Anxiety Disorders
Learn about anxiety disorders, including symptoms, risk factors, treatment options and answers to your questions.
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Sleeping Like a Pro
Athletes are particularly adept at combining mind and body to maximize performance in sport. However, the same does not always apply to performance in sleep. Most researchers and doctors recommend 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night at a minimum, and less than that is considered insufficient sleep. While the overall rate of insufficient sleep in the general population is high, athletes are even more likely to suffer from lack of shut eye. Whether it’s due to traveling, practice schedules, or balanci
Employees Say Workplaces Are Offering Fewer Mental Health Services in 2022, According to APA Poll
As the pandemic wanes, employees report employers are offering fewer mental health services and are more reluctant to address mental health concerns in the workplace, according to the 2022 Healthy Minds poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA). About half of employees work at home at least some of the time and about one in five works at home all the time.
Can Mindfulness Help with Pain Management?
Many people suffer with chronic pain, and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide. The typical treatment has involved the use of opioids, but they have well-established drawbacks and risks, including the risk of dependence. Many alternatives are being explored and there is increasing research and evidence of the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions in reducing pain.
APA Member Serves as Inaugural Director of MGH Psychiatry Center for Racial Equity and Justice
APA sat down with Director Olivia I. Okereke, M.D., M.S. to learn more about the MGH Psychiatry Center for Racial Equity and Justice in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
A Psychiatrist’s Guide to Surviving Family Gatherings
The Hallmark version of the holiday season portrays a snow-blanketed cozy, warm and loving environment in which we reconnect with friends, family and loved ones, and celebrate the people and events we are thankful for. In fact, in a new poll from the American Psychiatric Association, 47% of Americans say that’s the thing they look forward to the most this holiday season, and, no doubt, it can be joyous.
Antisocial Personality Disorder: Often Overlooked and Untreated
Antisocial personality disorder may be one of the most misunderstood mental disorders. It is also often undiagnosed and untreated, according to a recent special report by Donald Black, M.D. in Psychiatric News.1 He referred to it as “psychiatry’s forgotten disorder,” noting that few clinicians diagnose or treat it.
Taking on the Public Health Threat of Loneliness and Social Isolation
Loneliness is a significant and growing problem with substantial physical health and mental health impacts. Research has found that loneliness and social isolation may be as bad for your health as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes a day and significantly impacts mental health. (1) The restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the problem and increased public awareness of the issue.
How Do Companion Animals and Therapy Animals Support Mental Well-being?
Companion animals are increasingly being used to support mental wellbeing and to augment mental health treatment. A new book from APA Publishing, The Role of Companion Animals in the Treatment of Mental Disorders, reviews recent research and highlights the variety of ways mental health professionals are working with companion animals to support treatment and promote mental health.
Personal Perspectives on Bipolar Disorder, Part 1
This episode is the first of a two-part discussion about bipolar disorder led by Dr. Ken Duckworth. He leads a deep discussion that offers insights for individuals, family members and mental health professionals.
The Opioid Crisis: Impact, Challenges, and Paths to Recovery
Opioids are a class of drugs that include prescription painkillers like oxycodone and hydrocodone, illegal drugs like heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. These substances bind to opioid receptors in the brain, producing pain relief and euphoria. Prolonged use can lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction, characteristic of opioid use disorder (OUD). Fentanyl, due to its potency, has played a particularly lethal role in the opioid crisis.
What to Do About Workplace Bullying
Bullying is often thought of as a kids’ problem. But it also often happens to adults in the workplace. Workplace bullying involves multiple, repeated, intentional acts of aggression, hostility, social isolation, disrespect or mistreatment of an employee by another employee(s). It can include work sabotage or behaviors perceived as threatening, intimidating, or humiliating. These acts often happen in person but also can occur through email, text messaging, and social media.
Voices for Change: Substance Use and Addiction in Minoritized/Marginalized Communities
APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., has prioritized substance use disorders and addictive behaviors. His goal is to bring together diverse constituencies to offer education, treatment, and support to patients, families, and practitioners.