Oxytocin is a neuropeptide produced by the hypothalamus (a part of the human brain), which acts as a neurotransmitter. This hormone, also known as the love hormone, is released during social bonding which produces a sense of happiness and warmth. Seeing its effect on the overall health and mood of a person, some researchers suggested that oxytocin may have beneficial effects on the positive as well as the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Continue reading
Recollections of a traumatic experience do not go away easily. The trauma of being sexually ill-treated or raped can leave a person shattered and scarred for the rest of their life. Sexual violation refers to an activity during which a sexual contact is attempted or established without the consent of the victim, either through violence or intimidation. Most of the times, the culprit is known to the victim. Continue reading
Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a mental health disorder that manifests in individuals after they experience an unsafe, terrifying, or a traumatic incident. Usually, it is normal to feel terrible and distraught after a life-threatening or disturbing episode. A majority of people experience these symptoms and most of them pull through, however, people who continue to experience these symptoms even when they are out of danger are the ones struggling with PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD usually manifest within 3 to 4 months of the unsettling event, nevertheless, they may also take many more months or even a year after the incident to manifest. While some people may recover within 6 months, in some, the condition might become chronic. Continue reading
In a historic move, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved a legislation according to which henceforth, being a transgender will no longer be considered a mental health disorder. The declaration was made on May 25, 2019 by the World Health Assembly, the governing body of WHO, represented by 194 member states. It is believed that this move will not only liberate the trans and non-binary people by increasing acceptance and awareness but also bring some radical changes in national policies the world over. Continue reading
The last few years have seen a noteworthy progress in identifying genetic factors as the underlying causes for mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, psychosis, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric disorders. Quite a large number of common genetic variants have been identified as collective risk factors for psychotic disorders but the impacts of individual variants were too small and uncertain. According to a study by a group of researchers from McLean Hospital, treatment targeting specific structural mutation can prove effective in cases of psychosis involving delusions and hallucinations. Continue reading
Previous studies have linked advanced paternal age with an increased risk of schizophrenia onset in children, however, it has been challenging to differentiate the effects of factors related to age versus the effects of age. The paternal age association could be unauthentic if late fatherhood was held responsible for the early onset on schizophrenia because this also reflected the father’s own susceptibility to schizophrenia. Continue reading
Stress disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are widely prevalent and debilitating in civilian as well as military populations, yet majorly undiagnosed. Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine from Indianapolis stated that their findings could help in the establishment of more precise screenings for PTSD. Their findings were published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. Continue reading
The rigors of law school are undisputable. A law student is always competing with their peers for a better position in extracurricular activities, class rank, internships, post-graduation, and job opportunities. Law students have to excel at public speaking and need an entirely different set of writing skills. They have to manage the pressure of acing their final exams, bar exam, while trying to keep up their social circle and relationships. All this adds to the pressure they already face, affecting their mental health Continue reading
Women exposed to the industrial disaster of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon (BP) oil spill, continue displaying symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and trauma, revealed a recent study. The study was conducted at the Louisiana State University (LSU) School of Public Health and the findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Continue reading
It has been commonly observed that individuals who experience or witness traumatic events or incidents may often find these distressing memories haunting them for a long period of time after the actual incident took place. People who are exposed to such trauma may develop severe mental, emotional, and anxiety disorders, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and phobias. That is why researchers from 5 institutions across 3 separate geographical locations (Spain, America, and Netherlands) are trying to find a new way of weakening traumatic memories and reducing their psychological impact. Continue reading
