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City Living and Mental Well-being

  • Anxiety, Depression, Patients and Families

 More than half the world’s population lives in cities, and the number is expected to continue to increase in the coming decades. Living in urban areas has been associated with increased risk for mental disorders, including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia. Research using functional magnetic resonance imaging has identified changes in the brain indicating that urban upbringing and city living are linked to social stress processing.

Light, Sleep and Mental Health

  • Patients and Families, Sleep Disorders

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. 

Not Only Amount, But Timing of Sleep Can Be Important for Mental Health

  • Healthy living for mental well-being, Patients and Families, Sleep Disorders

The amount and quality of sleep we get are important to both physical and mental health. Sleep and circadian rhythm disturbances are associated with the onset and worsening of some mental health disorders – including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A new research review highlights the prevalence of these disturbances in people with mental health disorders and suggests that disturbances in sleep and internal body clocks can trigger or exacerbate mental health issues

Genetic Testing to Improve Psychiatric Medication Choice

  • Depression, Patients and Families, Serious mental illness

Genetic testing is being marketed and used for a variety of different purposes, such as confirming or ruling out a suspected genetic condition or helping determine a person’s chance of developing or passing on a genetic disorder. It is also being marketed to improve the selection of medication for mental illness, such as depression. However, several recent expert reviews caution that while it holds much potential, the evidence does not yet show genetic testing is effective in improving psychiatr

New APA Healthy Minds Monthly Poll Finds that Nearly 40% of Americans Face Declining Mood in Winter

With most of the country ready to “fall back” this weekend, nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans report that they generally feel depressed in the winter. Two in five (38%) say their overall mood declines in the winter. But they do look forward to certain winter traditions: 44% of Americans look forward to spending time with friends and family during the holidays and 49% say enjoying good food improves their mood.

VIDEO: Richard Kogan, M.D., on The Mind and Music of Tchaikovsky

  • Depression

Richard Kogan, M.D., was scheduled to deliver a talk on “Tchaikovsky: Music and Melancholy,” at the APA Annual Meeting in April. It was to be part of a series of lecture-performances that he has presented over the years at APA’s Annual Meetings on the connections between musical artistry and mental illness.

More Evidence of the Benefits of Trees in Urban Areas

  • Anxiety, Depression, Patients and Families

Previous research has tied people’s exposure to natural environments, such as urban green spaces, to better health and mental health. A new study looks at whether a specific type of green space— trees, grass or low-lying vegetation— provides benefits.

Suicide Prevention is a Community Effort

  • Depression, Patients and Families

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and all month long you’ll see the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and our allied groups sharing their knowledge and resources to foster education and confront the stigma around this topic.

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