Publications - Anxiety Disorders
Omega-3 Supplements May Ease Anxiety, by Nicholas Bakalar, New York Times, Oct 11 2018.
“Omega-3 supplements may help reduce anxiety symptoms, a review of studies has concluded. The analysis, in JAMA Network Open, concluded that people with clinically diagnosed anxiety disorders who took large doses of the supplement — up to 2,000 milligrams a day — benefited most...omega-3 is not a first-line treatment for anxiety, or a substitute for other evidence-based therapies. 'But for patients who are not responsive to psychotherapies, omega-3 might be a promising alternative.' ”
Study: Lingering illnesses can trouble women for years after assault, workplace harassment, by Laura Geggel, Washington Post, Oct 6 2018.
“Women can experience lingering health problems years after workplace sexual harassment or sexual assault, a new study finds. These health problems can include high blood pressure, poor-quality sleep, anxiety and symptoms of depression, the researchers found after doing medical exams of about 300 women. 'There is a clear correlation between the experience of sexual harassment or sexual assault for a woman and adverse effects on her life, be they physical or mental health consequences,' said Maureen Sayres Van Niel, a women’s psychiatrist practicing in Cambridge, Mass., and president of the American Psychiatric Association Women’s Caucus. She was not involved with the study. ”
Video-conferencing brings therapists to patients with anxiety, by Cheryl Platzman Weinstock, Reuters, Sep 25 2018.
“Talk therapy for anxiety disorders can be effective even when done via video-conference, a new study confirms. This finding could be especially helpful for patients in underserved and rural areas, researchers write in Family Practice...Fourteen of the studies reported statistically significant improvements in anxiety and 11 reported clinically significant improvements, meaning the improvements made a difference in patients’ daily lives. Four of the six gold-standard trials found statistically significant improvements with video therapy, and five of the six found clinically significant improvements. ”
Psychedelic Drugs Show Promise for Treating Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Aug 10 2018.
“New findings add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that psychedelic drugs may be effective at treating a variety of psychological disorders, including depression, social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and could one day be prescribed to patients...'Combined with psychotherapy, some psychedelic drugs like MDMA, psilocybin and ayahuasca may improve symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,' said Cristina L. Magalhaes, PhD, of Alliant International University Los Angeles, and co-chair of a symposium on psychedelics and psychotherapy. ”
Mind-Body Therapies May Reduce Anxiety in Teens, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Jul 27 2018.
“Anxiety affects approximately one in three American teens, with more than eight percent experiencing severe impairment in daily functioning. But according to a new review published in The Nurse Practitioner, mind-body therapies, such as mindfulness, yoga and hypnosis, can play a vital role in reducing the very common problem of adolescent anxiety...The researchers also emphasize the role of pediatric nurse practitioners (NPs) in integrating screening and treatment for adolescents with anxiety. NPs can screen young patients for anxiety at every health visit and help create a personalized plan to treat it. ”
One in 3 Americans Takes Meds That May Cause Depression, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Jun 14 2018.
“More than one in three Americans may be taking prescription medications that can lead to depression or increase the risk of suicide, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). And since many of these medications are common and not associated with depression — such as hormonal birth control medications, blood pressure and heart medications, proton pump inhibitors, antacids and painkillers — patients and clinicians may be unaware of the risks...'Many may be surprised to learn that their medications, despite having nothing to do with mood or anxiety or any other condition normally associated with depression, can increase their risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, and may lead to a depression diagnosis.' ”
Why kids and teens may face far more anxiety these days, by Amy Ellis Nutt, Washington Post, May 10 2018.
“Anxiety, not depression, is the leading mental health issue among American youths, and clinicians and research both suggest it is rising. The latest study was published in April in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Based on data collected from the National Survey of Children’s Health for ages 6 to 17, researchers found a 20 percent increase in diagnoses of anxiety between 2007 and 2012. (The rate of depression over that same time period ticked up 0.2 percent.) ”
Anxiety in middle age linked to dementia later, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Apr 30 2018.
“People with moderate to severe anxiety in middle age may be more likely to develop dementia as they get older, a recent study suggests. Researchers examined data from four previously published studies that tracked a total of almost 30,000 people for at least a decade. In each of the smaller studies, there was a clear connection between anxiety in midlife and dementia later on, researchers report in BMJ Open. ”
Irritability in childhood linked to teen suicide risk, by Cheryl Platzman Weinstock , Reuters, Apr 11 2018.
“Most children experience mood swings from time to time, but kids with chronic irritability and serious depression or anxiety are at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts in adolescence, suggests a large Canadian study. Based on records for 1,430 children followed for up to 17 years, researchers found that those who were particularly irritable and depressed or anxious between ages 6 and 12 were twice as likely as peers to think about suicide or make a suicide attempt between ages 13 and 17. ”
Addressing Depression Symptoms May Improve Memory & Cognition, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Mar 28 2018.
“New research suggests that evaluation and treatment of symptoms of depressionmay improve or maintain cognitive functioning in some older patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) researchers said that individuals with worse depression and mood symptoms are more likely to develop MCI and to progress from MCI to dementia...'The implication is that successfully identifying and providing effective treatment for these neuropsychiatric symptoms, including depression, may potentially improve or maintain cognitive functioning in many older adults,' explained corresponding author Robert Stern, Ph.D. ”
Childhood bullying linked to suicide risk for teens, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jan 16 2018.
“Adolescents who experienced severe bullying by their peers earlier in childhood may be more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts than teens who weren’t routinely victimized by other kids, a Canadian study suggests...Compared to teens who experienced little or no bullying as kids, adolescents who suffered chronic tormenting by their peers were more than twice as likely to be depressed and more than three times more likely to be anxious or seriously consider suicide, the study found...Adolescents who were chronically bullied as kids were also much more likely to experience social anxiety, eating problems, conduct issues and behavior challenges, the study found. ”
Boosting Brain Activity May Buffer Against Anxiety, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Nov 20 2017.
“A new study at Duke University finds that boosting brain activity in regions related to thinking and problem-solving may help buffer against anxiety. The researchers found that people at greater risk for anxiety were less likely to develop the disorder if they had higher activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a brain region responsible for complex mental operations...The new findings, published recently in the journal Cerebral Cortex, may be a step toward tailoring mental health therapies to the specific brain functioning of individual patients. ”
For Children With Severe Anxiety, Drugs Plus Therapy Help Best, by Angus Chen, NPR, Oct 2 2017.
“Teens and children struggling with anxiety are often prescribed medication or therapy to treat their symptoms. For many, either drugs or therapy is enough, but some young people can't find respite from anxious thoughts. For them, a study suggests that using both treatments at once can help...Roughly 60 percent of the participants with severe anxiety that got both treatments were free of an anxiety disorder at 12 weeks when the treatment ended. About 25 to 30 percent of the participants with severe anxiety who only got one of the options had the same outcome. The study confirms what many clinicians have long felt is the best way to treat children with severe anxiety, says Strawn. 'For the most severe cases of anxiety, most prefer the combination treatment already, I think [based on] clinical intuition. It's just that we didn't have explicit data supporting that until this study,' he says. ”
School Suspensions Tied to Poor Mental Health, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Sep 1 2017.
“Children who are suspended from school are more likely to develop a range of mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety as well as behavioral disturbances, according to a new study published in the journal Psychological Medicine...The findings show that consistently poor behavior in the classroom is the primary reason for school exclusion, with many students, particularly those in middle and high school, facing repeated dismissal from school. Relatively few pupils are completely expelled from school, but the researchers warn that even temporary exclusions can exacerbate psychological distress. ”
Brain Inflammation Linked to OCD, by Rick Nauert, PhD, Psych Central, Jun 22 2017.
“A new Canadian brain imaging study finds that brain inflammation is more than 30 percent higher in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder OCD than in people without the condition...'Our research showed a strong relationship between brain inflammation and OCD, particularly in the parts of the brain known to function differently in OCD,' said Dr. Jeffrey Meyer, senior author of the study and Head of the Neuroimaging Program in Mood & Anxiety in CAMH’s Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute. 'This finding represents one of the biggest breakthroughs in understanding the biology of OCD, and may lead to the development of new treatments.' ”
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