Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis Can Take Big Toll on Women's Mental Health

• Robert Preidt
• April 12, 2021
• Full Page

Ovarian cancer is a tough diagnosis to cope with, and now a new study finds these patients face a much higher risk of depression and other mental health issues.

And the emotional anguish exacted a significant toll: The researchers also found it was associated with an inc...

Women More Prone to Concussion's Long-Term Harms: Study

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• April 8, 2021
• Full Page

After a concussion, women may be at heightened risk of lasting physical and mental symptoms, a new study finds.

The study of 2,000 concussion sufferers found that women were more likely than men to still have some symptoms one year later. The problems included fuzzy memo...

1 in 3 COVID Survivors Struggle With Mental Health Issues Months Later

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• April 7, 2021
• Full Page

Doctors are seeing such cases around the world: About a third of COVID-19 patients go on to develop "long-haul" neurological or psychiatric conditions months after being infected, new research shows.

The findings suggest a link between COVID-19 and a higher risk for late...

Why Are Half of U.S. Kids With Mental Health Issues Not Getting Treatment?

• Sarah Collins HealthDay Reporter
• March 29, 2021
• Full Page

Over half of high-risk children in the United States are not receiving behavioral health services critical to their mental, emotional and physical well-being, new research warns.

"It's a pretty simple and kind of widely agreed upon finding that there are a lot of at-risk...

Gen X, Millennials in Worse Health Than Prior Generations at Same Age

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• March 25, 2021
• Full Page

Medicine may have advanced by leaps and bounds over the last century, but Generation X and millennials are in worse health than their parents and grandparents were at their age.

That's the conclusion of a new study that looked at markers of physical and mental health acr...

Waves Lapping, Birds Singing: Nature's Sounds Bring Healing, Study Finds

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 24, 2021
• Full Page

If you feel recharged after a day spent in the great outdoors, there's a physiological reason for that.

Bird song and lapping waves combat negative feelings such as annoyance and stress, while boosting positive emotions and health, according to new research using the sou...

Virtual Learning Has Taken a Toll on Kids' & Parents' Mental Health

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• March 19, 2021
• Full Page

A new government report confirms what many moms and dads already know: Parents and kids are struggling mightily to cope with the stresses of distance learning.

A survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of parents of children aged 5 to 12 f...

Lockdowns Are Putting People With Eating Disorders in Crisis

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 19, 2021
• Full Page

At Eating Recovery Center, which offers treatment and services for people who have eating disorders, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs were switched to virtual when the pandemic began.

But that didn't sit well with people who were working on their...

Pandemic Has Pregnant Women 'Really Stressed,' Survey Shows

• Robert Preidt
• March 19, 2021
• Full Page

The pandemic is turning what should be a joyful time for pregnant women into a stress-filled experience.

Why? Fears that their infants might catch COVID-19 is one of the main reasons anxiety levels are soaring, a new survey finds.

Researchers from Washington State ...

Half of COVID Survivors Struggle With Depression: Study

• Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
• March 16, 2021
• Full Page

To the lingering damage of COVID-19 infection, add this side effect: New research shows that more than half of those sickened by COVID-19 report depression.

Among more than 3,900 people who had COVID-19 surveyed between May 2020 and January 2021, 52% suffered symptoms of...

Smoking Makes a Comeback in the Pandemic

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• March 16, 2021
• Full Page

Katie Rodgers was just 15 years old when she started smoking, and in her early 20s when it became a more significant habit.

Rodgers found quitting tough, but she managed to kick the habit at age 33 during a global pandemic because she knew that smoking would increase her...

Pandemic Has Harmed Mental Health of Nearly Half of U.S. Teens: Poll

• Robert Preidt
• March 15, 2021
• Full Page

If your teenagers have been struggling to cope during the coronavirus pandemic, a new survey suggests they are far from alone.

Researchers found that 46% of 977 parents of teens said their child has shown signs of a new or worsening mental health condition since the star...

Medical Bill Worries Tied to Worse Outcomes for Cancer Patients: Study

• Robert Preidt
• March 10, 2021
• Full Page

Financial worries can hamper the success of cancer treatment and raise patients' risk of death, according to a new study that offers the first evidence of such a link.

"The association we found was very strong, and very concerning," said senior study author Dr. Anurag Si...

COVID Lockdowns Got People Smoking More

• Robert Preidt
• March 9, 2021
• Full Page

The pandemic's spring lockdowns last year triggered an unwelcome side effect: New research shows more Americans turned to tobacco and nicotine as they struggled with boredom, anxiety and the disruption of regular routines.

Between April and May 2020, the study authors co...

History of Mental Illness Tied to Earlier Onset of Alzheimer's Disease

• Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
• February 25, 2021
• Full Page

People with Alzheimer's disease often have a history of depression or anxiety, which might mean an earlier emergence of memory and thinking problems, a preliminary study suggests.

Researchers found that of 1,500 Alzheimer's patients at their center, 43% had a history of ...

Migraines? Get Moving: Exercise Can Help Curb Attacks

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• February 24, 2021
• Full Page

Anyone who gets frequent migraine symptoms knows the experience: the throbbing, the pain, the visual disturbances.

Exercise has long been a potential way to reduce migraine triggers, but a new study suggests it could be an especially effective with triggers such stress, ...

Short Course of Psychotherapy Can Help Ease Panic Disorder

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• February 22, 2021
• Full Page

New research offers up hopeful news for the millions of people struggling with panic disorder. Two relatively brief types of psychotherapy can help alleviate the often-debilitating symptoms of this anxiety disorder.

Fully 70% of people showed improvements in panic disord...

Panic Attack or Heart Attack? Here's How to Tell the Difference

• Cara Murez
• February 19, 2021
• Full Page

A heart attack and a panic attack share many similar symptoms, so it's crucial to determine which one it is, experts say.

Chest pain, racing heart, shortness of breath and sweating can occur with both, but only a heart attack can be fatal, according to a team at Penn Sta...

Mental Illness in Childhood Could Mean Worse Physical Health Decades Later

• Ernie Mundell and Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporters
• February 18, 2021
• Full Page

As if suffering from a mental illness as a child isn't tough enough, new research suggests it could predict higher odds for physical ills in later life.

There was one silver lining to the findings, however.

Knowing that childhood mental illness is a factor, "you ca...

Mental Health Trauma Plagues Wildfire Survivors

• Steven Reinberg
• February 16, 2021
• Full Page

The 2018 wildfire that destroyed 239 square miles in Northern California, including the town of Paradise, left a lasting mental health crisis in its wake.

Many residents who survived the so-called Camp Fire are now grappling with chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (P...

Tense Times Mean More Tooth-Grinding, Dentists Warn

• Robert Preidt
• February 3, 2021
• Full Page

If pandemic-related stress has you grinding your teeth, you're not alone.

Dentists say tooth-grinding and jaw-clenching are on the rise due to the many challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've been seeing an increase in the number of patients looking ...

Music Could Be a Post-Op Panacea, Study Finds

• Ernie Mundell and Cara Murez HealthDay Reporters
• January 29, 2021
• Full Page

Heart surgery can be stressful, but researchers may have found a way to reduce patients' anxiety and postoperative pain -- without any extra side effects.

A team from the Netherlands found that the simple act of listening to music around the time of surgery may help pati...

Kids Aren't Scared by Medical Workers' PPE, Study Finds

• Robert Preidt
• January 26, 2021
• Full Page

Kids aren't scared when surgical staff wear personal protective equipment (PPE), and many feel reassured by use of the gear, researchers say.

Anxiety is common before, during and after surgery, and can result in complications such as pain and delayed recovery. Concerns h...

Anxiety, Depression and Drinking: An Unhealthy Combo During the Pandemic

• Steven Reinberg
• January 25, 2021
• Full Page

People with anxiety and depression are more likely to step up their drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic than those without these mental health issues, an online survey revealed.

Alcohol use grew the most among young people, but older adults with anxiety and depression ...

Stressed Out By the News? Here's Tips to Help Cope

• Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
• January 20, 2021
• Full Page

Be kind to your heart and health and turn off the news, doctors say.

Northwestern University experts suggest checking in on current events a couple of times a day and no more. Constant updates can fuel anxiety and depression, they warn.

"As a practicing preventive ...

The Family Cat Could Be Good Medicine for Kids With Autism

• Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
• January 19, 2021
• Full Page

Cats have a long history of boosting people's moods and brightening their days. And that's probably true for kids on the autism spectrum as well, new research shows.

The small study suggests that adopting a shelter cat may help reduce separation anxiety and improve ...

Many Parents Support 'Teens Helping Teens' Mental Health Programs at Schools: Poll

• Cara Murez
• January 19, 2021
• Full Page

It may take a village to support teens' mental health, whether it's during the pandemic or later.

One option is having school-based mental health programs that offer peer support leaders.

A new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at Mic...

How Divorce Harms Kids, and How to Lessen That Harm

• Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
• January 19, 2021
• Full Page

Kids who see their parents bicker during a separation or divorce are more likely to develop a fear of abandonment, new research warns.

And even if a youngster feels close to one or both parents, that fear can still undermine his or her mental health down the road.

...

'Mindfulness' on Your Mind? It Has Limits, Review Finds

• Denise Mann
• January 14, 2021
• Full Page

Mindfulness is all the rage when it comes to boosting mental health, but new research suggests that it may not help everyone equally.

Practicing mindfulness meditation -- which involves paying close attention to what you are feeling in the moment -- may be better than do...

For Many Cancer Patients, Diagnosis Brings Psychological 'Silver Lining'

• Amy Norton
• January 11, 2021
• Full Page

Could a cancer diagnosis sometimes produce positive life changes? In a new study, many people with colon cancer, even in advanced stages, believed their diagnosis had brought some beneficial effects to their lives.

In surveys of 133 colon cancer patients, researchers fo...

Coping With Anxiety, Fear During a Rocky Presidential Transition

• Dennis Thompson
• January 8, 2021
• Full Page

The nation is in a state of shock and outrage over Wednesday's riotous siege on the U.S. Capitol Building by supporters of President Donald Trump, and there could be still worse to come before the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

So, taking care of your...

Survey Shows Mental Woes Spiked in U.S. Pandemic's First Months

• Cara Murez
• January 6, 2021
• Full Page

It may be no surprise that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing some Americans significant psychological distress. That mental trauma hit people hard, even early in the pandemic, new research shows.

A new RAND Corporation study reports that more than 10% of Americans surveye...

Kids With Congenital Heart Disease Face Higher Odds of Mental Health Issues

• Denise Mann
• January 5, 2021
• Full Page

Kids born with heart defects may be more likely to develop anxiety, depression and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), regardless of the severity of their heart condition.

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect in the United Sta...

Pandemic May Be Tougher on Women's Mental Health Than Men's

• Robert Preidt
• December 30, 2020
• Full Page

The COVID-19 pandemic may be taking a bigger toll on women's mental health than on men's, new research suggests.

For the study, researchers examined the results of an online survey of 112 men and 459 women in Canada. The survey took place between March 23 and June 7, 202...

ADHD Raises Adult Suicide Risk, Especially for Women

• Amy Norton
• December 29, 2020
• Full Page

Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a strikingly high prevalence of attempted suicide, with women being at particular risk, researchers say.

The study of nearly 22,000 Canadian adults found that 14% of those with ADHD had attempted suici...

Think You Gained Weight During Quarantine? You Might Be Wrong

• December 25, 2020
• Full Page

That "quarantine 15" weight gain may be all in your head, not on your hips.

A team from Florida State University (FSU) compared information on actual and perceived weight changes among a sample of college students from January to April 2020. Participants were far more li...

Pandemic Taking Big Mental Health Toll on Health Care Workers

• Cara Murez
• December 23, 2020
• Full Page

Frontline health care workers have been through tremendous challenges this past year while treating COVID-19 patients throughout the world.

It should come as no surprise that many are having trouble emotionally.

A new study looked at the impact of the pandemic on s...

Loneliness Continues to Rise for Americans Under Lockdown

• Denise Mann
• December 15, 2020
• Full Page

Loneliness, particularly among folks under shelter-in-place orders, is a growing issue for Americans during the coronavirus pandemic, new research finds.

More people report they are feeling lonely, depressed and even harboring thoughts of suicide as COVID-19 cases in the...

Depression in Youth Ups Odds for Adult Illnesses: Study

• Robert Preidt
• December 14, 2020
• Full Page

Having depression during childhood or in the teen years appears to increase the odds of illness and early death later on, researchers say.

The new long-term study included nearly 1.5 million Swedes. Of those, more than 37,000 were diagnosed with depression at least once ...

COVID Fuels Depression Among Pregnant Women, New Moms

• Cara Murez
• December 9, 2020
• Full Page

COVID-19 may be behind a concerning rise in the number of women suffering anxiety and depression before and soon after childbirth, a new study says.

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston surveyed more than 1,100 pregnant and postpartum women between Ma...

Rap Music Is Putting Mental Health in the Spotlight

• Alan Mozes
• December 8, 2020
• Full Page

Beat-heavy rap music could help beat mental illness: Over the past two decades, the lyrics of the most popular songs in rap have increasingly hit on issues related to anxiety, depression and mental health, a new study reveals.

"I think anyone who's been a fan of rap musi...

Young Epilepsy Patients May Benefit From Mental Health Screening

• Robert Preidt
• December 4, 2020
• Full Page

Depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts are more common in children and teens with epilepsy than previously known, and they should be screened for such problems, researchers report.

They assessed 119 children and teens, aged 9 to18, with epilepsy. None had been diagnos...

Need an IV or Stitches? Virtual Reality or Hypnosis Might Ease Pain

• Steven Reinberg
• December 1, 2020
• Full Page

Virtual reality glasses or hypnosis can relieve pain and anxiety in people having short medical procedures, a new study finds.

For those getting an IV catheter or stitches to close a wound, for example, these distraction techniques reduce the need for painkillers, say r...

Almost Half of Americans Worry About Surprise Medical Bills: Poll

• Steven Reinberg
• December 1, 2020
• Full Page

Nearly half of Americans fear unexpected medical bills and 44% say they couldn't pay a $1,000 surprise bill, a new poll shows.

Those fears aren't unfounded. Among those with private health insurance, 68% have received unexpected medical bills and 33% couldn't pay them on...

Anxiety Might Speed Alzheimer's: Study

• Amy Norton
• November 24, 2020
• Full Page

Older adults with memory problems may progress to Alzheimer's more quickly if they are also suffering from anxiety symptoms, a preliminary study suggests.

It's common for people with Alzheimer's disease to have mood symptoms, including anxiety and depression. And some re...

Many Young Americans Lonely, Depressed During Pandemic: Survey

• Robert Preidt
• November 20, 2020
• Full Page

Loneliness, anxiety, depression and substance use have increased sharply among young American adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, a survey shows.

Over 1,000 people aged 18 to 35 took part in the online anonymous questionnaire between April 22 and May 11, 2020. Nearly ha...

Is the Pandemic Harming Kids' Mental Health?

• Alan Mozes
• November 13, 2020
• Full Page

FRIDAY, Nov. 13, 2020 (HealthDay) -- Since last April, hospital emergency rooms across the United States have seen a sustained surge in visits related to the mental health of school-aged kids, a new report reveals.

The findings suggest the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a t...

Birth Control Pill Won't Raise Depression Risk

• Cara Murez
• November 12, 2020
• Full Page

Women who struggle with mental health problems will sometimes forgo the most effective forms of birth control because of concerns about worsening those issues, but a new study delivers a reassuring finding: The pill and other forms of hormonal birth control do not raise depres...

B 11/11 Who Are The Loneliest Americans, And Why?

• Robin Foster and Carole Tanzer Miller
• November 11, 2020
• Full Page

Young adults are the loneliest Americans, according to a new study that examined the causes of loneliness throughout adulthood.

Researchers analyzed responses from more than 2,800 people nationwide (ages 20-69) who participated in an online survey.

They found that ...

'Green Prescriptions' May Backfire for Some

• Steven Reinberg
• November 9, 2020
• Full Page

So-called "green prescriptions" may end up being counterproductive for people with mental health conditions, researchers say.

Spending time in nature is believed to benefit mental health, so some doctors are beginning to "prescribe" outdoor time for their patients.