As you read this article take a moment to contemplate that every 40 seconds somebody in the world has committed suicide. On average the world suicide rate makes up 10.07 per 100,000 people (CASP Blueprint for a Canadian National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2004). JAMA psychiatry journal published a recent study linking suicidal behavior to complex […]
Author: Jessica
The Mental Health Awareness Club hosted a movie night on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 showcasing the five times Oscar winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. It was an enjoyable movie with some very thought-provoking scenes which generated a thoughtful discussion afterwards. Although the movie did not clearly define what constituted a mental illness, it […]
New research shows that loneliness is associated with dysfunctional immune responses, suggesting that it may have a negative effect on overall health. Specifically, researchers found that people who described themselves as lonely showed signs of elevated herpes simplex virus reactivation and produced more inflammatory proteins in response to acute stress. Continuous inflammation may have problematic […]
The U.K. saw a drastic rise in suicide rates in 2011, reaching an all time high since 2004, according to the Office for National Statistics. This increase is thought to correlate with times of financial hardship faced by many U.K. citizens. There were 6,045 suicides in 2011, a rise of 437 from the previous year. […]
Numerous research has proven in the past that a mother’s wellness and mental health during labor can have direct consequences on the health of the child. However, new research is showing that the mental health of an expectant father may also play a role. In this study, the fathers underwent an interview when the mothers […]
A recent study performed by the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park in North Carolina has shown that sweetened beverages, coffee and tea have important mental health consequences. In this study, consumption rates of sodas, tea, coffee and sweetened fruit drinks from 1995 to 1996 among 263,925 people aged between 50 and 71 was […]
Following reports of a series of student deaths in 2010 and 2011, Queen’s University has released a new report making 116 health-care professional-approved recommendations for improving students’ mental health in an effort to heighten mental health awareness at schools across the country. These strategies include reconsidering class and exam scheduling to reduce student stress, expanding […]
Stress, like many other things, is good in moderation. Acute stressors such as a deadline or a race motivate us to work hard. However, severe stress not only impairs our physical and mental health, but can also lead to depression – a condition characterized by a lack of motivation. Why is it that stress can […]
Recent research published in Archives of General Psychiatry has shown clear evidence that a reduced amygdala volume is associated with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The role of the amygdala in regulating fear, anxiety and stress responses is well established, and a smaller amygdala size has been linked to lowered regulation of these functions, which is […]
You are considered insomnia by the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) if your answer to the simple question “how often do you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep?” is “most of the time” or “all of the time”. Based on this criterion, CCHS estimated 13.4% of the Canadian population aged 15 or older […]