mental illness

Stress ‘Changes Brains Of Boys And Girls Differently’

Thinkstock Images Very stressful events affect the brains of girls and boys in different ways, a Stanford University study suggests. A part of the brain linked to emotions and empathy, called the insula, was found to be particularly small in girls who had suffered trauma. But in traumatised boys, the insula was larger [...]

After A Suicide Attempt, The Risk Of Another Try

Pixabay Images A common yet highly inaccurate belief is that people who survive a suicide attempt are unlikely to try again. In fact, just the opposite is true. Within the first three months to a year following a suicide attempt, people are at highest risk of a second attempt — and this time [...]

Abused Children More Likely To Be Seriously Ill As Adults

Flickr Images Children who suffer abuse, violence or other trauma at home are more likely to become seriously ill as adults, a report has concluded. The report, the first nationwide study of its kind produced by a public health body in the UK, argues that the reasons are not simply cyclical – that [...]

Interactive: A Picture Of Mental Health

Flickr Images Following a damning National Mental Health Commission report in 2014, public consultation started Monday on a new plan to coordinate efforts tackling mental illness across state and federal bodies. It’s the first step in fixing a system the report described as having "fundamental structural shortcomings”. The situation is urgent, as the [...]

The Sun Matters More For Mental Health Than We Think

iStock Images More and more, researchers are understanding the affect of the sun on our physical, emotional and mental health. It's the best and most natural form of vitamin D and, if we get too little of it, we are at risk of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But, a new study reveals that [...]

Why Building Young Boys’ Mental Resilience Is So Important As A Parent (And How To Do It)

Getty Images For hundreds of years, young boys have been brought up with the belief that to be a “real” man, you have to be tough. The notion of having physical resilience as a way to get by in life seems to have overshadowed the equally important need for mental resilience. Artist Grayson [...]

Clean Eating Trend Can Be Dangerous For Young People, Experts Warn

Flickr Images Mental health experts are warning of the risks of the increasingly popular “clean eating” dietary trend, which is leaving a growing number of teenagers very thin and even at risk of dying when taken to extremes. One nutritionist said she had been contacted by a girl as young as 12 and [...]

Scientists Confirm Genetics Of Schizophrenia

Shutterstock Images Creating an effective treatment for schizophrenia requires a better understanding of its biology, of the genes that cause it. Using technology to illuminate chromosomes, scientists confirmed the underlying genetics of this mental disorder. The identified genetic disruptions occur at a crucial time in brain development. The science team hopes its research, [...]

Can Mental Illness Be Prevented In The Womb?

Flickr Images Every day in the United States, millions of expectant mothers take a prenatal vitamin on the advice of their doctor. The counsel typically comes with physical health in mind: folic acid to help avoid fetal spinal cord problems; iodine to spur healthy brain development; calcium to be bound like molecular Legos [...]

Positive Psychology Is Rooted In The Radical Idea That You Are Not A Problem To Fix

Pixabay Images All we can ever hope to do, Sigmund Freud once wrote, is “to change neurotic misery into common unhappiness.” This pessimistic statement from arguably the most influential psychological theorist of modern times captured the mood that prevailed in psychology through most of the 20th century. That is, most psychologists, psychiatrists, and [...]

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