Psychedelic drugs may have mind-altering powers in the physical sense, too. A study done at the University of California, Davis and published June 12th 2018 in the journal Cell Reports found psychedelics — specifically 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI), Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) –can change brain cells in rats and flies, making neurons more likely… Continue reading Psychedelic Drugs Could Help to Fight Depression, Anxiety, Addiction + PTSD
Tag: anxiety
Do You Have the Jitters? Surprising Things That Could Be Causing Anxiety
Anxiety is a mental illness that disrupts daily life, causing feelings of impending doom along with unwanted thoughts and unpleasant physical symptoms. Some people are more predisposed to anxiety than others. Did you know that there are “external” factors and habits in our daily lives that can increase anxiety? Here are some surprising things that could be… Continue reading Do You Have the Jitters? Surprising Things That Could Be Causing Anxiety
The Four Biggest Meditation Myths
In the midst of our busy lives, daily meditation can be a powerful tool, by helping relax body and mind, while ultimately making your day more focused and productive. But there are many misapprehensions surrounding meditation: Often people don’t know how to approach it, feel too intimidated to try it or believe they couldn’t possibly… Continue reading The Four Biggest Meditation Myths
High Anxiety: 5 Things That Set Us Off and What to Do
Anxiety is defined as a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. It’s future thinking in a negative way. While it’s normal to have concerns from time to time, chronic anxiety leads to loss of appetite, insomnia, compromised immunity and other diseases. Here are five common anxiety triggers and offers insights and tips for… Continue reading High Anxiety: 5 Things That Set Us Off and What to Do
When It Comes to Our Brains, There’s No Such Thing as Normal
Because we think of psychological disorders on a continuum, we may worry when our own ways of thinking and behaving don’t match up with our idealized notion of health. But some variability can be healthy and even adaptive, say researchers in a review published February 20th 2018 in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, even though it… Continue reading When It Comes to Our Brains, There’s No Such Thing as Normal
Dry Mouth Linked to Dozens of Medications
In an effort to combat dry mouth, a common side effect of medications, researchers are recommending that health care providers monitor that effect and adjust doses of medicine as needed. Having dry mouth means you don’t have enough saliva to keep your mouth wet. The condition can lead to problems chewing, eating, swallowing, and even… Continue reading Dry Mouth Linked to Dozens of Medications
During Cancer Treatment, Distress Is Associated With Missed Appointments & Hospital Admission
Psychological distress has long been associated with negative health outcomes for cancer patients, though specific reasons remain unclear. A 2017study finds that roughly half of all patients who reported having severe distress, which the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) describes as “a mix of anxiety and depressive symptoms,” subsequently missed one or more radiation therapy… Continue reading During Cancer Treatment, Distress Is Associated With Missed Appointments & Hospital Admission
The Mind Plays an Important Role in Well-being in Later Life
What does it take to have a sense of well-being as we age? Summarizing the results of a study done at Helmholtz Zentrum München – German Research Center for Environmental Health and published in July 2017 in BMC Geriatrics, Prof. Karl-Heinz Ladwig said, “Aging itself is not inevitably associated with a decline in mood and… Continue reading The Mind Plays an Important Role in Well-being in Later Life
7 Things to Know about Anxiety and Complementary Health
Editor’s note: If your anxiety is overwhelming, or you’d rather avoid prescription medications for the conditions, you may be thinking about using some natural “remedies.” But before you do, read these tips from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the National Institutes of Health. They might surprise you. Occasional anxiety is… Continue reading 7 Things to Know about Anxiety and Complementary Health
“Worried Well” May Be Boosting Their Risk of Heart Disease
People who needlessly worry that they have, or will develop, serious illness–popularly referred to as ‘the worried well’– may be boosting their risk of developing heart disease, suggests research published in November 2016 in the online journal BMJ Open. Anxiety is a known risk factor for heart disease. A release from the publisher notes that… Continue reading “Worried Well” May Be Boosting Their Risk of Heart Disease
Overcoming Barriers to Treating Fear and Anxiety
A misunderstanding of how the certain parts of the brain function has hampered the creation of pharmaceuticals to effectively address fear and anxiety disorders, according to a paper published in September 2016 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. The researchers’ analysis also offers new insights into neurological processes, with the aim of overcoming existing barriers… Continue reading Overcoming Barriers to Treating Fear and Anxiety
Stress and Diabetes: What’s the Link?
Researchers have found a link between emotional stress and diabetes, with roots in the brain’s ability to control anxiety. That control lies with the brain’s executive functions, processes that handle attention, inhibition, working memory and cognitive flexibility and are also involved in reasoning, problem-solving and planning. The study by Rice University researchers, published in Psychoneuroendocrinology,… Continue reading Stress and Diabetes: What’s the Link?
Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Active Surveillance Anxiety in Prostate Cancer
Men with prostate cancer who are under close medical surveillance reported significantly greater resilience and less anxiety over time after receiving an intervention of mindfulness meditation, according to a pilot study from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine published in May 2016. Release from the university notes that the anxiety and uncertainty that men… Continue reading Mindfulness Meditation Reduces Active Surveillance Anxiety in Prostate Cancer
People with Anxiety Show Fundamental Differences in Perception
People suffering from anxiety perceive the world in a fundamentally different way than others do, according to a study done at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on March 3rd 2016. The research may help explain why certain people are more prone to anxiety. A… Continue reading People with Anxiety Show Fundamental Differences in Perception
Mobile Device Addiction Linked to Depression & Anxiety
Is cellphone use detrimental to mental health? A 2016 study from the University of Illinois in Champaign finds that addiction to, and not simply use of, mobile technology is linked to anxiety and depression in college-age students. Here at thifAge.com, we suspect that this addiction issue extends to older adults as well.The study was published… Continue reading Mobile Device Addiction Linked to Depression & Anxiety
Getting Your Cat Ready for the Vet
If you own a cat, you want him or her to live a long, happy life. But to do that means regular visits to the vet – and chances are that you dread this almost as much as your cat does. Here, from cat-care experts, are some tips on what you can do to make… Continue reading Getting Your Cat Ready for the Vet
Wage Gap Could Explain Why Women Are More Anxious and Depressed Than Men
The odds of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder were markedly greater among women who earned less than their male counterparts, with whom they were matched on education and years of experience, according to research conducted at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. Results of the study were published online in January 2016… Continue reading Wage Gap Could Explain Why Women Are More Anxious and Depressed Than Men
The “Sixth Sense” for Danger
Findings by French researchers show that the brain devotes more processing resources to social situations that signal threat than those that are benign. The results published in December 2015 in the journal eLife may help explain the apparent “sixth sense” we have for danger. This is the first time that specific regions of the brain… Continue reading The “Sixth Sense” for Danger