Mindfully Healing

Study of over 1,000 people’s brains tested whether alcohol or cannabis does the most damage. Long-term alcohol use is more damaging to the brain than long-term cannabis use, new research finds. The assumption among many scientists has been that cannabis use may be just as damaging to long-term health as alcohol. But this new study of over 1,000 people’s brains suggests otherwise. Alcohol use is linked to decreased gray matter size and lower white matter integrity, the researchers found. Cannabis, though, had no link to reductions in these critical measures

The behaviour is particularly attractive to women, although men also rate it highly. Being altruistic — helping others without thought of reward — is particularly attractive to women, research finds. But both men and women find those who are altruistic more attractive. The results come from three studies including over 1,000 people. People were asked about the behaviours they looked for in a mate. Some of the suggested behaviours included donating blood and volunteering in a local hospital. Women were more keen on these altruistic traits in a potential partner.

Watch the eyes for this sign that a partner is 50% more likely to cheat on you. Partners who spend a fraction of a second longer looking at other people they find attractive are 50% more likely to cheat, psychological research finds. The marriages of those who can’t keep their eyes in their heads are also more likely to fail. Other signs of infidelity were hidden in couple’s appearance and dating history. Less attractive women were more likely to be unfaithful, it emerged. Among men, those that reported more short-term

Missing out these simple parenting behaviours increases suicide risk in adolescents. Children who are not shown by their parents that they care are significantly more likely to contemplate suicide, research shows. The study’s authors identified three behaviours which, when lacking, were linked to suicidal thoughts in adolescence: Telling the child they are proud of them. Telling the child they have done a good job. Helping them with their homework. Adolescents who were rarely or never told by their parents they were proud of them were five times more likely to

The type of compliment that women prefer. Using metaphorical compliments makes men more attractive to women than using literal ones, new research finds. Women in the Chinese study found men more attractive if they used phrases like “Your eyes are morning dew”. On the other hand, saying things like “Your lips are so sexy”, was not the way to go. It is very clear which type of compliment is most romantic, but the use of metaphor has another subtle purpose. Metaphors require more intelligence and creativity to generate so they

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