APA Blogs
236 Results
The Need for Food and Need for Social Interaction Show Similar Reactions in the Brain
A new study finds similarities in people’s craving for food in response to being hungry and people’s craving for social interaction in response to isolation. The research authors note this supports the notion that social interaction is a basic human need, similar to food and sleep.Â
Light, Sleep and Mental Health
Light, both natural and artificial, can affect our health and mental health in several different ways. Depending on the time of day, light exposure can promote or disrupt sleep. A persistently disrupted sleep cycle can contribute to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, obesity and mental health disorders. Research is also beginning to clarify non-circadian effects of light – light can have a direct impact on the sleep and mood centers in the brain.Â
Tips for Family Mental Well-being During the Pandemic: Young Children to Elderly Parents
Families are continuing to cope with challenges during the pandemic and many are juggling multiple roles, including working from home and caring for children and elderly parents. The American Psychiatric Association Foundation recently hosted a virtual town hall addressing Mentally Healthy Families in Times of a Pandemic with geriatric psychiatrist Uyen-Khanh Quang-Dang, M.D., M.S., Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, and psychiatrist Lisa Harding, M.D., clinical instructor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine.
Understanding Stimming: Repetitive Behaviors with a Purpose
One key symptom of autism spectrum disorders is repetitive behaviors, such as repetitive actions like self-stimulation behavior, or stimming. These behaviors can involve one part of the body, the entire body or an object. While they may seem distractive or disruptive, and while it may not be obvious to others, stimming often serves a purpose for the individual.Â
What Will Protect Health Care Workers’ Mental Health During the Pandemic?
Health care workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since March, many of them facing very difficult and stressful situations, such as long hours, lack of equipment, unknowns about spread of the virus, and concerns for their own safety and that of their families. Some health care workers have lost colleagues or family members to COVID-19. The mental health concerns the workforce faces are devastating and may linger long after the pandemic ends. Â