Mindfully Healing

Anxiety has an unexpected effect on memory. People with manageable levels of anxiety did better in a memory test, recalling more details, new research finds. Anxious people’s memories are particularly good when they are in a negative mindset, even if the things they are trying to remember are neutral. This is ironic since anxious people often feel their memory is worse than others and spend longer self-questioning. Anxiety also serves to taint memories, however, the researchers found. Events that might seem neutral to most people can seem negative to those

Study tests if antidepressants really help depressed people feel better in the long run. Over nine years, depressed people were better off if they had no treatment at all than if they took antidepressants, new research finds. In addition, depressed people that got adequate treatment without medication did better nine years later than those who got adequate treatment with medication. It may be that taking antidepressants causes more harm than no treatment whatsoever in the long run. These effects could be the result of many factors that others have suggested.

Paradigm shift in the treatment of serious depression and bipolar disorder. Ketamine and related drugs can treat major depressive disorder and bipolar depression inside 24-hours, the latest studies are finding. It rapidly reduces suicidal thoughts. Some doctors have begun to use the drugs ‘off-label’ to help people with treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine is a type of anaesthetic that studies have shown produces a rapid antidepressant effect, a new review of the research finds. Two hours after being injected the drug begins to work and its effects reach their peak after 24

Study of over 1 million people diagnosed with dementia in France reveals biggest avoidable risk factor. Alcohol is the biggest avoidable risk factor for dementia, according to new research. The conclusions come from over 1 million people diagnosed with dementia in France. The damage done by alcohol was particularly striking for early-onset dementia: that which occurs before 65-years-old. Of the 57,000 cases of early-onset dementia in the sample, 57% were related to chronic heavy drinking. Heavy drinkers are defined as those consuming an average of 4-5 standard US drinks per

Psychologists tested the effect of a week-long break from Facebook on people’s mental health. Here’s what they found. There is a brand new treatment available which can increase your concentration, boost your social life and increase your happiness. It’s totally free. You can start right now. It doesn’t require any drugs, or meeting psychologists or anything else at all. Want to try it? Of course you do. It’s called ‘Taking-A-Week-Off-Facebook’. The ‘treatment’ is based on a study by the Happiness Research Institute, which is a Danish think-tank. They split 1,095

Depressed and suicidal people use these unexpected words more often. People who are depressed use language that focuses more on themselves, research finds Depressed people tend to use the words “I”, “myself” and “me” more than those who are not depressed. This reflects the fact that depressed people often feel disconnected and alone. A second linguistic signal of depression is the use of more ‘absolutist’ words, such as “totally”, “completely” or “always”. Depressed people tend to have a more black-and-white view of the world — there is little room for

The every day coping mechanism that is naturally used by resilient people. Nostalgia can help fight loneliness and may also protect mental health, a study finds. Thinking back to better times, even if they are tinged with some sadness, helps people cope with challenging times. People who are more resilient naturally use nostalgia to help themselves feel better, the researchers also found. The study’s authors write: “Nostalgia, a sentimental longing for the past, is a self-relevant and social emotion: The self almost invariably figures as the protagonist in nostalgic narratives

The cause of Alzheimer’s is not just in the brain. Alzheimer’s disease could be a problem that involves the whole body, according to new research. Alzheimer’s — the most common form of dementia — has usually been thought of as only a brain disease. However, research now suggests the disease could be triggered elsewhere in the body. Chinese research has shown that amyloid-beta — the protein thought central to Alzheimer’s — can contribute to the disease even when it comes from outside the brain. The findings suggest drugs that might

This strange sign could help you spot a psychopath. Psychopaths find it hard to tell the difference between simple odours like fish and oranges, research finds. The finding comes from 79 non-criminal psychopaths whose smelling capabilities were tested. Each was checked out for psychopathic traits: how much they manipulated people, whether they had erratic lifestyles, how callous they were and their criminal tendencies. They were then given various common smells to identify, such as coffee, fish, orange, apple, peppermint, banana and liquorice. The stronger their psychopathic traits, the more difficulty

Eating carrots, wearing red, how to walk sexy and more… Click the links for more on each study. 1. Eat carrots Yellow and red skin pigments are perceived as 50% more attractive in Caucasian people, new research finds. Although these pigments in the skin are supposed to be signals of good health, they can be faked. Taking beta-carotene supplement, for example, will have the same effect. Beta-carotene is the pigment that gives carrots — and other fruits and vegetables — a strong red/yellow colour. 2. Wear the colour red Wearing