or withdrawal.

Healthcare providers publish case reports when they encounter a patient with a rare disorder or with a condition that they want to make their colleagues aware of. Case reports are significant because they help further knowledge and identify subjects worthy of future research.

It’s also possible that we may see more cases of gabapentin withdrawal in the future because, according to the DEA, gabapentin use is on the rise. Healthcare providers wrote more than double the number of gabapentin prescriptions in 2021 (70.9 million prescriptions) as they did in 2011 (33.4 million prescriptions).

Gabapentin Withdrawal and Other Drug Use

The illicit use of gabapentin also appears to be increasing. In a small survey of prescription drug abusers in Appalachian Kentucky, 15% reported using gabapentin to get high. That number is a 165% increase from the year prior (from 2013 to 2014) and a 2,950% increase from 2008 to 2014.

It appears as though gabapentin dependence and withdrawal are most common among people who use at least one other substance, such as opioids or alcohol. In the case reports, all patients had past drug or alcohol addiction issues.

Opioid users have reported using gabapentin to intensify their high. Cocaine users have reported the same, as well as attempts to use gabapentin to help alleviate cocaine withdrawal.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Timeline

Among the documented cases, gabapentin withdrawal began between 12 hours and 7 days after the last dose. The majority saw withdrawal symptoms within 24 to 48 hours.

Among the cases reported, gabapentin withdrawal symptoms typically peaked three days after someone’s last dose. In almost all cases, healthcare providers eventually treated the symptoms by resuming the previous gabapentin dose. Once people resumed their dose, their symptoms disappeared within hours.

Signs and Symptoms of Gabapentin Withdrawal

The most common symptom of gabapentin withdrawal was agitation, occurring in about half of the recorded cases. Confusion and disorientation were the next most common symptoms, followed by:

• Sweating
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• Tremors
• Fast heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia

In many of the cases reported in the medical journals, individuals entered gabapentin withdrawal without the intention to do so. This was typically a result of running out of gabapentin or leaving it at home during a trip out of town.

This sample of cases is unlikely to be reflective of most people’s experiences with gabapentin withdrawal. The reason for this is that only people with severe or alarming symptoms seek emergency medical treatment. 

Gabapentin Withdrawal Treatment

Your long-term treatment plan for gabapentin dependence will depend on the presence of pre-existing conditions, including substance abuse, and your reasons for taking the drug in the first place.

There are no clinical protocols designed to manage gabapentin withdrawal. You and your healthcare provider can work together to figure out the best way forward.

If you have been taking high doses of gabapentin that was prescribed by your doctor, then that doctor should be consulted before you taper on your own or stop taking the medication. Your healthcare provider will talk about the risks and benefits of stopping gabapentin.

Long-Term Treatment

If you have been abusing your gabapentin prescription by mixing it with other drugs or alcohol, tapering your dose may not be sufficient. Addiction is a complex disorder of the brain, and it requires a long-term treatment plan.

Comprehensive addiction treatment programs typically combine a variety of tactics to help you understand why you began abusing drugs in the first place.

Individual and group therapy sessions can teach you to recognize the negative behavioral patterns that lead you toward drugs. A counselor, therapist, or psychologist can also help you develop strategies for dealing with triggers and cravings.

Coping With Gabapentin Withdrawal

The best way to cope with gabapentin withdrawal will depend on the severity of your withdrawal symptoms and the state of your mental and physical health. Your current dose of gabapentin and your reasons for taking it are also important factors.

While it may sound odd, the best treatment for severe gabapentin withdrawal symptoms is gabapentin. Resuming your normal dose of gabapentin will get rid of potentially dangerous symptoms, like delirium.

After resuming your normal dose, you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider to discuss your motivations for quitting gabapentin. They can help you safely taper your dose. Tapering means taking progressively smaller doses of medication over a period of several weeks or months.

How slowly should you come off gabapentin? The answer depends on your prescribed dosage, how long you’ve been taking it, and if you have any other conditions or issues. In some cases, it has taken more than a year of tapering to avoid or better manage gabapentin withdrawal symptoms.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Warnings

While gabapentin withdrawal may not be well understood, the recorded cases are alarming. Many of the gabapentin withdrawal case studies involve people with a history of psychiatric disorders or substance abuse problems. If you share either of these risk factors, there is cause for concern.

Pre-Existing Conditions

During detox and gabapentin withdrawal, the symptoms of pre-existing conditions often return. People with a history of bipolar disorder, psychosis, depression, and epilepsy are all at risk.

If you have been taking gabapentin for pain, your pain may return to pretreatment levels. People with these conditions may be safer detoxing in a hospital setting, where healthcare providers are prepared to treat any possible complications. 

If you have a pre-existing condition or a history of complicated substance withdrawal, you might want to consider spending the first few days of your gabapentin withdrawal in a hospital or specialized inpatient detox facility.

Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, gabapentin can have unpredictable effects. There is one case study in which an infant was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit because she was born in gabapentin withdrawal.

Gabapentin Withdrawal Resources

If you or someone you love is experiencing serious signs of gabapentin withdrawal, such as confusion or delirium, do not hesitate to seek emergency medical attention. If you are planning to stop taking gabapentin, you will want to make an appointment with your prescribing doctor or a primary care doctor who can help see you through the tapering process.

If you are struggling with addiction issues, especially if you’ve been mixing gabapentin with other drugs or alcohol, you will want to find long-term support. You have several options, including:

• A psychologist, psychiatrist, or counselor in private practice or at a hospital
• An inpatient detox facility
• An addiction treatment center that offers inpatient or outpatient programs
• A peer support group, like Narcotics Anonymous (NA)
• A provider licensed to distribute buprenorphine, a treatment for opioid dependence

In broad terms, dissociation is a psychological phenomenon in which there’s a disconnect between your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, perceptions, memories, and identity. Occasional dissociation is usually not a problem, but if it happens frequently or is intense, it can signal a mental health condition such as borderline personality disorder (BPD). About 75% to 80% of people with BPD report stress-related dissociation.

Symptoms of Dissociation

Frequent, severe dissociation during times of stress is a main symptom of BPD. It’s also associated with acute stress disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both of which can co-occur with BPD.

Most people have experienced mild forms of dissociation from time to time. Many but not all with BPD tend to have more severe episodes.

After years of study, researchers can now describe the experience of dissociation, including depersonalization, derealization, amnesia, identity confusion, and identity alteration.

Depersonalization

Depersonalization is the feeling of being separate from your body. People who experience depersonalization often say it feels like they are observing their own body from the outside, or as if they’re in a dream.

Derealization

Similar to depersonalization, derealization is a feeling of being detached from the external world, including other people or objects. Familiar things can look strange, unreal, or unfamiliar.

Amnesia

Some people experience periods of amnesia or “losing time”—from minutes to hours or even days. Even though they awake during these times, they cannot remember where they were or what they were doing. This type of amnesia is sometimes referred to as a dissociative fugue.

Identity Confusion

Identity confusion occurs when you experience an inner struggle about who you really are. People might have a hard time figuring out who they are in relation to others.

Identity Alteration

Identity alteration is the sense that you are acting like a different person. For example, you see an object in your home that you don’t recognize or perform a skill that you don’t remember learning. Sometimes, you might become aware of identity alteration because other people in your life say that you are behaving like someone else.

Mild identity alteration is common in the general population (for example, using a different name in different situations). The key difference is that you are aware of your identity or role change in these situations and it doesn’t cause problems with your ability to function in your day-to-day life or relationships.

Causes of Dissociation

The exact cause of dissociation is unknown, but it often affects people who have experienced repetitive, overwhelming trauma, such as severe child abuse or neglect.

Dissociation appears to be the brain’s way of coping and separating from trauma, which can make it more bearable. If you learned to dissociate in times of extreme stress as a child, it likely affected the way your concept of yourself developed. It might have even carried over into how you react to stressful situations as an adult.

What the Research Says

Some early research that is using neuroimaging to examine people with BPD and dissociative symptoms has indicated that there might be actual changes in brain function and communication that contribute to dissociation.

Researchers can use imaging techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans to see the brains of people experiencing dissociation.

Brain scans of people with BPD and dissociative symptoms have shown evidence of decreased activity in the limbic temporal areas of the brain, increased activity in the frontal area of the brain, and changes in communication between the two areas.

Treatment

Treatments for BPD such as dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) often include components that help reduce dissociation. Treatment for dissociation is usually based on building skills to help you reconnect with yourself, the present moment, and your current surroundings.

Grounding is one skill that can be used to reduce dissociation. Grounding exercises involve using external stimuli and your five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste) to reconnect with the present. For example, a visual grounding exercise will have you observe small details in the environment around you until you are feeling more connected.

Dissociative Disorders

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), there are two other main dissociative disorders:

Certain mental health disorders have dissociation as a central feature rather than a symptom. For example, dissociative identity disorder (DID) is characterized by severe dissociation that causes a person to develop different personalities.

Treating dissociative symptoms through therapy can be intense, as it often requires you to remember past abuse. While it can be difficult at times, therapy can help you learn to cope with your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Have you ever wondered why you reach for your phone every time you hear a ding or why you follow the same patterns at work each day? It’s not just habit; it’s the psychology of learning at work. Different types of learning—including association, reinforcement, and observation—all impact the skills we acquire, the habits we pick up, and the behaviors we mimic.

The psychology of learning focuses on a range of topics related to how people learn and interact with their environments. Such principles can be seen in classic psychology experiments (think Pavlov’s dogs drooling every time they heard a bell) and everyday behavior, like when we endlessly scroll through apps designed to keep us hooked.

If you want to know more about how people acquire new knowledge and modify their behaviors, learning more about the psychology of learning can help. Some main types of learning include classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and learning through observation. Knowing which one is best suited for a particular situation can help you get the most out of your learning experiences.

Definition of Learning in Psychology

Learning can be defined in many ways, but most psychologists would agree that it is a relatively permanent change in behavior that results from experience. During the first half of the 20th century, the school of thought known as behaviorism rose to dominate psychology and sought to explain the learning process. Behaviorism sought to measure only observable behaviors.

3 Types of Learning in Psychology

Behavioral learning falls into three general categories.

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is a learning process in which an association is made between a previously neutral stimulus and a stimulus that naturally evokes a response.

For example, in Pavlov’s classic experiment, the smell of food was the naturally occurring stimulus that was paired with the previously neutral ringing of the bell. Once an association had been made between the two, the sound of the bell alone could lead to a response.

For example, if you don’t know how to swim and were to fall into a pool, you’d take action to avoid the pool.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning is a learning process in which the probability of a response occurring is increased or decreased due to reinforcement or punishment. First studied by Edward Thorndike and later by B.F. Skinner, the underlying idea behind operant conditioning is that the consequences of our actions shape voluntary behavior.

He also found that the timing of when reinforcements were delivered influenced how quickly a behavior was learned and how strong the response would be. The timing and rate of reinforcement are known as schedules of reinforcement.

For example, your child might learn to complete their homework because you reward them with treats and/or praise.

Observational Learning

Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through observing and imitating others. Albert Bandura’s social learning theory suggests that in addition to learning through conditioning, people also learn through observing and imitating the actions of others.

As demonstrated in his classic Bobo Doll experiments, people will imitate the actions of others without direct reinforcement. Four important elements are essential for effective observational learning: attention, motor skills, motivation, and memory.

For example, a teen’s older sibling gets a speeding ticket, with the unpleasant results of fines and restrictions. The teen then learns not to speed when they take up driving.

Stages of Learning

While learning can occur in a variety of ways, it typically involves three important stages:

• Acquisition (encoding): This is the initial period of learning, during which information is obtained and a response is established. It’s when new information is presented, and we start to work on the basic skills we need to perform the task.
• Retention (storage): This stage involves transferring what we have learned into long-term memory. Even if we do not use the knowledge regularly, our understanding of it is retained and not forgotten.
• Recall (retrieval): This stage involves using the knowledge we have obtained when it is needed. For example, recalling facts or performing a skill we have learned are two examples.

History of the Psychology of Learning

One of the first thinkers to study how learning influences behavior was psychologist John B. Watson, who suggested in his seminal 1913 paper Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It that all behaviors are a result of the learning process.

Psychology, the behaviorists believed, should be the scientific study of observable, measurable behavior. Watson’s work included the famous Little Albert experiment in which he conditioned a small child to fear a white rat.

Other important figures in the psychology of learning include:

• Edward Thorndike: Thorndike discovered the law of effect, which stated that behaviors followed by positive consequences are more likely to be repeated, while those followed by negative consequences are less likely to be repeated.
• Ivan Pavlov: Pavlov’s research on the digestive systems of dogs led to his discovery of classical conditioning.
• B.F. Skinner: Based on Thorndike’s ideas, Skinner focused on how reinforcement and punishment could be used to teach information and modify behavior.
• Albert Bandura: Bandura’s famous Bobo doll experiments demonstrated how learning could also occur through observation.

Some people leave a very long mark on the world, and Socrates is definitely one of those people. He was a Greek philosopher from the 5th century BC, but still today, we use some of his teachings.

Socratic questioning is one example of how Socrates lives on. What exactly is it, and why is it still so widely used in our world?

What Is Socratic Questioning?

Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Leslie Dobson tells us that Socratic questioning is a communication style that allows a person to stimulate another person’s thinking through open-ended questions.

The questions are meant to push someone “slightly outside of their comfort level, so that they have to think about their thoughts, behaviors and feelings, building their awareness, and in turn allow them to feel more in control.” By asking thought provoking questions, we can have deeper interactions. This is helpful in settings both clinical and casual.

The History and Philosophy Behind Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning is a part of the Socratic method, the broader style of teaching and communication that Socrates introduced. There is debate over whether we have continued to use the teachings of Socrates nonstop since his time, or if they left and were reintroduced in more recent years. One thing we can be certain of, though, is that Socrates’ work has played a role in modern communication.

The philosophy behind Socratic questioning is both to help us understand others better and to help people understand themselves better. Says Dobson, “Once we are able to name what is going on in us (i.e., emotions, thoughts, behaviors), we have the ability to take the reins and lead our lives.” A deeper style of questioning that opens up our minds more than casual conversation could benefit everyone, including the asker.

What Are the 4 Stages of Socratic Questioning?

The four stages of Socratic questioning are also known as “guided discovery.” As you may expect, this practice has four stages.

1. Asking questions centered around receiving information
2. Attentively listening and reflecting back what you’ve heard
3. Providing a summary of the information you’ve heard
4. Asking more questions, specifically with the intent of applying the answers you heard to the person’s original thoughts

What Are the Six Types of Socratic Questioning?

In order to probe further into a subject, there are different question styles used. These get people thinking in bigger ways than other questions might.

• Clarification: You may ask why a person gave the response they did, or how it relates to the topic at hand.
• Challenge assumptions: Someone may be asked how what they’ve said proves their initial assumptions to be true, or disproves them.
• Look for evidence: You’ll ask questions that help prove a point, such as requesting examples or looking for causes.
• Perspective: These questions make someone step back and see a situation from a differing point of view.
• Discover consequences: Asking how something ties into a different topic, or what the ramifications of what’s been asserted are, help someone think more deeply about an issue.
• Question the question: Further attempting to add depth, you may ask what the other person thinks the point of your questions are, or what the situation at large really means.

Examples of Socratic Questions

It may seem like an abstract concept, but in reality we use Socratic questions in many different areas of day to day life. Here are some examples.

Therapy

Socratic questioning is a valuable psychotherapeutic tool. “Socratic questioning is very helpful when a client is new and closed off, when a client is stuck in their thought process or memory, and also when a client is stuck in an emotion,” explains Dobson. She uses Socratic questioning right at the start of a new client relationship, employing the questions to discern why someone is seeking therapy and what the purpose of it will be for them.

This questioning style can be used throughout therapy, and offers a way to facilitate communication and forward progression. “When a client is stuck in their thought process or memory, Socratic questioning is very helpful to help them think about other aspects of their memory,” says Dobson. “For example, when somebody is having recurring visual flashbacks of a trauma and severe emotional reactions, Socratic questioning is very helpful to start grounding the reality of the memory by exploring our thoughts around it and the emotions that come up.”

News Interviews

We tune into the news to not just hear about what’s going on in the world, but also to gain an understanding of it. Dobson explains, “the reporter will ask an open ended question to an individual, “How did you feel when that happened?” and then follow up with questions that clarify the answer, probe for more details, explore the areas of the person’s reaction, push alternative viewpoints or perspectives (commonly seen in high profile interview guests), and then take a moment to reflect on the conversation and offer closure.” This is the entirety of the Socratic questioning method, step by step.

Court

The legal system is an arena that’s full of Socratic questioning. “A great example is when a lawyer asked me, “So Dr. Dobson, can you explain to the jury how trauma forms? Can you provide an example? How do you know this is true? Do you have data? If this is true, what does it mean for a person who also has anxiety? If it is not trauma, what else could it be? Why does talking about trauma matter in this case?” recalls Dobson.

Benefits of Applying Socratic Questioning

As you can see, Socratic questioning has a variety of uses. It also has numerous benefits in the world. In therapy, it helps people move through challenging issues. In media, it is used to give us deeper understanding of important events and the mindsets of the people involved in them.

Additionally, it allows everyone to better understand their own thoughts and feelings. By asking probing questions that force us to think more thoroughly through why we feel and behave the ways we do, we’re able to gain more understanding of ourselves and others.

Potential Challenges with Socratic Questioning

Socratic questioning isn’t perfect, and it can’t necessarily solve all problems or help everyone through every challenge. The biggest problem with it is that it relies on a person being able to clearly articulate their thoughts and feelings, and some people have a hard time with that.

It could also lead a person to feel attacked, if the questions are too probing. And sometimes, people aren’t ready to think of a situation from someone else’s perspective, or able yet to gain understanding of what the implications or consequences are of an event. Socratic questioning needs to be used at the right time, and in appropriate situations, for it to be useful.

Practical Guidelines for Using Socratic Questioning

If you find yourself interested in this method of communication, you can begin employing it at any time. Here are some guidelines for adding Socratic questioning into your day to day life.

• Listen and reflect: Pay attention to what others tell you, and validate their voice by reflecting their words back to them.
• Ask better questions: Rather than just asking someone what happened in a situation, delve deeper by asking for their feelings about it and motivations.
• Get outside your own mind: Think of situations from others’ perspectives, and encourage those you know to do the same.
• Look for evidence: Challenge your assumptions and those of others by seeking evidence for why someone holds the perspective they do.

We all have fond memories of an old friend—of chatting, laughing, and spending time with them. Life happens and we may have drifted apart over time, but occasionally, something may remind us of them, and we’ll briefly wonder how they are.

If you’ve lost touch with a friend, you’re not alone. According to a 2016 study, people often lose touch with others after age 25. Life can get in the way, with hectic schedules, different paths, life changes, and big moves making it difficult to keep in touch with all the people in your life.

Why We Should Reconnect With Old Friends

These are some of the benefits of reconnecting with an old friend, according to Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University:

• Reliving happy memories: Spending time with an old friend can help us remember and relive happy memories, adventures, and the strong bonds we developed through challenging times.
• Getting in touch with your past: Rekindling friendships from different times in our lives can help us reconnect with different parts of ourselves. Old friends can remind us of the person we used to be and help get us in touch with parts of ourselves that might have become suppressed over the years.
• Offering a new perspective: Reconnecting with old friends can give us a new perspective on our lives now relative to the past. We can also get a perspective on the past from someone who has been through it with us. 
• Building your community: Reestablishing a friendship with an old friend can help us strengthen our roots and feel more grounded in our community. A deeper feeling of connectedness contributes to better well-being.

Yes, Things *Might* Get Awkward

As close as we were with our friend, there may be awkwardness in the relationship now. For instance, we might experience the following:

• Hurt feelings: People sometimes take friendships drifting apart personally and negatively interpret the distance in the relationship. For example, they might assume the other person did not like them enough to stay in contact or that they purposely distanced themselves. Their feelings may be hurt, or they may hold a grudge against the other person for not staying in touch.
• Changes over time: Reconnecting can also be awkward because people change significantly over time, and our reference point for our old friend might be very different from the person they are today. We might find that our lives have taken radically different paths since we were younger, and it may be challenging to connect over our shared past when our present lives are so different.
• Comparisons: When reconnecting with an old friend from the past, there may be a tendency to compare present situations. Negative themes of jealousy, envy, or upward social comparison could hinder reconnection.

But We Can Make Things Less Awkward!

Dr. Romanoff suggests some tips that can help us prevent any awkwardness while reconnecting with an old friend:

• Reach out via social media: Connect with them through social media or text message if you’re too nervous to make a phone call or to initiate a meet up. Follow up on one of their most recent posts to spark conversation about what they’re up to. Slowly build up the relationship in a way that feels natural to you.
• Show some love: If you’re genuinely happy to connect with your old friend, make it a point to communicate that to them. Be warm and affectionate with them and let them know how much it means to you. Genuine warmth can help melt away some of the awkwardness that may build up in a relationship.
• Bring back a fond memory: Initiate the conversation by bringing up a cherished memory or a funny time you shared. It will transplant you both back to that moment when you were close and help smooth over the “What are you up to now?” conversations that can sometimes be rigid.
• Display your interest: As you chat with your friend, let them know you’re interested in what they’re sharing with you. Paying attention, asking follow-up questions, and empathizing with them can help you connect with them and get to know who they are today.
• Move past conflicts: Don’t dwell on conflicts or the reasons your friendship drifted apart. If it happens to come up naturally down the line, then feel free to address any possible hurt feelings. But, in the beginning, focus on what you had in common and the good times you shared together.
• Make future plans: As you end your conversation or your meeting with your friend, make future plans with them based on shared interests.

You’ve probably heard of the Oedipus complex but might not be as familiar with its feminine counterpart: the Electra complex. Where the Oedipus complex focuses on boys coveting their mother’s attention, the Electra complex centers on girls. And where people often suggest the Oedipus complex leads to “mommy issues” in men, the Electra complex is popularly implicated in what is dubbed “daddy issues” in women.

According to Freud, during female psychosexual development, a young girl is initially attached to her mother. When she discovers that she does not have a penis, she becomes attached to her father and begins to resent her mother, who she blames for her “castration.”

As a result, Freud believed that the girl then begins to identify with and emulate her mother out of fear of losing her love. Resolving the Electra complex ultimately leads to identification with the same-sex parent.

The Electra Complex at a Glance

Do young girls compete with their moms for their dad’s attention? That’s the basic idea behind what Carl Jung dubbed the Electra complex, an idea that riffed on Freud’s infamous Oedipus complex. Essentially, this concept suggests that girls go through an attachment phase where they engage in a sort of rivalry with their mothers, usually during early childhood.

This convoluted process, Freud suggested, was all about helping girls learn to eventually identify with their mothers and internalize their attitudes into their personalities. Not surprisingly, these ideas are controversial and not widely accepted.

Today, most psychologists take the Electra complex with a grain of salt and view it as more of a historical artifact than a legitimate psychological theory. It certainly offers an interesting look at the development of psychoanalytic thought, but contemporary psychologists focus on other attachment and identity formation theories.

History of the Electra Complex

While the term “Electra complex” is frequently associated with Sigmund Freud, it was actually Carl Jung who coined the term in 1913. The term is derived from the Greek myth of Electra and her brother Orestes, who plotted the death of their mother as revenge for their father’s murder.

Freud developed the underlying ideas of the Electra complex, although he did not term it as such. He rejected the term Electra complex and described it as an attempt “to emphasize the analogy between the attitude of the two sexes.”

Freud and Jung were originally close friends and colleagues, but Jung increasingly grew dissatisfied with certain aspects of Freud’s theories. He felt that Freud emphasized the role sexuality played in motivating human behavior. Eventually, Jung resigned from his psychoanalytic affiliations and acrimony grew between the two men.

How Does the Electra Complex Work?

According to Freudian theory, an important part of the developmental process is learning to identify with the same-sex parent. During the stages of Freud’s theory of psychosexual development, the libidinal energy is focused on different erogenous zones of the child’s body.

If something goes wrong during any of these stages, a fixation at that point in development might occur. A fixation is a persistent focus on an earlier psychosexual stage. Such fixations, Freud believed, often led to anxiety and played a role in neurosis and maladaptive behaviors in adulthood.

Freud described the feminine Oedipus attitude complex as a daughter’s longing for her father and competition with her mother. The daughter possesses an unconscious desire to replace her mother as her father’s sexual partner, thus leading to a rivalry between the daughter and mother.

Like many other Freudian ideas, the notion of the Electra complex was controversial, both in his own time and today. Freud did admit that he knew less about the development of girls than boys.

Resolving the Electra Complex

A number of defense mechanisms play a role in resolving the Electra complex. It is the primal id (a component of personality present from birth) that compels the child to possess her father and compete with her mother. To resolve the conflict, these urges and desires must first be repressed from conscious memory.

Freud also suggested that when a young girl discovers she does not have a penis, she develops “penis envy” and begins to resent her mother for “sending her into the world so insufficiently equipped.”

Eventually, this resentment leads the daughter to identify with her mother and incorporate many of the same personality characteristics into her ego. This process also allows the daughter to internalize her mother’s morality into her super-ego, which ultimately directs her to follow the rules of her parents and society.

Modern Views on the Electra Complex

The Electra complex is not widely accepted among mental health professionals today, who often view Freud’s ideas about psychosexual development as outdated and sexist since they rely on century-old gender roles. That said, research does show that children learn about gender roles and sexuality from their parents.

It is also important to note that Freud’s concepts of the Electra complex and Oedipus complex rely on outdated, heteronormative gender roles. It also fails to account for the fact that having two opposite-sex parents does not contribute to better developmental outcomes. Children raised in more diverse family settings, including those from single-parent homes or raised by LGBTQ+ parents have positive experiences and outcomes as well.

If you are trying to give up cigarettes, there are many methods and resources that can help. Nicotine replacement therapy is a popular option that can be effect, but you might also wonder if there are any natural ways to quit smoking.

Smoking cigarettes is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome. It’s only natural that you want to try anything that might help you quit. Many people try natural remedies, but not all are effective or safe. However, some studies do show promising results for some.

Many people who successfully quit use multiple approaches, including counseling or a support system, so you might find that a combination of methods works best for you. Be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure any alternative treatment you try is safe for you.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may be effective for helping people quit smoking. An acupuncturist will insert thin needles (that are about as thin as a strand of hair) into certain pressure points on the body. People receive acupuncture for various conditions such as chronic pain and migraines.

Can Acupuncture Help You Stop Smoking Naturally?

One study looked at the effect acupuncture had on smoking cessation. Participants received acupuncture needles in various parts of the ear, where they remained for about 20 minutes.

For help resisting smoking in between sessions, acupuncturists provided tiny balls (the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen), that were taped to participants’ ears with invisible tape. When a craving for a cigarette hit, the participant was instructed to press gently on the ball, which stimulated the acupuncture point.

As a result, the number of cigarettes that each person smoked per day decreased—the average time to relapse was 38.71 days, which was longer than 35 days for people who used e-cigarettes and 14 days for people who used nicotine patches as a method of quitting.

Black Pepper

Black pepper essential oil may reduce the severity of cigarette cravings. In one study, participants inhaled one drop of pepper oil on a tissue for two minutes whenever they were struck with a craving.

May Reduce Cravings

The participants reported that both black pepper oil and angelica oil reduced the intensity of their cravings; in addition, the oils made cravings less frequent.

Black pepper oil was more effective at reducing cravings, whereas angelica oil was more effective in extending the time in between cravings.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is a type of treatment, usually aided by a therapist, in which a person is brought into a “trance” or a state of consciousness that is deeply connected with their inner thoughts and feelings.

It may help patients cope with emotional distress and trauma. Hypnosis is generally considered a safe treatment when performed by a trained therapist or professional.

Mixed Results for Smoking Cessation

According to one randomized trial, hypnotherapy is only slightly more effective than behavioral counseling in helping people quit smoking.

Participants who underwent hypnotherapy had a 29% success rate of abstaining from cigarettes after one year of quitting. Those who did counseling had a 28% success rate of smoking abstinence, so the results were similar.

In another study, hypnotherapy was compared with nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). The conclusion was that hypnotherapy was more effective than NRT in long-term abstinence, though there was no improvement in abstinence when the two therapies were combined.

CBT has been shown to help improve self-control when it comes to resisting the urge to smoke cigarettes.

St. John’s Wort

St. John’s is an herb that has been used medicinally for centuries. It is used to treat the symptoms of depression, symptoms of menopause, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), among many other conditions. Whether it is effective for these conditions is up for debate.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, St. John’s Wort has been shown to be as effective as a standard antidepressant when taken for mild and moderate depression for a short-term period.

It is not proven to be an effective long-term treatment for depression; it is also not proven to be effective in treating more severe types of depression.

More Research Is Needed

Though some people take St. John’s Wort for smoking cessation, it is not proven to be effective for that purpose. More research is needed to know for sure.

Although St. John’s Wort appears to be reasonably safe when taken alone, it can interfere with the effectiveness of prescription and over-the-counter medications, including antidepressants, drugs to treat HIV infections and AIDs, drugs to prevent organ rejection for transplant patients, and oral contraceptives.

Fresh Lime Juice

Limes might be an affordable, accessible alternative to nicotine gum for smoking cessation. Researchers in one study measured smoking abstinence in participants who used lime juice as a cessation method and compared them with those who used nicotine gum.

May Help Smoking Abstinence

After seven days, people who consumed lime juice were found to have higher smoking abstinence rates than those who used the nicotine gum. However, nicotine gum was better at reducing cravings for cigarettes.

It’s not known for sure why lime juice may help with cravings. Researchers have noted that people who smoke commonly have lower levels of vitamin C in their bodies which may increase cravings, and lime juice can replenish vitamin C in the body.

Further studies are needed to fully understand how lime juice can lead to smoking cessation.

Lobelia Is Not Recommended

The herb lobelia (Lobelia inflata) has been promoted to help people fight the effects of nicotine withdrawal and it is found in many anti-smoking products. The active ingredient in lobelia is lobeline, and it is thought to have similar actions on the body as nicotine.

Lobelia is a potentially toxic herb, however, so it is not recommended as a method to quit smoking. It is also in the FDA’s Poisonous Plant Database.

People with heart disease, high blood pressure, heart disease, tobacco sensitivity, paralysis, seizure disorder, shortness of breath, or recovering from shock are at particularly high risk. Children and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not take lobelia.

Lifestyle Changes

There are also lifestyle changes—from diet to sleep—that can help you quit smoking.

Make sure you’re drinking enough water. Staying hydrated is a great preventative measure to take to manage cravings. Limit your intake of caffeine and sugar. One study links caffeinated beverages and sugary beverages (like energy drinks) with increased smoking.

Deep breathing and meditation have been linked with smoking cessation. Also, be sure you’re getting enough physical activity and enough sleep. Taking care of your body and fulfilling these basic needs can go a long way in supporting smoking cessation.

Other Methods That Can Help You Stop Smoking

Natural remedies for smoking cessation can be more effective if you combine them with other proven ways to quit smoking. Nicotine replacement therapy can be helpful. NRT products, including nicotine gum, patches, and lozenges, can help you gradually taper your dose to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.

Medications such as Zyban (bupropion) and Chantix (varenicline) can also help you quit successfully. Counseling, support groups, and other resources can support your efforts and make quitting easier. 

While it may take time, effort, and a few attempts, it is possible to quit smoking successfully. The good news is that the health benefits of quitting begin within hours of having your last cigarette. The sooner you are able to quit, the better off your be, so consider employing a range of resources, whether they are medical or natural, to boost your changes of saying goodbye to cigarettes.