Agoraphobia News and Research

RSS

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

Bipolar remission influenced by anxiety and OCD

Anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorder may reduce the likelihood of achieving remission for patients with bipolar disorder, study findings indicate.

29 May 2014

Study reveals that parental panic disorder affects children

Children of parents with anxiety disorders are more likely to develop anxiety disorders than children of normal controls . This familial aggregation is due to genetic and environmental influences, whereas it can be assumed that shared environmental influences have the greatest effects during childhood, decreasing with age.

24 Oct 2013

Study examines effectiveness of VRET on agoraphobia, panic disorder

A number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy in specific phobias, but research in  seriously impaired patients with agoraphobia is lacking.

27 May 2013

Exposure to bullying during childhood increases risk of psychiatric disorders in adulthood

A new study shows that children who are exposed to bullying during childhood are at increased risk of psychiatric disorders in adulthood, regardless of whether they are victims or perpetrators.

22 Feb 2013

Chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome anxiety linked to poorer adaptive behaviors

UC Davis researchers have found that for children with the genetic disorder known as chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome anxiety -- but not intelligence -- is linked to poorer adaptive behaviors, such as self-care and communication skills, that affect daily life. The developmental syndrome, which is associated with a constellation of physical, cognitive and psychiatric problems, usually is apparent at birth or early childhood, and leads to lifelong challenges.

6 Nov 2012

Attachment and relationship problems in adolescents with anxiety

Adolescents with anxiety disorders have greater attachment disorganization and higher levels of dysfunction in peer relationships compared with individuals without an Axis I diagnosis, US study findings indicate.

18 Oct 2012

Addiction and mental health burden higher than all cancers in Ontario

Mental illnesses and addictions take more of a toll on the health of Ontarians than cancer or infectious diseases, according to a new report by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences and Public Health Ontario - yet this burden could be reduced with treatment, say scientists from Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

11 Oct 2012