The Daily Reviewer | ScienceDaily: Mental Health News

Massage eases anxiety, but no better than simple relaxation does

Mar 11, 2010 5:00pm

A randomized trial shows three months after 10 massages, patients' anxiety symptoms were halved -- an improvement like that previously reported with psychotherapy, medications, or both. But the trial also found massage no more effective than simple relaxation....

Behavioral problems in childhood doubles the risk of chronic widespread pain in adult life

Mar 11, 2010 5:00am

Bad behavior in childhood is associated with long-term, chronic widespread pain in adult life, according to the findings of a study following nearly 20,000 people from birth in 1958 to the present day. The research found that children with severe behavior disturbances had approximately double the risk of chronic widespread...

New scale to measure anxiety outcomes developed

Mar 8, 2010 9:00pm

A new questionnaire and outcomes measurement scale has proven to be a reliable and valid measure of anxiety. The scale can easily be incorporated into routine clinical practice when treating psychiatric disorders....

The truth about online dating and the link between depression and relational uncertainty

Mar 7, 2010 9:00pm

There's no doubt that meeting partners on the Internet is a growing trend. But can we trust the information that people provide about themselves via online dating services? And why is depression so dissatisfying in relationships?...

One-page questionnaire is effective screening tool for common psychiatric disorders

Mar 7, 2010 9:00pm

A one-page, 27-item questionnaire that is available free online is a valid and effective tool to help primary care doctors screen patients for four common psychiatric illnesses, a new study concludes....

Outreach program brings relief to traumatized London bombing survivors

Mar 7, 2010 9:00pm

A new mental health outreach program set up after the 2005 London bombings has successfully identified and treated hundreds of survivors....

Offspring of two psychiatric patients have increased risk of developing mental disorders

Mar 2, 2010 5:00pm

Offspring of two parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder appear more likely to develop the same illness or another psychiatric condition than those with only one parent with psychiatric illness, according to a new study....

Obesity associated with depression and vice versa

Mar 2, 2010 2:00pm

Obesity appears to be associated with an increased risk of depression, and depression also appears associated with an increased risk of developing obesity, according to a meta-analysis of previously published studies....

Psychiatry's main method to prevent mistaken diagnoses of depression doesn't work: study

Feb 25, 2010 5:00am

A new empirically challenges the effectiveness of psychiatrists' official diagnostic manual in preventing mistaken, false-positive diagnoses of depression....

Belief in a caring god improves response to medical treatment for depression, study finds

Feb 24, 2010 8:00am

In patients diagnosed with clinical depression, belief in a concerned god can improve response to medical treatment, according to a new paper....

Husbands' hostile, anti-social behaviors increase wives' symptoms of depression, study shows

Feb 21, 2010 9:00pm

While the causes of depression vary, a new study reveals that marital hostility is a contributing factor. Researchers found that husbands' hostile and anti-social behaviors increased their wives' symptoms of depression over time....

Don't worry, be happy! Positive emotions protect against heart disease

Feb 18, 2010 11:00am

People who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend not to be happy, according to a major new study....

Building fit minds under stress

Feb 14, 2010 9:00pm

A new study in which training was provided to a high-stress U.S. military group preparing for deployment to Iraq has demonstrated a positive link between mindfulness training, or MT, and improvements in mood and working memory....

Many veterans not getting enough treatment for PTSD

Feb 11, 2010 11:00pm

There are still significant barriers to veterans getting a full course of PTSD treatment, according to new research....

Depressed people feel more gray than blue

Feb 9, 2010 5:00am

People with anxiety and depression are most likely to use a shade of gray to represent their mental state. Researchers describe the development of a color chart, the Manchester Color Wheel, which can be used to study people's preferred pigment in relation to their state of mind....

Early abuse tied to more depression in children

Feb 4, 2010 9:00pm

A study of 500 low-income children ages 7 to 13, about half of whom had been abused and/or neglected, aimed to find out whether abuse early in life and feelings of depression affected cortisol ("stress hormone") levels. Study results suggest that there are different subtypes of depression, with atypical cortisol...

Acupuncture found effective against depression during pregnancy

Feb 4, 2010 5:00pm

Researchers have shown that acupuncture may be an effective treatment for depression during pregnancy....

Many physicians not using established criteria when diagnosing major depressive disorder in patients, study finds

Feb 1, 2010 9:00pm

A new study indicates that a majority of non-psychiatrist physicians and a substantial minority of psychiatrists reported that they often do not use the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition when diagnosing major depressive disorder in patients....

Hidden cost of schizophrenia

Feb 1, 2010 8:00am

People being treated for schizophrenia are more likely than the general population to have encounters with the criminal justice system in the US. A new study has shown that schizophrenia patients' involvement with the criminal justice system is primarily driven by their being victims of crime and that the average...

Caregivers of ICU patients are collateral damage of critical illness, say researchers

Jan 31, 2010 9:00pm

Intensive care unit patients are not the only ones likely to be severely depressed in the aftermath of hospitalization. Family and friends who care for them often suffer emotional and social hardship, too, according to a prospective study that is the first to monitor patients and caregivers during a one-year...

Mental illnesses are second leading cause of time off work in Spain

Jan 27, 2010 9:00pm

Researchers have evaluated the economic impact of mental illness in Spain, and estimated their social cost. According to the study, despite health resources being invested to alleviate the effects of such illnesses, informal care and lost work time places a heavy burden on society....

Psychodynamic psychotherapy brings lasting benefits, new study finds

Jan 27, 2010 5:00am

Psychodynamic psychotherapy is effective for a wide range of mental health symptoms, including depression, anxiety, panic and stress-related physical ailments, and the benefits of the therapy grow after treatment has ended, according to new research....

How to measure attention span of a fly: Implications for ADHD, autism in humans

Jan 26, 2010 2:00pm

An Australian-German team of scientists has found a way to measure the attention span of a fly. The findings could lead to further advances in the understanding of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism in humans....

Slow breathing reduces pain

Jan 26, 2010 5:00am

Controlled breathing at a slowed rate can significantly reduce feelings of pain, according to new research. Chronic pain sufferers, specifically fibromyalgia (FM) patients, also reported less pain while breathing slowly, unless they were overwhelmed by negative feelings, sadness or depression....

Estrogen in the fight against schizophrenia

Jan 25, 2010 2:00am

Restoring normal levels of estrogen may work as a protective agent in menopausal women vulnerable to schizophrenia....

Team finds childhood clues to adult schizophrenia

Jan 22, 2010 11:00am

Years before adults develop schizophrenia, there is a pattern of cognitive difficulties they experience as children, including problems with verbal reasoning, working memory, attention and processing speed. Drawing on a long-term study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders born from 1972 to 1973, researchers have found a consistent pattern of...

Treating panic disorder on the web

Jan 20, 2010 2:00pm

An online treatment system for patients suffering with panic disorder and anxiety problems combine biofeedback therapy with web technologies, and allows patients and medical professionals to communicate effectively, according to new research....

Emotions should be taken seriously, researcher urges

Jan 19, 2010 9:00pm

The extent of mental health problems is increasing, and has become one of the biggest challenges facing Europe today. As much as 10-25 per cent of women are at risk of developing serious depression during their lifetime. This implies that a large number of European women will experience mental problems...

Deep brain stimulation successful for treatment of severely depressive patient

Jan 11, 2010 5:00am

Neurosurgeons and psychiatrists have for the first time successfully treated a patient suffering from severe depression by stimulating the habenula, a tiny nerve structure in the brain....

Before or after birth, gene linked to mental health has different effects

Jan 8, 2010 8:00am

Scientists have long eyed mutations in a gene known as DISC1 as a possible contributor to schizophrenia and mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder. Now, new research suggests that perturbing this gene during prenatal periods, postnatal periods or both may have different effects in mice, leading to separate types...

Race-based misdiagnosis still remains a health care problem

Jan 7, 2010 11:00pm

Black men are over-diagnosed with schizophrenia at least five times higher than any other group -- a trend that dates back to the 1960s, according to new research....

No evidence to support psychological debriefing in schools, experts argue

Jan 7, 2010 8:00pm

There is no evidence to support psychological debriefing in schools after traumatic events such as violence, suicides and accidental death, which runs counter to current practice in some Canadian school jurisdictions, according to a group of experts....

Benefit of antidepressant medications appears to vary with severity of depression symptoms

Jan 6, 2010 11:00pm

An analysis of randomized trials indicates that compared with placebo, the magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medications varies with the severity of depressive symptoms, and may provide little benefit for patients with mild or moderate depression, but appear to provide substantial benefit for patients with very severe depression, according to...

Serious emotional disturbances found among children after Katrina

Jan 6, 2010 5:00pm

Mental health professionals have shown that there are serious emotional disturbances (SED) among children as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The Category 3 storm ravaged the Gulf Coast in August 2005. Characteristics of SED include inappropriate behavior, depression, hyperactivity, eating disorders, fears and phobias, and learning difficulties....

Few Americans with major depression receive adequate treatment

Jan 5, 2010 8:00pm

Many US adults with major depression do not receive treatment for depression or therapy based on treatment guidelines, and some racial and ethnic groups have even lower rates of adequate depression care, according to a new study....

Combination therapy better than leading drug for bipolar disorder, study suggests

Jan 5, 2010 5:00pm

People with bipolar disorder are less likely to suffer a relapse if they are taking both lithium and sodium valproate rather than the drug valproate alone, a new study has shown....

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