Tag: Psychiatry

ADHD Treatment

There is no cure for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Therapy aims to reduce the symptoms to allow for normal learning and growth of the child. Basic tenets of therapy include medication and counselling. Other parts of therapy include accommodating the child in regular classrooms and providing family and community support. Types of ADHD Medication

Teens who can describe negative emotions can stave off depression

Teenagers who can describe their negative emotions in precise and nuanced ways are better protected against depression than their peers who can’t. That’s the conclusion of a new study about negative emotion differentiation, or NED — the ability to make fine-grained distinctions between negative emotions and apply precise labels — published in the journal Emotion.

Epilepsy drugs linked to increased risk of suicidal behavior, particularly in young people: Review of treatment guidelines needed, suggest researchers

Treatment with gabapentinoids — a group of drugs used for epilepsy, nerve pain and anxiety disorders — is associated with an increased risk of suicidal behaviour, unintentional overdose, injuries, and road traffic incidents, finds a study from Sweden published by The BMJ today. Prescriptions have risen steeply in recent years, and gabapentinoids are among the

Exercise: Psych patients’ new primary prescription

When it comes to inpatient treatment of a range of mental health and mood disorders — from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia, suicidality and acute psychotic episodes — a new study advocates for exercise, rather than psychotropic medications, as the primary prescription and method of intervention. Findings from the study reveal that physical exercise is

Delusions may stem from sticky beliefs, study finds

Delusions are one of the most common symptoms of psychosis, but little is known about what causes them. A new study from researchers at Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute offers insight into the development of delusions, which could lead to better treatments for people with psychosis. The findings were published in Brain.

Mental health issues increased significantly in young adults over last decade: Shift may be due in part to rise of digital media, study suggests

The percentage of young Americans experiencing certain types of mental health disorders has risen significantly over the past decade, with no corresponding increase in older adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. “More U.S. adolescents and young adults in the late 2010s, versus the mid-2000s, experienced serious psychological distress, major depression or

Physical activity as a preventive strategy against depression: Genetic data suggests physical activity can protect against the risk of depression

While many studies have found associations between greater levels of physical activity and lower rates of depression, a key question has remained — does physical activity actually reduce the risk of depression or does depression lead to reduced physical activity? Now a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has used a novel research

Helping anxious students excel on science exams: A 10-minute mental exercise helps improve lower-income students’ STEM exam scores

A new study reveals that helping lower-income high school freshman to regulate their test-taking anxiety can cut their biology course failure rates in half. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and conducted by Barnard College President Sian Leah Beilock and her research team found that brief pre-exam de-stressing strategies could

Infections during childhood increase the risk of mental disorders

A new study from iPSYCH shows that the infections children contract during their childhood are linked to an increase in the risk of mental disorders during childhood and adolescence. This knowledge expands our understanding of the role of the immune system in the development of mental disorders. High temperatures, sore throats and infections during childhood

Journalism study evaluates emotions on the job

A QUT journalism academic says the current freelancer-heavy market for media professionals could be preventing photographers and video journalists who report on traumatic news events from accessing the support they need. The results of TJ Thomson’s peer-reviewed study Mapping the emotional labor and work of visual journalism has been published in Journalism. “People understand exposure

Brain training app helps reduce OCD symptoms

A ‘brain training’ app developed at the University of Cambridge could help people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) manage their symptoms, which may typically include excessive handwashing and contamination fears. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, Baland Jalal and Professor Barbara Sahakian from the Department of Psychiatry, show how just

Roles of emotional support animals examined: Beyond airlines, colleges and courts struggle to understand need, effects, researchers say

Airlines are not the only organizations grappling with the complexities surrounding emotional support animals. Colleges and courts are also questioning the need for these animals and the effects they may have on students and juries, respectively, according to research presented at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association. The recent, rapid rise of emotional

People with schizophrenia account for more than one in 10 suicide cases: Suicide risk assessments early in the course of illness should be emphasized, researchers say

A new CAMH and Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) study shows that people with schizophrenia account for more than 1 in 10 cases of suicide in Ontario, and that young people are disproportionately affected. “Among people who died by suicide, having a diagnosis of schizophrenia is clearly over-represented,” says Dr. Juveria Zaheer, first author