Is anxiety a gateway to other mental health problems? Comorbidities with depression and other anxiety disorders

Results from the current study largely replicated findings from the NESDA dataset in demonstrating that those with comorbid anxiety and/or depression have more severe presentations that anxiety or depression alone.

Nina Higson-Sweeney summarises a study using data from the UK-based GLAD and COPING NBR cohorts to investigate factors associated with anxiety disorder comorbidity with anxiety and depression.

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Self-stigma for people with depression: systematic review presents global prevalence data, risk factors and protective factors

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Pattie Gonsalves blogs about the stigma that people with depression can sometimes feel towards themselves; summarising a recent systematic review that estimates the global prevalence of depression self-stigma, alongside risk factors and protective factors.

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Using the highs to combat the lows: ketamine-assisted therapy for anxiety and depression

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In her debut blog, Gabrielle Williams reviews a US study on the safety and effectiveness of ketamine-assisted therapy (a digital intervention combining psychotherapy, journaling and ketamine) for moderate to severe anxiety and depression.

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To seek or not to seek? COVID information-seeking linked to poorer mental health

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Olga Lainidi summarises a paper from the UK COVID-19-MH study, which explores the links between COVID-19 information-seeking behaviours during the pandemic, and depression, anxiety and loneliness.

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Cost of living linked to depression in healthcare workers

In comparison to medical positions, healthcare workers in nursing roles were over 2 times more likely to experience financial concerns and meet the criteria for depression.

Lisa Lloyd summarises a UK-based cohort study investigating the associations between financial concerns and the development of depression in healthcare workers.

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The pill and ‘baby blues’: does experiencing depression with hormonal contraception predict postpartum depression?

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Flo Martin explores a recent cohort study of Danish registry data that investigate whether women with a history of depression associated with using hormonal contraception were also at a higher risk of developing postpartum depression.

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Clinical severity and instability as predictors for psychiatric hospitalisation: can one size fit all? 

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Florian Walter summarises a retrospective cohort study published in The Lancet Psychiatry that investigates whether early trajectories of clinical global impression severity can transdiagnostically predict later psychiatric hospitalisation.

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Brief interpersonal therapy may help relieve maternal depression during pregnancy

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In this blog, Francesca Kingston summaries a clinical trial from the US Care Project, which investigated whether depression can be reduced during pregnancy and before birth using a brief, safe intervention.

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Gut microbiome disruptions in depression: shifting the focus to metabolic signatures in blood

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Gerard Clarke explores a recent study which looks into the interplay of metabolome and gut microbiome in individuals with major depressive disorder.

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Exercise for depression: an evidence-based treatment option

Physical activity engagement, even at low volumes, is associated with a reduced risk of depressive symptoms.

Ross Nedoma summarises the biggest review yet on exercise for depression, which strengthens the case for making exercise a key component in our fight against depression.

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