Studies Promoted by Stratas
Nootropics and Mental Health
"Supplementation with an L-theanine-containing drink resulted in a 3-hour reduction in salivary cortisol response and decreased subjective stress." (White, D.J., 2016, Nutrients 8[1]:53)."L-theanine supplementation has been proven to improve general cognitive functioning, visual reaction time, and measures of attention compared to caffeine, tea, and placebo." (Kahathuduwa, C.N. et al., 2017, Nutritional Neuroscience, 20[6]: 369)."28 days of Lion's Mane mushroom supplementation significantly reduced anxious and depressive behaviors in a 2018 Korean study." (Ryu, S. et al., 2018, Journal of Medicinal Food, 21[2]: 174)."A daily 3g dose of Lion's Mane mushroom (Hermicium Erinaceus) has shown the potential to prevent and treat dementia." (Mori, K. et al., 2011, Biomedical Research, 32[1]: 67).
Canadian Miscellaneous
"Ontario spends $1,361 per person on healthcare, but only $16.45 on mental health care." (Lurie, S., 2014, "Why Can't Canada Spend More on Mental Health?, Health [6]: 684-690).
"By their 40th birthday, 1 in 2 Canadians will have or have had a mental illness." (Smetanin et al., 2011, Mental Health Commission of Canada).
"Substance abuse costs Canadians over $38 billion per year - more than the federal government will spend on prescription drug coverage, fundamental research, and public infrastructure combined in 2018-2019." (CSCH Scientific Working Group, 2018).
39% of Ontario workers say they wouldn't tell their managers if they were experiencing a mental health problem." (Can. Med. Association 8th National Report Card, 2008).
"Mental illness costs Canada $51 billion per year in lost productivity, health care costs, and reductions in health-related quality of life." (Smetanin et al., 2011, Mental Health Commission of Canada).
"In Canada, mental illness accounts for 30% of disability claims, amounting to over $15 billion." (Gov't of Canada, 2006, "The Human Face of Mental Health": 41).
"Since 2012, the British Columbia school curriculum has incorporated mental health literacy and social-emotional learning." (Hymel et al., 2017, Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 36[4]).
"42% of Canadian university-aged students test positive for problematic internet use and 13% for internet addiction." (Collier, R., 2016, CMAJ, 188[16]: 1141).
"Young Canadians (15-29) not in school, education, or employment are more likely to be depressed, anxious, and have substance use disorders." (Gariepy et al., 2019, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 64[5]: 338).
"One in five Ontario children suffer from a mental illness." (Patten, S., 2019, The 2014 Ontario Child Health Study, Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 64[4]: 225-226).
Diet, Nutrition, and Mental Health
"A Mediterranean diet may counteract age-related cognitive decline." (Martinez-Paiscina et al., 2013, Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, 84[12]: 1318).
"Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation performs better than placebo for treating major depressive disorder, according to a recent meta-analysis of 13 studies." (Mocking, RJT, et al., 2016, Translational Psychiatry, 6[3]: e756).
"Pregnant women who supplement with omega-3 DHA significantly reduce their child's risk of ADHD by age 7 (-13%)." (Lopez-Vicente, M., et al., 2019, Journal of Pediatrics).
"Probiotic supplements have major therapeutic benefits for patients with mania." (Dickerson, F., et al., 2018, Bipolar Disorders, 20[7]: 614-621).
"Circumin and piperine, active components of turmeric and black pepper, are powerful anti-inflammatory substances that have been shown to significantly reduce anxiety compared to placebo over a 10-week period." (Hewlings et al., 2017, Foods, 6[10]: 92).
"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significantly increased risk of depression (+75%) over a four-year follow-up period." (Kenny, A. et al., 2018, JAMDA).
"A pro-inflammatory diet including processed foods and refined sugar is associated with a 40% increased risk of depression." (Tolkien K, et al., 2018, Clinical Nutrition).
"A study on the vitamin folate found a significant difference in depression scores between groups, favouring a combination of folate and psychotropic drugs over single-treatment (WMD = -2.65, 95% CI)." (Berg, R.C., & Smedslund, G., 2011, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services, 9).
"A meta-analysis on the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on depression symptoms found that a combination treatment of omega-3s and psychotropic drugs is favorable to single-treatment (SMD = -0.47, CI = 95%)." (Berg, R.C., & Smedslund, G., 2011, Norwegian Knowledge Centre for Health Services, 9).
Psychedelics, Entheogens and Mental Health
"A study on the use of ayahuasca, a psychedelic brew containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), to treat substance abuse in rural First Nations communities found that two expert-led ayahuasca ceremonies resulted in an improved life outlook and significant reductions in alcohol, tobacco and cocaine use over a six-month period." (Thomas, Lucas, and Capler et al., 2013, CDA Review, 6[1]: 1-13).
"Ketamine and esketamine cause rapid-onset antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Repeat-dose studies with IV ketamine show significant antidepressant and antisuicidal effects in the short term, with a sustained effect after 24 hours and a 40% response rate after 7 days." (Molero et al., 2018, CNS Drugs, 32(5): 411).
"A 2016 clinical trial in London, UK found that two oral doses of psilocybin (the psychedelic prodrug in "magic mushrooms") in 12 patients with treatment-resistant depression resulted in markedly reduced depression symptoms 1 week to 3 months after treatment." (Carhart-Harris et al., 2016, The Lancet, 3(7): 619).
"Ibogaine, a naturally occurring alkaloid from the West African shrub iboga, has been shown to significantly reduce withdrawal symptoms from opiates and temporarily eliminate substance-related cravings." (Brown & Alper, 2017, Am. J. of Drug and Alc. Abuse, 44(1)).
"Clinician-administered MDMA combined with psychotherapy reduces posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms over a 12-month period." (Ot'alora & Grigsby, 2018, J. of Psychopharmacology.)
"The first study on "microdosing" psychedelics (n=98) has found a mix of positive and negative effects over a six-week period." (Polito et al., 2019, PLoS ONE, 14(2)).
"Creative thinking and empathy remain enhanced for seven days after a single clinical psilocybin dose, according to a new study on 55 Dutch participants." (Mason et al., 2019, J. of Psychoactive Drugs).
Alcohol, Cannabis and Mental Health
"Genetic 5-HT functioning in the brain influences aggression, antisociality, and may be a missing link that leads to adolescent alcohol consumption." (Wang et al., 2017, Dev & Psychopathology, 30(1): 213).
"Married men and women are up to 14x more likely to develop alcohol use disorder after their spouses develop the disorder." (Kendler et al., 2018, JAMA Psychiatry, 75(3): 280).
"Adolescent cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of depression and suicidal behaviour in young adulthood, according to a new University of Oxford meta-analysis (n=23,317)." (Gobbi et al., 2019, JAMA Psychiatry).
"There is a strong correlation between adolescent cannabis use and psychosis." (Di Forti et al., 2014, Schizophrenia Bulletin, 40(6)).
"Binge drinking more than once per month is associated with a lack of life satisfaction and psychological distress, regardless of social status." (Makela, P., 2015, European Journal of Public Health, 25(2): 225).
"A November 2019 study found that cannabis use may reduce severe depressive and suicidal ideation in PTSD patients." (Lake et al., 2019, Journal of Psychopharmacology).
Therapies, Mindfulness and Mental Health
"Adjunctive light therapy is an effective treatment option for bipolar depression." (Sit et al., 2018, American Journal of Psychiatry, 175(2): 131).
"Self-directed life review therapy, the practice of telling your life story in terms of chapters, can booster self-esteem." (Farkhondeh et al., 2018, Internaitonal Journal of Comm. Nurse Midwifery, 6(2): 136).
"Those who use service dogs report significantly better emotional, social, and work/school functioning than those on waitlists, but show no improvement with anger, sleep quality, and social companionship." (Rodriguez et al., 2019, Disability and Rehab, 1-9).
"Spending 12 minutes focusing on wishing others well has been shown to significantly improve happiness, social connection, anxiety, and empathy." (Gentile et al., 2019, Journal of Happiness Studies, 1(14)).
"Self-compassion exercises are associated with improved mental health and physical stress recovery." (Kirschner et al., 2019, Clinical Psych. Science, 1-21).
"Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy is effective in preventing relapses in those with recurrent depression according to a recent study of 1,258 patients." (Kuyken et al., 2016, JAMA Psychiatry, 73(6): 565).
"Three-minute sessions of magnetic brain stimulation therapy (iTBS) significantly reduces depression symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant major depression." (Blumberger et al., 2018), Lancet, 391(10131)).
"Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) delivered through smartphone apps is an affordable and effective treatment for social anxiety, depression, and procrastination." (Karyotaki at al., 2017, JAMA Psychiatry, 74(4): 351).
"Three months of daily Transcendental Meditation (TM) successfully reduces PTSD symptom severity." (Sanford et al., 2018, Lancet Psychiatry, (18)30384-5).
"Interactive virtual reality (VR) treatments are effective in administering exposure therapy to treat phobias such as acrophobia, the fear of heights." (Freeman et al., 2018, The Lancet Psychiatry, 5(8): 625).
"Meta-analytic evidence for the superiority of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is either nonexistent or weak." (Wampold et al., 2016, Psychiatry Research, 27(1): 14).
"Attention training leads to lasting reductions in social anxiety over a 4-month follow-up period." (Schmidt et al., 2009, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 118(1): 5-14).
Cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) has been shown to improve sleep onset latency by 19 minutes, reduce wake after sleep onset by 26 combined minutes, and improve sleep efficiency by 10% over a two-week monitoring period." (Trauer et al., 2015, Ann. Intern. Medicine, 163(3): 191-203).
"A systematic review of 13 controlled trials found that meditation-based therapies are "significantly" more effective for treating ADHD compared to treatment as usual." (Zhang et al., 2018, Evidence Based Mental Health, 87-94).
"Short-term cognitive behavioural therapy is effective in 69.4% of men with internet addiction." (Wolfling et al., 2019, JAMA Psychiatry).
Neuroscience, Genetics and Mental Health
"Common genes contribute to ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. This may explain why mental illness can occur in one family, but not with the same disorder. New drugs may target the shared pathways." (Hammerschlag et al., 2019, Psycho. Medicine.).
"A massive new study of over two million DNA samples has found that common psychiatric conditions all share similar genetic risk factors." (Anttila et al., 2018, Science, 360(6395).
"A new non-medication, minimal-risk intervention for child ADHD known as trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) has been shown to be effective in its first double-blind controlled trial." (McGough et al., 2019, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychology, 58(4): 403).
"Victims of bullying during adolescence develop long-term structural and pathological changes in the putamen and left caudate regions of the brain." (Quinlan et al., 2018, Molecular Psychiatry).
Exercise, Healthy Living and Mental Health
"Spending 20-30 minutes outside in a natural environment lowers stress hormone levels (cortisol) by 9.6% in a study on 36 people who live in urban environments." (Hunter et al., 2019, Frontiers in Psychology).
"More physical activity leads to significant mood and energy improvements in those with Bipolar I disorder." (Merikangas et al., 2019, JAMA Psychiatry, 76(2): 190).
"One night of sleep deprivation prevents the brain from clearing beta-amyloid (AB), a metabolic waste product. Increased AB levels are a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease." (Shokri-Kojori et al., 2018, PNAS, 115(17):4483).
"37% of adolescents report losing sleep because of social media use, contributing to poorer sleep quality, low self-esteem, and depression." (Woods et al., 2016, Journal of Adolesence, 51:41).
"Social isolation is disproportionately associated with higher mortality and early death among US adults." (Alcaraz et al., 2019, American Journal of Epidemiology, 188(1):102).
"New data from 17,000 teenagers shows little evidence of a relationship between screen time and adolescent well-being." (Orben et al., 2019, Psychological Science).
"Those who regularly exercise have 43.2% fewer poor mental health days compared ot those with the same income who don't exercise." (Shekroud et al., 2018, Lancet Psychiatry, 5(9): P739).
"Whole-body heat exposure, such as hot yoga, saunas, and hot baths results in significant non-pharmacological mood improvements for up to two weeks." (Janssen et al., 2016, JAMA Psychiatry, 73(8): 789).
"Yoga improves prisoners' subjective wellbeing, mental health, and executive function." (Bilderbeck et al., 2013, Journal of Psyc. Research, 47(10): 1438).
"A healthy lifestyle is associated with a 32% lower risk of dementia in people with a high genetic risk." (Lourida et al., 2019, JAMA).
"Undersleeping is associated with increased risk of suicide in adolescents." (Weaver et al., 2018, JAMA Pediatrics, 172(12): 1187).
"In Australia, physician-prescribed physical exercise is an established treatment for mental illness." (Stanton et al., 2018, Journal of Mental Health, 27(2): 150).
"Taking a one-week break from Facebook results in significantly higher levels of life satisfaction and a significantly improved emotional life." (Tromholt, M., 2016, Cyberpsychology, 19(11):661).
Miscellaneous
"Half of those who die from opioid overdose have a mental illness." (Barocas et al., 2019, Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 200: 59-63).
"Trigger warnings are ineffective for trauma survivors and increase the degree to which survivors view their trauma as central to their identity." (Jones et al., 2019, Harvard Working Paper - "Heping or Harming?...").
"A 10% increase in US suicides in the months following the suicides of Robin Williams may have been due to sensational media coverage." (Carmichael et al., 2019, PLoS ONE, 14(5)).
"Casual video games may improve depression symptoms in treatment-resistant patients." (Russoniello et al., 2019, Games for Health Journal).
"Interpersonal skills, emotional regulation skills, and drug education are the three learned solutions to adolescent mental health and wellbeing (age 10-19)." (Skeen et al., 2019, Pediatrics, 144(2)).
"New smart glasses technology with built-in "emoji vision" is now helping children with autism spectrum disorder recognize emotions." (Voss et al., 2019, JAMA Pediatrics, 175(5): 446).
"Adolescents are likely to mimic parents' prescription opioid misuse." (Griesler et al., 2019, Pediatrics, 143(3)).
"Allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma is associated with increased risk of psychiatric disorders." (Tzeng et al., 2018, Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9:133).
"Traumatic brain injury is associated with an increased risk of suicide." (Madsen et al., 2018, JAMA, 320(6): 580).
Voluntary solitude contributes to personal growth and self-acceptance in young adults." (Thomas et al., 2019, Journal of Adolescence, 70:33-43).
"Air pollution exposure is associated with increased risk of psychotic experiences during adolescence." (Newbury et al., 2019, JAMA Psychiatry).
"Optimism is lowest in one's 20s, highest in one's 50s, and is not detracted by negative life events." (Schwaba et al., 2019, Social Psychology and Personality Science).
"Retinal thickness can predict the development of dementia." (Mutlu et al., 2018, JAMA Neuroscience, 75(10): 1256).
"Increased levels of certain inflammatory cytokines (proteins that coordinate the immune response) likely play a role in the cause of schizophrenia." (Rodrigues-Amorim et al., 2018, Schizophrenia Research, 197:19-33).
"Teens who are disengaged from their school social network, and who say their closest friends are outside of their grade, are at the greatest risk for substance abuse." (Copeland et al., 2018, Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 47(8)).
"The Netflix show 13 Reasons Why is associated with a 28.9% increase in suicide rates among US boys in the month following the show's release." (Bridge et al., 2019, Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry).
"Those not currently experiencing mental health issues use social media less than those who are." (Berry et al., 2018, Acta Psychiatry Scandinavia, 138(6): 558).
"Being too harsh on one's self is associated with an increased risk of developing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)." (Sugiura et al., 2019, Cognitive Therapy).
"In communities with the highest income quartile, there are three times the number of psychiatric clinics and two times the specialty treatment resources compared to the lowest income quartile." (Cummings et al., 2017, JAMA Psychiatry, 74(5): 476).
"A recent study shows that authenticity, or "being yourself," is associated with better long-term relationship outcomes." (Josephs et al., 2019, Personality & Individual Difference, 143: 118).
"There is likely no 'right thing' to say when trying to be supportive, according to a recent study." (Tanner et al., 2018, Basic and Applied Social Psychology, 40(5): 329-339).
"Mental health literacy campaigns have been found to be effective in promoting self-help and improve willingness to seek professional help." (Jorm, A.F., 2018, British Journal of Psychiatry, 177(5): 396).
"Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with poor autobiographical memory and depression." (Delhikar et al., 2019, Journal of International Neuropsych. Sociology, 1-9).
"37% of adolescents report losing sleep because of social media use, contributing to poorer sleep quality, low self-esteem, and depression." (Woods et al., 2016, Journal of Adolesence, 51: 41).
"Having financial debt was shown to impair psychological functioning and decision-making over a 2.5 year period (n=196)." (Ong et al., 2019, PNAS, 116(15): 7244).
"In 2010, an estimated 2.5-8.5 trillion USD in worldwide labour productivity was lost to mental health and addictions. This is expected to double by 2030." (Chisholm et al., 2016, Lancet Psychiatry, 3(5): 415).
"'Active punishment' (smacking, shouting, telling off) results in less hyperactivity and conduct problems, but more emotional problems by age 11.
'Withdrawal of reward' (withdrawing treats, attention, privileges) results in fewer emotional and conduct problems, but not less hyperactivity by age 11." (Rajyaguru et al., 2019, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 58(1): 108)."Rural Americans are 81% more likely to be prescribed opioids than those living in metropolitan areas." (Garcia et al., 2019, MMWR, 68(2): 25-30).
"Having a higher 'purpose in life' is linked to improved physical functioning, strength, and performance in older adults." (Kim et al., 2017, JAMA Psychiatry, 74(10): 1039).
"Fear of hospitalization keeps men from talking about suicidal thoughts with their physicians." (Jerant et al., 2019, Patient Education and Counselling, 102(2): 332).
"Young people are more likely to suffer from depression and self-harm than they were 10 years ago, even though substance abuse and anti-social behaviour continue to fall." (Patalay & Sage, 2019, International Journal of Epidemiology).
"'Finding your passion' limits pursuit of new fields and leads to abandoning new challenges, according to a new Stanford study." (O'Keefe et al., 2018, Psychological Science).
"Children who grow up without access to ample green space have up to 55% increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders later in life." (Engemann et al., 2019, PNAS, 116(11): 5188).
"Household food insecurity increases the likelihood of binge-eating disorders and obesity according to a study of 1,250 US adults." (Rasmusson et al., 2019, International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(1): 28-35.)
"The gut microbiome may have a causal role in the development of schizophrenia, according to a new rodent study." (Zheng et al., 2019, Science Advances, 5(2): 8317).
"Hospital admissions for self-harm have nearly tripled (+189%) among 10 to 14-year-old girls in the US since 2009." (Mercado et al., 2017, JAMA, 318(19): 1931-1933).
"There is a correlation between depression and a group of bacteria called KLE1738 found in the human gut." (Gilbert et al., 2018, Nature Microbiology).
"A recent study of 2,232 twins found that self-harm is associated with violent crime in adolescents, and that dual-harmers are more likely to benefit from a treatment-based approach than one based on punishment." (Richmond-Rakerd et al., 2019, American Journal of Psychiatry).
"There is now strong evidence linking gut bacteria to depression and mental wellbeing." (Raes et al., 2019, Nature Microbiology).
"New evidence suggests that reporting on suicide can have a meaningful impact on suicide rates, and journalists should carefully consider the content of reports before publication." (Sinyor et al., 2018, CMAJ, 190(30): E900).
"Those who survive major physical injuries are over six times more likely to die by suicide and are significantly more likely to receive a diagnosis for a mental health disorder." (Evans et al., 2018, CMAJ, 190(45): E1319).
"Poor oral hygiene and gum disease may play a role in the development of Alzheimer's disease and dementia." (Delwel et al., 2018, Clinical Oral Investigations, 22(1): 93-108).
"The removal of amyloid plaques through ultrasound scanning have reversed the cognitive effects of Alzheimer's disease in mice. Human studies in Australia are set to begin in 2019 or 2020." (Leingenga et al., 2015, Science Trans. Medicine, 7(278):33).
"A 10-week improv theatre training course increased social competency, social engagement, and self-esteem among teens with social problems." (Felsman et al., 2018, Arts in Psychotherapy).
"42% of Canadian university-aged students test positive for problematic internet use and 13% for internet addiction." (Collier, R., 2016, CMAJ, 188(16):1141).
"Autobiographical memory is impaired by childhood traumua." (Goodman et al., 2010, Annu. Rev. Psychology, 61: 325).
"Valuing one's own happiness may lead people to be less happy." (Mauss et al., 2011, Emotion, 11(4): 807).
"A rare neuropsychiatric disorder in children known as PANDAS is caused by strep throat that spreads to and effects the brain, causing debilitating sudden OCD and/or tics." (Vogel, L., 2018, CMAJ, 190(3):E86).
"Childhood spanking is associated with mental and behavioural health problems in adulthood, including suicide attempts, heavy drinking, and street drug use." (Afifi et al., 2017, Child Adbuse Negl., 71).
"Since 2012, the British Columbia school cirriculum has incorporated mental health literacy and social-emotional learning." (Hymel et al., 2017, Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health, 36(4)).
"Loneliness is associated with a 40% increased risk of dementia." (Sutin et al., 2018, Journal of Gerontology, B112).
"Pet ownership aids in recovery from serious mental illness." (Wisdom et al., 2010, American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 79(3))
"Healthcare providers are both less likely to diagnose mental illness in men than women and are less likely to act upon mental illness in men once it's detected." (Affleck et al., 2018, Men's Mental Health Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 63(9)).
"The use of amphetamine stimulants (Adderall, Dexedrine, Vyvanse) may induce symptoms of psychosis very similar to those of acute schizophrenia spectrum psychosis." (Makela, P., 2015, European Journal of Public Health, 25(2): 225).
"A study of 32,400 children born between 1998-2012 from the Danish Medical Birth Registry found that in utero exposure to antidepressants (SSRIs) was associated with an increased risk of psychiatric disorders in the child. Children born to mothers who continued SSRI use during pregnancy had a 27% higher risk of a psychiatric diagnosis than the discontinuation group." (Liu, Agerbo, Ingstrup et al., 2017, BMJ, 358).
"A 2018 study found that 23% of pregnant women experience a depressive disorder, 10% a generalized anxiety disorder, and up to 8% of pregnant women take antidepressant medication (SSRIs) to treat depression and anxiety disorders." (Tomelleri, L., 2018, Evidence-Based Mental Health, 21(3): 120-22).
"A study of London, UK adults with early psychosis (schizophrenia, schizotypal, delusional disorders) found that those who received specialized care by a community mental health team reduced their chances of readmission by 35%" (Craig at al., 2004, BMJ: 1067-70).
"New evidence suggests that those with PTSD influence their psychological wellbeing through emotional suppression, especially suppressing depression." (Chung et al., 2018, Journal of Mental Health).
"43% of Syrian refugees meet the psychiatric criteria for PTSD, according to a new study." (Chung et al., 2018, Psychiatric Research, 310-315).
"A study of over 6,000 Chinese, American, and Indian workers found that increased job autonomy is an effective way to reduce the negative impact of depression on employees' wellbeing." (Wai Li et al., 2018, Journal of Mental Health).
"70% of mental health problems originate during childhood or adolesence." (Gov't of Canada, 2006, "The Human Face of Mental Health").
"14 year olds with mental health diagnoses who did not seek treatment or health services are seven times more likely to report symptoms of depression at age 17 than those who did." (Stallard, 2017, Evidence Based Mental Health, E2-e2).