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Research suggests that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing a positive distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. Listening to music can also activate the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals that can improve mood and reduce stress.

Music therapy, a form of therapy that uses music to address emotional, cognitive, and social needs, has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. It involves listening to music, creating music, and discussing the emotions and thoughts that arise during the process.

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The Healing Power of Music: How Does Music Help with Depression and Anxiety?

Music has the power to heal and transform lives. It can evoke emotions, memories, and create a sense of connection with others. But how does music help with depression and anxiety?

Research suggests that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing a positive distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. Listening to music can also activate the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals that can improve mood and reduce stress.

Music therapy, a form of therapy that uses music to address emotional, cognitive, and social needs, has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. It involves listening to music, creating music, and discussing the emotions and thoughts that arise during the process.

Music therapy can also help improve social skills and increase self-esteem, which can be beneficial for those struggling with depression and anxiety. It provides a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to express themselves and connect with others.

Are You Struggling to Overcome Depression? Find Your New Beginning at Sabino Recovery!

In addition to music therapy, simply listening to music that you enjoy can also provide benefits for mental health. Creating a playlist of songs that evoke positive emotions and memories can be a helpful tool for managing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How can music help regulate your emotions?

Music can be a powerful tool for regulating emotions. It has the ability to evoke strong emotional responses and can be used to enhance or change your mood. Listening to music can help you feel more relaxed, calm, and focused. It can also be used to release pent-up emotions and help you feel more connected to yourself and others.

Research has shown that music can have a direct impact on the brain and the body. It can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and even the levels of stress hormones in the body. This is why music is often used in therapy to help people cope with anxiety, depression, and other emotional issues.

When it comes to emotion regulation, different types of music can have different effects. For example, slow, calming music can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, while upbeat music can help boost your mood and energy levels.

One way to use music for emotion regulation is to create a playlist of songs that evoke positive emotions for you. This could include songs that make you feel happy, energetic, or calm. When you're feeling down or stressed, you can turn to this playlist to help shift your mood.

Another way to use music for emotion regulation is to engage in active listening. This involves focusing your attention on the music and allowing yourself to fully experience the emotions it evokes. This can be a powerful way to release pent-up emotions and feel more connected to yourself and others.

How Does Music Impact Stress and Anxiety?

Music has been shown to have a positive impact on stress and anxiety levels. Listening to music can reduce cortisol levels, which is a hormone that is released during stressful situations. When cortisol levels are high, it triggers the "fight or flight" response, which can make you feel more anxious and stressed. However, listening to music can help reduce cortisol levels, which can help you feel more relaxed and calm.

Research has shown that music can be an effective tool for stress reduction. It can help distract you from stressful situations and help you focus on something more positive. Additionally, music can help you regulate your breathing and heart rate, which can help you feel more calm and relaxed.

Different types of music can have different impacts on stress and anxiety levels. For example, slower tempo music can help you feel more relaxed, while faster tempo music can help you feel more energized and focused. Additionally, listening to music that you enjoy can help boost your mood and make you feel more positive.

Music and Mental Well-being

Can music really help with depression and anxiety? The answer is yes. Research shows that listening to music can have a positive impact on mental well-being, quality of life, and happiness.

Music has the power to affect our emotions and mood. When we listen to music, our brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This can help us feel happier, more relaxed, and less stressed. In fact, studies have shown that listening to music can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Moreover, music therapy has been found to be effective in treating depression and anxiety. It involves using music to encourage positive changes in mood and overall well-being. It can help people express their emotions, improve their communication skills, and develop coping strategies.

At Sabino Recovery, we use music therapy as part of our comprehensive treatment approach for PTSD and other mental health disorders. Our music therapy sessions are tailored to each individual's needs and preferences. Our experienced therapists use a variety of techniques, such as songwriting, improvisation, and listening exercises, to help our clients heal and recover.

Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or PTSD, music can be a powerful tool to help you feel better and improve your mental well-being. So, turn up the volume and let the music heal your mind and soul.

How Can Music Help You Relax?

Music can be an effective tool to help you relax and reduce stress, which can contribute to depression and anxiety. Listening to music can slow down your breathing and heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce muscle tension. This can help you feel calmer and more relaxed.

Music can also be used as a relaxation technique during meditation or before bed to help you fall asleep. Soft, slow music can help slow down your mind and body, making it easier to relax and drift off to sleep. This can improve the quality of your sleep and help you wake up feeling more refreshed.

In addition to listening to music, you can also use music as a way to practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment. Paying attention to the sounds and rhythms of the music can help you stay present and focused, reducing stress and anxiety.

How does Music Affect Cognitive Function?

Music has been shown to have a positive impact on cognitive function, particularly in individuals with depression and anxiety. Listening to music can help improve focus, learning, and memory retention. Studies have shown that children who learn to play an instrument have better cognitive function and perform better in school.

Music can also improve cognitive function in adults. Listening to music while working or studying can help improve focus and concentration. The type of music can also play a role in cognitive function. Calming music can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can improve cognitive function. On the other hand, upbeat music can help improve mood and motivation, which can also lead to improved cognitive function.

Research has also shown that music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. Music therapy can help individuals with depression and anxiety by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, improving mood, and reducing stress. Music therapy can also help individuals with depression and anxiety by improving cognitive function, including memory, attention, and executive function.

Music can have a positive impact on cognitive function, particularly in individuals with depression and anxiety. Listening to music can improve focus, learning, and memory retention, while music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression and anxiety.

Music Engagement and Its Benefits

How can music engagement help with depression and anxiety? Research has shown that engaging with music can have a positive impact on mental health. Here are some ways in which music engagement can benefit you:

Singing

Singing can be a form of self-expression and can help to release emotions. Singing in a group can also create a sense of community and belonging, which can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Dancing

Dancing can be a form of exercise and can help to release endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. It can also be a way to express emotions and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Musical Instrument

Playing a musical instrument can be a form of relaxation and can help to reduce stress and anxiety. It can also be a way to express emotions and can provide a sense of accomplishment.

Musical Performances

Attending musical performances can be a way to connect with others and can create a sense of community. It can also be a way to experience different emotions and can provide a sense of joy and happiness.

Engagement

Engaging with music can be a way to distract from negative thoughts and can provide a sense of comfort. It can also be a way to express emotions and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

How can Music be Used as a Distraction and Motivation to Help with Mood Disorders?

When you're feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings, music can provide a welcome distraction. Listening to your favorite songs can help shift your focus away from your worries and onto something more positive. By engaging your mind with music, you can create a temporary escape from your negative emotions.

Music can also be a powerful motivator. When you're feeling down, it can be hard to find the energy to do anything. However, listening to music can help you feel more energized and motivated. Upbeat songs with a strong rhythm can help you get moving, while slower, more contemplative songs can help you relax and reflect.

Studies have shown that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. For example, one study found that people who listened to music for just 30 minutes a day experienced a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Another study found that listening to music before surgery can help reduce anxiety levels.

In addition to listening to music, you can also use music as a tool for self-expression. Writing your own songs or playing an instrument can be a powerful way to channel your emotions and express yourself creatively.

How does music affect neurochemical responses?

Music has been shown to have a significant impact on neurochemical responses in the brain, particularly with regards to dopamine and endorphins. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward, while endorphins are natural painkillers that are released during exercise and other activities. When you listen to music, your brain releases both of these chemicals, which can help to improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

Research has shown that listening to music can increase dopamine levels in the brain by up to 9%. This increase in dopamine can lead to feelings of pleasure and reward, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, listening to music can also increase the release of endorphins in the brain, which can help to reduce feelings of pain and improve overall mood.

One study found that listening to music for just 30 minutes a day for two weeks can lead to significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Another study found that music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression in both children and adults.

Music in Clinical Settings

Can music help in clinical settings? Music therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental and physical health problems, including depression and anxiety. It is a non-invasive, low-risk treatment option that can be used alongside other treatments such as medication and psychotherapy.

In clinical settings, music therapy is often provided by trained professionals who use a variety of techniques to help patients achieve their therapeutic goals. These techniques may include listening to music, playing instruments, singing, and improvisation. Music therapy can be tailored to the needs and preferences of each individual patient, making it a highly personalized treatment option.

Randomized controlled trials have shown that music therapy can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as improving overall quality of life. It has also been shown to be effective in reducing stress and pain in patients undergoing chemotherapy and other medical treatments.

In addition to traditional music therapy, there are also emerging fields such as music medicine and improvisational music therapy. Music medicine involves the use of music as a therapeutic tool in medical settings, while improvisational music therapy focuses on the use of improvisation to help patients express themselves and explore their emotions.

*This article has been submitted by a third party and may not reflect the views, policies, or practices of Sabino Recovery or its staff. It is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Sabino Recovery is not liable for the accuracy or reliability of this content. For medical emergencies, call 9-1-1 immediately.

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How Does Music Help with Depression and Anxiety?

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Discover how music can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, activate the brain's reward system, and improve mood and social skills. Learn how creating a playlist of positive songs can benefit mental health and regulate emotions.

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CBT is an evidence-based treatment for reducing symptoms of anxiety.  It teaches people different ways of thinking, behaving, and reacting to anxiety-producing and fearful objects and situations. One of the most important CBT techniques for children with anxiety is called exposure and response prevention. During this treatment the child is safely exposed to his/her anxiety trigger in a systematic way within a supportive therapeutic setting. The child will learn to manage that fear by facing it in structured and incremental method. As the child becomes accustomed to fears, the anxiety will reduce.

The root cause of anxiety, or fear, can be managed through incremental exposure to the fear. As the patient gains affinity in managing their stress, anxiety reduces

CBT, or cognitive based treatment, is a doctor-proven effective therapy in which the patient faces root of anxiety

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Anger is a normal, healthy emotion. However, it can be a problem if you find it difficult to keep it under control.

"You can control your anger, and you have a responsibility to do so," says clinical psychologist Isabel Clarke, a specialist in anger management.

Recognise your anger signs

Your heart beats faster and you breathe more quickly, preparing you for action. You might also notice other signs, such as tension in your shoulders or clenching your fists. "If you notice these signs, get out of the situation if you've got a history of losing control," says Isabel.

Count to 10

Counting to 10 gives you time to cool down, so you can think more clearly and overcome the impulse to lash out.

Breathe slowly

Breathe out for longer than you breathe in, and relax as you breathe out. "You automatically breathe in more than out when you're feeling angry, and the trick is to breathe out more than in," says Isabel. "This will calm you down effectively and help you think more clearly."

Managing anger in the long term

Once you can recognise that you're getting angry, and can calm yourself down, you can start looking at ways to control your anger more generally.

Exercise can help with anger

Bring down your general stress levels with exercise and relaxation. Running, walking, swimming, yoga and meditation are just a few activities that can reduce stress. "Exercise as part of your daily life is a good way to get rid of irritation and anger," says Isabel.

Looking after yourself may keep you calm

Make time to relax regularly, and ensure that you get enough sleep. Drugs and alcohol can make anger problems worse. "They lower inhibitions and, actually, we need inhibitions to stop us acting unacceptably when we're angry," says Isabel.

Get creative

Writing, making music, dancing or painting can release tension and reduce feelings of anger.

Talk about how you feel

Discussing your feelings with a friend can be useful and can help you get a different perspective on the situation.

Let go of angry thoughts

"Try to let go of any unhelpful ways of thinking," says Isabel. "Thoughts such as 'It's not fair,' or 'People like that shouldn't be on the roads,' can make anger worse."

Thinking like this will keep you focused on whatever it is that's making you angry. Let these thoughts go and it will be easier to calm down.

Try to avoid using phrases that include:

always (for example, "You always do that")

never ("You never listen to me")

should or shouldn't ("You should do what I want," or "You shouldn't be on the roads")

must or mustn't ("I must be on time," or "I mustn't be late")

ought or oughtn't ("People ought to get out of my way")

not fair

Anxiety, fear and anger

Sometimes when people talk about "anger" what they actually mean is aggression, says Dr James Woollard, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist. "Often when people experience or appear to show anger, it's because they are also feeling fear or perceive a threat, and they are responding with a 'fight' response to this."

"Asking yourself, 'What might I be scared of?' can give you a different set of choices about how to respond," says Dr Woollard. "You might be angry that something has not gone your way. But you may also be scared that you might be blamed or hurt as result. Recognising this might allow you to think and act differently."

Read more on how to manage your anxiety.

"Managing your anger is as much about managing your happiness and contentment as your anger," adds Dr Woollard. "It should be a part of developing your emotional intelligence and resilience."

Domestic violence and anger

If uncontrolled anger leads to domestic violence (violence or threatening behaviour within the home), there are places that offer help and support. You can talk to your GP or contact domestic violence organisations such as:

Getting help with anger

If you feel you need help dealing with your anger, see your GP. There might be local anger management courses or counselling that could help you.

There are private courses and therapists who can help with anger issues. Make sure any therapist you see is registered with a professional organisation, such as the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy.

Anger management programmes

A typical anger management programme may involve one-to-one counselling and working in a small group. The programmes can consist of a one-day or weekend course. In some cases, it may be over a couple of months.

The structure of the programmes can differ, depending on who is providing it, but most programmes include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and counselling.

Last updated:
04 January 2023

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Anger can become a problem if you find it difficult to keep it under control. Find out how to recognise signs of anger and how to manage it in the long term.

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The AI system will be implemented to design and adapt courses, information, and reminders that help alleviate the adverse effects of the mental conditions of the patient. These customizable programs provided aid the patient in dealing with psychological conflict.

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https://www.simplilearn.com/ai-in-healthcare-article

https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-tutorial/artificial-intelligence-applications

Provides information regarding Applications of AI in modern day usage

https://www.cnet.com/health/mental/7-best-mental-health-apps-to-start-using-today/

Describes best mental health apps in the world today

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions

Lists adolescent and young adult health problems

https://www.betterup.com/blog/problem-statement

How to draft a problem statement

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/myths-and-facts

(Description)

https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-illness

What is mental illness (causes, effects, types, etc.)?

Mental Hygiene

https://www.britannica.com/science/mental-hygiene

Depression

https://www.britannica.com/science/depression-psychology

Types of depression

https://webmd.com/depression/depression-types

Mental Health

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics

Psychological well-being solutions

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5553319/

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When you enter the app, there can be a mood checker asking you: How are you feeling today? You can pick the emoji that suits your mood best.

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What different cases and problems are we going to design our Concept for?

What causes mental health problems?

Why are mental health problems a threat?

When are mental health issues most common?

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An app that provides an AI course which, based on the input of the users, creates a course that will help the user to deal with any mental health issue they are experiencing.

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We use credible, doctor-approved studies and resources to conduct research that we used to develop our concept

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The AI does not possess preconceived notions or bias that could negatively influence the patient's welfare. It treats all people fairly and inclusively regardless of that person's qualities.

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All procedures and information collected by the AI are straightforward; no hidden information or terms are collected in any such way or form without explicit permission. The AI's objective, concept, and technology is clearly and easily explained to not obscure information from patient.

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We do not compromise the patient's private information; it is confidential and only for AI to develop solutions that surround a patients needs

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AI will accept responsibility for its actions and algorithms. The system is reliable and held accountable by the patient, the innovators of the concept, and doctors. Additionally, the AI is responsible for its treatment and technological assistance in regards to the patient's diagnosis.

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Lessen physiological symptoms and conditions by the reduction of mental challenges such as depression and anxiety. Our AI program will help patients manage their emotional well-being and assist them in coping with their challenges. The technology will promote the good health of patients by reinforcing healthy principles and conduct in spite of their mental issues and inequalities in addition to gradually aiding the patient in dealing with their physiological problems. This concept connects with Global Goal 3 and leads towards societal improvement in regards to gradually improving the emotional welfare of patients worldwide.

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The AI system will use your input to adjust the course accordingly, and will not use your information for anything more or less.

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The AI will provide information on responsibilities, reinforce healthy conduct, and list "do's" and "don'ts" based on analysis of the patient's mental diagnosis and medical details. This will ensure patient welfare using technology instead of giving way for adverse effects to impact the patient.

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There are many different types of mental illnesses, including

Depression

Anger

Anxiety

Bipolar disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Dissocation

Eating Problems

Hearing Voices

Hoarding

Hypomania and mania

Lonliness

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Panic attacks

Paranoia

Personality disorders

Phobias

Postnatal depression

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

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Health, Mental, Emotional, and Psychological welfare

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11-12 years

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3 team members

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1. MindAI Support Group

2. Mental Wellness AI Collective

3. AI Minds Matter

4. NeuroAIcare Community

5. Cognitive Health AI Network

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Offer emotional support and reassurance

Keep questions/prompts open-ended

Listen carefully to what they tell you

Let them share as much or as little as they want to

What NOT to say:

Snap out of it; get over it

It's all in your head

You have the same illness as my...

You don't seem unwell

Have you thought of trying "xyz"

All the stereotypical stuff, like "get a good night's sleep, look for the positives"

"Time heals. It will get better," or anything else to try to cheer them up. Help them through it, not put a positive spin on it

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Francis Campanelli Elementary School

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App interface will be straightforward to aid patients for ease of use. This clear screen will make the program transparent in addition to helping the patient's ease of mind and not increasing mental anxiety.

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Having a large database can help aid patients and adapt courses to suit the audience's needs. When the AI can access a larger amount of patients, it can help the audience effectively and bring customization to overcome their mental illness.

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Focused

Engaging

Soothing/Calming/Relaxing

Understanding

Adapting

Open-ended

Impactful

Customizable

Based on user input

Professional

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Bring customization to AI through requesting a survey of medical information, to best suit the patient's requirements. Personal questions should not trespass, and bring a sense of comfort to the audience according to their needs and diagnosis.

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AI reinforces medical safety to the audience depending on the patient's information, ensuring the patient does not undergo their root cause of their problem and follows healthy practiices.

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Professional Font that demonstrates our positive motives

No advertisements

IN PROGRESS

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Within depression you can encounter

Major depression(depressed most days of the week you are depressed)

persistent depression disorder(depressed for 2+ years)

Bipolar/manic depression(mood swings)

Seasonal affective disorder(depressed in certain seasons)

Psychotic depression(hallucinations, delusions, paranoia)

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It's normal to feel down once in a while, but if you're sad most of the time and it affects your daily life, you may have clinical depression. It's a condition you can treat with medicine, talking to a therapist, and changes to your lifestyle.

There are many different types of depression. Events in your life cause some, and chemical changes in your brain cause others.

Whatever the cause, your first step is to let your doctor know how you're feeling. They may refer you to a mental health specialist to help figure out the type of depression you have. This diagnosis is important in deciding the right treatment for you.

Agitated. You feel uneasy most of the time. You may also:

Talk a lot

Move for no reason, like fidgeting with your hands and pacing around the room

Act impulsively

Talk therapy can help. You'll meet with a mental health specialist who will help you find ways to manage your depression. Medications called antidepressants can also be useful.

When therapy and medication aren't working, other options your doctor may suggest are:

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

ECT uses electrical pulses, TMS uses a special kind of magnet, and VNS uses an implanted device. All are design to stimulate certain areas of brain activity. This helps the parts of your brain that control your mood work better.

Seasonal affective disorder is a period of major depression that most often happens during the winter months, when the days grow short and you get less and less sunlight. It typically goes away in the spring and summer.

If you have SAD, antidepressants can help. So can light therapy. You'll need to sit in front of a special bright light box for about 15-30 minutes each day.

This type is different from the persistent sadness of typical depression. It is considered to be a "specifier" that describes a pattern of depressive symptoms. If you have atypical depression, a positive event can temporarily improve your mood.

Other symptoms of atypical depression include:

Increased appetite

Sleeping more than usual

Feeling of heaviness in your arms and legs

Oversensitive to criticism

Antidepressants can help. Your doctor may suggest a type called an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) as the first-line treatment.

They may also sometimes recommend an older type of antidepressant called an MAOI (monoamine oxidase inhibitor), which is a class of antidepressants that has been well-studied in treating atypical depression.

About 1/3 of people treated for depression try several treatment methods without success. If that's you, you might have treatment resistant depression. There are many reasons your depression might be treatment resistant. For example, you might have other conditions that make your depression difficult to treat.

If you're diagnosed with treatment resistant depression, your doctor might recommend some less conventional treatment options. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes helpful in this situation.

People with psychotic depression have the symptoms of major depression along with "psychotic" symptoms, such as:

Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there)

Delusions (false beliefs)

Paranoia (wrongly believing that others are trying to harm you)

A combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs can treat psychotic depression. ECT may also be an option.

Women who have major depression in the weeks and months after childbirth may have peripartum depression. Approximately 1 in 10 men also experience depression in the peripartum period. Antidepressant drugs can help similarly to treating major depression that is unrelated to childbirth.

Women with PMDD have depression and other symptoms at the start of their period.

Besides feeling depressed, you may also have:

Mood swings

Irritability

Anxiety

Trouble concentrating

Change in appetite or sleep habits

Feelings of being overwhelmed

Antidepressant medication or sometimes oral contraceptives can treat PMDD.

This isn't a technical term in psychiatry. But you can have a depressed mood when you're having trouble managing a stressful event in your life, such as a death in your family, a divorce, or losing your job. Your doctor may call this "stress response syndrome."

Psychotherapy can often help you get through a period of depression that's related to a stressful situation.

If you have depression that lasts for 2 years or longer, it's called persistent depressive disorder. This term is used to describe two conditions previously known as dysthymia (low-grade persistent depression) and chronic major depression.

You may have symptoms such as:

Change in your appetite (not eating enough or overeating)

Sleeping too much or too little

Lack of energy, or fatigue

Low self-esteem

Trouble concentrating or making decisions

Feeling hopeless

You may be treated with psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of the two.

Someone with bipolar disorder, which is also sometimes called " manic depression," has mood episodes that range from extremes of high energy with an "up" mood to low "depressive" periods.

When you're in the low phase, you'll have the symptoms of major depression.

Medication can help bring your mood swings under control. Whether you're in a high or a low period, your doctor may suggest a mood stabilizer, such as lithium.

The FDA has approved three medicines to treat the depressed phase:

Doctors sometimes prescribe other drugs "off label" for bipolar depression, such as the anticonvulsant lamotrigine or the atypical antipsychotic Vraylar.

Traditional antidepressants are not always recommended as first-line treatments for bipolar depression because there's no proof from studies that these drugs are more helpful than a placebo (a sugar pill) in treating depression in people with bipolar disorder. Also, for a small percentage of people with bipolar disorder, some traditional antidepressants may increase the risk of causing a "high" phase of illness, or speeding up the frequency of having more episodes over time.

Psychotherapy can also help support you and your family.

You may hear your doctor call this "major depressive disorder." You might have this type if you feel depressed most of the time for most days of the week.

Some other symptoms you might have are:

Loss of interest or pleasure in your activities

Weight loss or gain

Trouble getting to sleep or feeling sleepy during the day

Feeling restless and agitated, or else very sluggish and slowed down physically or mentally

Being tired and without energy

Feeling worthless or guilty

Trouble concentrating or making decisions

Thoughts of suicide

Your doctor might diagnose you with major depression if you have five or more of these symptoms on most days for 2 weeks or longer. At least one of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities.

Major depression looks differently in different people. Depending on how your depression makes you feel, it could be:

Anxious distress. You feel tense and restless most days. You have trouble concentrating because you're worried that something awful could happen, and you feel like you might lose control of yourself.

Melancholy. You feel intensely sad and lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy. You feel bad even when good things happen. You might also:

Feel particularly down in the mornings

Lose weight

Sleep poorly

Have suicidal thoughts

If you have melancholic depression, your symptoms might be worst in the mornings when you first wake up. Consider having someone help you with your first tasks of the day. Make sure to eat regularly even if you don't feel hungry.

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WebMD explains various types of depression and their treatments.

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hAPPy?

APPear?

buddy?

MindEase

SereneSoul(AI)

TranquilMind(AI)

BlissfulBalance(AI)

PeacefulPaths(AI)

CureAI

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"Anxiety is a mental health condition where a person experiences intense emotions that are driven by fear, worry, anticipation, embarrassment, or another emotion. Chances are that everyone will experience anxiety in their life, as it is very common. It is important to note that you can experience symptoms of anxiety without having the disorder."

- ChoosingTherapy.com

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What causes mood disorders? Scientists now understand that these illnesses occur when biological or genetic vulnerability intersects with environmental stress...Genes may have an impact on many different functions that can all feed into depression or bipolar disorder—for example, by affecting how our brains respond to stress, modulate mood, or maintain cognitive performance.

Genetic changes that affect the way people respond to certain problems such as stress and mood. This can be the root of certain mood disorders

Environmental stress such as cognitive performance, challenges in surroundings, and emotional vulnerability can also feed into depression when mood disorders remain unmanaged.

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The new study builds upon earlier work by the Kalin laboratory demonstrating that activity in the amygdala is strongly shaped by early-life experiences, such as parenting and social interactions. They hypothesize that extreme anxiety stems from problems with the normal maturation of brain systems involved in emotional learning, which suggests that anxious children have difficulty learning to effectively regulate brain anxiety circuits. Taken together, this line of research sets the stage for improved strategies for preventing extreme childhood anxiety from blossoming into full-blown anxiety disorders.

Anxiety can stem from problems in cerebral and emotional growth and difficulties in children managing those problems

Studies done to stop childhood anxiety's roots can prevent it from developing to a larger scale

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“What we knew prior to our study is that genetic factors account for up to 80 percent of risk for bipolar disorder and up to 50 percent of risk for major depressive disorder.. identify specific genetic variation in four chromosomal regions that double or triple someone’s risk for having a mood disorder"...

Some mood disorders can occur due to genetical factors in a person

Certain variations in genetics can increase the probability of a patient to experience a mood disorder

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https://www.medschool.umaryland.edu/news/2023/researchers-discover-unique-genetic-signature-for-mood-disorders-in-the-old-order-amish.html

https://depressioncenter.ucsf.edu/research

https://med.stanford.edu/mooddisorders/research.html

https://news.wisc.edu/researchers-discover-the-brain-origins-of-variation-in-pathological-anxiety/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/recognizing-and-easing-the-physical-symptoms-of-anxiety

https://tcmhcc.utsystem.edu/resources/anxiety/

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Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness

Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters

Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as hobbies or sports

Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much

Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort

Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased cravings for food and weight gain

Anxiety, agitation or restlessness

Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements

Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or self-blame

Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things

Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide

Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches

(These symptoms will occur at least once a day)

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To be diagnosed with depression, a person must have symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in most activities. Children and adolescents may be irritable rather than sad.

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Anxiety is a key factor in conditions such as:

panic disorder

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

separation anxiety

illness anxiety

phobias

generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

social anxiety disorder

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Causes:

Past or childhood experiences

Your current life situation

Physical and mental health problems

Drugs and medication

Cures:

Talk to someone you trust

Try to manage your worries

Look after your physical health

Try breathing exercises

Keep a diary

Try peer support

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) – this focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.

Applied relaxation therapy – this involves learning how to relax your muscles in situations where you normally experience anxiety.

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Overview

Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. Often, anxiety disorders involve repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks).

These feelings of anxiety and panic interfere with daily activities, are difficult to control, are out of proportion to the actual danger and can last a long time. You may avoid places or situations to prevent these feelings. Symptoms may start during childhood or the teen years and continue into adulthood.

Examples of anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (social phobia), specific phobias and separation anxiety disorder. You can have more than one anxiety disorder. Sometimes anxiety results from a medical condition that needs treatment.

Whatever form of anxiety you have, treatment can help.

Symptoms

Common anxiety signs and symptoms include:

Feeling nervous, restless or tense

Having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom

Having an increased heart rate

Breathing rapidly (hyperventilation)

Sweating

Trembling

Feeling weak or tired

Trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry

Having trouble sleeping

Experiencing gastrointestinal (GI) problems

Having difficulty controlling worry

Having the urge to avoid things that trigger anxiety

Several types of anxiety disorders exist:

Agoraphobia (ag-uh-ruh-FOE-be-uh) is a type of anxiety disorder in which you fear and often avoid places or situations that might cause you to panic and make you feel trapped, helpless or embarrassed.

Anxiety disorder due to a medical condition includes symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are directly caused by a physical health problem.

Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and excessive anxiety and worry about activities or events - even ordinary, routine issues. The worry is out of proportion to the actual circumstance, is difficult to control and affects how you feel physically. It often occurs along with other anxiety disorders or depression.

Panic disorder involves repeated episodes of sudden feelings of intense anxiety and fear or terror that reach a peak within minutes (panic attacks). You may have feelings of impending doom, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a rapid, fluttering or pounding heart (heart palpitations). These panic attacks may lead to worrying about them happening again or avoiding situations in which they've occurred.

Selective mutism is a consistent failure of children to speak in certain situations, such as school, even when they can speak in other situations, such as at home with close family members. This can interfere with school, work and social functioning.

Separation anxiety disorder is a childhood disorder characterized by anxiety that's excessive for the child's developmental level and related to separation from parents or others who have parental roles.

Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) involves high levels of anxiety, fear and avoidance of social situations due to feelings of embarrassment, self-consciousness and concern about being judged or viewed negatively by others.

Specific phobias are characterized by major anxiety when you're exposed to a specific object or situation and a desire to avoid it. Phobias provoke panic attacks in some people.

Substance-induced anxiety disorder is characterized by symptoms of intense anxiety or panic that are a direct result of misusing drugs, taking medications, being exposed to a toxic substance or withdrawal from drugs.

Other specified anxiety disorder and unspecified anxiety disorder are terms for anxiety or phobias that don't meet the exact criteria for any other anxiety disorders but are significant enough to be distressing and disruptive.

When to see a doctor

See your doctor if:

You feel like you're worrying too much and it's interfering with your work, relationships or other parts of your life

Your fear, worry or anxiety is upsetting to you and difficult to control

You feel depressed, have trouble with alcohol or drug use, or have other mental health concerns along with anxiety

You think your anxiety could be linked to a physical health problem

You have suicidal thoughts or behaviors - if this is the case, seek emergency treatment immediately

Your worries may not go away on their own, and they may get worse over time if you don't seek help. See your doctor or a mental health provider before your anxiety gets worse. It's easier to treat if you get help early.

Causes

The causes of anxiety disorders aren't fully understood. Life experiences such as traumatic events appear to trigger anxiety disorders in people who are already prone to anxiety. Inherited traits also can be a factor.

Medical causes

For some people, anxiety may be linked to an underlying health issue. In some cases, anxiety signs and symptoms are the first indicators of a medical illness. If your doctor suspects your anxiety may have a medical cause, he or she may order tests to look for signs of a problem.

Examples of medical problems that can be linked to anxiety include:

Heart disease

Diabetes

Thyroid problems, such as hyperthyroidism

Respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma

Drug misuse or withdrawal

Withdrawal from alcohol, anti-anxiety medications (benzodiazepines) or other medications

Chronic pain or irritable bowel syndrome

Rare tumors that produce certain fight-or-flight hormones

Sometimes anxiety can be a side effect of certain medications.

It's possible that your anxiety may be due to an underlying medical condition if:

You don't have any blood relatives (such as a parent or sibling) with an anxiety disorder

You didn't have an anxiety disorder as a child

You don't avoid certain things or situations because of anxiety

You have a sudden occurrence of anxiety that seems unrelated to life events and you didn't have a previous history of anxiety

Risk factors

These factors may increase your risk of developing an anxiety disorder:

Trauma. Children who endured abuse or trauma or witnessed traumatic events are at higher risk of developing an anxiety disorder at some point in life. Adults who experience a traumatic event also can develop anxiety disorders.

Stress due to an illness. Having a health condition or serious illness can cause significant worry about issues such as your treatment and your future.

Stress buildup. A big event or a buildup of smaller stressful life situations may trigger excessive anxiety - for example, a death in the family, work stress or ongoing worry about finances.

Personality. People with certain personality types are more prone to anxiety disorders than others are.

Other mental health disorders. People with other mental health disorders, such as depression, often also have an anxiety disorder.

Having blood relatives with an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders can run in families.

Drugs or alcohol. Drug or alcohol use or misuse or withdrawal can cause or worsen anxiety.

Complications

Having an anxiety disorder does more than make you worry. It can also lead to, or worsen, other mental and physical conditions, such as:

Depression (which often occurs with an anxiety disorder) or other mental health disorders

Substance misuse

Trouble sleeping (insomnia)

Digestive or bowel problems

Headaches and chronic pain

Social isolation

Problems functioning at school or work

Poor quality of life

Suicide

Prevention

There's no way to predict for certain what will cause someone to develop an anxiety disorder, but you can take steps to reduce the impact of symptoms if you're anxious:

Get help early. Anxiety, like many other mental health conditions, can be harder to treat if you wait.

Stay active. Participate in activities that you enjoy and that make you feel good about yourself. Enjoy social interaction and caring relationships, which can lessen your worries.

Avoid alcohol or drug use. Alcohol and drug use can cause or worsen anxiety. If you're addicted to any of these substances, quitting can make you anxious. If you can't quit on your own, see your doctor or find a support group to help you.

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Learn the symptoms of this mental health condition, and ways to manage worry and fear that interfere with your daily activities.

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Children may be anxious or cranky, pretend to be sick, refuse to go to school, cling to a parent, or worry that a parent may die.

Older children and teens may get into trouble at school, sulk, be easily frustrated‚ feel restless, or have low self-esteem. They may have other disorders, such as anxiety, an eating disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or substance use disorder. Older children and teens are also more likely to experience excessive sleepiness (called hypersomnia) and increased appetite (called hyperphagia).

Young adults are more likely to be irritable, complain of weight gain and hypersomnia, and have a negative view of life and the future. They often have other disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, panic disorder, or substance use disorder.

Middle-aged adults may have more depressive episodes, decreased libido, middle-of-the-night insomnia, or early morning waking. They often report stomach problems, such as diarrhea or constipation.

Older adults often feel sadness, grief, or other less obvious symptoms. They may report a lack of emotions rather than a depressed mood. Older adults are also more likely to have other medical conditions or pain that can cause or contribute to depression. Memory and thinking problems (called pseudodementia) may be prominent in severe cases.

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Limiting caffeine intake

Prioritizing getting a good night's rest

Stopping tobacco use

Meditating and practicing mindfulness

Eating a nutrient-rich diet

Trying aromatherapy

Distract yourself

Share your feelings

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Remedies like getting more sleep, limiting caffeine, meditating, and chamomile tea may go a long way toward helping you manage anxiety symptoms.

Anxiety is related to the stress response, which can be beneficial and useful. It makes you aware of danger, motivates you to stay organized and prepared, and helps you calculate risks.

Still, when stress becomes persistent and recurrent, it may snowball into an anxiety disorder or other mental health conditions. Natural remedies may help.

Staying active

A 2021 study found that people with physically active lifestyles have about a 60% lower chance of developing anxiety symptoms. This percentage was compared to matched individuals in a general population of about 400,000 people followed over 21 years.

Exercise often diverts your attention from thoughts that may increase your anxiety. Getting your heart rate up also generates changes in the brain chemistry, including in anti-anxiety brain messengers (neurotransmitters), like:

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), regular exercise enhances concentration and willpower, which may improve certain anxiety symptoms.

If you're looking to really get your heart rate up, something like a HIIT class (high-intensity interval training) or running is your best bet. But if you're looking to start off with soothing low impact movements, workouts like Pilates and yoga may work great.

Limiting alcohol intake

Drinking high amounts of alcohol may interfere with brain messengers (neurotransmitters) involved in regulating your mood. This interference may cause an imbalance that could manifest as symptoms of anxiety.

A indicated that there's a link between anxiety and alcohol consumption, with anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder (AUD) often occurring hand-in-hand.

A 2016 review that looked at 63 different studies showed that decreasing alcohol intake may improve both anxiety and depression symptoms.

A conducted across 36 years showed that alcohol disrupts your body's natural ability to sleep and may further diminish sleep quality over time. Sleep deprivation may increase your risk of developing chronic sleep problems. A good night's sleep is incredibly helpful when managing anxiety.

If you're used to regular alcohol intake, anxiety symptoms may temporarily increase at first when you stop drinking. However, these often improve in the long run.

Stopping tobacco use

A 2020 review gathered evidence that smoking cigarettes and anxiety symptoms often coexist. Consistent findings showed that people with anxiety are more likely to use tobacco. Additionally, a found that stopping smoking significantly improved anxiety symptoms.

A 2020 study also suggests that nicotine and other chemicals in cigarette smoke alter pathways in the brain linked to anxiety and panic disorder symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends finding a substitute for cigarettes, like toothpicks or gum.

You can also take up habits that may distract you to create an environment that works for your smoke-free life. Additionally, you can make a plan with a support system that can provide everything from encouragement to distractions.

Limiting caffeine intake

Caffeine may cause or worsen anxiety disorders. A 2022 review of 10 studies reported that caffeine may increase both anxiety and panic attacks in people living with and without panic disorder. In some people, eliminating caffeine significantly improved symptoms.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, text revision (DSM-5-TR), officially recognizes caffeine-induced anxiety disorder. The DSM-5-TR, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the reference handbook most U.S. mental health professionals use.

Caffeine-induced anxiety disorder involves caffeine interfering with daily functioning. A diagnosis requires that a person experiences anxiety symptoms related to caffeine consumption.

A 2021 review indicated that caffeine increases alertness by blocking the brain chemical adenosine (which is what makes you feel tired), while at the same time triggering the release of adrenaline, known as the fight-or-flight hormone.

With all this being said, a moderate intake of caffeine is safe for most people.

However, if you're looking to cut back or completely cut out caffeine, you'll want to start by slowly reducing the amount of caffeine you drink daily.

Gradually reducing your caffeine over the course of a few weeks can help adjust the habit without the body going through withdrawal.

Prioritizing getting a good night's rest

Even though a 2018 survey of 400,000 people showed that nearly a third of adults get less than 6 hours of sleep a night, the CDC recommends 7 or more hours every day.

You can improve your sleep hygiene by:

sleeping when you're tired

avoiding television or reading in bed

limiting phone, tablet, or computer use in bed

getting up instead of tossing and turning in your bed

going to another room (even if it's the bathroom) if you can't sleep

skipping caffeine, large meals, and nicotine before bedtime

keeping your room dark and at a comfortable temperature

writing down your thoughts before going to bed

going to sleep around the same time each day

Meditating and practicing mindfulness

A central goal of meditation is gaining full awareness of the present moment, which includes identifying thoughts in a nonjudgmental way. This can lead to a sense of calm and contentment by increasing your ability to mindfully tolerate all thoughts and feelings.

Meditation relieves stress and anxiety. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), a type of talk therapy that combines meditation and mindfulness strategies with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques, may help.

A randomized clinical trial reported in 2023 that an 8-week program of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) meditation helped relieve anxiety symptoms as much as the frequently prescribed antidepressant Lexapro.

Eating a nutrient-dense diet

Low blood sugar levels, dehydration, or chemicals in processed foods may affect your mood. A high-sugar diet may also impact how you feel.

If your anxiety worsens after eating, consider checking your eating habits. Staying hydrated, eliminating processed foods, and eating a balanced diet rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins may help with your symptoms.

Practicing deep breathing

Shallow, fast breathing is common with anxiety. It may lead to a fast heart rate, dizziness or lightheadedness, or even a panic attack.

Deep breathing exercises - the deliberate process of taking slow, even deep breaths - can help restore regular breathing patterns and reduce anxiety symptoms in the moment.

Trying aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a holistic healing treatment that has been used by humans for thousands of years. The practice uses natural plant extracts and essential oils to promote the health and well-being of the mind, body, and spirit.

The essential oils created by the natural plant extracts may be inhaled directly or added to a warm bath or diffuser.

Aromatherapy may:

boost relaxation

help with optimal sleep

elevate mood

reduce heart rate

balance blood pressure

Some essential oils believed to relieve anxiety are:
While research suggests there are health benefits, the FDA doesn't monitor or regulate the purity or quality of essential oils. It's important to talk with a healthcare professional before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the of a brand's products. Always do a before trying a new essential oil.
Drinking chamomile tea

A 2016 randomized clinical trial involving people with a GAD diagnosis showed that chamomile may be a powerful ally against the disorder. The study found that chamomile was safe long term and that it significantly reduced anxiety symptoms, although it did not decrease reoccurrence.

Researchers in a 2021 study suggest that chamomile's anti-anxiety properties may stem from the activity of a flavonoid called apigenin. This flavonoid engages GABA receptors at the same binding sites targeted by anti-anxiety drugs like Xanax.

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If you experience anxiety, find calm through these 10 natural remedies. Chamomile, exercise, and sleep may help relieve your anxiety.

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Shreya: Anxiety

Moksh: Anger Management

Rishaan: Depression

Sahil: Paranoia

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Transcript

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Hello, and happy new year. Thank you for joining us today. My name is Dr. Krystal Lewis. I'm a licensed clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health or NIMH, which is part of NIH, the National Institutes of Health. At NIH, I provide clinical services to youth who are participating in the pediatric anxiety study, and my research interests focus on identifying mechanisms of treatment such as self-efficacy and other factors which impact the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT, which I'll talk a little bit more about later on.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So with the new year upon us, it's a good time to check in on ourselves. 2020 was challenging for many reasons. The continued uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and the social unrest is still also very stressful for many of us. We know that everyone experiences stress from time to time, and it's normal to experience a wide range of emotions when you're feeling stressed, such as anxiety or fear, anger, and even grief, especially during challenging times such as these. However, there are long-term stress impacts, so the more you experience stress for long periods of time, this can significantly impact our overall health. People who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders also may be experiencing a heightened level of anxiety. For those individuals, the anxiety tends to persist and does not go away. It's often very distressing and interferes with daily functioning and can get worse over time if not treated.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So during the next half an hour together, I'm going to share some information about stress and anxiety. I'll suggest some coping techniques for maintaining your mental health during this pandemic and discuss when it might be appropriate to get professional health. I'll wrap up at the end with a brief guided meditation, and if there's some time, I'll take a few of your questions from the comments. It is important to note that I cannot provide specific medical advice or referrals. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment, and any answers to your personal questions. If you need help finding a provider, please visit www.nimh.nih.gov/findhelp. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK, 8255. 1-800-273-8255. You can also ask for help in the comments section of this feed, and someone from NIMH will assist. All of the websites and phone numbers that I mentioned will be posted in the comments section below so that you can easily access them.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So to get started, let's talk a little bit about stress and anxiety. It's first important to distinguish between stress and anxiety. Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause such as having a lot of homework to do, having an illness, or experiencing difficulty paying your bills. A stressor might be a one-time or a short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time. Stress can have a positive or a negative effect on your behavior. For example, if you are stressed about meeting a deadline, it might actually cause you to get the work done so that you can meet that deadline. But the stress might also cause you to lose sleep or have difficulty sleeping because you're stressed out about meeting that deadline. Different effects. Likewise, stress can be a result of positive or negative experiences. So starting a new job, that's a positive stressor. It can be. But losing a job or getting fired, that's a negative stressor.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Now, anxiety, anxiety is your body's reaction to the stress and can occur even if there's no current threat. So its origin is internal. Usually, anxiety involves a persistent feeling of apprehension or dread that seemingly may not go away. You might experience uncomfortable physical feelings that interfere with how you live your life. But both stress and anxiety can affect your mind and your body. You may experience such symptoms like excessive worry, feeling uneasy or having trouble relaxing, having tension in your body, or that might be headaches or muscle pain. Even physically it can affect you, and you might experience high blood pressure, or you might have difficulty sleeping. If stress or anxiety doesn't go away and begins to interfere with your life, it could affect your health. You could experience problems with sleeping or with your immune, digestive, cardiovascular, and even your reproductive systems. You might also be at higher risk for developing a mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So with that said, we're going to talk about some ways you might be able to cope with this stress or anxiety. It is necessary to have coping mechanisms in place. You want to avoid potentially harmful behaviors such as drinking alcohol, excessive news watching, overeating, isolating yourself, which can lead to poor hygiene. Keeping a routine is a key piece to maintaining some sense of normalcy. Eating properly, staying hydrated, exercising and moving around, and getting enough sleep are all very important. The first step to restoring a sense of calm is what I call disrupting anxiety. Once you're aware of the anxiety, you can do certain things to disrupt the worrying and the anxious feelings that you experience. This means you can challenge anxious or irrational thoughts by reframing your worries and using previous example going back to that deadline for work. So you have a deadline, and you're stressed about it. Instead of saying to yourself, "I should have already done this. They'll think I'm incompetent. I can't do anything right," catch yourself. And once you catch yourself experiencing those unhelpful thoughts, you can say, "I'm doing the best that I can. No one is perfect. Sometimes things might be late right now, and that's okay." It can also be helpful to reach out to loved ones to vent or problem solve. And sometimes, it might be necessarily to employ calming or relaxation techniques, which I'll discuss a little bit later.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Oftentimes, we, as parents, friends, or colleagues, may want to tell people with anxiety or those who seem stressed to just calm down. Things will be okay. However, we know that this is not an effective approach. We want to be the person who is able to provide a listening ear and perhaps impart more helpful suggestions after you learn a few things here today because, as noted, this is a tough time for us all right now. When thinking of parents, parents can help children deal with stress and anxiety by using some of the techniques I just mentioned and helping kids to focus what is in our control. As an example, worries about COVID-19 are common. However, what we can do is remind kids that there are certain things we can do in the situation such as wearing our mask, washing our hands, and engaging in social distancing. If there's a family member who, unfortunately, has COVID, or a neighbor, we can write get well cards, or we can make food or drop food off for them. Having discussions with your children about the social unrest that's occurred, when appropriate, explain to them how you're keeping them safe and discuss things that the family can do. Oftentimes, when you feel stressed and anxious it's because we don't believe we can handle things. However, this is a reminder that we are stronger than we believe, and we can get through this. So we can engage in great practices to help manage feelings of stress and being overwhelmed.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Earlier last year, this acronym, GREAT, was developed as an easy reminder to engage in these helpful practices to manage stress and anxiety. G, G stands for grateful. Be grateful. Find small things each day to be grateful about. This might be when you wake up in the morning or in the evening before bed, thinking of, what are the small things throughout the day that you can express gratitude for, such as the bed that you're about to fall asleep in or a nice meal that you've had earlier that day. R stands for relaxation. Practice relaxation. Do things that help you to calm down and relax. That might be different for each of you, but find ways to integrate that throughout your day. E stands for exercise. Engage in exercise, some type of activity. We know that physical health and mental health are tied together. We know that activity is important, so you try to implement that in your day. A stands for acknowledge. Acknowledge your feelings. Be aware of the many feelings, and accept them as they occur. Right now, things are very frustrating. You may be feeling angry at some of the things that we're seeing on the news. We might feel anxious about our health and our family's health. Whatever feelings that you are experiencing, know that it's okay. Accept them, acknowledge them, and then make sure that you use one of these practices to help manage them. And lastly, T. T is for track your thinking. Track your thoughts and change them. Ensure that you are engaging in helpful thinking. We all have thoughts that, oftentimes, aren't the most helpful. So if you pay attention to your thinking patterns, you can then engage in more helpful thinking.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So to build on that acronym of GREAT, I'm going to talk a little bit more about other strategies that may help promote resilience during these tough times right now. So change your expectations of daily productivity and accept that this is your norm right now. This is our norm. We have to acknowledge that we have different demands being at home than before maybe when we were in the office. We have to limit comparisons to friends or peers or colleagues who seemingly are living productive lives and have it all together. Remember that everyone may have different circumstances, and what people tell you and what you might see on social media often isn't a comprehensive picture of what's going on. So the comparisons aren't very helpful. As noted earlier, focus on what is in your control. We don't know when we'll be able to safely return to work or when our kids are going to go back to school. Therefore, we need to attend to what we do have control over. Create schedules and deadlines, and remember that your expectations should be adjusted for this current time, and you may not be able to do everything that you would like to do and plan to do, but that's okay. Acknowledge and validate your thoughts and feelings. Pay attention to your own physical and mental fatigue. There is no right or wrong way to feel right now, so work on accepting your feelings as they come. Practice self-compassion. You're going to have some good days, and there may be some days that aren't so bad, but that's okay.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: What can be helpful is engaging in mini breaks throughout the day, which can help with you managing general stress and potentially even increasing your productivity by taking a break. Watch a funny show. Watch a funny clip on YouTube. You can engage in social media briefly. Call a loved one. Just take a minute to detach from the pressures of work and your expectations throughout the day. Give yourself a break, and that can help improve your overall mental health. Use relaxation strategies to help reduce your anxiety throughout the day. These include deep breathing, taking a few minutes, sitting, and taking some deep breaths in through your nose, out through your mouth. Visualizing pleasant places, places that you've been in the past, places that you see yourself going in the future. Close your eyes and picture yourself in that location. Body scanning includes just paying attention to how you're feeling, different areas of your body. Are you stressed? Do you need to relax in those areas? Do you need to stretch? You can meditate. You can light candles. You can do anything that you find brings you a sense of calm, but make sure that you do those things. And maintaining a regular schedule or routine during the work week, as I noted. This can help with managing your time more efficiently. The schedule can take many forms, and it might be a shared schedule with a partner, or it might be your schedule with your child or elder care. Be flexible and forgiving. Have a schedule, but if you don't stick to it, something gets in the way, that's okay. We're going to try again tomorrow.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: And lastly, ask for help. We might feel that we're expected to solve all of our own problems and figure things out, but we know that these are uncharted waters for all of us right now. And if we ask for support, whether that be extra time on a project for work or seeking support from a friend or a colleague, verbalize to your partner when you need a break, or even reaching out for professional help from a therapist, these are all ways that we can help ourselves. So how do we recognize when we need more help? If you notice that you are struggling to cope, and the symptoms of stress and anxiety just won't go away, it may be time to talk to a professional. Maybe you've tried some of these strategies, and it just seemingly is not helping. You can reach out to a professional and engage in psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, or medication if need be. These are the two main treatments for anxiety, and many people benefit from a combination of the two.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So let's talk a little bit about the anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental health in adults. There are several types of anxiety disorders, which include generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety, and various phobia-related disorders, just to name a few. Generalized anxiety disorder display excessive anxiety or worry for most days for at least six months about a number of things. This can be personal health, work situations, social interactions, essentially everyday work/life circumstances create some worry. The worries cause significant problems in different areas of your life, such as interactions with other people, school, work. And you may often feel some physical symptoms of just being restless, difficulty relaxing, having sleep difficulties, and a few others.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: People with panic disorder have recurrent or unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that seem to come quickly out of the blue and reach their peak within minutes. These attacks can occur unexpectedly or can be brought on by a trigger such as a feared situation or a feared object. During a panic attack, people may experience a racing heart. They might be sweating. They might have a feeling of impending doom, something bad's going to happen, feel like they're out of control. People with panic often worry about when this next attack will happen, and they actively try to prevent their future attacks by avoiding places, people, things, behaviors that they associate with panic attacks. And the worry about the panic attacks and the effort spent trying to avoid these attacks causes significant problems in different areas of your life.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: And we'll do social anxiety. People with social anxiety disorder have a general intense fear or anxiety in social situations or situations requiring a performance. So they worry that their actions or behaviors associated with the anxiety will be negatively evaluated by others, leading them to feel embarrassed. And this worry often causes people with social anxiety to avoid social situations. So there might be physical symptoms that they experience such as chest pain or feeling hot, shakiness, headaches, a racing heart, muscle tension. The social situations almost always provoke fear or anxiety, and the situations are avoided or at least endured with intense anxiety when they're in those situations. So the fear is persistent, lasts for six months or longer, and causes significant distress. There are other anxiety disorders, and you can visit our website for more information.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Researchers are finding that both genetic and environmental factors tend to contribute to the risk of developing an anxiety disorder. And although the risk factors for each type of anxiety disorder might vary, some general risk factors for all types of anxiety disorders include what's called behavioral inhibition or a temperamental trait of being shy that is often noticeable in early childhood, exposure to stressful and negative life events that occur in childhood or in adulthood, a history of anxiety or other mental illnesses in biological relatives in the family, and some physical health conditions like thyroid condition, heart arrhythmias. Caffeine consumption or other substances can produce and aggravate anxiety symptoms. A physical health examination is helpful in evaluating the possibility of anxiety disorder. So it's really important that you seek help from a provider to receive an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment if you experience any of these symptoms.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So let's talk a little bit about treatment. Despite anxiety being very common, the good news is that anxiety is quite treatable. Anxiety disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy or medication or both. There are several ways to treat anxiety, and people should work with their doctor to choose, well, what treatment is best for you. Psychotherapy or talk therapy can help people with anxiety disorders. And to be effective, psychotherapy must be directed at the person's specific anxieties or tailored to their needs. So this therapy can be adjusted to meet the needs of each individual. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an example of one of the psychotherapies that can help people with anxiety disorders. CBT has plenty of scientific support which demonstrates its effectiveness for people with anxiety. CBT teaches people different ways of thinking, feeling, and reacting. And when we're in these situations, we teach people how to manage the anxious thoughts that they may be experiencing. Generally, people with anxiety fear that bad things will happen, and they won't be able to handle them. So CBT can also help people learn skills and strategies which increases general efficacy.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Cognitive therapy and exposure are two CBT methods that are often used together, and they treat the different anxiety disorders. Cognitive therapy focuses on identifying challenging and neutralizing unhelpful or disordered thoughts that underline anxiety disorders. Exposure therapy focuses on confronting fears underlying the anxiety and helping people engage in the different activities that they've been avoiding. So therapists who are trained in exposure therapy can help people to safely face their fears through graduated or step-by-step practice. And during CBT, you might also learn different ways to manage the extreme anxiety you have through learning relaxation and coping tools that you can use outside of the session when you're feeling very anxious.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So sometimes when therapy's not as effective or symptoms get in the way of engaging in therapy, medication is a great option. Medication does not cure anxiety disorders, but it can relieve symptoms. So medication for anxiety is prescribed by doctors such as psychiatrists or primary care providers. Some states also allow psychologists who have received specialized training to prescribe. The most common class of medications to combat anxiety disorders are anti-anxiety drugs such as benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and beta blockers. So anti-anxiety medications can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, panic, or extreme fear, and the most common anti-anxiety medication are called benzodiazepines. Although benzodiazepines are sometimes used as a first-line treatment for generalized anxiety, other anxiety, they have benefits and drawbacks. Some benefits of benzos are that they-- of benzodiazepines are that they're effective at relieving anxiety and take effect, basically, more quickly than antidepressant medications. Some drawbacks are the benzodiazepines, people can build up a tolerance to them, and if they're taken over a long period of time, then you might need a higher and higher dosage to get the same effect, and people might even become dependent on them. So to avoid these problems, doctors sometimes prescribe benzodiazepines for short periods of time. They're helpful for adults, older adults, maybe people who have substances abuse problems and people who become dependent on medication easily. If people suddenly stop taking these medications, they may have withdrawal symptoms, so we advise that you work closely with your doctor when you decide it's time to stop the medication.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: So again, for long-term use, the first line of treatment we say to use is antidepressant medication. So benzodiazepines can be considered as a second-line treatment, but for long-term use, we suggest antidepressants. And these are helpful for treating anxiety. They might improve ways that your brain uses certain chemicals that control your mood or control stress. You might need to try several different ones before finding one that improves your symptoms and has manageable side effects. Knowing a family member who's taken an antidepressant can be helpful in knowing if a medication may work for you as well. So do know that antidepressants can take some time to work, so it's important to give the medication a chance before reaching a conclusion about if it's effective. If you begin to take antidepressants, don't stop them without the help of a doctor. Again, any medication that you're on, consult with your doctor, and you guys can come up with a plan for how you can slowly and safely decrease your dosage. It is best to engage in CBT while on medication for the greatest benefit when treating your anxiety disorder, so it's important that you find a provider with whom you feel comfortable so you can work together to find the best treatment for you, whether that be CBT, medication, both. But talk with a qualified professional.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Okay. So thus far, I've given you a lot of information, and now is a good time to sit back and do a guided meditation with me. Meditation is a useful tool for calming stress and anxiety and helping you to relax, refocus, and bring you to the here and now. We'll do a brief meditation to connect to the present moment. So take a few seconds to find a comfortable position. If you're sitting, keep your back straight but relaxed, and keep your feet planted to the ground. You can close your eyes to really get into it, or, if you'd like, rest your eyes on one particular spot on the wall or in front of you. Take a deep breath in, hold, and release. Take one more deep breath in through your nose. Focus on the sensation of the air passing through your nose and into your body. Feel the slight movement in your chest as you breath and exhale, gently letting the air out. Focus on the calmness of the space around you. Relax your muscles as you continue to breath. Notice any tension and relax those areas of your body.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: As you continue to breath, slowly in and out, notice how your body feels in that chair or on the couch, what you're feeling as your body is resting in that space. Notice the pressure on the different parts of your body. There's no particular way to be. Just notice how you are in this moment. If you notice physical discomfort or distressing thoughts, simply allow them to be. Let them come and go. Be open to any sensations, feelings, or thoughts that you may be experiencing and know that they're going to come, and then they're going to pass. Continue to breath and focus on any physical sensations. Do you feel the air around you? Do you feel it on your skin? Is the air still? Imagine yourself as light as the air. Relax. Can you hear the air coming from your vent or through the window? What else do you hear? Pay attention to the sounds around you. Do you hear other voices in your home or just my voice? Let the sounds come and go as they please.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Now, let's shift your attention and awareness to your emotions. How would you describe what you're feeling right now? Are you happy? Sad? Irritated? Bored? Are you not sure what you're experiencing? Be aware of your emotional experience and allow it to be. Whatever emotion you're experiencing is fine. It's okay. Refocus on your breathing. Hold and release. Focus on air moving in and out of your body and the quiet that surrounds you. Let any sounds, thoughts, and feelings come and go as they occur. Notice and acknowledge them and let them leave. Bring yourself back to your physical space. Open your eyes and take a few more deep breaths, in and out. Now, pat yourself on the back for taking time to engage in this meditation. Take note of how you're feeling before you jump right back into your day. Remember that you can use this exercise or any similar exercises like this whenever you feel you need to take a break. And you see it only takes a few minutes to do. You can integrate breaks throughout your day and do a relaxation tool-- or use a relaxation tool to help yourself calm down and refocus yourself to the present moment.

KRYSTAL LEWIS: Okay. So at this time, be mindful. We've reached the end of our discussion today on managing stress and anxiety. Thank you for joining us today. Get the latest shareable resources on coping with COVID-19 from NIMH at www.nimh.nih.gov/covid19. Thank you so much for joining us today, and please, everyone, stay well.

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NIMH Expert Dr. Krystal Lewis Discusses Managing Stress & Anxiety

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On January 14, 2021, NIMH conducted a livestream event on managing stress and anxiety with NIMH expert Krystal Lewis, Ph.D. Dr. Lewis discussed coping techniques on how to maintain your mental health during the pandemic and when to get professional help.

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When does anxiety become a disorder?

If your anxiety starts acting up all the time, it can make small stresses and situations feel like life or death. This can negatively affect your quality of life and may indicate an anxiety disorder.

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Anger management: 10 tips to tame your temper

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Want to get your anger under control? Start by considering these 10 anger management tips.

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Anger Issues: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Management

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Anger is a normal emotion, but if your anger seems out of control or is impacting your relationships, you may have anger issues. Here’s what you need to know about diagnosing whether you have an issue with anger, and what you can do to find treatment.

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Anger is an emotion that can be dangerous and unhealthy when mismanaged. It can be negatively impactful on interactions and relationships when it is not properly controlled or dealt with. Mismanagement of anger can result in unhealthy practices.

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https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/anger-management

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Research suggests that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing a positive distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. Listening to music can also activate the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals that can improve mood and reduce stress.

Music therapy, a form of therapy that uses music to address emotional, cognitive, and social needs, has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. It involves listening to music, creating music, and discussing the emotions and thoughts that arise during the process.

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The Healing Power of Music: How Does Music Help with Depression and Anxiety?

Music has the power to heal and transform lives. It can evoke emotions, memories, and create a sense of connection with others. But how does music help with depression and anxiety?

Research suggests that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by providing a positive distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. Listening to music can also activate the brain's reward system, releasing dopamine and other feel-good chemicals that can improve mood and reduce stress.

Music therapy, a form of therapy that uses music to address emotional, cognitive, and social needs, has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. It involves listening to music, creating music, and discussing the emotions and thoughts that arise during the process.

Music therapy can also help improve social skills and increase self-esteem, which can be beneficial for those struggling with depression and anxiety. It provides a safe and non-judgmental space for individuals to express themselves and connect with others.

Are You Struggling to Overcome Depression? Find Your New Beginning at Sabino Recovery!

In addition to music therapy, simply listening to music that you enjoy can also provide benefits for mental health. Creating a playlist of songs that evoke positive emotions and memories can be a helpful tool for managing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How can music help regulate your emotions?

Music can be a powerful tool for regulating emotions. It has the ability to evoke strong emotional responses and can be used to enhance or change your mood. Listening to music can help you feel more relaxed, calm, and focused. It can also be used to release pent-up emotions and help you feel more connected to yourself and others.

Research has shown that music can have a direct impact on the brain and the body. It can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and even the levels of stress hormones in the body. This is why music is often used in therapy to help people cope with anxiety, depression, and other emotional issues.

When it comes to emotion regulation, different types of music can have different effects. For example, slow, calming music can help reduce anxiety and promote relaxation, while upbeat music can help boost your mood and energy levels.

One way to use music for emotion regulation is to create a playlist of songs that evoke positive emotions for you. This could include songs that make you feel happy, energetic, or calm. When you're feeling down or stressed, you can turn to this playlist to help shift your mood.

Another way to use music for emotion regulation is to engage in active listening. This involves focusing your attention on the music and allowing yourself to fully experience the emotions it evokes. This can be a powerful way to release pent-up emotions and feel more connected to yourself and others.

How Does Music Impact Stress and Anxiety?

Music has been shown to have a positive impact on stress and anxiety levels. Listening to music can reduce cortisol levels, which is a hormone that is released during stressful situations. When cortisol levels are high, it triggers the "fight or flight" response, which can make you feel more anxious and stressed. However, listening to music can help reduce cortisol levels, which can help you feel more relaxed and calm.

Research has shown that music can be an effective tool for stress reduction. It can help distract you from stressful situations and help you focus on something more positive. Additionally, music can help you regulate your breathing and heart rate, which can help you feel more calm and relaxed.

Different types of music can have different impacts on stress and anxiety levels. For example, slower tempo music can help you feel more relaxed, while faster tempo music can help you feel more energized and focused. Additionally, listening to music that you enjoy can help boost your mood and make you feel more positive.

Music and Mental Well-being

Can music really help with depression and anxiety? The answer is yes. Research shows that listening to music can have a positive impact on mental well-being, quality of life, and happiness.

Music has the power to affect our emotions and mood. When we listen to music, our brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. This can help us feel happier, more relaxed, and less stressed. In fact, studies have shown that listening to music can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Moreover, music therapy has been found to be effective in treating depression and anxiety. It involves using music to encourage positive changes in mood and overall well-being. It can help people express their emotions, improve their communication skills, and develop coping strategies.

At Sabino Recovery, we use music therapy as part of our comprehensive treatment approach for PTSD and other mental health disorders. Our music therapy sessions are tailored to each individual's needs and preferences. Our experienced therapists use a variety of techniques, such as songwriting, improvisation, and listening exercises, to help our clients heal and recover.

Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, or PTSD, music can be a powerful tool to help you feel better and improve your mental well-being. So, turn up the volume and let the music heal your mind and soul.

How Can Music Help You Relax?

Music can be an effective tool to help you relax and reduce stress, which can contribute to depression and anxiety. Listening to music can slow down your breathing and heart rate, lower blood pressure, and reduce muscle tension. This can help you feel calmer and more relaxed.

Music can also be used as a relaxation technique during meditation or before bed to help you fall asleep. Soft, slow music can help slow down your mind and body, making it easier to relax and drift off to sleep. This can improve the quality of your sleep and help you wake up feeling more refreshed.

In addition to listening to music, you can also use music as a way to practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment. Paying attention to the sounds and rhythms of the music can help you stay present and focused, reducing stress and anxiety.

How does Music Affect Cognitive Function?

Music has been shown to have a positive impact on cognitive function, particularly in individuals with depression and anxiety. Listening to music can help improve focus, learning, and memory retention. Studies have shown that children who learn to play an instrument have better cognitive function and perform better in school.

Music can also improve cognitive function in adults. Listening to music while working or studying can help improve focus and concentration. The type of music can also play a role in cognitive function. Calming music can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can improve cognitive function. On the other hand, upbeat music can help improve mood and motivation, which can also lead to improved cognitive function.

Research has also shown that music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression and anxiety. Music therapy can help individuals with depression and anxiety by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, improving mood, and reducing stress. Music therapy can also help individuals with depression and anxiety by improving cognitive function, including memory, attention, and executive function.

Music can have a positive impact on cognitive function, particularly in individuals with depression and anxiety. Listening to music can improve focus, learning, and memory retention, while music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression and anxiety.

Music Engagement and Its Benefits

How can music engagement help with depression and anxiety? Research has shown that engaging with music can have a positive impact on mental health. Here are some ways in which music engagement can benefit you:

Singing

Singing can be a form of self-expression and can help to release emotions. Singing in a group can also create a sense of community and belonging, which can help to reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness.

Dancing

Dancing can be a form of exercise and can help to release endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. It can also be a way to express emotions and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

Musical Instrument

Playing a musical instrument can be a form of relaxation and can help to reduce stress and anxiety. It can also be a way to express emotions and can provide a sense of accomplishment.

Musical Performances

Attending musical performances can be a way to connect with others and can create a sense of community. It can also be a way to experience different emotions and can provide a sense of joy and happiness.

Engagement

Engaging with music can be a way to distract from negative thoughts and can provide a sense of comfort. It can also be a way to express emotions and can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

How can Music be Used as a Distraction and Motivation to Help with Mood Disorders?

When you're feeling overwhelmed by negative thoughts and feelings, music can provide a welcome distraction. Listening to your favorite songs can help shift your focus away from your worries and onto something more positive. By engaging your mind with music, you can create a temporary escape from your negative emotions.

Music can also be a powerful motivator. When you're feeling down, it can be hard to find the energy to do anything. However, listening to music can help you feel more energized and motivated. Upbeat songs with a strong rhythm can help you get moving, while slower, more contemplative songs can help you relax and reflect.

Studies have shown that music can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. For example, one study found that people who listened to music for just 30 minutes a day experienced a significant reduction in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Another study found that listening to music before surgery can help reduce anxiety levels.

In addition to listening to music, you can also use music as a tool for self-expression. Writing your own songs or playing an instrument can be a powerful way to channel your emotions and express yourself creatively.

How does music affect neurochemical responses?

Music has been shown to have a significant impact on neurochemical responses in the brain, particularly with regards to dopamine and endorphins. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is associated with pleasure and reward, while endorphins are natural painkillers that are released during exercise and other activities. When you listen to music, your brain releases both of these chemicals, which can help to improve your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

Research has shown that listening to music can increase dopamine levels in the brain by up to 9%. This increase in dopamine can lead to feelings of pleasure and reward, which can help to reduce stress and anxiety. Additionally, listening to music can also increase the release of endorphins in the brain, which can help to reduce feelings of pain and improve overall mood.

One study found that listening to music for just 30 minutes a day for two weeks can lead to significant reductions in symptoms of depression and anxiety. Another study found that music therapy can be an effective treatment for depression in both children and adults.

Music in Clinical Settings

Can music help in clinical settings? Music therapy has been shown to be effective in treating a variety of mental and physical health problems, including depression and anxiety. It is a non-invasive, low-risk treatment option that can be used alongside other treatments such as medication and psychotherapy.

In clinical settings, music therapy is often provided by trained professionals who use a variety of techniques to help patients achieve their therapeutic goals. These techniques may include listening to music, playing instruments, singing, and improvisation. Music therapy can be tailored to the needs and preferences of each individual patient, making it a highly personalized treatment option.

Randomized controlled trials have shown that music therapy can be effective in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as improving overall quality of life. It has also been shown to be effective in reducing stress and pain in patients undergoing chemotherapy and other medical treatments.

In addition to traditional music therapy, there are also emerging fields such as music medicine and improvisational music therapy. Music medicine involves the use of music as a therapeutic tool in medical settings, while improvisational music therapy focuses on the use of improvisation to help patients express themselves and explore their emotions.

*This article has been submitted by a third party and may not reflect the views, policies, or practices of Sabino Recovery or its staff. It is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Sabino Recovery is not liable for the accuracy or reliability of this content. For medical emergencies, call 9-1-1 immediately.

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How Does Music Help with Depression and Anxiety?

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Discover how music can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, activate the brain's reward system, and improve mood and social skills. Learn how creating a playlist of positive songs can benefit mental health and regulate emotions.

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Paranoia is an irrational suspicion or mistrust of others. Read more on how it’s diagnosed and what the treatment options are.

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Paranoia is the most common symptom of psychosis. But you can have mild paranoid concerns without having psychosis.

What is paranoia?

Paranoia is a way of thinking that involves feelings of distrust and suspicion about others without a good reason. It often involves thoughts that others are out to get you or are looking to harm you in some way. You can also have paranoid thoughts about threats to other people, your culture or society.

Paranoia varies in severity and can be temporary or long-lasting. It's the most common symptom of psychosis - over 70% of people with psychosis have paranoia. But you can have mild paranoid concerns without having psychosis. In fact, mild paranoia is quite common in the general population.

Paranoia can be a type of delusion - an unshakeable belief in something untrue. Not all delusions are about feelings of being harmed or threats. For example, you might have a delusion that another person, often someone important or famous, is in love with you. This isn't paranoia.

Types of paranoia

Paranoid thoughts tend to cluster into four subtypes:

Mistrust: You're overly suspicious of others' intentions and find it difficult to trust others, even though there isn't any or much evidence to justify these feelings.

Interpersonal sensitivity: You tend to interpret others' nonverbal language negatively. You assign negative meanings to other people's remarks.

Ideas of reference: These are false beliefs that random or irrelevant events directly relate to you. They can involve paranoia.

Persecutory: You believe someone, or something, is mistreating, spying on or attempting to harm you (or someone close to you). You may make repeated complaints to legal authorities. Healthcare providers consider this type of paranoia a delusion.

In general, the severity of paranoia depends on how much:

You believe the paranoid thoughts.

You think about paranoid thoughts.

The paranoid thoughts cause you distress.

The paranoid thoughts interfere with your everyday life.

Many people experience mild paranoia at some point in their lives. This is nonclinical paranoia. It's temporary and isn't overwhelming or distressing. You can rationally think through this type of paranoia.

Severe paranoia is rare. Healthcare providers consider persecutory delusions to be severe paranoia.

What are the signs of paranoia?

Paranoia can look like many different things, including:

Finding it difficult to trust others.

Obsessing over the loyalty or trustworthiness of loved ones.

Being overly suspicious of others' intentions.

Assuming people are saying negative things about you "behind your back."

Feeling like you're being exploited.

Persistently holding grudges.

Thinking that people - even strangers - are out to get you.

Difficulty coping with any kind of criticism.

Assigning negative meanings to other people's remarks.

Being reactive or always on the defensive.

Being hostile, aggressive and argumentative.

Believing in unfounded conspiracy theories.

Considering the world to be a place of constant threat.

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Paranoia is a way of thinking that involves feelings of distrust and suspicion of others without good reason to be suspicious. It can range from mild to severe.

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"Even if you’ve learned how to manage anxiety, it’s a safe bet that you’ll experience some level of anxiety again in your lifetime.

Anxiety may crop up in response to events such as:

financial issues

work stress, including in a new job

trouble with interpersonal relationships

fear of being alone

dealing with serious health issues

loss of a loved one

major life changes, such as marriage or a move

Your anxiety level is likely to fluctuate throughout your life, depending on what’s happening or what’s on your mind."

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Talk therapy and medications are effective treatments for anxiety. Acupuncture, light therapy, deep breathing, pet therapy, meditation, a balanced diet, and exercise can also reduce anxiety symptoms in the moment.

Anxiety is the body's natural response to stress, perceived threats, and fear. Anxiety usually goes away once the threat or stressor passes and your system calms down.

However, if you have an anxiety disorder, anxiety can linger beyond the triggering event and become out of proportion. Chronic (long-term) or severe anxiety can seriously impair your daily functioning.

While you can't banish anxiety altogether, anxiety and anxiety disorders can be treated and managed.

We'll go over what distinguishes anxiety disorders from standard anxiety, risk factors, treatment options, and more.

A person's tendency toward anxiety is determined by several factors, including their genetic makeup, life experiences, environment, and more.

Since it's a natural part of the human condition, anxiety is not completely curable. But feeling anxious should be a temporary state that resolves when a stressor or trigger has passed.

Anxiety is bound to make an appearance sometimes, such as when you're giving a big presentation at work or when you have an acute health issue.

Anxiety disorders, on the other hand, are different from average feelings of anxiety. Anxiety disorders are marked by excessive, prolonged worrying. You might feel overwhelmed easily and be unable to stop feeling anxious.

If left untreated, anxiety disorders can worsen over time and negatively impact your quality of life.

This might look like:

It's important to recognize when anxiety has too much control over you and to seek help. There are ways to manage anxiety and keep it from running your life.

Anxiety is an emotional state that involves feelings of worry, apprehension, and stress. As the American Psychiatric Association explains, anxiety usually involves being concerned about something happening in the future. This could be a specific event or an abstract fear.

When you're anxious, you can also have temporary physical symptoms, such as an increased heart rate and sweating.

Anxiety is also a state of high alert when there's a perceived threat or possibility of a threat. It serves an evolutionary purpose to keep us alert to danger and looking out for our self-preservation.

If your anxiety starts acting up all the time, it can make small stresses and situations feel like life or death. This can negatively affect your quality of life and may indicate an anxiety disorder.

Types of anxiety disorders include:

People with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder may also experience anxiety symptoms. These used to be classified as anxiety disorders but are now separate in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5). The DSM-5 is the major resource used by healthcare professionals to diagnose mental health conditions.

People with other types of mental health conditions, such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) and schizophrenia, may also experience anxiety more frequently than the average person.

Anxiety disorders or anxiety caused by other mental health conditions can cause significant problems in daily life. They can impact your relationships and performance at work or school.

Some risk factors for developing an anxiety disorder or a related condition include:

Anxiety is treated by psychologists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professionals.

Anxiety disorders sometimes coexist with other conditions (comorbidities), such as depression or substance use disorder. When seeking care for your anxiety, it's important to also address any other mental health conditions.

The following are common treatment options for anxiety. Many of these have been around for a while and are associated with significant improvements in quality of life.

Talk therapy

Psychotherapy, or talk therapy, involves one-on-one sessions with a therapist. You might meet with your therapist weekly, or more or less frequently, depending on your individual situation.

Talk therapy is an umbrella term. Common forms of talk therapy include:

During talk therapy, you can speak openly about your anxieties and other concerns. Your therapist can help you identify problems and work on strategies to overcome them.

Therapy can be a safe, judgment-free space to share whatever is troubling you and be yourself. Your therapist can also provide you with resources about other mental health treatment options.

We'll overview two kinds of talk therapy commonly used for treating anxiety disorders: CBT and DBT.

Cognitive behavioral therapy

CBT has been found to be effective in treating several types of anxiety disorders, including those linked to depression, phobias, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). CBT is also associated with improved quality of life in people with anxiety.

Here's how it works:

CBT is based on the idea that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are related. This form of therapy aims to help you change your thought and behavior patterns in a way that will be beneficial to you.

Usually, you and your therapist will agree on a number of sessions to help organize your treatment plan and structure goals.

CBT sessions will focus on specific problems and changing the way you think about and deal with them. You practice with your therapist and on your own in between sessions.

One common method of treating anxiety disorders is a type of CBT called exposure therapy. This involves identifying the things that cause anxiety and then, in a safe and controlled setting, systematically exposing yourself to them. This could be virtual or in real life.

Exposure therapy may also involve learning relaxation techniques, a form of exposure therapy called systematic desensitization.

As you're exposed to a stressful or feared situation in a safe setting, you begin to feel less anxious about it. This helps you manage a situation better next time it happens so anxiety is no longer running the show.

Dialectical behavior therapy

DBT is an increasingly popular therapy for people with certain mental health conditions that can cause anxiety.

Similar to CBT, the focus of DBT is behavioral change. However, DBT provides additional focus on the development of coping skills and thinking patterns that can help regulate mood, emotions, and relationships. The idea is to tap into these coping skills when you feel anxious or in other distress.

DBT programs are intensive and require a mix of one-on-one and group therapy sessions that meet weekly for several months.

For these reasons, DBT may be most helpful for those whose anxiety is severe and caused by serious mental health conditions such as borderline personality disorder (BPD), eating disorders, and substance use disorders.

Medications

When talk therapy or behavioral therapy is not enough to manage your anxiety, your doctor may talk with you about the possibility of taking anti-anxiety medications. Sometimes this category of medications is called anxiolytics.

Anti-anxiety medications can also be prescribed by a psychiatrist.

Common types include:

When prescribed for anxiety, medications are typically combined with some type of talk therapy.

Benzodiazepines are typically prescribed to be taken as needed. These medications are fast-acting, and have risk of addiction. Antidepressants, including both SNRIs and SSRIs, are for daily or chronic use, and can take time to achieve a therapeutic effect. Tricyclics are also used to treat OCD.

Anxiety medications can have side effects and should always be taken as directed by your doctor. It may take more than one try to find the right medication for you.

Even if you've learned how to manage anxiety, it's a safe bet that you'll experience some level of anxiety again in your lifetime.

Anxiety may crop up in response to events such as:

Your anxiety level is likely to fluctuate throughout your life, depending on what's happening or what's on your mind.

Remember - anxiety is not inherently bad. It can help us be prepared for whatever comes our way. But when you're feeling anxious all the time and feel unable to calm down, this is a cause for concern.

Chronic anxiety that is out of proportion to the stressor or situation may signify an anxiety disorder.

When you feel anxious, it may help to acknowledge the fact that you're anxious. If you can, try and take a step back and consider the situation. Identifying who or what is making you anxious can be a useful coping tool.

During times of stress and alarm, it can help to remember that your feelings of anxiety should pass once the stressful event is over.

Here are a few things you can do to help lower your anxiety in the moment:

Reach out to someone you trust for support. Sometimes, talking things through can help you gain calm and relieve anxious thoughts.

Set boundaries. Try to practice saying no to work or personal requests if you have too much on your plate.

Practice activities that might help calm or center you:

Do something that helps you relax physically:

soaking in a warm bath

playing soothing music

enjoying aromatherapy

watching your favorite TV show or movie

If you practice CBT or DBT, try tapping into some of your distress coping tools, and try to mindfully redirect your behavior or attention.

Here's an introductory overview of some things you can do to help reduce anxiety in the long term.

Get regular exercise

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week for most adults.

A 2019 study found that this amount of exercise can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Practice mindfulness and meditation

Being mindful means stepping back, tuning out the unimportant, and paying attention to what's happening in the moment. Mindfulness involves tuning into your surroundings and what's going on inside you.

Meditation is the practice of training your mind to redirect your thoughts and channel your focus and awareness.

There are many types of meditation, and all of them require some practice. Many resources are readily available to help you get started.

Consider downloading a meditation app or taking a meditation class to help you learn. The techniques you learn in meditation can come in handy when coping with a stressful situation.

Practicing meditation is associated with multiple health benefits, including improved sleep and lower stress.

Get plenty of sleep

Getting enough restful sleep is essential to your overall health and well-being. For adults, 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night is ideal.

2020 research connects lack of sleep with elevated daytime anxiety. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports there are many other adverse effects, too:

In children, hyperactivity can occur.

In adults, feeling cranky, exhausted, and moody is common.

Both children and adults may experience trouble focusing.

Some people have insomnia and are chronically under-sleeping, or have health conditions that affect sleep.

Here are some tips and resources for prioritizing a good night's sleep:

Eat well

A varied and nutritious diet is one of the most important things you can do for your physical and mental health. This includes avoiding foods you are allergic or sensitive to, which cause inflammation in your body.

Always reach out to a dietitian, nutritionist, or your primary care doctor before making substantial dietary changes.

Limiting intake of certain foods is also important to reducing the risk of health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. It can help make sure you maintain healthy energy levels and get all the nutrients your body needs to function.

Try to consume the following in moderation:

The MyPlate resource from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) can help you assess your current diet and identify which foods to include.

Certain foods have been associated with helping reduce anxiety and other mental health issues. These foods include:

Stay socially engaged and get support

Prioritize maintaining a strong social network. This could look like a small group of close, trusted friends or a wider net. Social interactions can distract you from your own stressors and give you someone to turn to when you need to talk.

Spending time with friends and family who you feel safe and comfortable around can help limit social anxiety. It can also provide a safe space to share feelings and stresses to prevent them from building up inside you.

You might also find it helpful to connect with others who are dealing with anxiety. You're not limited to in-person connection, either. You can reach out online, on the phone, or through video chat.

Resources for anxiety
If you're dealing with anxiety, you're not alone. These organizations offer resources that can help:

There are many ways to treat anxiety that exist outside traditional medicine. These may not work for everyone, and not all of them are backed with research. However, it can be empowering to explore your options, and you might just discover a new approach that helps.

Acupuncture

Use of acupuncture to help anxiety is growing in popularity. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese therapy thousands of years.

During an acupuncture session, a practitioner will insert tiny, thin needles into pressure points on your body. Putting pressure on these points is thought to balance the body's systems, reducing pain and stress.

2018 research suggests acupuncture may be a safe and effective alternative way to alleviate anxiety. However, experts agree more research is needed to determine its efficacy.

Massage

Massage is the practice of using hands, pressure, and touch to ease pain and stress in the body. There are many types of massage, and often a license is required to operate as a masseuse.

Popular types of massage are:

2014 research on patients who have undergone heart surgery suggests massage is an effective way to significantly reduce health-related anxiety.

Animal-assisted therapy

Animal-assisted (pet) therapy is a type of therapy that incorporates the human-animal bond into a person's mental health treatment plan. Increasingly, animal-assisted therapy is offered by mental health practitioners.

Common therapy animals include:

During animal-assisted therapy, you may be paired up with a dog, cat, horse, pig, or other animal. You may interact with this animal during therapy sessions, or you may receive a recommendation for a service animal, such as one used for emotional or medical support.

Researchers have found numerous benefits of animal-assisted therapy, such as:

feeling less alone

feeling more comfortable in social situations

higher self-esteem

lower overall feelings of anxiety

Light therapy

Getting enough sunlight, which contains vitamin D, is important to your overall health.

Lack of proper sunlight is associated with many adverse health effects, which can in turn affect stress and anxiety levels. Associated conditions include:

Prioritizing getting enough sunlight can boost your mood and energy, which can reduce anxious feelings. When getting sunlight, be sure to wear adequate sun protection, including sunscreen and sunglasses.

Artificial light therapies are increasingly common and have been associated with numerous health benefits. However, some still remain controversial, and not all experts agree they work.

Light therapy may involve different colored beams (often red or blue) and is organized into timed sessions.

Various light therapies target:

A 2018 study of 58 epilepsy patients found daily light therapy was useful for reducing their anxiety and depression.

Music therapy

For many people, music therapy may be a helpful way to alleviate or prevent feelings of anxiety. Throughout human history, music has been used to soothe, energize, and inspire.

Music therapists are experts in teaching people how to use music to benefit their mental health.

Music therapy can look like:

listening to music on your own

working with a music therapist in individual sessions toward specific goals

learning a new instrument, playing or composing music

Listening to music has been shown to have several benefits for your health, including:

lowering heart rate

helping with sleep

pain relief

reducing anxiety

lowering cortisol levels

improving mental health

Though the following natural remedies have been linked to diminished anxiety in some studies, more research is needed to prove a definitive helpful connection. However, many home remedies for anxiety and mood disorders have long been popular and have a lot of anecdotal support.

It's important to consult a doctor before starting any of the following natural remedies, especially if you have preexisting health conditions or are on medication. Natural remedies for anxiety include:

Everyone experiences anxiety at one time or another. Anxiety usually goes away once the triggering event is over, but it may reoccur depending on your life circumstances.

An anxiety disorder can become a long-term condition. If left untreated, anxiety disorders can worsen and substantially disrupt your life. Anxiety has been linked to an increased incidence of depression and substance use disorders, among other health complications.

While you may not be able to banish anxiety forever from your life, anxiety disorders can be treated and managed with traditional and alternative therapies.

These include:

behavioral therapies

talk therapy

medication

lifestyle changes

Not all treatment options will work for everyone, and you may have to explore a few to find one that's right for you.

You don't have to deal with anxiety alone. If your anxiety feels overwhelming or unmanageable, reach out to a healthcare or mental health professional for help. You don't have to handle anxiety on your own, and you deserve care and support.

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Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders: Is There a Cure?

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Anxiety is part of being human. It comes and goes, especially in times of stress. If it becomes overwhelming and chronic, it may indicate an anxiety disorder.

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Anger is caused from fear to different scenarios and a "fighting" response. Anger often takes the form of aggression and originates from feeling a threat or experiencing fear. Frustration that is caused can drive enmity and animosity towards others and therefore be difficult to manage.

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How will our app incorporate music?

The user could design their own music, but in a therapeutic way that will relax and calm the user's mind

The user could talk about their favorite song

First, the AI asks the user a vague question about their taste in music, such as, "What kind of music do you like?" This would get the user to talk as well as help the AI to know what to play. The AI system then plays a song for the user, and at the end of it, the user says what they liked and didn't like about the song as well as how it made them feel. This allows the user to talk about their feelings, and music also brings people comfort and helps to alleviate mental health illnesses.

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By Alexandra Frost
Since her grandfather died five years ago, Casey Clark doesn't go a day without listening to music. It helps her cope with the grief, depression, and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from seeing him in the hospital before he passed. When her symptoms flare, she listens to a Michael Bublé album because it was the last present she gave her grandfather, and they shared many happy memories listening to it together.

"It sounds cliché, but music actually serves as an escape in those moments when the flashbacks are so intense, and I can't get out of them with other grounding techniques," says Clark, 22, a writer who lives in New York City. It's the only way she's found to put those thoughts on pause.

The teen and young adult years have long been known as the most pivotal in developing a personal taste in music, and for many, it's the time that music matters the most. The average teen spends 2.5 hours per day listening to music, and over half of young adults , ages 18 to 29, report streaming music every day (compared to 24% of all adults).

This is good news, because music can be a great way to take care of your mental health.

Music can be distracting and lower your stress

"Music serves as a temporary distraction from the symptoms of my mental health issues," says Clark. In fact, research has shown that it can lessen the impact of depression and anxiety. A study done in 2019 found that college students who listened to classical music every day for two months lowered their levels of anxiety significantly.

Another 2016 study looked at the connection between music and anxiety by studying people who have a fear of heights. All of the participants were put in a virtual reality simulation of riding up nine floors in an elevator. One group listened to music during the experiment, and the other didn't. The researchers found that the people who listened to music recovered faster from the stress of the experience than those who didn't. And many studies have shown that listening to music can lower your blood pressure and your heart rate (both spike when you're stressed), and even lower stress hormones in your body.

When you want music to give you a break from what you're going through, pick songs that have a storyline different from the challenges you're facing, recommends Bethany Cook, PsyD, a psychologist and music therapist in Chicago. This can temporarily transport you elsewhere and give you a short break from your concerns, just like when you read a good book.

Music can help you feel your feelings

When her clients are in a bad mood or managing difficult emotions about the current state of the world, Cook recommends putting on a piece of classical music. "Listening to music that does not have lyrics attached to it lets the listener project their personal feelings and their personal struggle into the music," she says. And some research has found that even listening to "sad" music can make you feel some pleasant emotions, which might lessen the pain you are feeling or allow you to more safely feel sad feelings we sometimes try to avoid in life.

Music can make it easier to talk about what's troubling you

If you don't have the words to explain what you are going through, or if you don't feel comfortable talking about it, song lyrics can give you another way to express your feelings. Lyrics give you permission to better understand your own situation through someone else's perspective, says Cook . She uses something called "lyric analysis" when she works with kids and teens in group therapy settings. You can try it alone or with a friend or loved one. Here's how:

Bring up the lyrics on your phone(s).

Listen to the song.

Mark or highlight words and sentences that stand out to you.

Listen to the song again, pausing at the marked places, and discuss or think about why those lyrics spoke to you and how you relate to them.

Listen a final time reflecting on your new appreciation of what the song means to you or your friends.

Music can help you figure out who you are

Discovering music that resonates is one key way teens and young adults define who they are and who they want to be , says Michael Viega , PhD, a professor of music therapy at Montclair State University in Montclair, New Jersey. Both Viega and Cook strongly encourage parents, teachers, and caregivers to approach teens' and young adults' music with curiosity.

Showing interest in musical taste is a way to show an interest in who a young person is or is becoming. Even listening to music with questionable lyrics is an "opportunity," says Viega. It gives caregivers a chance to open a dialogue, asking teens what they think is happening in the song. Doing so can lead to meaningful conversations about important topics that can be difficult to talk about, says Viega.

"Music first turned me on to drag culture and the queer community when I was a teenager," says Viega. "It turned me on to feminist ideals, to ecology and ecological thinking."

Music builds community

Making music-through singing or playing an instrument in school, in a band, or with friends-can connect you with a community of people who share a common interest. And even if you don't play or sing, you can also find people who share your love for a particular band or type of music. Feeling a sense of belonging to something larger than yourself is a proven way to improve mental health.

Music builds your brain's capacity and connections

Music can improve the connection between your left and right brain, says Cook, who created a TikTok video describing the connections. She encourages people of all ages to try playing music-not to become a high-performing musician, but for their own brain development and health.

Music can be a quick mood booster

This is probably one of those things you don't need research to prove, but scientific research has found that listening to upbeat music with an intention of getting in a better mood actually works. Of course, this is something you can also research yourself on the daily.

Music can also benefit people who are deaf or have hearing loss

Research into music therapy for people who are deaf and also have mental health disorders is more limited, but case studies suggest, just as in hearing people, music can help people with hearing loss express emotions and improve cognitive abilities. Cook uses table drums to connect with her deaf cousin. "Table drums are massive, and you can lie underneath them and all of that sound vibration goes straight into your body," says Cook. Playing them together with her cousin has increased their connection and nonverbal communication.

If you would like to explore using music to make you feel better emotionally, Cook and Viega recommend:

Sampling different types of music to expand your horizons and find what you like.

Using music as a stress reliever when you are feeling anxious.

Discussing meaningful song lyrics with a friend.

Trying an instrument.

Talking about why you love a particular song with the adults in your life (or, if you're a caregiver, with your teen).

Listening to classical music when you have confusing or difficult emotions.

Creating playlists to match or inspire different moods.

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How Music Can Improve Your Mental Health

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By Alexandra Frost Since her grandfather died five years ago, Casey Clark doesn't go a day without listening to music. It helps her cope with the grief, depression, and symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from seeing him in the hospital before he passed.

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Types of paranoia

Paranoid thoughts tend to cluster into four subtypes:

Mistrust: You’re overly suspicious of others’ intentions and find it difficult to trust others, even though there isn’t any or much evidence to justify these feelings.

Interpersonal sensitivity: You tend to interpret others’ nonverbal language negatively. You assign negative meanings to other people’s remarks.

Ideas of reference: These are false beliefs that random or irrelevant events directly relate to you. They can involve paranoia.

Persecutory: You believe someone, or something, is mistreating, spying on or attempting to harm you (or someone close to you). You may make repeated complaints to legal authorities. Healthcare providers consider this type of paranoia a delusion.

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Counselling and CBT can help reduce and manage anger. Exposure and accustomization to the root fears and issues of anger can help a person cope with their anger, managing stress and the fight response. Counselling programs of one-to-one interactions can also contribute to the mental health of patients.

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Finding it difficult to trust others.

Obsessing over the loyalty or trustworthiness of loved ones.

Being overly suspicious of others’ intentions.

Assuming people are saying negative things about you “behind your back.”

Feeling like you’re being exploited.

Persistently holding grudges.

Thinking that people — even strangers — are out to get you.

Difficulty coping with any kind of criticism.

Assigning negative meanings to other people’s remarks.

Being reactive or always on the defensive.

Being hostile, aggressive and argumentative.

Believing in unfounded conspiracy theories.

Considering the world to be a place of constant threat.

Possible Causes

What causes paranoia?

Researchers don’t know the exact cause of paranoia. But they think certain factors may contribute to it, including:

Childhood trauma, especially bullying, and victimization.

Environmental factors, like low socioeconomic status and social isolation.

Intense or chronic stress.

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"Common symptoms of anxiety include:

Feeling nervous

Increased heart rate

Fast breathing

Light-headedness

Feeling restless

Feeling unable to concentrate

Feeling worried

Feeling stressed

Irritability

Fatigue

Brain fog

Intrusive thoughts"

- ChoosingTherapy.com

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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is highly structured short-term talking therapy. It examines how your thoughts, feelings and behaviours affect each other. It also aims to teach you practical skills to change this. CBT is the most commonly offered talking therapy on the NHS. You could also try to learn CBT techniques by yourself using self-help books from your local library, or free, online apps.

Talking therapy as demonstrated is helpful in helping patients understand the connection between their emotions and behaviors.

CBT can teach skills to patients on how to manage the intrapersonal relationship of a person's mind

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Counselling is a treatment where you might talk through a specific issue. For example, outbursts of anger with your partner or in the workplace. And try to understand how you could manage those situations differently.

Counselling serves as a systematic procedure where discussions change the patients response to different situations

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What to Say to Someone With Anxiety (Link)

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What to Say to Someone With Anxiety (Link)

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AI cannot obtain personal information such as address, location, and zip code. Private information is not shared with the app, thereby preserving the patient's right to privacy.

Name

Address

Zip code

Address

Social Security Number

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Funding: Check NSF.gov & youper App

how is this different from our app

Discuss:

1. Costs involved: costs of development, marketing, and ongoing operations - includes expenses like hiring developers, designers, marketing campaigns, server hosting, and customer support.

contingency plan for unexpected costs.

2. For rewards have a system of logging in earns 2 points daily and completing positive tasks earns "x" points

App for depression :

Youper. An app designed to treat depression pairing AI with clinical research to prove its effectiveness. This is a self-guided therapy approach to mental health treatment.

TalkLife. A mental health support network designed to treat depression through providing a substantial community for support.

Headspace. A meditation app that can be used to treat symptoms of depression through the practice of mindfulness.

Daylio Journal. A depression treatment app that helps users to track their moods and check in with themselves throughout the day. Other helpful apps for checking in and tracking progress include CBT Tools for Health Living, Self-Help Mood Diary.

Wysa. A treatment app that helps with depression using AI-based therapy.

Calm. A great app for those who are struggling with getting on a consistent sleep cycle and can help those with insomnia to sleep and allow their brain chemicals to balance out.

What’s Up? A wonderful tool for helping to develop healthier, positive thought patterns.

Those who like gaming may find relief from their depression symptoms by using the apps "SuperBetter" and "Happify: For Stress and Worry."

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Youper: Artificial Intelligence For Mental Health Care

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Youper’s safe and clinically validated AI has supported the mental health of over two million people.

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Psychodynamic therapy often lasts longer than counselling and tends to go deeper into past experiences. Your focus here may be on learning more about yourself to help you understand why you express your anger the way you do. Or why certain situations make you angry.

Psychodynamic therapy goes through managing past experiences and understanding oneself to a deeper extent

This therapy can help patients manage their anger and deal with their issues

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When a person is angry, there are several methods that can be used to promote the welfare of that person. Releasing tension, remaining cognizant of how you react to different scenarios, and distracting oneself from anger are a few methods to manage and lessen anger.

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During angry recollections, the amygdala fired. At the same time, a part of the orbital frontal cortex, just above the eyes, also engaged, putting the brakes on emotion. “Healthy people experience anger,” says Dougherty, “but they can suppress it before acting on it.”

In depressed people who are prone to anger attacks, this neurological brake fails to engage. In another study, Dougherty found that in people with major depressive disorder and anger attacks the orbital frontal cortex did not activate. Rather, activity in the amygdala increased and angry outbursts ensued.

Studies find that anger management issues can often be related to the psychological involvement in depression

A neurological "break" suppresses the amygdala emotion in the brains of healthy people.

People with major depression disorders face emotional angry outbursts without the regulating activity of the orbital frontal cortex

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Anger can often be caused by events or experiences encompassing a variety of reasons and specifics. Neurological damage in terms of processing information as well as in PTSD can spark hostility and anger later on as these previous events can negatively affect sensory pathways. This can cause adverse responses in aggression towards others or psychological damage that increases anxiety.

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RAGE Control (Regulate And Gain Emotional Control)

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RAGE Control (Regulate And Gain Emotional Control)

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This type of control helps with the patient's anger management. This allows people who are angry to remain calm in frustrating scenarios, demonstrating the positive prospects of being calm to solve a problem. This helps the patient with anger management and serves as a point to discuss in psychodynamic therapy; instead of antipsychotics this procedure allows for the control of aggression and hostility.

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"The Transformative Power of Music in Mental Well-Being"

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"The Transformative Power of Music in Mental Well-Being"

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How Music Therapy Can Help with Anger Management

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How Music Therapy Can Help with Anger Management

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How Music Therapy Can Help with Anger Management | Incadence Music Therapy Blog

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Music Therapy is a clinically proven method for regulating emotions and managing anger Get the latest music therapy news on the Incadence blog.

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The best types of music for mental health and well-being:

Light jazz

Classical

Easy listening

Low-fi music

Piano

MUSIC WITHOUT WORDS

Nature sounds

-Rain

-Waves crashing

-Stream/brook

-Animal sounds

-Fire crackling

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Have a online community where people with similar experiences or medical conditions where people can help each other overcome challenges(everything will be anonymous), and the AI can filter comments that may be hurtful or cyberbullying.

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A program that uses generative AI to aid adolescents in developing emotional intelligence and cope with their mental illnesses and challenges. This customized app will promote psychological welfare in patients who have been diagnosed with mood disorders, among which are depression, anxiety, paranoia, and anger.

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On the homepage, there can be a seed. Each day you login, the tree sprouts more and grows further. Eventually, the tree will have branches. These branches could show your hobbies, online friends, and other information you may want on there.

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One of the best cures for depression is revisiting your old passions, even if they don't interest you anymore. In addition to this option, we could have a list of possible hobbies to consider, which users could pick and choose one to try something new.

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Similar to Duolingo- If you pay for Premium, there are added features. However, the AI itself does not change if the user decides to purchase Premium; This goes against our initial decision of making this app open to anyone and everyone, whether they have enough money to purchase Premium or not. Premium features could include:

Customizable backgrounds

New tools (not therapy-related)

(think of more please)

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Apps such as Wysa, use AI to make users more comfortable. We can use an AI chat that helps users discover ways to help themselves, and people can have the chat as a way to talk to a person, without having to confide secrets to an actual person.

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We could provide small interactive-ish videos that pose a situation and ask the user, "What would you have done in this situation?" This would help the user to develop EQ and problem solving/ decision-making skills

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Mental health challenges, especially depression, paranoia, anger and anxiety, that often originate at a young age can detrimentally affect psychological stability within a person's mind. Existing resources, funding and systems in place are inadequate to properly promote personal welfare to all peoples, including the underprivileged.

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For anger management, courses will include Conversational AI which communicates to patients regarding their response to frustration scenarios and serve as a companion. This can serve as a Counselling and Psychodynamic Therapy where the patient discusses their emotions and actions towards a situation, how they can improve that in the future, and how they can deal with their anger. However, its initial purpose is to accompany a person with anger management issues, deliver positive encouragement, and provide emotional support.

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Hypothetical Anger Management; By: Shakespeare Jr.

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Hypothetical Anger Management; By: Shakespeare Jr.

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Modeling a game after Rage Control, our App includes electronic exercises that are presented in a game-oriented format to make it engaging and impactful for the users as it can pose imprinting lessons unto their mind. This game will pose a relatively moderate scenario for them that challenges their ability to suppress anger and encourages them to remain calm despite their reactions. It also serves as a point in discussion for psycho-dynamic therapy.

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Interactive courses provide examples where the patient is provided with a situation that teaches them to cope with their anger. Examples where the patient discusses and submits a response to the prompts will challenge them to remain calm in a frustrating situation and teach them about their anger as well as methods to deal with their reaction. Options will all be beneficial although one will be better, increasing in difficulty to challenge the patient in considering their response.

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To help people cope with depression, an option will be provided to talk with conversational AI. The AI will be able to converse with the patient in order to help them deal with their depression. They will also have access to a game similar to the one called Depression Quest but designed for teenagers as opposed for adults. The AI will provide communication for the user, which may be necessary since the user may not have communication with anyone else. The game will also allow the player to view real life scenarios, without the pressure of actually having to live through it. This will provide an opportunity for the user to learn about coping with depression, while also having an engaging part of the app.

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Depression Quest is a 2013 interactive fiction game dealing with the subject of depression. It was developed by Zoë Quinn using the Twine engine, with writing by Quinn and Patrick Lindsey, and music by Isaac Schankler. It was first released for the web on February 14, 2013, and for Steam on August 11, 2014. The game tells the story of a person suffering from depression and their attempts to deal with their affliction. It was created to foster greater understanding about depression. Depression Quest can be played for free, and has a pay-what-you-want pricing model. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline receives part of the proceeds.

Depression Quest was praised by critics for its portrayal of depression and its educational value. The game was noted for diverging from mainstream uses of video games as a medium. Popular reception was mixed, and Quinn received threats and harassment from people who disapproved of the game. False allegations that the game had received a positive review from a journalist in a relationship with Quinn triggered the Gamergate controversy.

Depression Quest is an interactive fiction game, which presents descriptions of various situations and prompts the player to choose their response. In addition, most pages feature a set of still images and atmospheric music. The game has over 40,000 words of text, and multiple possible endings.

Players assume the role of a person suffering from depression, and the story centers on their daily life, including encounters at work and their relationship with their girlfriend. The story also features various treatments for depression. Players are periodically faced with choices that alter the course of the story. To make a choice, the player must click on the corresponding hyperlink. However, choices are often crossed out and cannot be clicked on, a mechanism that Depression Quest uses to portray the character's mental state and the fact that logical decisions may not be available to them. Beneath the choices presented to the player are a set of statements about the character, indicating their level of depression, whether or not they are in therapy, and whether or not they are currently on medication.

Development and release

The game was designed by Zoë Quinn and written by Quinn and Patrick Lindsey, both of whom have suffered from depression. The soundtrack was composed by Isaac Schankler. Quinn and Lindsey started the project, with the aim of communicating how the mind of a depression sufferer functions. Quinn purposely designed the game's protagonist as someone with an outwardly happy and easy life, so as to "preëmpt the argument that someone is only depressed because they have a difficult life."

Depression Quest was first released online as a web browser game on February 14, 2013. Quinn also submitted the game through Steam's Greenlight program and consequently received disparaging comments and hate mail, causing them to withdraw the game from the service. After receiving positive feedback from players who had played the game and receiving an invitation to Indiecade, Quinn tried Greenlight again. They received further harassment, but felt that they could deal with the stress. "I thought, honestly, I could take the hate if it meant the game could reach somebody who would get something out of it, feel less alone," Quinn stated.

The game was accepted by Greenlight in January 2014, and was released on Steam in August that year. The day it was due to go live, news broke that actor Robin Williams had died from a suspected suicide. Quinn considered delaying the Steam release, as they did not want to be seen as taking advantage of Williams' death. They eventually decided to keep to the original release schedule, as Quinn thought that making the game available to those struggling with their own problems was more important than any negative publicity they might receive, writing, "I can't in good conscience hold back offering someone something that could help them start making real changes in their life for the sake of reducing the risk of offending people or hurting my own reputation."

The game uses a pay-what-you-want pricing model: it is free to play, but players can pay any amount they think is appropriate. Part of the proceeds from the game are sent to a charity - initially iFred, but this was later changed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline after the game was released on Steam.

Depression Quest received mostly positive reviews from critics, who generally viewed it as not being intended for entertainment but education. Jessica Vasquez, writing for Game Revolution, praised the game's portrayal of how sufferers are affected by depression, and expressed optimism in its potential to educate people about depression. Writing for Gizmag, Adam Williams called the experience of Depression Quest "dark and compelling". He added that he did not find the game fun to play, and that "it's certainly no Super Mario Brothers, but that's probably the point". Tim Biggs, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, also stressed a lack of fun in the game, and went on to say that the game was "a testing and, at times, a boring experience to go through". However, he praised the game's execution, and acknowledged its importance as a tool for raising awareness of depression and for helping its sufferers.

Writing in Ars Technica, Kyle Orland called Depression Quest "one of the most gripping and educational views on the subject [of depression]". Adam Smith, in Rock, Paper, Shotgun, wrote that Depression Quest was "'game' as communication, comfort and tool of understanding". In , Patrick Klepek praised Depression Quest's writing, and said that "by the end, [he] was able to say [he] understood depression a bit better". He also warns players not to expect the game to be enjoyable, saying: "Playing Depression Quest isn't 'fun', like watching Schindler's List isn't 'enjoyable'. They're important for different reasons, and it's okay if they exist for the small audiences who will appreciate them as they are." Depression Quest designer Quinn also headed a article which featured several video games dealing directly with the subjective experience of depression, in which they noted "I'm very interested in games that aren't there to make the player feel exceptional."

Quinn has faced harassment in response to Depression Quest since the game's initial release. This intensified with the additional publicity the game received on Steam. Quinn initially withdrew the game from Steam's Greenlight service, after having a detailed rape threat mailed to their home address. When they brought Depression Quest back to Greenlight, Quinn began receiving threatening phone calls. In mid-August 2014, soon after the game's official Steam release, a former boyfriend of Quinn wrote a lengthy and negative blog post about their relationship. The post alleged that Quinn had been in a relationship with Nathan Grayson, a video game journalist for . Opponents of Quinn claimed that Grayson had given Depression Quest a positive review as a result of this relationship. Investigations proved this to be false: Grayson had at no point reviewed Depression Quest. These false accusations against Quinn sparked what would later be known as the Gamergate controversy. Quinn was subjected to wide-scale harassment, the game's profile page was flooded with what The New Yorker described as "angry user reviews", and reviews for the game were temporarily disabled. The Daily Dot reported that 4chan's video game board had bombarded the game's Metacritic page with negative reviews.

References

External links

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Depression Quest is a 2013 interactive fiction game dealing with the subject of depression. It was developed by Zoë Quinn using the Twine engine, with writing by Quinn and Patrick Lindsey, and music by Isaac Schankler. It was first released for the web on February 14, 2013, and for Steam on August 11, 2014.

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The app will help target paranoia by using a game in which there will be a scenario in which the user would click a button to respond and go to the next scenario based off of what they chose. These scenarios will be through the POV of a person with paranoia and will better or worsen the person’s condition in the game. The user will be able to play the game multiple times and AI will monitor the user’s choices in the game and once the user has beat or is done with the game, they can move on to a course created by the AI and will also be able to talk to the AI and the AI could suggest other courses that could be beneficial to the user. Like Rishaan, I modeled this game after depression quest.

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The curriculum will be staged after the patient has a stable mindset and when they believe they are up to the task. Although the AI is still used as a companion, it can serve as a therapist to a higher extent in the sense of delving into further detail regarding the patient's needs for their mental welfare. In the curriculum, examples of real-life scenarios where the patient reflects in multiple-choice and short answer responses upon how they would deal with different situations teach them how to deal with anger. These would allow for short-answer and multiple-choice responses where there is no best choice and no correct answer, allowing for the AI to understand (becoming int-tune with) the patient and demonstrate methods to deal with anger. Besides these interactive examples, the game (above) is interspersed throughout the lessons along with medical safety reinforcement, methods to calm down during anger, and a teaching serving as a detailed accompanyment to the interactive curriculum.

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How are you feeling today?

How's your day going?

Why have you visited this app?

Talk about yourself as much or as little as you want to.

Would you like to inform the app about any pre-existing medical or emotional conditions? (optional)

What is your favorite kind of music?

What are some of your hobbies?

Do you feel in control of your life?

Is there anything you would like to say beforehand?

What language would be preferred?

How much do you know about the psychological struggles you are experiencing?

Who have you reached out to for help?

What are the symptoms of your mental struggles?

How much do you feel confident about the way you can face your challenges?

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This app is just in America, as they are most in need (also English) There will be an option that asks the user if they would like to know of any therapists or mental health specialists in their area. The user, if willing, will put in their zip code and the AI system will inform them of the people in the area that can help them.

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If the AI system feels that the user is ready, it can ask them, "Would you like to interact virtually with another person using the app for a short time?" Then, the user can talk to someone else for as long as they like, and if foul or offensive language is being used, then the AI will step in (needs clarification, elaborate later)

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To help people ensure their emotional welfare despite mental challenges, and reinforce healthy messages to people experiencing physiological conflict