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Psychotherapy for Anxiety Disorders: Decreases Negative Mood But Fails to Increase Positive Mood (2024 Study)

Anxiety-related disorders, characterized by heightened negative affect (NA) and sometimes diminished positive affect (PA), pose significant challenges for mental health treatment. Despite the prevalence of these disorders, the efficacy of psychotherapies in improving PA versus NA remains underexplored. Highlights: Psychotherapeutic interventions demonstrate a significantly larger effect on reducing negative affect (NA) than on enhancing positive …

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Non-Directive Supportive Therapy (NDST) for Major Depression: Is It Effective? (2024 Review)

Depression, a common yet complex mental health disorder, has various treatment options, including psychotherapies like Non-Directive Supportive Therapy (NDST). A recent meta-analysis sheds light on the effectiveness of NDST in treating depression, comparing it with control conditions and other therapies. Highlights: NDST has been identified as a moderately effective treatment for depression compared to control …

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Gamification for Mental Health & Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders

In recent years, gamification has risen as a groundbreaking strategy to enhance mental health treatments and boost patient engagement. Gamification’s roots date back to games like Dance Dance Revolution in 1998, which intertwined physical activity with gaming fun. Today, an array of games and apps like Nike+ and SuperBetter are designed not just for physical …

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Transcranial Photobiomodulation For Depression: Near-Infrared Light & Laser Therapy

Photobiomodulation involves the targeted administration of light frequencies to modulate biological function for the treatment of medical conditions and/or to expedite healing in the aftermath of a physical injury.  It was Niels Ryberg Finsen who was among the first to showcase the potential of photobiomodulation when he proved that sunlight rays were capable of killing …

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Acupuncture Side Effects & Adverse Reactions (List)

Acupuncture is a form of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) in which a practitioner (acupuncturist) stimulates the skin of his/her client transcutaneously [with needles] or transdermally [with electrical pulses or lasers].  According to proponents of traditional Chinese medicine, the precise stimulation of sites across the skin (referred to as “acupuncture points”) modulates the flow of energy …

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Acupuncture For Weight Loss: Does It Really Work?

Data from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) indicates that approximately 78.6 million adults (34.9%) are clinically obese.  Healthcare costs of obesity-related medical conditions such as: cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes, and stroke (to name a few) – are thought to exceed $190 billion per year, accounting for over one-fifth of all annual medical expenses in …

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Hypnosis For Weight Loss: Does It Really Work?

According to National Health and Nutrition Examination surveys, over 2 out of 3 adults in the United States are overweight and/or obese.  Excessive body weight and/or fat is understood to increase risk for numerous morbidities including:  cancer, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, sleep apnea, and stroke – and that’s just naming a few.  Perhaps troubling is …

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