The Simple Treatment That Beats Antidepressants

Two-thirds of people with major depression were no longer depressed after this treatment. A brisk walk three times a week can actually beat antidepressant medication in treating major depression, research finds. The results come from a study on three groups of elderly people with major depressive disorder. One group were given the exercise, another given antidepressant medication and the third both. The results showed that all three groups improved the same amount. Professor James Blumenthal, the study’s first author, said: “One of the conclusions we can draw from this is

The Linguistic Trick That Helps You Cope With Strong Emotions

It is a way of expressing universal, shared experience and creating some emotional distance. People use the word ‘you’ when they really mean ‘I’. It helps to distance them from negative emotional experiences, new research finds. For example, the expression “you win some, you lose some” probably means the person has failed, but that it could happen to anyone. The pronoun, therefore, helps you to feel better about the experience. Ariana Orvell, the study’s first author, explained: “When people use “you” to make meaning from negative experiences, it allows them

Couples Negative Cycle – EFT Worksheet

Negative Cycle EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy)...

The Power of Vulnerability

  We live in a society that rewards those...
Toddlers’ Mental Health: The Drawbacks of a Diagnosis

Toddlers’ Mental Health: The Drawbacks of a Diagnosis

Recently a pediatrician phoned me with a concern about a three-year-old patient I see in my psychology practice. During a routine visit, the doctor said, “Karson” had bitten him. In fact, the young child had a history of behavior problems. “Do you think there’s a diagnosis?” the doctor asked me. I told her I wasn’t a fan of diagnosing toddlers. “What I can tell you,” I said, “is that he has strong reactions when people approach him too suddenly, loudly, or unexpectedly.” I was describing a phenomenon that I place

The Best Sleep Timing To Reduce Anxiety

The Best Sleep Timing To Reduce Anxiety

Sleeping at the right time is linked to lower levels of anxiety. People who go to sleep later tend to experience more repetitive negative thinking, research finds. Those who go to bed later also get more overwhelmed with negative thoughts than those who keep more regular sleeping hours. People who experience repetitive negative thinking typically feel they have little control over it. They worry too much about both the future and the past, and the thoughts tend to intrude into everyday life. These intrusive thoughts are linked to depression, anxiety

What Causes Oppositional Defiance and Challenging Behaviors?

What Causes Oppositional Defiance and Challenging Behaviors?

Third in a series originating from my original post on oppositional defiance. What are the underlying causes of persistent oppositional defiance? Examining these behaviors through the lens of neuroscience provides a better understanding of what they mean and how we can help children who display them. Consider the following two children: Shortly after starting Kindergarten, “Robbie”, 5, began fighting his mother about everything from brushing his teeth to picking up his toys. When he met his teacher for the first time, he looked at his mom, grabbed a book off

This Vitamin May Help Treat Autism

This Vitamin May Help Treat Autism

Autism research finds link between this vitamin and serotonin production. Many scientists have speculated that the problematic social behaviour of people with autism is related to low vitamin D and serotonin levels. Now a new study has found a causal link between vitamin D and three hormones which are important in social behaviour: serotonin, oxytocin and vasopressin. Genetic research has shown that vitamin D hormone activates a gene which produces an enzyme leading to higher levels of serotonin (Patrick & Ames, 2014). In the brain, serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter,

DBT – What Emotions Do for You

DBT – What Emotions Do for You

What Emotions Do for You Emotions Motivate (and Organize) Us for Action Emotions motivate our behavior. Emotions prepare us for action. The action urge of specific emotions is often “hard-wired” in biology. Emotions save time in getting us to act in important...

Blood Test Predicts Which Antidepressant Will Work

Blood Test Predicts Which Antidepressant Will Work

New blood tests could take the guessing out of antidepressant prescriptions. Up until now doctors have essentially been guessing which antidepressant medication might work for patients. But now researchers have identified a blood test that could help. Dr Madhukar Trivedi, who led the research, said: “Currently, our selection of depression medications is not any more superior than flipping a coin, and yet that is what we do. Now we have a biological explanation to guide treatment of depression.” The blood test measures the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). They tested

Magnets Can Improve Your Memory

Magnets Can Improve Your Memory

Magnets could eventually be used to compensate for memory problems caused by dementia. Scientist have used magnetic stimulation to improve people’s memory, new research reports. Transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, helped people remember things they had heard more accurately. The magnetic stimulation worked when it matched the natural theta waves of the brain. Dr Sylvain Baillet, one of the study’s authors, explained: “For a long time the role of theta waves has been unclear. We now know much more about the nature of the mechanisms involved and their causal role

Attachment and Adult Love

Attachment and Adult Love

Attachment and Adult Love Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT-C) is based on a new paradigm for understanding adult love relationships. The premise is basically this: humans have the need for secure attachment relationships across the life span not just in...

This Is The Number 1 Cause of Ill Health Worldwide

This Is The Number 1 Cause of Ill Health Worldwide

Depression is the leading cause of disability and ill health worldwide. There are over 300 million living with depression around the world. This represents an increase of 18% between 2005 and 2015, according to figures put out by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Almost 50% of people who are depressed do not get any treatment, even in high-income countries. Two important reasons are: Lack of support for people with mental health problems, and stigma. The WHO is currently running a year-long campaign called “Depression: let’s talk”. Dr Shekhar Saxena, Director