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Clinicians find evolutionary explanations for anxiety more helpful than genetics

Mental health clinicians are over five times more likely to see evolutionary explanations of anxiety as helpful for their patients, rather than the genetic approaches currently taught to trainee doctors and psychiatrists in the UK and US, a new study shows.

8 May 2026

Sprint-based exercise reduces panic attacks and improves mental health

High-intensity exercise shows promise in retraining fear responses in panic disorder, providing a sustainable and engaging alternative to traditional therapies.

11 Feb 2026

Intense exercise proves more effective for panic disorder treatment

Panic attacks are sudden bouts of intense fear without an obvious cause. An estimated 10% of people experience at least one panic attack in their lifetime.

9 Feb 2026

Highly sensitive individuals more prone to mental health challenges

The meta-analysis of 33 studies, the first of its kind, looked at the relationship between sensitivity and common mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.

18 Aug 2025

Study reveals stigma causes more distress than disease itself

The stigma of having alopecia causes more depression and anxiety than the disease itself, new research has found.

16 Jul 2025

Unique protein complex found to influence brain function and anxiety

Scientists at Université de Montréal and its affiliated Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) have uncovered unique roles for a protein complex in the structural organization and function of brain cell connectivity, as well as in specific cognitive behaviors.

12 Oct 2024

Running therapy matches antidepressants for mental health, surpasses for physical benefits

Researchers found that while both antidepressants and group running therapy effectively improved mental health in patients with anxiety and depression, running therapy had significantly better outcomes for physical health indicators.

26 May 2024

Virtual reality psychological therapy shown to work well for patients with mental health problems

In a landmark development, psychological therapy has been automated in virtual reality. With the user guided by a virtual coach, there is no need for a real-life therapist, meaning the treatment can reach many more patients.

6 Apr 2022

How those with obsessive-compulsive disorder cope with added angst of COVID

Before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the United States, Chris Trondsen felt his life was finally under control. As someone who has battled obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental health issues since early childhood, it's been a long journey.

22 Jun 2020

Sleep problems as an infant may cause behavioural problems later on

Researchers from the University of Birmingham have found that infants that have sleep problems may have emotional and behavioral issues as they grow into toddlers. Their study titled, “Parent-reported early sleep problems and internalizing, externalizing, and dysregulation symptoms in toddlers”, was published in the latest issue of the BMJ Paediatrics Open.

10 Mar 2020

Link between hip joint hypermobility and behavioral alterations also found in non-human species

The relation between collagen laxity and anxiety in humans is widely known, but this relation has never been observed before in other species.

20 Jun 2019

Research reveals important brain mechanisms for action of psychotherapy in panic disorder

A new investigation published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics disclosed important brain mechanisms for the action of psychotherapy in panic disorder.

1 May 2019

Social anxiety disorder may have a direct effect on alcoholism

New research published in Depression and Anxiety indicates that, unlike other anxiety disorders, social anxiety disorder may have a direct effect on alcoholism.

6 Mar 2019

Study shows neural effects of cognitive behavioral therapy in patients suffering from agoraphobia

Patients suffering from panic disorder and agoraphobia are significantly impaired in daily life due to anxiety about getting into a situation due to apprehension about experiencing a panic attack, especially if escape may be difficult.

27 Feb 2019

Study: 12% of frequent marijuana smokers experience cannabis withdrawal syndrome

As the number of Americans who regularly use cannabis has climbed, so too has the number of those experiencing cannabis withdrawal symptoms.

23 Oct 2018

Genetic make-up impacts long-term effectiveness of phobia treatment

Researchers have discovered that variations in the efficacy of psychological treatment for phobias are associated with the serotonin transporter gene.

19 Apr 2018

Personalized approach to pharmacotherapy may provide advances in treatment of panic disorders

Although drug therapy is the accepted first-line treatment for panic disorders, 17% to 64% of patients do not respond adequately and continue to exhibit one of the most common symptoms of PD, the panic attack.

26 Apr 2017

High cortisol levels during morning sessions provide more benefits to psychotherapy patients

Patients make more progress toward overcoming anxiety, fears and phobias when their therapy sessions are scheduled in the morning, new research suggests.

5 Oct 2016

Well-being therapy enhances patients' level of psychological well-being

Well-being therapy (WBT) is an innovative psychotherapeutic strategy for enhancing psychological well-being and resilience in patients with depression and anxiety disorders.

11 Mar 2016

Current issue provides critical review of data concerned with antidepressant drugs

A paper in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics by Giovanni Fava, MD (University of Bologna) provides a critical review of the data concerned with antidepressant drugs.

4 Sep 2014