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Virtual GP and other primary care consultations can be as effective as face-to-face appointments for a range of health conditions. This is according to a new study by researchers at Imperial College London, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. It found health outcomes for patients who saw doctors remotely at least matched those for in-person care for mental illness, alcohol misuse, weight management and advice on quitting smoking.

Adults in England largely appeared to be psychologically resilient to developing depression or anxiety during the pandemic, a study by University of Manchester researchers has shown. The analysis of data from 16.5 million people attending general practice and 41 thousand respondents to a survey where people reported their symptoms over time, published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, shows that while mental distress reported in the surveys increased in the short term during the first two waves of the pandemic, the numbers affected quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Findings may demonstrate a brain and behavioural basis for how nicotine addiction is initiated and then takes hold in early life, say scientists. Smoking is perhaps the most common addictive behaviour in the world, and a leading cause of adult mortality Trevor Robbins Levels of grey matter in two parts of the brain may be linked to a desire to start smoking during adolescence and the strengthening of nicotine addiction, a new study has shown.

A new study led by UCL researchers has found a positive association between academic pressure or proximity to exams and mental health issues among young people. The research, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, reviewed 52 studies involving students who attended either primary school, secondary school or sixth-form college across the globe, between 1991 and 2022.

A new review from Bath's Centre for Mindfulness and Community challenges common interpretations of what the practice of mindfulness should look like. Published on Monday 14 August 2023 Last updated on Monday 21 August 2023 Is looking after kids in the summer stressing you out? In need of a relaxing break? Maybe it's time to unwind and practice some calming mindfulness.

Receiving therapy for problematic social media use can be effective in improving the mental wellbeing of people with depression, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research , found that social media use interventions could help adults for whom social media use has become problematic or interferes with their mental health.

More than half of patients with auto-immune conditions experience mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, yet the majority are rarely or never asked in clinic about mental health symptoms, according to new research from the University of Cambridge and King's College London.

Adults who voluntarily take part in mindfulness courses are less likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression for at least six months after completing the programmes, compared to adults who do not take part, a new analysis pooling data from 13 studies has confirmed. This study is the highest quality confirmation so far that the in-person mindfulness courses typically offered in the community do actually work for the average person.

The number of people reporting feelings of severe distress in England has steadily risen since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a new study led by researchers at UCL, King's College London and the SPECTRUM Consortium. The research, published in JAMA Network Open , establishes that rising levels of severe distress are being reported in all age groups and population subgroups outside of older adults aged over 65, with young adults aged 18-24 showing the most striking rise.

Poor air quality affects mental health in many ways, according to a new review of evidence published in the British Journal of Psychiatry . Led by Professor Kam Bhui at the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry , researchers in the UKRI-funded BioAirNet programme, analysed existing studies looking at the effects of both indoor and outdoor air pollution across the life course, from birth and pregnancy, to adolescence and adulthood.

A new study from psychiatric epidemiologist Dr Lindsey Hines calls for greater support to help young people avoid problematic drug use. Young people who are exposed to adverse childhood experiences between the ages of 0 - 12 years, including parental drug misuse, are at highest risk for developing problematic adolescent cannabis use as teenagers, according to a new study.

Children who begin reading for pleasure early in life tend to perform better at cognitive tests and have better mental health when they enter adolescence, a study of more than 10,000 young adolescents in the US has found.

Robin Bailey , University of Bolton Adrian Wells , University of Manchester There's a long-held belief that people drink alcohol in excess to drown their sorrows. But recent research into mood and drinking has found the opposite is also true. Using data from 69 studies (12,394 people in total) in the US, Canada, France and Australia, all of which employed surveys to assess mood and drinking levels, the researchers found no evidence that people drank more on days when they felt down.

Pearl Mok , University of Manchester Alex Trafford , University of Manchester Evidence tells us the COVID pandemic and measures put in place to contain the virus negatively affected the mental health of adolescents and young people in the UK and elsewhere. One review study published in August 2021 estimated that the global prevalence of children and adolescents with depression and anxiety had doubled since the start of the pandemic.

Learning that you are autistic at an older age, like Christine McGuiness, is no bad thing say researchers from the University of Bath and King's College London. Receiving an autism diagnosis in your 20, 30s, 40s, 50s or even 60s may seem daunting, but a new study from psychologists in Bath and London finds that the link between the age at which someone gets diagnosed has little bearing on their quality of life.

Across Europe, depression and anxiety disorders became more common following the onset of the pandemic, reports a major review of evidence led by UCL researchers. Later in 2020, depression and anxiety rates reduced again, but fluctuated over the following year. The systematic review, published in The Lancet Psychiatry , pulls together evidence from 177 studies in 20 European countries to assess how the Covid-19 pandemic affected mental health across the continent for the first two years after lockdowns began.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people are more than twice as likely than their straight peers to experience suicidal thoughts or self-harming behaviours, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology , is the first ever to analyse nationally representative data on sexual orientation and suicidality in England whilst being able to compare individual sexual minority groups.

Eco-distress is rising around the world, but a new article in the journal Nature by psychologists suggests this could be a positive catalyst for action. More and more people are experiencing -eco-distress existential fears about the future of the planet in view of increased extreme weather events and ecological loss.

Adolescents who show signs of alcohol dependence are more likely to develop depression by their mid-20s, according to a new study led by UCL and University of Bristol researchers. Drinking large amounts of alcohol regularly, but with no signs of dependency, did not predict depression risk, according to the findings published in The Lancet Psychiatry .

A new cohort study has provided compelling evidence that quitting smoking can lead to improved mental health outcomes among people with and without mental health disorders, alleviating concerns raised by both clinicians and smokers. Published in JAMA Network Open , the findings revealed that smoking abstinence between weeks nine and 24 was associated with significant improvements in anxiety and depression scores.