How Walking in Nature Changes the Brain
Might being in nature actually change our brains in some way that affects our emotional health?
Might being in nature actually change our brains in some way that affects our emotional health?
"Concerns about safety have long dogged antidepressants. In 2006, the makers of Paxil upgraded their warning label to caution that among adults of all ages with major depressive disorder, the frequency of suicidal behavior was higher in patients treated with paroxetine (Paxil) compared with placebo — 6.7 times higher."
"Harvard researchers use brain scans to explore how 8-weeks of training in present-moment awareness might break the cycle of self-rumination."
"A diagnosis carries with it a sense of absolution. It isn’t our fault that we have anxiety or depression. Forces beyond our control have conspired against us... when our diagnosis becomes an important part of who we are, we are encouraged to abdicate responsibility for our plight. We are adrift on life’s turbulent currents, without blame, but also without agency. [...]
"A good reminder that mind and body are connected: symptoms of anxiety or depression can belie an as-yet undiagnosed physical disorder, and physical symptoms can stem from a psychological problem."
By Amy E. Ellis of Thrive Global “13 Reasons Why”, a Netflix-original drama that boasts Selena Gomez as one of the executive producers, is a series that focuses on Hannah, a young high school girl who has recently committed suicide. She leaves behind carefully orchestrated narratives on cassette tapes in which she names individuals whom she alleges all had a [...]
"The more important domains to consider are personality and values, and when it comes to personality, the key question is how does your potential partner handle stress."
"As the popularity of mindfulness grows, brain imaging techniques are revealing that this ancient practice can profoundly change the way different regions of the brain communicate with each other – and therefore how we think – permanently."
A scientist explains how the pain of loneliness makes us sick: Companionship is an asset for human survival, but its mirror twin, isolation, can be toxic. The very cells of people who live through periods of chronic loneliness look different. More specifically, the white blood cells of people who suffer through chronic loneliness appear to be stuck in a state [...]
"It’s called attachment theory, and there’s growing consensus about its capacity to explain and improve how we function in relationships."