All articles tagged: Psychology & Psychiatry

Rates of postpartum depression have more than doubled in little over a decade among American women, a new analysis shows.

Young adults at risk of psychosis show reduced brain connectivity, a deficit that cannabis use appears to worsen, a new study has found. The breakthrough paves the way for psychosis treatments targeting symptoms that current medications miss.

A surge of calls to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline one year after the Lahaina wildfires underscores urgent need for expanded Hawaiʻi-based mental health support services. However, limited local resources have caused many calls to be rerouted to out-of-state services, exposing critical gaps in local mental health infrastructure. These findings were published in JAMA Network Open on November 20

A new approach to analyzing brain scans could help researchers better understand psychiatric illness using much smaller groups of patients than previously thought necessary, potentially accelerating the development of more precise mental health treatments.

Educational achievement, mental health diagnoses, childhood abuse, number of arrests and number of children all play a complex role in shaping a person's vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation, how long they are exploited for and how difficult it is to get out. That is one conclusion of a study published November 20, 2024 in PLOS ONE by Courtney Furlong and Ben Hinnant of Auburn Universit

Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. As many as 280 million people worldwide are affected by this disease, which is why researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that helps to identify depression based on both speech and brain neural activity.

After the June 2022 US Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to ban abortion, women of childbearing age in states where abortion became illegal reported increased rates of anxiety. That's according to a study published in Contemporary Economic Policy.

Psychotic-like experiences resemble symptoms of psychosis, but are milder, less frequent and much more common than psychotic disorders. While these symptoms do not constitute a disorder diagnosed as psychosis, they can still be disruptive, distressing or detrimental to functional capacity. Typical psychotic-like experiences include perceptual distortions and hallucinations, suspicious paranoid thi

Life is a series of small events: making morning coffee, letting the dog out, opening a laptop, letting the dog back in. Add them all up and you have a full day. Our brains are committed to observing and processing the events that make up our daily lives, said Jeff Zacks, the Edgar James Swift Professor in Arts & Sciences and chair of the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences. "Knowing wher

Cognitive neuroscientists at Trinity College Dublin have published new research describing a brand new approach to making habit change achievable and lasting.

In research published in Child Psychiatry and Human Development, a research team led by the University of Minnesota Medical School has found that Creativity Camp, a two-week arts intervention delivered as a day camp, had a positive impact on mental health and well-being in adolescents with depression.

Beliefs are convictions of reality that we accept as true. They provide us with the basic mental scaffolding to understand and engage meaningfully in our world. Beliefs remain fundamental to our behavior and identity, but are not well understood.

In an era where digital devices are everywhere, the term "screen time" has become a buzz phrase in discussions about technology's impact on people's lives. Parents are concerned about their children's screen habits. But what if this entire approach to screen time is fundamentally flawed?

Thanks to bestselling authors like Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge, the public has become increasingly aware of the rapid rise in mental health issues among younger people in many western countries. Their warnings about the destructive impact of social media have had an effect, reflected not least in a wave of schools across Europe banning smartphones.

Have you ever gazed out at the sea and felt the world become smaller? Perhaps you have swum in its waters and felt that time stood still, that the noise and chatter of the world faded away to a distant whisper, or you have marvelled as the sun slid gently beneath its horizon.

A new study by scientists at USC and California State University, Northridge, reveals that face masks—while important to public health and recommended in many health care settings—can make it harder for people of all ages to recognize emotions when faces are covered.

The research team led by Chief Investigator Kim Jae Kyoung (IBS Biomedical Mathematics Group, and Professor at KAIST) and Professor Lee Heon-Jeong (Korea University College of Medicine) has developed a novel model that can predict mood episodes in mood disorder patients using only sleep and circadian rhythm data collected from wearable devices.

"Deep breath in, slow breath out…" Isn't it odd that we can self-soothe by slowing down our breathing? Humans have long used slow breathing to regulate their emotions, and practices like yoga and mindfulness have even popularized formal techniques like box breathing.

While face masks are an effective way of preventing the spread of infectious illnesses, a new study reveals the impact they have on people's mood and cognition. The research is published in the journal Cognitive Processing.

The way people living with dementia experience the world can change as the disease progresses. Their sense of reality or place in time can become distorted, which can cause agitation and distress.

It's that time of year when students are waiting for school and university results that could change the course of their lives.

Fampridine is currently used to improve walking ability in multiple sclerosis. A new study shows that it could also help individuals with reduced working memory, as seen in mental health conditions like schizophrenia or depression.

Many parents are all too familiar with angry outbursts from their children, from sibling squabbles to protests over screen time limits.

Past psychology studies have consistently highlighted the link between adverse and traumatic life events and mental health problems. Better understanding the intricate relationship between stressful life events and the emergence of psychopathology in childhood could inform psychotherapeutic practice, potentially enabling the development of more effective interventions.

A new paper in the journal Child Development shows how some aspects of family interaction among Indigenous people in Guatemala have fundamentally shifted with rapid globalization, yet families have still maintained a unique level of harmony in their interactions.

The first depression health economic modeling study, led by Professor Shirley Li Xue, from the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), revealed that Hong Kong will face a significant and ongoing burden of depression from 2023 to 2032. While fewer than 20% of the cases are expected to develop treatment-resistant depression (TRD) or related comorbidities, this group is expecte

The housing crisis is pushing more and more people onto the streets. More than one in 10 Canadians report experiencing some form of homelessness in their lifetime.

A team of researchers from McGill and Université de Montréal's Observatoire pour l'éducation et la santé des enfants (OPES, or observatory on children's health and education), led by Sylvana Côté, found that spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10 to 12 year olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program b

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered that stress changes how our brain encodes and retrieves aversive memories, and discovered a promising new way to restore appropriate memory specificity in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

At 7:15 a.m. Nov. 6, just hours after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the presidential election, the mood in a Washington Square West yoga studio felt heavy.

Computer-assisted cognitive-behavior therapy (CCBT) and mobile mental health applications warrant continued development and ongoing efforts to increase acceptance among patients and clinicians, according to a review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice.

Adults exhibit a general tendency to make better decisions than adolescents, and this improvement drives an increase in specific and more sophisticated choice behaviors, according to a study published November 14 in PLOS Biology by Vanessa Scholz and Lorenz Deserno from the University of Würzburg, Germany, and colleagues.

New research suggests that it could be possible to separate treatment from hallucinations when developing new drugs based on psychedelics. The anti-anxiety and hallucination-inducing qualities of psychedelic drugs work through different neural circuits, according to research using a mouse model. The work is published in Science.

New research from the University of St Andrews debunks the theory that Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is linked to aggressive behavior.

Better understanding of the complex relationship between mind and body may provide new treatment strategies for chronic pain, say EU researchers.

Young people's mental health may depend on how they use social media, rather than how much time they spend using it, according to a new study by University of B.C. researchers.

University at Buffalo neuroscientists have identified the binding site of low-dose ketamine, providing critical insight into how the medication, often described as a wonder drug, alleviates symptoms of major depression in as little as a few hours with effects lasting for several days.

University at Buffalo neuroscientists have identified the binding site of low-dose ketamine, providing critical insight into how the medication, often described as a wonder drug, alleviates symptoms of major depression in as little as a few hours with effects lasting for several days.

Some 2.3 million of U.S. adults over 65—more than 4%—have a diagnosis of dementia. But even without a diagnosis, a certain amount of cognitive decline is normal as age sets in.

Joe McKay tried everything medicine had to offer for the blinding headaches that began in the months after 9/11, when the former New York City firefighter spent weeks wading through the curtains of dust and smoke at the World Trade Center.

Research led by Anhui Medical University, China, has found that auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia can be alleviated by magnetic resonance imaging-navigated repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). The findings are based on a six-week, double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized clinical trial involving 62 participants.

Individuals with emergency department visits involving hallucinogen use are at high risk of developing schizophrenia, according to a new study from researchers at ICES, The Ottawa Hospital, University of Ottawa's Department of Family Medicine, and Bruyère Health Research Institute.

An exploratory study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland has examined metabolomic patterns associated with psychotic-like experiences in adolescents, highlighting the influence of cannabis use. These findings suggest that specific metabolite patterns associated with psychotic-like experiences may vary between cannabis users and non-users, potentially reflecting different underlying mole

Findings published in the Journal of American College Health uncover an alarming rise in depression rates among all higher education students in the United States, but especially among sexual and gender minorities. This population includes those who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+), non-binary or gender non-conforming, and other id

People in their late teens experience an increased sensitivity to threats after just a few hours left in a room on their own—an effect that endures even if they are interacting online with friends and family.

Men often struggle with the transition to fatherhood amid a lack of information and emotional support targeted to their needs, suggests a review of the available qualitative evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

A recent study links satellite and brain imaging data to identify how environmental factors can impact mental health, cognition and brain development in young people.

Attending suicide callouts is taking a toll on the mental health of paramedics, causing nightmares and flashbacks and harming their personal relationships, a study by the University of Otago, Wellington—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, Pōneke, has found.

Women who serve in the armed forces have a unique life journey. They are a minority during service and a rarity in the civilian population. Their contributions to military service are often unknown, unrecognized, or worse, disregarded. Prior studies show these women may step back further and further from their military identity, which may put them at greater risk for long-term, negative mental hea

It's only during the last few decades that neuroglia, a diverse group of cells found in the brain that perform a variety of functions to support neurons, have been the subject of research. Prior to that, brain research focused heavily on the role of neurons.

For years, research has shown that older adults who are lonely are at greater risk for cognitive decline and conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Those studies, however, generally treated loneliness as a stable trait of someone's life, but loneliness fluctuates from day to day and even over the course of a single day. Across one or two days, momentary loneliness and cognitive performance seem to h

With less than 30 seconds remaining in the Australia-Belgium women's basketball bronze medal game at the Paris Olympics, Belgium was trailing by three points and on the attack, advancing the ball to a player for what seemed an uncontested three-point shot to tie the game.

If you experience trauma during childhood, there's a greater chance you'll use substances such as alcohol, tobacco and other drugs later. But what does the evidence say about vapes?

Suicide remains a pressing public health concern. An estimated 703,000 people die by suicide each year worldwide, according to The World Health Organization. In 2022, there were 49,449 suicides in the United States.

As many Americans prepare to gather with their families for the holidays, a new poll shows the importance of grandchildren in grandparents' lives.

Depression, recognized as the leading cause of disability worldwide, affects nearly one in six people over their lifetimes. Despite decades of research, much remains unknown about the biological mechanisms underlying this debilitating condition.

One of the most powerful assets of the brain is that it can store information as memories, allowing us to learn from our mistakes. However, some memories remain vivid while others become forgotten. Unlike computers, our brains appear to filter which memories are salient enough to store.

Madeleine and Paul are sitting on a park bench. As she tells Paul about her financial worries and how she's been struggling for months to make ends meet, Madeleine's eyes well with tears. Paul is moved by her distress; her woes resonate with him and heighten his own fears. His heart grows heavy and his own eyes become moist, too.

A study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reveals promising results from a digital health intervention that is based on a decade of research at Harvard Medical School and designed to alleviate depressive symptoms.

Boston University School of Public Health research suggests that virtual mental health care may significantly reduce suicide-related events (SREs) among veterans recently released from service. For every 1% increase in virtual mental health visits, there was a 2.5% decrease in SREs.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University and the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research at the Shamir Medical Center have demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves the condition of PTSD sufferers who have not responded to psychotherapy or psychiatric medications.

Intimate partner violence is a global scourge. One in four Australian women have experienced physical or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner. The perpetrators are overwhelmingly heterosexual men.

Self-consciousness about one's body has a direct impact on the ability to learn and perform movement tasks, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

The fear of having another heart attack was a major ongoing stressor for heart attack survivors, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024, held Nov. 16–18, 2024, in Chicago.

Emotional connection enhances interaction in human relationships. Emotional synchronization in the interaction between a child and a parent is essential for affective attachment. The relationship between a dog and its owner is also based on attachment, but little is known about its physiological mechanisms.

Exercise-only programs help cut the severity of the 'baby blues' and the risk of major clinical depression in new mothers, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Each year, nearly 5 million children in the U.S. are suspended or expelled from school. New research from the University of Arkansas found this type of school discipline can lead to higher rates of depression through adolescence and into early adulthood.

Self-efficacy involves one's belief in their own ability to carry out tasks successfully. A psychological construct studied by psychologist Albert Bandura since the 1980s, it has been shown to have an influence not only on cognitive processes, but also on behavior and emotions.

People who use saunas are happier and have more energy. This is according to a new study, the first of its kind to examine sauna habits in Sweden. The researchers are now planning more studies to see if it is only saunas that produce the positive results.

About one in five adults experienced any symptoms of anxiety and symptoms of depression during 2022, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in the National Health Statistics Reports, a publication from the National Center for Health Statistics.

Psychologists view psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) as a transformative tool with the potential to facilitate deep psychological insights and emotional breakthroughs for patients with chronic mental health conditions, a Griffith University study has found.

It may sound like a contradiction to talk about compassion in the competitive world of elite sport. After all, isn't elite sport all about becoming hardened to resistance and adversity?

Scientists have known for decades that the classic symptoms of schizophrenia, such as jumping to conclusions or difficulty adjusting to new information, can be attributed to poor communication between the cerebral cortex and the thalamus, known as the brain's central switchboard.

You're gearing up for the music festival season and considering your options—which artists you're keen to see, who's going, what outfits you need, how you'll get there and perhaps what substances you're planning to take.

When Georgette Darby has one of her bad days, she knows what will rouse her from her Hollywood apartment.

Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram are fueling unrealistic, unhealthy obsessions with a lean and muscular physique among many young men, according to a new Australian study published in the journal New Media & Society.

Children with intellectual disabilities are not only more likely to be victims of sexual abuse but are also more susceptible to its harmful effects.

Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially younger folks, continues to rise, the latest federal data shows.

Sexual orientation—dictated by factors like sexual identity, attraction and behavior—is challenging to measure comprehensively. This is reflected in variations in the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people recorded across surveys using different measurement approaches.

Most U.S. military veterans who have used psychedelics reported in a recent study that they pursued the substances for healing or spiritual exploration, and over 80% said they benefited from the experience—even those who had challenging outcomes.

For parents of children with disabilities, finding time to focus on themselves may be difficult. However, a new study finds that the right coping strategies and resilience can significantly help manage the challenges of raising children with special needs.

A new Curtin University study has challenged the perception that heavy social media use has a significant impact on mental health, finding little to no relationship between the two.

For a long time it was assumed that somewhere between 5 and 6% of children have attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But the rates, in practice, are often higher. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put the prevalence at 11.4% in children in 2022.

Alexithymia is a term you may not have heard before. But it describes something many people experience: difficulties in identifying, distinguishing and expressing emotions. It affects how people engage with their emotions at work, in relationships and even within themselves. It may also change how a person analyses their surroundings and how they interact with the world.

In a large multi-ethnic group of adults in the United States without cardiovascular disease, those with work-related stress were more likely to have unfavorable measures of cardiovascular health. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

A new study from the University of Georgia suggests people posting in Reddit's r/selfharm community are likely seeking support for negative emotions.

Neuroscientists have discovered brain cells that form multiple coordinate systems to tell us "where we are" in a sequence of behaviors. These cells can play out different sequences of actions, just like a music box can be configured to play different sequences of tones.

A study by Swiss TPH and partners has shown that a new, locally adapted mental health intervention for women with young children in Zambia led to a 50% reduction in mental health symptoms. The intervention also empowered the women, resulting in a positive impact on the relationship with their children and their economic situation.

Many Americans experience a "winter funk" as the days grow shorter and temperatures turn colder, a new American Psychiatric Association poll reports.

Research has shown the numerous positive benefits that come with good sleep habits. Now, a new study from Baylor University shows that even subtle changes in the amount of sleep—in fact, only 46 extra minutes of sleep per night—are linked to improvements to overall well-being, including a beneficial impact on a person's gratitude, flourishing, resilience and prosocial behaviors.

Thanks to a "natural experiment" involving 30,000 people, researchers at Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) have been able to determine very precisely what an extra year of education does to the brain in the long term. To their surprise, they found no effect on brain structure and no protective benefit of additional education against brain aging.

Kevin Ochsner, a professor of psychology, uses brain scanning fMRI technology to investigate questions that social psychologists have traditionally studied using behavioral methods—lab studies and field studies that measure behavior and experience.

A commentary, published in the Journal of Neurotrauma, calls for traumatic brain injury to be recognized as a chronic condition as are diabetes, asthma, depression and heart failure.

A pioneering study has uncovered the vital role that gut microbiota plays in regulating stress responses by interacting with the body's circadian rhythms.

Loneliness among older adults is a growing public health concern, linked to cardiovascular disease, substance abuse, mental illness, high health care usage and premature death.

Patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with moderate and extreme anxiety/depression have mean health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) losses, regardless of pain and discomfort, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Clinical Rheumatology.

Even though psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are quite common, their diagnosis and treatment are challenging. While doctors today have a good idea of the clinical symptoms caused by these disorders, our overall understanding of their biological characteristics and underlying physiological causes remains obscure.

When it comes to estimating one's own mobility, the brain turns out to be notoriously pessimistic. People can bend their wrist further than they think.

Two new studies and an accompanying short film have described the experiences of racially minoritized groups with physical and mental health conditions during the pandemic, depicting the inequalities they faced and continue to face.

Children too young to know words like "impossible" and "improbable" nonetheless understand how possibility works, finds new work with 2- and 3-year-olds.

Physicians are a vital component of the health care landscape and along with other medical professionals, they ensure timely diagnosis, treatment, and management of complex illnesses. They regularly work extended and overnight shifts, often at the cost of sleep.

Forgetting is part of our daily lives. You may walk into a room only to forget why you went in there—or perhaps someone says hi on the street and you can't remember their name.

Unmarried people may be about 80% more likely to have depressive symptoms than those who are married, suggests an analysis of more than 100,000 individuals across 7 countries, published in Nature Human Behaviour.

Uncertainty about the election getting to you? Is anxiety the dominant feature of your emotional landscape, maybe with a small sprinkling of impending doom?

New research has highlighted an increase in the cost of care provided by NHS Mental Health Trusts, with the highest costs seen among working-age men and residents from England's most deprived areas.

As debate rages over the federal government's proposed social media ban for young people, a new perspective published in the Medical Journal of Australia has examined the complex interplay between social media and youth mental health.

People with a history of concussion face a 25% higher risk of having severe mental health issues after childbirth, according to a new study from ICES and the University of Toronto.

Pioneering research exploring the experiences of autistic psychiatrists has revealed that psychiatrists who are unaware that they themselves are autistic may fail to recognize the condition in their patients. The study, conducted by researchers from University College Dublin, London South Bank University, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, is the first of its kind to delve into the lives of neuro

While the lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic led many families to eat more meals at home, they had an additional benefit: an increase in the quality of family time during those dinners, according to research published in Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice titled "How COVID-19 expanded the family dinner table: Greater frequency linked with improved quality and new way

More than 80% of people who died by suicide within one year of being discharged from inpatient mental health care had been in recent contact with a GP, new research.

Up to a third of people diagnosed with depression do not respond to antidepressants or therapy.

New research from the University of Toronto found that childhood neglect, even in the absence of childhood sexual abuse and physical abuse, is linked with a wide range of mental and physical health problems in adulthood.

It's spring and you've probably noticed a change in when the sun rises and sets. But have you also noticed a change in your mood?

If anxiety over this year's presidential election is keeping you up at night, you're not alone.

Treating people in low-income countries for major depressive disorder can also help improve their physical health and household members' well-being, demonstrating that mental health treatments can be cost effective, according to a new RAND study.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that develops following exposure to one or more traumatic events. It is characterized by symptoms such as avoidance, changes in cognition and mood, and alterations in arousal and reactivity.

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland sheds light on how people's health, financial situation and social resources contribute to their subjective well-being, and whether this differs at the age of 50 or at older ages. The results show that life satisfaction remains high until very old age, but the eudemonic quality of life starts to decline after the age of 70.

Associations of personality traits with physical activity and sedentary behavior were observed in a study conducted at the Gerontology Research Center and the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä.

Fidgeting is a common trait of ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). Whether it's picking at fingernails or tapping a foot, many people with ADHD tend to move more often than those without the condition.

Big surges in new autism diagnoses among young adults, as well a rise in diagnoses for girls and young women, have driven a near-tripling of U.S. autism cases in just over a decade, researchers report.

As human contact becomes rarer across various service sectors, is it starting to resemble a rare luxury that only the rich can afford?

Treating anxiety, depression and other disorders may depend on the amygdala, a part of the brain that controls strong emotional reactions, especially fear. But a deep understanding of this structure has been lacking. Now scientists at the University of California, Davis have identified new clusters of cells with differing patterns of gene expression in the amygdala of humans and non-human primates

Dr. Bill Nugent, professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville College of Social Work, and former BSSW, now MSSW student Jaydah Lee have published an article titled "The Relationship Between Violent Political Rhetoric and Suicide Rates" in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment. Their research explores how violent political rhetoric (VPR) may contribute to increased suicid

Two data points in the aftermath of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling paint a picture of that decision's impact on mental health.

Men and adolescent boys are increasingly at risk of resorting to the dangerous use of anabolic steroids in a bid to achieve the desired muscular build modeled on social media, warn Flinders body image experts.

Self-absorbed. Arrogant. Boastful. It does not take a mental health professional to recognize these features as narcissistic. Most of us, regardless of our educational background, are confident to label someone we've never met as narcissistic.

Running the Göteborgsvarvet to set a new personal best can make you just as happy as running the marathon as a fun activity with friends. This is according to a new study from the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, which looked at what makes runners happy.

A new University of Otago, Christchurch, study of participants from the Christchurch Muslim community has found more than 60% had suffered from mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression in the aftermath of the 2019 Mosque terrorist attacks.

Ph.D. in Public Health candidate Elaine Russell and her mentor Kenneth Griffin, professor in the department of Global and Community Health, in George Mason University's College of Public Health, worked with Tolulope Abidogun, also a Ph.D. in Public Health student, and former Global and Community Health professor Lisa Lindley, now of Lehigh University, to analyze data from the American College Heal

Lifetime cannabis use is associated with several changes in brain structure and function in later life, suggests an observational study, but these associations may not be causal, finds a genetic analysis of the same data, published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health.

People tend to adjust their choices between a safe and risky decision based on their perception of an observer's opinion, according to new research.

A new synthesis of global evidence highlights a strong connection between family violence and long-term health consequences, significantly impacting the psychological and physical well-being of millions worldwide. This comprehensive review synthesizes the findings from the most rigorous studies on child maltreatment and intimate partner violence, uncovering alarming patterns in the long-term effec

A research team has explored the agreement or discrepancy between subjective social cognitive difficulties and actual cognitive impairment. Their study aimed to identify clinical subtypes in patients with schizophrenia, and the results were published in Schizophrenia on October 29, 2024.

Roughly one-third of patients with depressive symptoms have elevated levels of inflammation. Inflammation is, however, often only measured using very broad and unspecific markers. To better understand the connection between depression and the immune system, researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry measured a large number of different biological factors and identified patterns in the d

A restless night aggravates symptoms in those experiencing suicidal thoughts, as psychologists have found in their study on the short-term risk factors of suicide. They argue that targeting sleep could thus be essential for suicide prevention.

A new multi-site trial from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College London has found that a novel therapy using computer-generated avatars is an effective way of helping people with psychosis reduce the distress and frequency with which they hear voices.

Hot weather has been linked to an increase in suicidal thoughts and behaviors among young Australians, new research shows, prompting calls for an overhaul of public health approaches to higher temperatures.

A decade ago, a few days before Halloween, a team of sociologists at Chapman University published the first "Survey of American Fears," a poll of more than 1,000 Americans about the things that give them the willies.

A type of therapy that involves applying a magnetic field to both sides of the brain has been shown to be effective at rapidly treating depression in patients for whom standard treatments have been ineffective. The treatment—known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)—involves placing an electromagnetic coil against the scalp to relay a high-frequency magnetic field to the brain.

A new study led by The University of Western Australia has found although support given by nurses over the phone to caregivers of older adults reduced their stress levels, it did not improve their health-related quality of life.

Researchers at UCLA Health have found that a person's risk of developing psychotic-like experiences may be influenced by both childhood attention problems and their genetic makeup.

Obsessively scrolling through the latest polling averages? Overwhelmed by campaign ads about threats to democracy? Paralyzed with nerves about Election Day and what comes next?

What happens when the loudest voice in the room suddenly falls silent?

You had a great night out, but the next morning, anxiety hits: your heart races, and you replay every conversation from the night before in your head. This feeling, known as hangover anxiety or "hangxiety," affects around 22% of social drinkers.

Elite ice hockey players with a history of concussion report heightened mental health symptoms, according to a new study from Lund University in Sweden. In addition, 1 in 5 female hockey players suffered symptoms of burnout, and both sexes reported alcohol consumption at a risk-level.

Distinct forms of traumatic and adverse childhood experiences (TRACEs) differentially moderate developmental changes in psychiatric risk and cognitive ability in different ways, according to a study published online Oct. 23 in JAMA Psychiatry.

The global health impact of commercial gambling is worse than previously understood and stronger regulatory controls are needed, a Lancet Public Health Commission on gambling has found.

One of the characteristics of depression is a tendency to perceive sensory stimuli and everyday situations in an excessively negative way. But the mechanisms underpinning this "negativity bias," which can fuel the development of depressive symptoms, had previously remained largely unknown.

Poverty makes people up to three times more likely to suffer from mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety compared to the wealthy, the United Nations said in a report released Thursday.

Young people today are growing up in a social media-saturated world where technology plays a central role in shaping most of their experiences. The rapid rise of social media use has consequently created parental and societal fears about young people's social and psychological well-being.

Individualistic reward-seeking strategies predict responses to nicotine among mice living in a micro-society, according to a study published October 24 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Philippe Faure from PSL Research University, France, and colleagues.

New research has found that being in the out-of-home care system increases the likelihood of having multiple ambulance attendances for alcohol, drug, mental health or self-harm among Victorian children.

In a study in Social Science & Medicine—Mental Health, CUNY SPH doctoral alum Dana Watnick and team sought to explore local understandings of depression and mental distress among people living with HIV in Cameroon and assess a commonly used depression screening tool.

Roughly four in five Americans say they either strongly (48%) or somewhat (31%) support a federal law that requires insurance companies to cover mental health at the same level they do medical or surgical care, including 95% of Democrats, 79% of independents and 67% of Republicans.

It is critical for hospital systems and medical schools to implement a set of established, evidence-based strategies in order to address the crisis in physician well-being, a team from the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Michigan writes in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Making decisions about our health is a complex and sometimes difficult process.

A Monash University-led study of emergency responders' workers compensation claims from exposure to extreme bushfires (Black Saturday bushfires in 2009 and the Black Summer fires of 2019 and 2020) found associations with mental health disorders and head injuries.

Offspring of mothers with an eating disorder or prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) outside the normal weight range have an increased risk for psychiatric disorders, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Network Open.

Suicide risk is highest on Mondays and increased on New Year's Day, whereas suicide risk on weekends and Christmas varies by country and region, finds an analysis of data from 26 countries published by The BMJ today.

An Australian-first study has lifted the lid on how couples living with rheumatoid arthritis cope with the debilitating disease, finding that those who cope with problems together had less psychological distress and better relationships.

An "inflexible thinking style" could explain why some people are hesitant about taking a vaccine, new research by the University of Hertfordshire has revealed. It is a finding that could have implications for public health policy, especially during pandemics.

A team of New York University linguistics and psychology researchers has discovered that when a brief sentence is flashed, our brains detect its basic linguistic structure extremely quickly—in roughly 150 milliseconds, or about the speed of a blink of an eye.

A new Northwestern Medicine study has demonstrated a new way to treat narcolepsy-related nightmares. The scientists combined cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and lucid dreaming to help patients in a small clinical trial.

When was the last time you heard someone talk in detail about their grief?

Stress is flooding the nation as the 2024 U.S. presidential election nears its climax.

A systematic review led by University of New South Wales (UNSW) Professor Angela Nickerson has identified several strong protective and promotive factors that are associated with better mental health outcomes among refugee adults.

Treating opioid use disorder significantly lowers the very high rate (eight times the general population) of suicide among people with opioid dependence.

The lifetime risk of an unexpected and sudden death from a cardiovascular cause in the absence of pre-existing heart disease—known as sudden cardiac death—is more than four times higher for people with schizophrenia than it is for the general population, indicates Danish research published online in the journal Heart.

The Japanese population is known for its longest life expectancy (LE) at birth. Extensive studies have been conducted on the physical health of the Japanese population, mainly on mortality outcomes. However, research on mental health is limited due to the social stigma against mental illnesses. This is alarming since mental health problems such as anxiety, substance use disorders, and suicide rate

Having happy intimate partners might not only lift our moods, but it also helps us manage stress, especially as we age, according to new research from the University of California, Davis.

More than 50 years ago, Craig Ramey, professor and Distinguished Research Scholar at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, began a landmark study to investigate the long-term impacts of early childhood education on children from deeply impoverished, predominantly Black families.

New collaborative research shows a prebiotic supplement can reduce inflammation. This could help with symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression in people with metabolic syndrome—a combination of several health concerns including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Recent polling data reveal that 73% of adults feel anxious about the 2024 U.S. election.

Psychopathic people have great difficulty or are even unable to show empathy and regulate their emotions. According to a new study by Matthias Burghart, a Max Planck researcher in Freiburg, this could be because these people suffer from alexithymia, also known as emotional blindness. The work is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

With near-constant headlines discussing the devastating crises humanity is currently facing —from climate change to political polarization and war—many of us are experiencing feelings of existential uncertainty.

An injury or sudden illness serious enough to require hospitalization is a high-stress experience for anyone. For most people, that stress is temporary. For others, however, the episode can lead to lasting mental health distress.

Researchers from the University of Lincoln have published a first of its kind study into loneliness in sport.

The way parents and their children play together may be the framework for how kids will treat other children, according to a recent study from the University of Georgia.

A new Macquarie University study suggests that instead of relying on the 'bible' of mental health diagnosis, we need a data-driven approach based on the ways symptoms naturally co-occur in real life, and this approach could have huge implications for future treatment options.

Depression and other mental health issues reduce the number of productivity-adjusted life years (PALYs) more than musculoskeletal diseases or cardiovascular diseases, according to a recent joint study by the University of Eastern Finland, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela), and Monash University in Australia.

A device that delivers direct stimulation to the brain was found to be a safe and effective means of treating depression at home, according to a study by researchers at UTHealth Houston; the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London; and the University of East London.

An innovative study, published in Nature Communications, reveals the mechanism behind two seemingly contradictory effects of fear memories: the inability to forget yet the difficulty to recall.

When we listen to a song or musical performance, out-of-tune singers or instruments are generally perceived as unpleasant for listeners. While it is well-established that mistuning can reduce the enjoyment of music, the processes influencing how humans perceive mistuning have not yet been fully delineated.

Philip G. Zimbardo, the psychologist behind the controversial "Stanford Prison Experiment" that was intended to examine the psychological experiences of imprisonment, has died. He was 91.

Recent research focuses on adapting an acceptance-based mental health intervention called Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT-W), which was developed by Dr. Paul Flaxman and Ross McIntosh at City St George's, to fit Uganda's unique socio-cultural and economic environment.

Imagine a child visiting a farm and seeing sheep and goats for the first time. Their parent points out which is what, helping the child learn to distinguish between the two. But what happens when the child does not have that guidance on a return visit? Will they still be able to tell them apart?

Playing video games may boost your cognitive abilities and exercise can play a role in improving your mental health, but not the other way around, a large-scale study has found.

The foundation for healthy eating behavior starts in infancy. Young children learn to regulate their appetite through a combination of biological, psychological, and sociological factors. In a new paper, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign propose a model that explores these factors and their interactions, providing guidelines for better understanding childhood appetite self

Psychology experts in the UK and US have found there is "not enough evidence" to link social media use to mental health problems like anxiety and depression.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) delivered during pregnancy significantly reduces postpartum depressive symptoms in mothers, new research from UBC shows.

A young Israeli researcher who lost a sibling in the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israeli civilians said the tragedy has spurred her to study the unique aspects of grief at the sudden loss of a brother or sister.

What scares you the most? Maybe it's teetering precariously on the ledge of a skyscraper; perhaps it's a giant, hairy tarantula crawling across your laptop keyboard. Maybe it's giving a wedding toast and telling a joke that makes nobody laugh.

As growing evidence shows that climate change will influence nearly every aspect of our health, a University at Buffalo School of Social Work researcher is the first to explore how climate change may affect individuals who are recovering from addiction.

What actually happens in the brain in cases of depression? Relatively unknown brain cells—"astrocytes"—are believed to play an important role. At the Uppsala Biomedical Center, lab researchers are attempting to learn more about their function in order to help create an understanding of how to cure mental illnesses.

Educational psychologists could help to fight mental health and neurodiversity misinformation on TikTok as more young people self-diagnose based on poor quality content on the platform, a new study says.

In an era where mental health awareness is at the forefront of public discourse, a new historical review is shedding light on the often-overlooked French contributions to our understanding of depression. Published in Genomic Psychiatry, the study by Dr. Kenneth S. Kendler and Virginia Justis of Virginia Commonwealth University examines a seminal 1897 French monograph that helped shape modern conce

It's well-known that adults who are victims of intimate-partner violence are also often victims of traumatic brain injury, including concussions. But whether this association exists in younger people who experience teen dating violence (TDV) has not been examined, until now.

When the outside temperatures rise, people tend to lose their cool. That connection is well known, but a Washington State University-led study found that emotional responses to heat are highly individualized and only one factor moderated it—age.

How do we distinguish threat from safety? It's an important question not just in our daily lives, but for human disorders linked with fear of others, such as social anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The microscope image accompanying this press release, from the laboratory of Steven A. Siegelbaum, Ph.D., at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute, displays a powerful technique scientists use

In a new paper, researchers at the University of Birmingham, argue that soaring house prices, employment uncertainty and lack of access to affordable education could all be contributing to increases in mental health problems as younger generations grapple with issues that were less prominent for their parents and grandparents.

Experts from the University of Nottingham have played a major role in a pioneering national study investigating the postnatal mental health of British South Asian mothers.

During their lives, humans and other mammals tend to bond in different ways with others. Psychological theories suggest that individual humans attribute varying values to their social experiences, yet the values they assign to specific interpersonal relationships have rarely been investigated so far.

A series of community made videos have proven to be an effective way to encourage Black people to donate blood, with research showing this arts-based approach could help to boost much needed blood supplies.

If you smugly believe you're right in a disagreement with a friend or colleague, a new study suggests why you may actually be wrong.

Escalating violence in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon in recent weeks, has brought news of death, casualties and displacement.

In her first months as a community health worker, Jee Hyo Kim helped violent crime survivors access supportive services and resources. When a client with post-traumatic stress disorder sought a therapist, she linked him to one that fit his needs. She helped clients afraid to leave their homes obtain food delivery vouchers. As one client described her, Kim was a "connector."

New research suggests a person's feelings towards a parent can be significantly changed when they are asked to evaluate them during talking therapy, even when the question isn't suggestive.

A career in an elite or professional sport is not in itself a risk factor for suicide, according to a review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. But physicians, coaches, and family members should be alert to supporting elite and professional athletes as they approach retirement, a potential athlete-specific risk factor for suicide.

People identifying as LGBTQ+ who have undergone conversion practice—commonly known as conversion therapy—are more likely to experience poor mental health, according to a study published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.

After suicide care was integrated into routine primary care visits, researchers saw a 25% decrease in the rate of suicide attempts in the following 90 days, a new Kaiser Permanente study finds.

Teens who faced high levels of emotional and multidimensional adversity in their early years are at the most significant risk for mental health challenges, a comprehensive 15-year study has revealed.