Spring is almost here, and many people will jump into the annual spring cleaning ritual in their homes and offices, trashing the old and getting rid of the clutter. But how many people will be spring cleaning their minds, or getting mentally organized? Of you’re not mentally organized, you’ll be wallowing around unclear about what… Continue reading Seven Ways to Spring Clean Your Mind
Tag: Mental Health
Discrimination Increases Risk for Mental-Health Problems
People who are the victims of chronic discrimination, whether on the basis of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation, can develop risk factors for mental disorders, experts say. “We now have decades of research showing that when people are chronically treated differently, unfairly or badly, it can have effects ranging from low self-esteem to a higher… Continue reading Discrimination Increases Risk for Mental-Health Problems
In-Person Contact Is Critical to Seniors’ Mental Well-Being
In a study of adults aged 50 years and older, the probability of experiencing depressive symptoms steadily increased as the frequency of in-person, but not phone or written/email contact, decreased. The article was published in October 2015 in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. A release from the publisher reports that people without in-person social… Continue reading In-Person Contact Is Critical to Seniors’ Mental Well-Being
Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”
Everyone suffers from anxiety occasionally. And it’s not always a bad thing. Anxiety before a test, for example, can help us study harder. If we want to do well on a job interview, we’ll be spurred to do our homework on our prospective employer. But it’s a problem if anxiety becomes so exaggerated or severe… Continue reading Anxiety: Is It “All In Your Head?”
How Rearranging Your Living Room Can Make You Feel Younger
What we choose to have in our space is a reflection of who we are on the inside—our emotional state. It is wise to choose thoughtfully, but how can arranging items in your home and office affect your health, well-being, and ability to feel younger? Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of manifestation and… Continue reading How Rearranging Your Living Room Can Make You Feel Younger
Remembering Self-Control Failures Leads to Repeat Failures
It’s been said that “Those who don’t know history are doomed to repeat it,” but even if you know your own history, that doesn’t necessarily help you with self-control. New research done at Boston College and published in August 2015 in the Journal of Consumer Psychology shows the effectiveness of memory in improving our everyday… Continue reading Remembering Self-Control Failures Leads to Repeat Failures
Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
Numerous genes that regulate the activity of a neurotransmitter in the brain have been found to be abundant in brain tissue of depressed females. This could be an underlying cause of the higher incidence of suicide among women, according to research done at the University of Illinois at Chicago and published in in July 2015… Continue reading Depressed Women Have an Over-Active Glutamate Receptor Gene
Some Vietnam Vets Have PTSD 40 Years After the War Ended
Although it has been 40 years since the Vietnam War ended, about 271,000 veterans who served in the war zone are estimated to have current full posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) plus subthreshold (meeting some diagnostic criteria) war-zone PTSD and more than one-third have current major depressive disorder, according to an article published online in July… Continue reading Some Vietnam Vets Have PTSD 40 Years After the War Ended
Doing Good Deeds Helps Socially Anxious People Relax
Being busy with acts of kindness can help people who suffer from social anxiety to mingle more easily. This is the finding of researchers Jennifer Trew of Simon Fraser University and Lynn Alden of the University of British Columbia, both in Canada. The study was published in July 2015 the journal Motivation and Emotion. A… Continue reading Doing Good Deeds Helps Socially Anxious People Relax
Quick to Laugh or Smile? The Reason May Be in Your Genes
Why do some people immediately burst into laughter after a humorous moment, while others can barely crack a smile? New research examined emotional reactivity and suggested that one of the answers may lie in a person’s DNA. Claudia M. Haase of Northwestern University and Ursula Beermann of the University of Geneva co-authored the study, which… Continue reading Quick to Laugh or Smile? The Reason May Be in Your Genes
Hospice Use May Ease Depression in Surviving Spouses
An Institute of Medicine's report on improving the quality of care near the end of life highlights the need for supporting family caregivers. Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York found a modest reduction in depressive symptoms among some surviving spouses of hospice users compared with nonhospice users. The article,… Continue reading Hospice Use May Ease Depression in Surviving Spouses
“Fuzzy Thinking” in Depression & Bipolar Disorder Is Real
People with depression or bipolar disorder often feel their thinking ability has gotten “fuzzy”, or less sharp than before their symptoms began. rResearchers at the University of Michigan have shown in a very large study that effect is indeed real – and rooted in brain activity differences that show up on advanced brain scans. The… Continue reading “Fuzzy Thinking” in Depression & Bipolar Disorder Is Real
Short-Term Debt and Depressive Symptoms
Results of a study led by Lawrence Berger of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and published April 30th 2015 in the Journal of Family and Economic Issues suggest that having short-term household debt — credit cards and overdue bills — increases depressive symptoms. The association is particularly strong among unmarried people, people reaching retirement age, and… Continue reading Short-Term Debt and Depressive Symptoms
Natural Anti-Anxiety Food Solutions
Anxiety disorders are one of the top mental health issues in the United States, affecting about 18 percent of the population, and not surprisingly – given our always on, wired and stressed out lives – anxiety-related health issues continue to be on the increase. Stress, lifestyle (including diet), hormone changes (perimenopause and menopause; aging) and… Continue reading Natural Anti-Anxiety Food Solutions
Study Links Facebook Use to Depressive Symptoms
The social media site Facebook can be an effective tool for connecting with new and old friends. However, some users may find themselves spending quite a bit of time viewing Facebook and may inevitably begin comparing what's happening in their lives to the activities and accomplishments of their friends. According to University of Houston researcher… Continue reading Study Links Facebook Use to Depressive Symptoms
Anxious People Apt to Make Bad Decisions
Highly anxious people have more trouble deciding how best to handle life’s uncertainties. They may even catastrophize, interpreting, say, a lovers’ tiff as a doomed relationship or a workplace change as a career threat. That’s the finding of research done at the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Oxford and published March 2nd… Continue reading Anxious People Apt to Make Bad Decisions
Do You Have a “Subclinical” Eating Disorder?
According Stanford psychologist Dr. Megan Jones, who also serves as Chief Science Officer of Lantern, the groundbreaking mobile tool that helps prevent the onset of eating disorders, many eating disorders begin with modest attempts to lose weight that can quickly spiral out of control. Herself an eating disorder survivor while a college student, Dr. Jones… Continue reading Do You Have a “Subclinical” Eating Disorder?
Facebook Envy May Cause Depression
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia have found that Facebook use can lead to symptoms of depression if the social networking site triggers feelings of envy among its users. Margaret Duffy, a professor and chair of strategic communication at the MU School of Journalism, says that how Facebook users use the site makes a difference… Continue reading Facebook Envy May Cause Depression