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Scientists have uncovered a mysterious network of brain connections that is linked to ... schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, addiction, OCD and anxiety — that share this underlying circuitry... Some "nodes" in the circuit have been linked to psychiatric disorders in the past, while others...are instead linked to key aspects of cognitive function, like selective attention and sensory processing... The team pinpointed brain regions where gray matter had atrophied, or shrunk, in the context of psychiatric disorders. [T]he disorders still had something in common: the tangled network of wires that runs between all these pockets of atrophy in the brain. The...

Cannabis users soon may be a majority among young adults in the District of Columbia and several pot-friendly states, a trend that points to a potential future of destigmatized marijuana across much of the nation. More than two-fifths of young men and women nationwide now use cannabis at least on occasion, according to federal data, a quotient that has risen steadily in a decade of relentless legalization. Much of the trend is driven by young women, who have all but closed a decades-long gender gap in marijuana use.

When John Purnell’s 10-year-old son was diagnosed as autistic, he knew exactly how to respond. “I’ve always been fascinated by research, by detail, by finding out everything there is to find out about something,” he says. “So I did a really deep dive.” As he pored over academic papers and delved into medical science – including how many autistic people have a propensity and appetite for copious research – an unexpected realisation crept into his mind. “I was reading about the traits of an autistic person, the difficulties they often have in social situations, the need for order and planning:...

“Do Not Be Anxious about Your Life” (Luke 12:22-34) In the Holy Gospel for today, Jesus says, “Do not be anxious about your life.” Really, Jesus? Are you kidding me? “Do not be anxious”?? How can you say that? I mean, look at my life. There’s so much to be anxious about! Take my personal finances, for instance. Since January 1, year-to-date, in just seven months my individual retirement accounts are down almost $9,000. And this, for an individual approaching retirement! In these past seven months, I’ve had to buy a new phone and a new used car. During this...

A recent study published by Oregon State University discovered that COVID-19 infected individuals have a higher chance of developing psychiatric disorders within about four months of contracting the virus. For the study, published in World Psychiatry on May 7, researchers used data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C). They matched 46,610 patients infected with COVID-19, which can trigger a respiratory tract infection (RTI), with control patients diagnosed with a different RTI. This allowed researchers to specifically look into how COVID-19 affected the mental health of infected individuals. No patients with any history of mental illness prior to 21 days...

Aromatherapy reduces post-surgical opioid use by half in hip replacement patients anxious before their operation, according to a new study. Previous research has shown that anxiety, depression and catastrophising (patients who believe they are going to die during surgery) increase post-operative pain and opioid use by up to 50%. Aromatherapy, the use of essential oils to enhance well-being, has been used for thousands of years and a number of recent studies have found that lavender and peppermint aromatherapy, in particular, can reduce anxiety. This study is one of the first to employ a randomized, placebo-controlled design to look at whether...

On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” host Bill Maher stated that younger people “have been indoctrinated” to be needlessly anxious about the coronavirus, which has contributed to depression among that demographic. Maher said, “I saw the videos of people erupting in cheers that we don’t have to wear a mask on the plane anymore. Now, there’s also, you hear from the people will die crowd. And they’re right, people will die. People will always die. I’m against people dying, but they’re always going to die. And you actually can’t stop it and masks, really, we’re finding out, are a...

Benzodiazepines are effective and widely used drugs for treating states of anxiety and sleep disorders. While short-term treatments are considered safe, their long-term intake can lead to physical dependence and, particularly in the case of older people, to cognitive impairments. The mechanisms by which benzodiazepines trigger these changes had previously been unknown. Researchers have now been able to demonstrate in an animal model that the active ingredient leads to the loss of neural connections in the brain. A key role is played by immune cells of the brain known as microglia. Benzodiazepines bind to a specific protein, the translocator protein...

As provinces begin lifting COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, psychology experts expect stress and anxiety to run high among those who remain wary of letting their guards down.It will take time for many to adjust, they say, but the quick approach some provinces are taking could make the transition more jarring."I have every intention of still sending them to school with masks," she said. "With Omicron not gone yet... it's terrifying."Raissa Zukowski, a 33-year-old Calgary resident who was born with spina bifida, feels the same way.Zukowski said she's anxious about Alberta's swift reopening approach, and often feels people don't understand her trepidations.

President Joe Biden continues to get poor ratings from the American people on his presidency, prompting the president to blame misinformation and coronavirus anxiety. A CNBC poll released Friday showed Biden with only a 41 percent approval rating with Americans giving him only a 46 percent approval rating on handling the coronavirus, and only 37 percent approving of his handling of the economy.

The U.S. Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey, which focuses on households' socio-economic status, found Seattle is the most anxious metro in the U.S. In the survey, conducted between Sept. 29 and Oct. 11, 54.5% of the adult population across King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, or about 1.8 million people, said they were "nervous, anxious, or on edge" for at least several days last month. Other cities that made it in the top three were Houston and Boston. Source: The Seattle TimesHere's the question people were asked:Unlike other census data, the Household Pulse Survey is high-frequency data that captures how people...

New UC Riverside research shows soybean oil not only leads to obesity and diabetes, but could also affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, and depression. Specifically, the scientists found pronounced effects of the oil on the hypothalamus, where a number of critical processes take place. “The hypothalamus regulates body weight via your metabolism, maintains body temperature, is critical for reproduction and physical growth as well as your response to stress,” “The dogma is that saturated fat is bad and unsaturated fat is good. Soybean oil is a polyunsaturated fat, but the idea that it’s good for you is...

Students across the U.S. are starting another school year under a cloud of uncertainty as the delta strain of the coronavirus rips through the country, threatening to disrupt plans for a second consecutive academic year. The pandemic’s unpredictability has sparked high anxiety among children and teachers alike as they attempt to return to in-person school for the first time since March 2020, with lingering fears that COVID-19 could jeopardize educational routines again. The back-to-school season has left children and families with mixed feelings. Many are excited to return to in-person class after months of virtual learning, while some adults are...

Cathie Armstrong has not taken any chances during the pandemic. After losing her mother to the coronavirus in April 2020, Armstrong, 50, avoided going into stores and restaurants, terrified she could get or transmit Covid-19. She did not see anyone outside of her household, including her 25-year-old daughter, for more than a year. When Armstrong got vaccinated in the spring, she felt elated to have protection from the virus, and slowly, her fears about it started to ease. In the past month, Armstrong, an author and literary agent in Rochester, Minnesota, worked up the courage to eat inside a restaurant...

INDIANAPOLIS — During the pandemic, many families bought pets to add some companionship and joy to their stay-at-home life.Months later, some of those "pandemic puppies" aren't as friendly and happy as they once were.In short, a dog’s life isn't what it used to be. "Bing" is about to find out. His owners and playmates Caleb and Drew are going back to work and back to school."Since we've had him, he's never been home alone, so it's going to be a big adjustment," Caleb Larson said."He's anxious," Drew Harris explained. "He's taken the finishing off our doors before and we are...

...Distinguishing between the rational fear of the virus and irrational anxiety can prove difficult, and could cause feelings of agoraphobia. Some amount of anxiety is good because it “keep us safe and it keeps us smart,” Waehler said. “We look both ways when we cross the street because we’re afraid we’re going to get hit by a car. That’s a good thing,” he said..... And with the pandemic, it’s good for people to have some fear of the virus if it means they wear a mask, wash their hands and practice social distancing. “But there is a certain number of...

This is a very difficult article for me to write, but I definitely need to write it. All over the country, people are considering suicide because of all the bad things that have happened this year, and things are only going to get even more challenging in 2021 and beyond. This greatly grieves me, because suicide is never the answer to anything, and I wish that I could sit down individually with every person that is considering suicide and get them to understand this. Our lives are meant to be lived with purpose, passion and great joy, and that doesn’t...

As big government makes one-size-fits-all decisions for California families, leaving kids without essential resources and their constitutionally guaranteed right to education, parents are asking, 'What does that future look like?' California students have officially kicked off their school year, but they’ve hardly gone “back to school.” Thanks to Gov. Gavin Newsom, 34 counties are on the so-called state monitoring list as of this writing, meaning children in those counties are barred from attending in-person classes.In coordination with the Dhillon Law Group, a band of California parents filed a lawsuit with a U.S. District Court challenging the Democrat governor’s mandate and...

As you send your kids off to college, you might be apprehensive about them getting killed. But if you follow the data instead of the media, you will understand that they are exponentially more likely to die from a car accident or from getting convinced to drink or shoot up drugs than from COVID-19. ... What is shocking and laughable, yet tragic at the same time, is the lack of recognition that not wearing masks (even assuming they work) is the least of the “high-risk” behavior on campuses. ... Drugs, alcohol, and deadly car crashes, unfortunately, are not limited by...

...Based on a broad array of scientific data, Just Facts has computed that the anxiety created by reactions to COVID-19 — such as stay-at-home orders, business shutdowns, media exaggerations, and legitimate concerns about the virus — will destroy at least seven times more years of human life than can possibly be saved by lockdowns to control the spread of the disease. This figure is a bare minimum, and the actual one is likely more than 90 times greater. This study was reviewed by Joseph P. Damore, Jr., M.D., who concluded: “This research is engaging and thoroughly answers the question about...