Mindfully Healing

Some types of mind wandering may be highly beneficial to our brains, and our futures. Intentional daydreaming is linked to a thicker cortex (a good thing) in certain key areas of the brain, new research finds. Directing the mind to wander is a cognitive skill that can be beneficial in some contexts. For example, it can allow us to mentally rehearse upcoming events, or solve problems we might encounter. In other words, it allows the brain to work out possible futures for us. So, mind wandering is not always a

Plus: four ways the effect of this emotion on behaviour change can be increased. Fear really can change people’s behaviour, a new review of the research finds. It was thought that using fear might produce a backlash effect — but this is not the case. Women are particularly susceptible to behaviour change by fear. Appeals which evoke fear are frequently used in all sorts of messages aimed at the public. For example, fear is used to try and stop people smoking or to support certain political policies. It is perhaps

The common signs of anxiety disorders are both psychological and physical. Anxiety comes in many forms, but all the different types often have certain core features. Like many mental health problems, almost everyone experiences anxiety from time-to-time. Whether it is a problem all depends on the amount and nature of the anxiety. Everyday anxiety in response to stressful events is normal, but severe anxiety in response to relatively minor events can be seriously disabling. Bear that in mind when reading the signs of anxiety. For example, a lot of people

Better emotional control is linked to lower levels of depression and anxiety. The key to healthy emotional control is to be flexible, new research finds. People with lower levels of depression and anxiety tend to vary their emotional control strategy successfully depending on whether the situation can be explained. Dr Peter Koval, one of the study’s authors, said: “Our results caution against a ‘one strategy fits all’ approach, which may be tempting to recommend based on many previous findings regarding reappraisal as a strategy for regulating emotion. Simply using any

Thinking like a five-year-old can help you learn more in a new environment. Young children have one cognitive talent that most adults have forgotten. That is the ability to pay attention to everything. As adults we learn to focus our attention and block out distractions. But, sometimes being distracted means noticing and learning more. Professor Vladimir Sloutsky, study co-author, explained: “We often think of children as deficient in many skills when compared to adults. But sometimes what seems like a deficiency can actually be an advantage. That’s what we found

The Swedish research included 215 patients with anxiety, depression and stress-related problems. Learning mindfulness in a group can be just as effective as individual cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), new research finds. Professor Jan Sundquist, who led the research, said: “Our new research shows that mindfulness group therapy has the equivalent effect as individual CBT for a wide range of psychiatric symptoms that are common among this patient group, We have shown in a previous study that mindfulness group therapy is just as effective as individual CBT for the treatment of typical

Drugs prescribed for anxiety, OCD, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions linked to dementia. Benzodiazepines carry an increased risk of dementia and even death. Benzodiazepines include drugs marketed under the names Valium, Ativan, Klonopin and Xanax. These drugs are often prescribed for anxiety and other mental health issues such as OCD, insomnia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Research has now repeatedly linked these drugs to dementia and Alzheimer’s. Dr Helene Alphonso, a psychiatrist and Director of Osteopathic Medical Education at Texas University, said: “Current research is extremely clear and physicians

Both physical and mental health was better among people with these 5 life skills. Emotional stability, optimism, control, conscientiousness and determination are all vital to people’s success in life. Both young and old alike benefit from these life skills. They are linked to lower depression, greater financial stability, better health and lower social isolation. Professor Andrew Steptoe, who co-led the research, said: “No single attribute was more important than others. Rather, the effects depended on the accumulation of life skills.” The conclusions come from a study of more than 8,000