As anxiety levels across the nation skyrocket due to the COVID-19 health and economic crisis, running may be the closest thing we have to a mental health panacea.

Researchers have long been aware of the positive impact of a connection with nature on psychological health and, according to a new study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the pandemic hasn’t decreased the power of nature to improve mental well-being.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects millions of people worldwide. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons including stigma, exclusion of mental health treatments from healthcare plans, misdiagnosis and misinformation, only about half of individuals actively seek care, and only one third in a clinical setting.

A recent study suggests that deficits in emotional reactivity, a core characteristic of depression, can be improved with a single bout of moderate-intensity physical exercise. The study was published in Mental Health and Physical Activity.

A new study suggests that integrating yoga practice into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) might be an especially effective treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The findings were published in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy.

Despite the incremental easing of Victoria’s restrictions, it’s clear the journey towards COVID-normal is far slower than many people had hoped. Australians – particularly Victorians – have shown remarkable resilience, but many are suffering emotionally.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been empirical and anecdotal reports of declines in both emergency and ambulatory medical visits. However, little research has been conducted to identify why these declines have occurred.

The saying that “whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is simplistic, disingenuous and potentially destructive. While it’s true that some who experience horrible events are stronger for surviving them, this is probably true only if they were strong to begin with.

People with major depressive disorder often have other mental health problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. But while studying depression a few years ago, Yale University psychiatrist Irina Esterlis noticed that the brains of people with PTSD looked different from those in people with depression alone.

When college students learn specific techniques for managing stress and anxiety, their well-being improves across a range of measures and leads to better mental health, a new study finds.