Category: Mental Health
Happiness class is helping clinically depressed school teachers become emotionally healthy − with a cheery assist from Aristotle
The heart of the course is an academic, personal and experiential exploration of evidence-based positive psychology interventions. These are intentional practices that can improve mood, optimism, relationships and physical wellness and offer a sense of purpose. Examples include gratitude, acts of kindness, savoring, mindfulness, mood music, practicing forgiveness and journaling about your best possible future self.
Can you change your personality? Psychology research says yes, by tweaking what you think and do
People can intentionally shape the traits they need to be successful in the lives they want. That’s contrary to the popular belief that your personality type places you in a box, dictating that you choose partners, activities and careers according to your traits.
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Is ‘coaching’ a shortcut to mental health care? Not so fast − here are key differences
Life coach, wellness coach, business coach, weight loss coach, breakup coach – the list goes on and on. All are different titles for similar jobs, with the same limitation: Anyone can claim to be an expert.
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How to know when it’s time to start therapy
Sometimes our minds work against us. Therapy can help you understand why you think, feel, or act how you do and give you the skills you need to think, feel, or act in healthier ways.
Food and exercise can treat depression as well as a psychologist – and it’s cheaper
Previous studies have found “lifestyle” therapies are effective for depression. But they have never been directly compared with psychological therapies – until now.
Climate change and mental health: How extreme heat can affect mental illnesses
Many people can relate to the sleepless nights during hot summer months, as well as anecdotal experiences of irritation and aggression when thermally uncomfortable.
But for those living with mental illnesses, the hazard of extreme heat is more dire than temperamental responses to day-to-day disruptions.
What’s the difference between shyness and social anxiety?
The terms “shyness” and “social anxiety” are often used interchangeably because they both involve feeling uncomfortable in social situations. However, feeling shy, or having a shy personality, is not the same as experiencing social anxiety (short for “social anxiety disorder”).
Nightmares could be an early warning sign of an autoimmune disease flare-up – new study
Many patients could describe nightmares that happened just before their flares. Although patterns varied between different people, they were often similar in each person’s flare-ups. Patients often knew which symptoms were a sign that their disease was about to get worse.
The design and marketing of mental health chatbots may result in users’ misconceptions about their therapeutic value.
Psychedelics could make mental health worse in people with a personality disorder
Various personality disorders might respond differently to psychedelics. For instance, people with histrionic personality disorder (excessive attention-seeking and emotional overreaction) or borderline personality disorder (emotional instability, intense relationships and fear of abandonment) might feel worse or more unstable. And those with schizotypal personality disorder (social anxiety, odd beliefs and eccentric behaviour) could become more paranoid. People with narcissistic personality disorder (excessive self-importance, lack of empathy, and need for admiration) may struggle with the self-reflective nature of psychedelics because they often have a hard time handling criticism.
Increasingly sophisticated AI systems can perform empathy, but their use in mental health care raises ethical questions
Some examples of AI applications include: screening tools in primary care settings, enhanced tele-therapy sessions and chatbots offering accessible 24/7 emotional support. These can act as bridges for anyone waiting for professional help and those hesitant to seek traditional therapy. However, this turn to emotion-AI comes with a host of ethical, social and regulatory challenges around consent, transparency, liability and data security.
Beware online mental health chatbots, UW specialists warn
AI chatbots may someday play an important role in mental health care, but many currently online are untested and unsafe.
Running or yoga can help beat depression, research shows – even if exercise is the last thing you feel like
We found walking, running, strength training, yoga and mixed aerobic exercise were about as effective as cognitive behaviour therapy – one of the gold-standard treatments for depression.