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Understanding how the pandemic and the lockdown is affecting the mental well-being of people is crucial for researchers and scientists to understand as well as government and health care practitioners. A new study published in PLOS ONE Journal looked at COVID-19 and mental health deterioration by ethnicity and gender in the UK, specifically looking at how the mental health of UK women and ethnic minorities are being affected by the pandemic. [More]

A nation-wide Maternal Mental Health Month is coming up in May. Utah advocates say they hope other states will follow their initiative to focus local efforts on helping mothers, and bring more awareness to postpartum health issues and resources. [More]

Researchers of a new study published in the Journal of Molecular Neurobiology investigated the therapeutic potential of drugs that inhibit stress-induced epigenetic changes. “It is well described in the literature that stress triggers epigenetic modifications which result in changes in the expression of genes that code for proteins important for several functions in the brain, such as neurotransmitter signaling and neuroplasticity,” study author Sâmia Joca told us. “Impaired neuroplasticity and neurotransmitter signaling in limbic brain regions (responsible for emotion, affection, cognition and endocrine control) has been considered central mechanisms involved in depression neurobiology.” [More]

Mindfulness, laughter and even robotic dogs may be some of the methods to help people cope with isolation and loneliness due to social distancing during COVID-19. Researchers from Cambridge’s School of Medicine undertook a review examining existing evidence on the different approach to curbing loneliness and isolation, and found there are options to suit everyone. [More]

A new study published the Journal of Preventative Medicine looked at psychological distress in the United States before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the first longitudinal study of psychological distress during the pandemic in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, serious psychological distress includes mental health problems severe enough to require treatment and cause moderate to serious impairment in one’s daily life in the areas of schooling, social relationships, and work environments. [More]

Participation in creative activities is linked with positive outcomes for people with mental illness. A recent small, longitudinal, and qualitative study found that participants in a series of creative workshops enjoyed a range of creative mediums, valued peer support, and shared their stories. Overall, workshop participation improved confidence and understanding about their illness. [More]

Those who are religious use the same coping strategies when facing a crisis as those recommended by psychologists. A study in The Journal of Religion and Health found that religious people use emotion-regulation strategies (like looking at hardships in a positive way). Psychologists refer to this as cognitive reappraisal. [More]

A year ago, trying to get patients at Michigan Medicine to agree to telehealth for their mental health appointments was a challenge. The academic medical centre associated with the University of Michigan had only 26 video appointments in a six month period compared with 30 thousand in person visits. COVID-19 changed all that. [More]

Teenagers who are unhappy with how they look have a significantly heightened risk of depression by adulthood. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, researchers found the increased risk of depression ranged from 50 per cent to 285 per cent, with boys being more likely to experience severe depression than their female peers. [More]

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. [More]