Unexplained, chronic pain known as fibromyalgia affects up to 5% of the population. Yet there are no effective treatment options for the millions for whom each day begins with persistent pain.
Australians have come a long way in understanding depression. Most recognise the symptoms and believe in the value of professional help. But anxiety disorders have been left behind.
Decisions to stop taking medication are typically regarded by mental health professionals as being due to ‘lack of insight’ but some are trying other strategies.
So you’re depressed. You know this because a health profession has told you so, or because there is no mistaking the symptoms. Perhaps you’ve been depressed before. What now?
A growing body of research points to the detrimental effect of unhealthy diets and the protective value of healthy diets – along with select nutritional supplements as required – for maintaining and promoting mental health.
Biological and genetic explanations of mental illness can weaken people’s sense of control and optimism, and create a bias against effective psychological interventions.
In recent times, we have learnt more about the connections between the “reproductive” or gonadal hormones and the brain, and how they affect not only women but men as well.
Melancholia has a strong genetic contribution, so it’s largely biologically underpinned rather than caused by social factors (stressors) or psychological factors, such as personality style.
Researchers have suggested a new theory for why neurotic unhappiness and creativity are often found in the same person. But is the assumption that creative people are more neurotic actually true?