Mental Health Archive

Shifting your thinking and practicing deep breathing can help when you're stuck in an intense emotional moment.

At some point, we've all gotten stuck in a "meltdown" moment — an overwhelming feeling of anger or stress that was difficult to shake off. "Feeling overwhelmed makes it harder to identify ways to get unstuck; the options seem limited, which can create a sense of hopelessness or despair. Additionally, negative memories may come to mind more readily, and we may filter out useful ways of viewing the situation at hand," says Abby Altman, an associate psychologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

But there are ways to shift your focus and break out of extremely emotional moments. Take note of the following tips so you can put them to work if a meltdown strikes.

Research we're watching

A national coalition of women's health organizations recommends screening all adolescent girls (ages 13 and older) and adult women for anxiety. The goal is to improve detection and treatment for this common condition. The Women's Preventive Services Initiative (WPSI) recommends screening to look for all types of anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, in addition to depression screenings, which are already recommended for adults, says the WPSI. It would be up to individual clinicians to determine how often to do the screenings and to refer women and girls for follow-up examinations and screening.

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If you have experienced a heart attack or undergone a heart procedure, don't neglect your mental health during recovery.

Recovery from a heart attack, heart failure, angioplasty, or heart surgery — what doctors call heart events — can be stressful. Depending on your condition, it may also involve cardiac rehabilitation. This medically supervised program focuses on exercise, diet, and lifestyle changes. While the primary focus is to help you physically, you also need to address your mental and emotional health.

"It's normal to have some anxiety and stress after a heart attack or heart surgery," says Dr. Christopher Celano, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "But how long these feelings linger, and whether they are also associated with symptoms of depression, can affect your rehab recovery success and potentially increase your risk of future problems."

While many children and teens are prescribed psychotropic medicines to treat conditions like depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a comprehensive look at safety data has been lacking. A recent review of multiple studies synthesizes evidence on the side effect profiles of many widely used medicines.

Normally associated with veterans, PTSD can also affect people of all ages who have experienced any kind of trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe and potentially debilitating mental health disorder that affects people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. PTSD often occurs in combat veterans, but it can also strike older adults, and especially men.

About 70% of older men have been exposed to trauma at some point in life, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Many of these traumatic events are accidents (or near misses), injuries, or serious health issues.

News briefs

The United States is reporting increasing numbers of "deaths from despair" (suicide, drug overdose, or alcohol poisoning). Antidepressants and psychotherapy are often used to help people who are having a hard time coping with extremely difficult times and who are at risk for dying because of it. A recent Harvard study found that another strategy may also play a part in countering despair: attending religious services. The study, published online May 6, 2020, by JAMA Psychiatry, evaluated self-reported religious service attendance among 110,000 white, middle-aged men and women who were followed for about 30 years. Compared with never attending religious services, going at least once per week was associated with a much lower risk of death from despair: 68% lower for women and 37% lower for men. Researchers say that religious participation — regardless of affiliation — may serve as an antidote to despair and provide a sustained sense of hope, meaning, peace, and positive outlook. Also, faith-based organizations promote social engagement and connectedness and preach against self-injury and substance use. The study was observational and does not prove that regularly going to a religious service prevents death from despair. However, we know from other Harvard research that using religion to cope is associated with improved outcomes for people with severe psychiatric illness. Due to the pandemic, it may be difficult to attend your usual place of worship. Consider attending services via teleconference. If you attend in-person services, wear a mask and try to stay six feet away from others.

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In the journals

Regular hugs and touches can help strengthen your relationship, suggests a study in the June 2020 Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Researchers explored the effects of nonsexual intimate touch, such as hugging, holding hands, and cuddling, among 184 couples. The participants completed separate self-reports that recorded the amount of touching in their relationship, their satisfaction with touch, and their overall relationship status.

In the journals

Slower gait speed and cognitive decline may be related, according to a study published online April 12, 2020, by the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Scientists recorded the gait speed and cognitive health of 370 people in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging (SALSA). Cognitive health was measured with a test that assessed orientation to time and place, attention, recall, language, and other aspects. Gait speed was measured with a timed 10-foot walk.