April 30, 2024
by Elizabeth Pratt
The wording of social media posts and messages can be enough to influence how people feel about mental illness and mental health treatment.
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology found that students in college felt more optimistic about the chances of successfully treating mental health issues after they read social media posts that showed a “growth mindset”.
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July 30, 2023
by Elizabeth Pratt
Cutting back on social media use can improve psychological wellbeing.
Researchers at Iowa State University found that students who limited social media use to just 30 minutes a day has lower scores for depression, anxiety, loneliness and the fear of missing out.
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March 30, 2023
by Elizabeth Pratt
People with PTSD or are at high risk of PTSD have specific patterns in four types of biomarkers that can be measured through a blood test.
The research suggests the biomarkers could be used as a tool to predict whether a person is likely to develop PTSD, as well as help diagnose the condition and monitor how effectively someone is responding to treatment.
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August 9, 2022
by Patricia Tomasi
A new study published in JAMA looked at the long-term risk of overdose or mental health crisis after opioid dose tapering. “We have published results showing that opioid tapering after long-term stable dosing was associated with overdose and mental health crisis events during a one-year follow-up period,” study author Joshua J. Fenton told us. “We wanted to assess the longer-term outcomes associated with tapering.”
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December 19, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
Having access to nature during COVID-19 lockdowns is important for mental health.
Researchers in Europe found that those living in European countries with strict COVID-19 lockdown policies were more likely to have symptoms of anxiety and depression.
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October 31, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
The “love hormone” oxytocin can occasionally have anti-social effects depending on where in the brain it is created.
Oxytocin, a hormone that can regulate prosocial behaviors like trust, bonding and empathy has also been demonstrated to play a role in anti-social behaviors like envy, anxiety and reduction in cooperation.
How the hormone could have such opposing roles has long remained a mystery, but researchers from UC Davis have uncovered how this might happen.
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August 21, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
A study from researchers at the University of Toronto found that those with suboptimal mental health died earlier than their counterparts with excellent mental health.
Those who were in excellent mental health when the study started in the mid-1990s lived almost five months longer than their peers who were in poorer mental health.
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July 26, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
A study by researchers at Purdue University found that of all the tasks service dogs perform for their veteran owners with PTSD, disrupting anxiety was the most helpful.
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December 23, 2018
by Elizabeth Pratt
Looking on the bright side of life can sometimes be tougher than it sounds. But new research shows for people with less money it may be an effective way of reducing anxiety.
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