Fear and Anxiety

For three years I denied my body the nutrition it needed. My teeth broke, my hair thinned, my periods stopped. But, in that too-small body I was praised…

I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting since 2020. Most of that reflection is done in the mirror, incidentally. For more than three years I had denied my body the nutrition it needed to function. My teeth broke, my hair thinned, as I did, and then it fell out in loud clumps in the shower. My periods stopped as my body tried to distribute the few calories I was giving it to my vital functions. My blood pressure plummeted. My social life disintegrated as I turned down offers of gatherings out of fear there would be food I couldn’t avoid. My feet bled in my shoes from excessive walking. I ruptured a tendon in my fist from over-exercising. I was constantly cold and miserable. But I was beautiful. They said.

For three years I denied my body the nutrition it needed. My teeth broke, my hair thinned, my periods stopped. But, in that too-small body I was praised… Read More »

The integration of yoga breathing techniques in cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial

In trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), stabilization techniques are used before confrontation ones to increase stress/affect tolerance and thus effectiveness of CBT. This study investigated the effects of pranayama, meditative yoga breathing and breath holding techniques, as a complimentary stabilization technique in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seventy-four PTSD-patients (84% female, 44.2 ± 13 years) were randomized

The integration of yoga breathing techniques in cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial Read More »

Reducing anxiety and improving self-acceptance in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma through group drawing art therapy

PurposeThis study explored the effect of group drawing art therapy (GDAT) on anxiety and self-acceptance in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma.MethodsUsing a randomized experimental study design, 40 children and adolescents with osteosarcoma who were treated in our hospital from December 2021 to December 2022 were selected as the research objects, including 20 in the intervention group and 20 in the control group. The control group received routine care for osteosarcoma, while the intervention group participated in eight sessions of GDAT, twice a week, 90–100 min each, in addition to routine care for osteosarcoma. A screening for children’s anxiety disorders (SCARED) and a self-acceptance questionnaire (SAQ) were used to evaluate the patients before and after the intervention.ResultsAfter 8 weeks of GDAT, the SCARED total score in the intervention group was 11.30 ± 8.603, and that in the control group was 22.10 ± 11.534. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (t = -3.357, P < 0.05). In the intervention group, the SAQ total score was 48.25 ± 4.204, with self-acceptance and self-evaluation factor scores of 24.40 ± 2.521 and 23.85 ± 2.434, respectively. In the control group, the SAQ total score was 42.20 ± 4.047; the self-acceptance factor score was 21.20 ± 3.350 and that of the self-evaluation factor was 21.00 ± 2.224. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (t = 4.637, P < 0.001; t = 3.413, P < 0.05; t = 3.866, P < 0.001, respectively).ConclusionGroup drawing art therapy can reduce anxiety and improve the levels of self-acceptance and self-evaluation in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma.

Reducing anxiety and improving self-acceptance in children and adolescents with osteosarcoma through group drawing art therapy Read More »

From fear of falling to choking under pressure: A predictive processing perspective of disrupted motor control under anxiety

Publication date: May 2023Source: Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, Volume 148Author(s): D.J. Harris, S. Wilkinson, T.J. Ellmers

From fear of falling to choking under pressure: A predictive processing perspective of disrupted motor control under anxiety Read More »

Exposure, perceived risk, and psychological distress among general population during the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, China

… This study aimed to examine the relationships between exposures, perceived risk, and psychological distress among the general population in Wuhan during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were from a cross-sectional online survey conducted from 20 February to 4 March 2020. Final analyses included 4,234 Wuhan respondents. A 5-item Hopkins Symptom Checklist was adopted to assess

Exposure, perceived risk, and psychological distress among general population during the COVID-19 lockdown in Wuhan, China Read More »

Pandemic May Have Triggered Second “Midlife Crisis” for Over-50s

Anxiety and depression that occurred as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to trigger a second “midlife crisis” in those aged 50 and older. Researchers say women struggled more than men with psychological distress during the pandemic, and this may exacerbate and accelerate neurodegeneration, mental health, and overall health disorders.

Pandemic May Have Triggered Second “Midlife Crisis” for Over-50s Read More »

Living (dys)regulated and alienated young masculinity—Young men’s embodied experiences of mental disorders and suicidality

Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, EarlyView.

Living (dys)regulated and alienated young masculinity—Young men’s embodied experiences of mental disorders and suicidality Read More »