Anxiety

Spit Your Stress Away

Forget biting your nails: if you’re feeling some anxiety, try spitting. We thought the eyes were the window to our soul, but maybe it’s really our tongue. A recent review of eight studies examined scientists’ use of saliva to read stress levels. Saliva contains cortisol, a hormone that kicks in when the body is under strain to increase both blood sugar and pressure, while simultaneously saving energy by slowing the digestive, reproductive, and immune systems. Researchers hope to use these cortisol samples to more accurately determine stress levels. One of …

Class Act: You Are What You Buy

by Judee Shipman on August 24, 2010

You buy based on the brand, whether you want to admit it to yourself or not. Brand identity, is part of your identity. A research study illustrates that the brands and styles we choose reveal more about us than most people realize. If you are are willing to drop $1200 on a purse there’s a reason. You know that most people may assume that it is a simple purse, but those “in the know” will recognize that your bag with its signature stitching costs a very pretty penny. Consumers often make …

Why The Truth May Be Hard To Hear

by Ashley Goldsmith on August 20, 2010

Could your ears be prejudice? A recent study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that there may be a more specific reason why you don’t believe everything you hear, your ears may only trust people that sound like you. Researchers at the University of Chicago found that statements made by someone with a foreign accent were perceived as less truthful than those made by a fellow native speaker. To prove the theory the researches set up two experiments. The first experiment tested their overall theory of whether trivia statements …

Could A Brain Scan Help Determine Your Career Path?

by Tim Banas on August 11, 2010

What if a brain scan could determine whether you should be a doctor or an actor? We might stop asking kids “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Instead, we’d know from a brain scan which career path is the best choice for our children. Recent research suggests that brain imaging may be able to pinpoint our intellectual strengths and steer us toward our future careers. In the study, scientists had 40 individuals seeking career guidance undergo brain scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and voxel-based morphometry …

Anxiety Might Be A Health Hazard

by Kevin Mathews on August 9, 2010

Though anxiety disorders are known to take a toll on our mental health, some of them may have an impact on our physical health as well. A recent study followed up with patients who received treatment for at least one anxiety disorder to determine their “health-related quality of life.” While some disorders had a negligible impact on an individual’s health, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and an anxiety disorder with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) showed a significant effect on one’s quality of health. Three researchers from Brown University used data obtained …

Youth Struggle With Anxiety And Depression

by Lisa Watson on July 26, 2010

Do you know a child or teen who is coping with anxiety and depression? A recent study published in Child Psychiatry and Human Development explored specific characteristics of youth having both disorders. Not surprisingly, kids with both anxiety and depression are more likely to have dysfunctional families, according to research. As part of the research, 200 children and adolescents aged 7-17 and their parents participated in the study, through Temple University’s anxiety disorder clinic. All of the young people were seeking treatment for generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder, or social …

Sleep Deprivation Linked To Depression

by Kevin Mathews on July 20, 2010

In addition to numerous physical consequences, just one night without sleep can affect your mental health. According to recent research from the University of Arkansas, just one sleepless night is shown to increase a person’s anxiety and depression. Although previous research has confirmed that stable sleep habits are important in battling depression, this study demonstrates that mentally healthy adults are susceptible to the effects, as well. Researchers selected 102 healthy Arkansan adults as their test subjects, most of whom were affluent white people in their early twenties. Of the original …

The Struggle To Be The Ideal You

by Paul Chavez on July 16, 2010

Business Employee Climbs Up Evaluation Improvement Form

A new study examining the Self-Discrepancy Theory, which predicts emotional outcomes based on the differences between self-concept and the actual self, may provide another reason why some people suffer from depression. Self-Discrepancy Theory was developed in 1987 by Edward Tory Higgins, a psychology professor at Columbia University. The theory states that people have the following three concepts of themselves: Ideal self: This is the person who you would like to become, including reaching your highest goals. Ought self: This is the person who you should be, or ought to become, …

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

by Kevin Mathews on July 15, 2010

“Don’t Worry, Be Happy” may be some sage advice. While plenty of research has connected worry to anxiety, its relation to depression has only recently been explored. A team of Korean psychologists found that people who worry are prone to show signs of depression, particularly when they ruminate extensively. A more clinical way to describe worry is Intolerance of Uncertainty (IU). People who suffer from IU “regard ambiguity as stressful, frustrating, and anxiety provoking, and believe that uncertain situations should be avoided.” Additionally, they overreact to the possibility of something …