Anxiety

Taking placebos fully aware that they contain no active ingredients can still significantly reduce stress, anxiety and depression according to a new study. It’s suggested that these 'non-deceptive placebos' might be an effective way of improving mental health.

Living with ADHD is a complex experience, but one that's made more manageable with the right medication. What's of particular interest to researchers is how these drugs are positively impacting other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Researchers have identified the neurons responsible for controlling how growth hormone affects anxiety and the creation of fear memories, a hallmark of post-traumatic stress disorder. The discovery could lead to a new class of anti-anxiety drugs.

An effective single-dose, long-term treatment for anxiety could be within reach, with the phase 2b clinical trial of MM-120 reported to have passed the stage with flying colors.

Researchers have identified how Lactobacillus, a member of our guts’ microbiome community, affects a critical immune system protein, influencing stress levels and mental health. The findings could lead to new treatments for depression and anxiety.

A clinical trial of a non-benzodiazepine drug, a version of a naturally occurring neurosteroid, has shown that it’s as effective as Xanax at reducing anxiety. Critical to the trial’s success was technology that converted the neurosteroid into oral form.

Scientists have found the molecular mechanism that causes a losing zebrafish to wave the white flag. While fighting fish in general may not spark a lot of interest, their shared neurobiology with humans means this could be a very significant discovery.

A new study has challenged the commonly held belief that consciously suppressing negative thoughts is bad for our mental health, finding that people who did so had lower levels of post-traumatic stress and anxiety and less vivid intrusive thoughts.

Scientists have discovered that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is largely inherited, directly increases the risk of sufferers also developing major depression, post-traumatic stress, anorexia nervosa and attempting suicide.

Breathing exercises – in which a person takes slow, deep breaths – have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. Focusing on breathing in this manner can be difficult, however, which is where the PAWS "breathing ball" is designed to come in.

It's normal to feel anxious about going under the knife, but stress before surgery can range from mild anxiety to overwhelming fear. Now, researchers believe a tech more often seen in video games – augmented reality – can help relieve that anxiety.

One in two people will be diagnosed with at least one mental health disorder by the age of 75 a new global study has found. The researchers say their findings highlight the importance of timely interventions tailored to at-risk people.