Wednesday, December 6, 2023

The Connection Between Sleep, Exercise, Screen Time and Cognition in Childhood

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Can current guidelines for sleep, exercise, and screen time in childhood be linked to positive cognitive outcomes?

Connections Between Climate Change Concerns, Mental Health, and Pro-Environmental Actions

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Concerns about the impact of climate change on animals and nature results in more effective coping to reduce hopelessness about climate change and promotes pro-environmental behaviors.

The Therapist who Saved my Life

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In this creative nonfiction piece for Literary Hub, one woman shares her story of trauma, depression, and suicidality, and recounts the unconventional approach of the...

Increasing Physical Activity in Schools May Improve Mental Health

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A new article suggests integrating physical activity throughout the day may help to address the mental health of students.

Outdoor Education Tied to Psychological and Academic Benefits

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How the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (BPN) in outdoor education environments can peak student interest and boost intrinsic motivation.

Therapy Recommended As First Line Treatment for Depression

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Following an extensive systematic review of treatments for major depression, the American College of Physicians (ACP) issued a recommendation to clinicians suggesting cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as a first-line treatment for major depressive disorder along with second-generation antidepressants. The results of the review revealed that CBT and antidepressants have similar levels of effectiveness but that antidepressants present serious side-effects and higher relapse rates.

Dissolving the Ego: Transcendence and Ecstasy

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From Aeon: Experiencing ecstasy and transcendence has long been pathologized and marginalized by Western culture and the psychiatric model of "mental illness." However, ecstatic experiences, including...

The Wellness Epidemic

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In this piece for The Cut, Amy Larocca investigates various aspects of the wellness industry, including homeopathy, natural medicine, spiritual exercise classes, and meditation, exploring...

How Stoicism can Help us Deal With Depression

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From Medical Xpress: Stoicism, an ancient philosophy based on the idea that the goal of life is to live in agreement with nature, can be...

Mental Health Awareness Month: Seven Things to be Aware of

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In this piece for Truthout, Noel Hunter lists seven facts it is important to be cognizant of during Mental Health Awareness Month, from the influence...

The Virtues of Isolation

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From The Atlantic: While solitude is often stigmatized and even viewed as dangerous to our health, spending time alone can actually prove to be valuable...

Light Therapy Outperforms Prozac for Depression

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In a new study, researchers found that bright light therapy was an effective treatment for nonseasonal major depressive disorder (MDD) while Prozac (Fluoxetine) alone...

Researchers Develop New Model for Understanding Depression

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Acknowledging that current depression treatments are failing many people, researchers from Michigan State and MIT have developed a new model for understanding how multiple psychological, biological, social and environmental factors contribute to depression.

How Does the Brain-Body Connection Affect Creativity?

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From Big Think: Recent studies show that walking helps people think more creatively and originally. In three different studies, 81%, 88%, and 100% of participants...

Omega-3 Screening for Psychiatric Symptoms?

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There is a substantial body of evidence suggesting that not getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet may be connected to a diverse array of psychiatric symptoms. In a new study published this month, psychiatrist Robert McNamara and Erik Messamore provide an overview of the evidence and call for screening of omega-3 deficiency in people experiencing symptoms associated with ADHD, depression, mood disorders, and psychosis.

ADHD More Severe in Children Exposed to Pollution and Economic Deprivation

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ADHD behaviors were linked to the presence of both high levels of pollutants and persistent economic deprivation at birth and through childhood.

Neuroscientists Consider the Effect of the Gut on the Brain

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A review article published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology summarizes the latest research on the role that microbiota in the gut play in...

A Lazy Person’s Guide to Happiness

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From The Atlantic: According to author Dan Buettner, who studies the healthiest people in the world, improving our surrounding environment has a much greater impact...

Study Explores Correlates of Low-Level Physical Activity and Psychosis

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A study examines the variables correlated with low levels of physical activity in persons diagnosed with psychosis in low and middle-income countries

The Loneliness of Having an Illness Science Doesn’t Understand

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In this interview for Science of Us, science writer Julie Rehmeyer tells of her struggles with chronic fatigue syndrome, including how the medical system failed her...

My Journey to Freedom, A Three-Part Story

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I have written this story, a story of Exodus to Freedom, a thousand times. I retell it to myself late at night while I lie on my air mattress. In the mornings I may recall these amazing events while running along the beach straight into the sunrise. I walk my dog and tell the story again, hoping passers-by don’t think I’m talking to myself, lest I be called “loco.” But that has never happened. The one aim I had when coming to Uruguay has come true: Not one person here considers me crazy.

The Original Natural Remedy for Burnout: Nature

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From Science of Us: Studies show that spending time in nature has a number of positive effects on mental health, including decreased rumination, reduced depression...

“Microbes Can Play Games With The Mind”

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In the April issue of Science News, Laura Sanders covers recent studies that have begun turning up tantalizing hints about how microbes, the bacteria...

When Oregon Sent its Most Troubled Patients Into the Woods

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From TIME: In 1972, 51 of the most troubled mental health patients at Oregon State Hospital were sent into the woods for a camping trip....

The Role of Pets in Supporting People Living with Mental Distress

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From The Mental Elf: Recent research confirms what many animal lovers already know - that pets can play a major role in improving people's mental...