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subdural hematoma

an accumulation of blood due to bleeding between the dura mater membrane and the brain surface. Because the hematoma enlarges and cannot escape through the skull, it causes pressure that distorts brain structures. The bleeding may occur over a period of days or weeks, producing symptoms of confusion, memory loss, or other neurological deficits that may be mistaken as signs of dementia in an older person.

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Psychology term of the day

March 11th 2025

burnout

burnout

n. physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others. It results from performing at a high level until stress and tension, especially from extreme and prolonged physical or mental exertion or an overburdening workload, take their toll. The word was first used in this sense in 1975 by U.S. psychologist Herbert J. Freudenberger (1926–1999) in referring to workers in clinics with heavy caseloads. Burnout is most often observed in professionals who work in service-oriented vocations (e.g., social workers, teachers, correctional officers) and experience chronic high levels of stress. It can be particularly acute in therapists or counselors doing trauma work, who feel overwhelmed by the cumulative secondary trauma of witnessing the effects. Burnout is also experienced by athletes when continually exposed to stress associated with performance without commensurate rewards or rest. See also overtraining syndrome; vital exhaustion.