Mental Health Archive

Middle-aged men who often feel worried or anxious may be more prone to problems that raise heart disease risk as they age compared with their less-worried peers.

Research has found associations between social media use and negative mental health effects in both youth and adults. These ill effects may reflect the particular ways people use social media. People may have a healthier online experience if they focus on interacting with others, rather than just scrolling through posts. Some additional strategies that can help improve the experience are avoiding posts from unpleasant people, discussing contentious subjects in person rather than online, and using social media to enhance real-life relationships.

A 2020 study found that people defined as lonely had a higher risk of dementia than those who were not considered lonely. Loneliness also was associated with smaller brain sizes and poorer executive function (the ability to plan, focus attention, and remember instructions).

Hair loss is a common problem for many men and women, but what does it mean to have alopecia? Alopecia areata occurs when the body's immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. AA can affect the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or anywhere hair grows on the body.

The blood supply in the US is critically low, but FDA guidelines prohibit men who have sex with men from donating blood if they have been sexually active in the previous three months. All donated blood is tested for a number of transmissible infections, and medical organizations are calling for this policy to be changed.

A notable rise in eating disorders is particularly marked among adolescent girls. Many kinds of eating disorders can affect children and teens, and parents need to understand their causes and be aware of signs suggesting their child may have an eating disorder.

Many conditions of the gastrointestinal tract are easy to diagnose using standard testing. But some such diseases can impact the GI tract without a clear test finding. Disorders of gut-brain interaction are so called because they involve impaired communication between the gut and brain via the nervous system.

Past research shows that exercise may help to prevent dementia. A new study found that this may be true even for people who only do light daily activity, such as errands or housework. People who got only a little exercise still had a lower risk of dementia than those who were inactive. The risk reduction, however, was not as large as that seen in people who exercised more. Adding small daily bouts of activity may still make a difference when it comes to brain health.

Many habits can contribute to poor brain health, but four areas can have the most influence. They are the four S's: sitting, socializing, sleep, and stress. Research has found that poor habits in these areas can affect cognitive skills like memory, learning, and problem solving, and are linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Adopting simple lifestyle changes may help.

An observational study published in the February 2022 issue of Preventive Medicine suggests that laughing with friends is associated with a 30% reduced risk of developing functional disability—problems performing essential everyday activities.