Author Archives: Shervan K Shahhian, LIBERTY PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, The Most Comprehensive Online Library Regarding Mental Health, Psychology and Parapsychology in the World.

The Path Toward the Reduction of Suffering

“Compassion Psychology, it’s a modern approach to Psychology, with its practical applications. This theory was conceived by:

Shervan K. Shahhian in Los Angeles, California, USA and it is still developing as a theory of interpersonal development and Compassion. In Compassion Psychology, the effort is made by an individual to understand themselves better by self reflection, contemplation, meditation and helping others. Once a person understands their own strengths and weaknesses they can possibly make better decisions. Compassion Psychology can only work if a person is willing to make positive changes in their thoughts, words and behavior. Self improvement, compassion for self and compassion for all living things are at the core of Compassion Psychology.”
Copyright 2021
Literary Division
United States Copyright Office

“Compassion Psychology, it’s a modern approach to Psychology, with its practical applications. This theory was conceived by:

Shervan K. Shahhian in Los Angeles, California, USA and it is still developing as a theory of interpersonal development and Compassion. In Compassion Psychology, the effort is made by an individual to understand themselves better by self reflection, contemplation, meditation and helping others. Once a person understands their own strengths and weaknesses they can possibly make better decisions. Compassion Psychology can only work if a person is willing to make positive changes in their thoughts, words and behavior. Self improvement, compassion for self and compassion for all living things are at the core of Compassion Psychology.”
Copyright 2021
Literary Division
United States Copyright Office

The Path of the Reduction of Suffering

“Compassion Psychology, it’s a modern approach to Psychology, with its practical applications. This theory was conceived by:

Shervan K. Shahhian in Los Angeles, California, USA and it is still developing as a theory of interpersonal development and Compassion. In Compassion Psychology, the effort is made by an individual to understand themselves better by self reflection, contemplation, meditation and helping others. Once a person understands their own strengths and weaknesses they can possibly make better decisions. Compassion Psychology can only work if a person is willing to make positive changes in their thoughts, words and behavior. Self improvement, compassion for self and compassion for all living things are at the core of Compassion Psychology.”
Copyright 2021
Literary Division
United States Copyright Office

Compulsive Buying Disorder:

Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD), also known as oniomania, is a psychological condition characterized by an overwhelming, uncontrollable urge to shop and spend money, often leading to negative consequences in a person’s life. It’s more than occasional overspending — it’s repetitive, impulsive, and distressing.

Key Features:

Preoccupation with shopping — Constant thoughts about buying things, planning shopping trips, or looking for sales.

Impulse control issues — Difficulty resisting the urge to purchase, even when unnecessary or unaffordable.

Emotional triggers — Shopping often serves to relieve negative emotions like anxiety, sadness, boredom, or stress.

Negative consequences — Financial problems, debt, relationship conflicts, or feelings of guilt and shame.

Temporary relief — Buying may provide a short-term mood boost, but it’s usually followed by regret or remorse.

Psychological Aspects:

• Often linked with anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive traits.
• Can involve low self-esteem; shopping becomes a way to cope with emotional distress.
• May show similarities to addictive behaviors, because it activates reward pathways in the brain.

Signs & Symptoms:

• Frequent shopping sprees beyond means.
• Hiding purchases from family or friends.
• Feeling tension before buying and relief afterward.
• Accumulation of unnecessary items.
• Repeated unsuccessful attempts to control spending.

Treatment Approaches:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) — Helps identify triggers, challenge maladaptive thoughts, and develop healthier coping strategies.

Medication — CONSULT A PSYCHIATRIST

Financial Counseling — Learning budgeting, self-monitoring, and avoiding debt.

Support Groups — Groups like Shopaholics Anonymous provide peer support and accountability.

Compulsive buying is often hidden and underdiagnosed, because it doesn’t always involve illegal activity and can be socially acceptable in consumer-driven societies. Awareness and early intervention are crucial to prevent financial, relational, and emotional harm.

Shervan K Shahhian

Financial Hoarding:

Financial hoarding refers to a compulsive or excessive accumulation and retention of money or financial resources, often beyond what is necessary for basic needs or reasonable security. It’s considered a type of behavioral or psychological pattern, sometimes overlapping with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, or certain personality traits.

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Key Characteristics

Excessive Saving or Retaining: Keeping money even when there’s no practical reason to do so. This can go beyond simple frugality.

Anxiety About Spending: Spending money may trigger guilt, fear, or intense anxiety, even for essential items.

Reluctance to Share or Invest: Hesitancy or refusal to share wealth, donate, or invest in opportunities.

Focus on Security: Money is often hoarded as a symbol of safety, control, or status rather than utility.

Emotional Attachment: The person may feel strong emotional comfort from holding onto money.

Possible Psychological Roots

• Fear of scarcity: Worry that resources will run out.
• Control needs: Money becomes a means of feeling in control over life circumstances.
• Past trauma: Childhood poverty or financial instability can lead to hoarding behaviors in adulthood.
• Obsessive-compulsive tendencies: Sometimes financial hoarding is a manifestation of OCD-like behaviors.

Impacts

• Strained relationships: Family or partners may feel frustrated or neglected.
• Mental health issues: Anxiety, stress, or depression can worsen due to the hoarding behavior.
• Opportunity cost: Avoiding spending or investing can limit personal growth and life experiences.

Interventions

• Psychotherapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can address underlying fears and beliefs about money.
• Financial counseling: Structured planning can help reduce anxiety while still maintaining security.
• Gradual exposure: Practicing small, controlled spending or sharing to reduce fear over time.
• Mindfulness and self-awareness: Recognizing emotional triggers for hoarding behaviors.

Shervan K Shahhian

Pathological Gambling:

Pathological Gambling (also called Gambling Disorder) is a recognized behavioral addiction characterized by persistent and recurrent gambling behavior that disrupts personal, social, and occupational functioning. Unlike casual or social gambling, it involves an inability to control the urge to gamble, even in the face of significant negative consequences.

Key Features:

Loss of Control: Difficulty stopping or cutting down gambling, even when wanting to.

Preoccupation: Constantly thinking about gambling, planning the next game, or ways to get money to gamble.

Tolerance: Needing to gamble with increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired excitement.

Withdrawal: Feeling restless, irritable, or anxious when trying to stop or reduce gambling.

Chasing Losses: Continuing to gamble to recover money lost previously.

Lying/Deception: Hiding the extent of gambling from family or others.

Risking Relationships or Opportunities: Jeopardizing significant relationships, career, or education due to gambling.

Reliance on Others for Money: Borrowing or stealing to finance gambling.

Consequences:

• Financial problems (debt, bankruptcy)
• Legal issues
• Strained family and social relationships
• Emotional distress: depression, anxiety, shame
• Co-occurring disorders: substance abuse, mood disorders

Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-5):

• Gambling behavior is persistent and recurrent.
• It leads to clinically significant distress or impairment.
• Symptoms must be present for at least 12 months.

Treatment Approaches:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors around gambling.

Motivational Interviewing (MI): Enhances motivation to change gambling habits.

12-Step Programs: E.g., Gamblers Anonymous.

Medication: Sometimes SSRIs, opioid antagonists, or mood stabilizers for co-occurring conditions.

Financial Counseling and Support: Managing debts and preventing access to gambling funds.

Shervan K Shahhian

(Please Consult a licensed Therapist, Psychologist and a Psychiatrist Regarding this Very Serious Type of Therapy)

Surrogate Partner Therapy:

Surrogate Partner Therapy (SPT) is a form of therapy that involves a triadic relationship between a client, a licensed therapist, and a trained surrogate partner. It is designed to help clients overcome sexual dysfunctions, intimacy challenges, touch-related anxiety, or trauma-related sexual issues in a structured, therapeutic context.

How It Works
Assessment with a Therapist

The client first meets with a licensed mental health or sex therapist to discuss their concerns and determine if SPT is appropriate.
Issues addressed may include anxiety about intimacy, erectile dysfunction, vaginismus, lack of sexual experience, or touch aversion.

Introduction of a Surrogate Partner

If deemed suitable, the therapist collaborates with a certified surrogate partner (often trained through organizations like IPSA — International Professional Surrogates Association).
The surrogate partner works directly with the client, but always in coordination with the therapist.

Structured Sessions

Sessions may include communication exercises, relaxation techniques, guided touch exercises, sensate focus, body image work, and sometimes sexual activity — depending on therapeutic goals.
Progress is regularly reviewed by the therapist, maintaining ethical oversight.

Gradual Integration

The ultimate goal is for the client to develop comfort, confidence, and skills, and then transition these skills into their personal life or relationships.
Who Can Benefit?
People with sexual dysfunctions (e.g., erectile issues, anorgasmia, vaginismus)
Individuals with trauma-related sexual difficulties
Clients with severe social or sexual anxiety
Those with little or no sexual experience who want to learn in a therapeutic environment

Ethical & Legal Considerations
SPT is legal in many places but is sometimes controversial because it may involve sexual contact.
It is not prostitution — it’s a therapeutic modality conducted with professional standards, contracts, and therapist oversight.
Confidentiality, informed consent, and clear boundaries are essential.
Shervan K Shahhian

Transformational Experiences:

Transformational experiences are profound events or processes that lead to a significant shift in how a person perceives themselves, others, or the world. They often involve deep personal change, growth, or awakening and can affect values, beliefs, identity, and behavior.

Key Features of Transformational Experiences

• Deep Impact: They alter core perspectives rather than surface-level habits.
• Emotional Intensity: Often accompanied by strong feelings such as awe, fear, joy, or love.
• Lasting Change: Effects persist over time, influencing decisions and life direction.
• Sense of Meaning: Participants often describe them as life-defining or spiritually significant.

Common Types

Psychological / Therapeutic — breakthroughs in therapy, healing trauma, major self-insight.

Spiritual / Mystical — experiences of unity, transcendence, or contact with something greater than oneself.

Life Crises — surviving illness, loss, or near-death experiences that reframe priorities.

Peak Experiences — moments of flow, creativity, or transcendence described by Abraham Maslow.

Cultural / Social — immersion in other cultures, activism, or transformative group processes.

Psychedelic / Altered States — profound shifts induced by substances or practices like meditation.

Common Catalysts

• Intense emotional events (love, loss, trauma, success)
• Extended introspection or mindfulness practices
• Encounters with radically new ideas or environments
• Extreme physical or psychological challenges

Examples in Practice

• A person realizing their life purpose after a near-death experience.
• A client in therapy overcoming deep-seated shame, leading to a new self-concept.
• A spiritual retreat leading to a sense of oneness with all life.

Shervan K Shahhian