Month: November 2010

  • Oxytocin v. Anxiety

    From Science Daily:  Oxytocin and Social Contact Reduce Anxiety. “When animals receive oxytocin and are given an opportunity to recuperate in the presence of a familiar partner, their bodies may release extra oxytocin, which in turn appears to facilitate a less anxious pattern of behavior,” Yee said. The findings suggest that social contact is an…

  • Scanning Anxiety

    PsychCentral: Brain Scan Can Predict Therapy Response for Anxious Kids The researchers found…that pre-treatment fMRI can be used to select patients who likely do well with psychotherapy alone, and those that may require other therapy, such as medication.

  • Yoga GABA GABA

    Another study likes yoga for anxiety. New research suggests yoga triggers the release of the brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA. GABA is a chemical in the brain that helps to regulate nerve activity. GABA activity is reduced in people with mood and anxiety disorders, and drugs that increase GABA activity are commonly prescribed to improve…

  • Parental Anxiety

    Stephanie Newman, PhD asks, Can Parental Anxiety Interfere with a Child’s Social and Emotional Development? Bullets: Overplanning for your child can backfire Rejection Can Be the Kindest Cut–and limits can foster healthy development Children Need to Learn How to Be Alone

  • Yoga Reduces Anxiety

    Another study, same finding: yoga decreases anxiety. The study, aimed at establishing an association between yoga postures, enhanced gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels and decreased anxiety, looked at 2 different groups of healthy people for a period of 12 weeks.  While participants of the first group practiced yoga three times a week for one hour, those in…

  • Food and Mood

    The Los Angeles Times looks at the food-mood connection with a series of true/falses.  Here’s one: Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish help depression: True At the NIH, Hibbeln has spent two decades studying the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on depression and other mood disorders. The evidence that eating fish high in omega-3s can help…

  • Stress Less, Live More

    Book of the day:  Stress Less, Live More by Richard Blonna.  The book explores how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy can help reduce stress by getting you focused away from your anxiety and on your life as you want to live it.  Bullet pointed highlights: Learn to mindfully accept what can’t be changed Find peace and…

  • Work Stress

    Stressful job?  Mental health days are a solution for many. One in five workers will take time off from work because of stress, and 93 percent of these employees report lying — most of them reluctantly — to bosses about the reasons for staying home…the top five cover-ups used for stress absences include the following:…

  • Meditation Helps…Cells

    A study reports meditation helps cells. Emerging research suggests the positive psychological changes that occur during meditation training are associated with changes at the most basic unit of life.  University of California researchers are the first to determine the positive well-being garnered from meditation is linked to improved cell health.

  • Therapy for Stress and Anxiety in L.A.

    Connect with a therapist experienced in working with anxiety and stress.  Psychotherapy can be extremely effective in reducing anxiety, stress, and worry.  Offices in Los Feliz and Beverly Hills–easily reached from throughout Los Angeles.  Call Anxiety Treatment L.A. at (323) 739-4322 for a free phone consultation and to book an appointment.