It’s very beneficial to have at least basic knowledge of psychology to understand your own mind and behaviour as well as others. If you want to understand your own emotions better, build healthy relationships, make logical financial decisions and feel satisfied and happy with your life, here are top ways to learn about psychology, mental health and well-being.

Start by understanding the basics

Psychology is a very broad subject so first of all, you need to determine what are the fields you are interested in.

For example, social psychology studies groups of people while cognitive psychology is focused on our thinking processes. Clinical psychology deals with mental health, personality psychology is focused on you and your emotions and so on.

Do your research to find out about different topics in psychology and define what is the closest to your interests. You can study American Psychological Association yourself or use a ready-made library such as the one on Core Spirit. 

Make your reading list

Start learning about the topic that you’ve chosen by reading popular books. Create a list of books and articles – don’t choose books that are too specific, go for more general ones if you are just starting to learn about psychology. Sometimes authors indicate what type of audience the book is intended for.

If you’d like to receive a more academic background in psychology, choose psychology textbooks for deeper overview. Choose introductory books if you are just starting though for better comprehension.

Listen to podcasts

There a lot of worthy podcasts out there that discuss psychological topics in simple words. Listening to a podcast can be very nice if you have a long commute to work or when you walk or drive as you can’t read at these times but can still receive valuable information. 

Make sure you choose a podcast from a legitimate source though – check for maker’s education and background because anyone can make their own podcast.

Listen to lectures

One of the best methods to learn about psychology and mental health is by listening to lectures by professors from top universities from all over the world. You can learn from very respected professors from Edinburgh, Cambridge, or Yale in the comfort of your own home.

There are also great interviews with the brightest practitioners on YouTube that discuss some very important topics.

Create your own schedule

To keep you on track, make a study schedule and stick to it. In your calendar, include podcasts, books, lectures, interviews, articles – everything you chose to study. Do not set your expectations too high and be realistic by including enough material while not overloading yourself.

Keep a journal 

It often happens when you read or listen to so much material but then feel like you don’t actually remember any of it. To help you retain what you’ve learnt, write down the most important ideas and insights every day as well as your questions and whatever you’d like to discuss with somebody later.

For instance, you can find a friend who is also interested in studying psychology, mental health and well-being.

You will motivate each other and discuss what you’ve learned which will help you retain the received material in the end. 

Another approach could be enrolling into a course to learn about psychology but it’s not always as flexible and can be pretty expensive and time-consuming. Instead, you can self-study, visit events or consult professional practitioners to learn more about your emotions and behaviour and these of others.

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Image credit: Freepik

Dennis Relojo-Howell is the founder of Psychreg. He interviews people within psychology, mental health, and well-being on his YouTube channel, The DRH Show.