A comprehensive survey in Wales reveals concerning levels of anxiety, loneliness, and emotional difficulties among primary school children aged 7-11, with one in seven experiencing significant emotional issues. The survey highlights the impact of social media, online dangers, and pandemic-related isolation on young children's mental health, prompting calls for improved support and interventions in schools.
A mother reflects on her addiction to tracking her sons via their phones, highlighting how it provides her with a sense of closeness and security but also causes anxiety and hampers her ability to accept their independence as they grow up. She discusses the balance between safety and autonomy, acknowledging that while tracking offers reassurance, it may not be healthy for her or her children in the long run.
Researchers discovered that rebalancing activity in a specific amygdala circuit in mice can reverse anxiety and social withdrawal, highlighting a potential target for mental health treatments.
New research shows that high screen exposure before age two accelerates brain maturation in visual and cognitive networks, leading to slower decision-making and increased anxiety in adolescence, highlighting infancy as a critical period for screen exposure and the potential benefits of parental engagement like reading.
A decade-long study from Singapore links early screen exposure in infants to accelerated brain network development, which correlates with slower decision-making and higher anxiety in adolescence, emphasizing the importance of limiting screen time and promoting active parental engagement like reading.
Researchers discovered that two types of brain immune cells, microglia, act as internal 'accelerators' and 'brakes' to regulate anxiety levels in mice, suggesting new avenues for understanding and treating anxiety disorders in humans.
Eating specific foods like leafy greens, blueberries, avocados, fermented foods, and walnuts can help naturally reduce anxiety by supporting brain chemistry and reducing inflammation, offering a complementary approach to managing anxiety symptoms.
The article explains that being stuck in survival mode, a state of constant fight or flight caused by modern stressors, can lead to mental and physical health issues. It lists 11 signs of survival mode, including feeling constantly tired, irritable, anxious, overwhelmed, and experiencing difficulty focusing, which can help individuals identify and address this state to improve their well-being.
Scientists from Cornell University found that rewilding laboratory mice by releasing them into a natural outdoor environment reset their anxiety levels, suggesting that environment plays a significant role in anxiety development and that lab-based anxiety tests may need reevaluation. The study indicates that diverse experiences can help calibrate fear responses, which has implications for understanding anxiety in both animals and humans.
A study published in JAMA Network Open found that minimal online interventions, including digital CBT delivered via a phone app, led to full remission of severe generalized anxiety disorder in a majority of participants, challenging the notion that intensive treatment is always necessary for severe anxiety. Both digital CBT and psychoeducation were effective, with digital CBT showing higher remission rates, and even less intensive approaches like psychoeducation significantly benefiting participants.
Research indicates that anxiety and insomnia in young women are associated with reduced levels of natural killer cells, which are crucial for immune defense, potentially increasing vulnerability to illnesses and other health issues.
Anxiety affects both mind and body, leading to physical symptoms and health issues; a therapist shares 8 practical tips to manage anxiety, including breathing exercises, movement, creating safety rituals, and seeking professional help.
Research at Cornell University found that lab mice released into a natural, enclosed environment showed significantly reduced anxiety and more natural behaviors, suggesting that exposure to diverse experiences and environments can positively impact their mental health and potentially improve the reliability of scientific data. The study highlights the importance of environmental enrichment and may have implications for understanding human anxiety and well-being.
Many Americans are micro-dosing propranolol, a beta blocker, to manage stress and anxiety, with individuals using it for personal reasons such as coping with pet loss or work-related stress.
A meta-analysis found that individuals with anxiety disorders have about 8% lower levels of choline in their brains, especially in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting a potential link between choline deficiency and anxiety, though more research is needed to determine if increasing choline intake can help reduce symptoms.
