Behind the Headlines

Quitting smoking 'reduces anxiety levels'

Wednesday Jan 2 2013

'Smoking does not relieve stress – but quitting does,' the Daily Mail reports. The story is based on research that looked at whether giving up – or trying to give up – smoking...

Spirituality 'link' to mental illness

Wednesday Jan 2 2013

'Spiritual people are more likely to be mentally ill' is today’s claim in the Daily Mail. They report on research which found that people with a spiritual views, but without conventional religious beliefs, had an increased risk of mental health problems…

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Does marriage lower depression risk?

Monday Dec 17 2012

'Married women are less likely to suffer depression than cohabiters or singletons,' according to the Daily Mail. The claim is based on a large Canadian survey...

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If 'drugs don’t work' for depression, CBT may

Friday Dec 7 2012

'Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can reduce symptoms of depression in people who fail to respond to drug treatment' according to BBC News. The headlines are prompted by a new study looking at how depression responds to 'talking treatments'…

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Does a tomato a day keep depression away?

Wednesday Dec 5 2012

'Yet another good reason to tuck into that salad: Eating tomatoes could ward off depression' is the claim in the Daily Mail. It is based on a new study looking at whether there was an association between reported tomato consumption and depression…

Asperger's dropped from mental health manual DSM-5

Tuesday Dec 4 2012

'Asperger's syndrome dropped from psychiatrists' handbook', is the headline in The Guardian. The news is based on an American Psychiatric Association (APA) press release...

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Nostalgia really can give some people a 'warm glow'

Tuesday Dec 4 2012

"Nostalgia 'warms the hands as well as the heart'," reports The Daily Telegraph. Its headline is prompted by research that explores whether nostalgia, often defined as emotional "warmth" about past events, is triggered by colder temperatures...

Childhood trauma and genes linked to depression

Thursday Nov 29 2012

Teenage depression has hit the headlines, with the The Guardian claiming that a "Computer test could spot children at risk of developing depression," while the Daily Mail warns that "Arguing parents can give a child teenage depression...

Car exhaust fumes 'link' to autism

Tuesday Nov 27 2012

A potential link between pollution and autism is being widely reported in the media, with The Sun headline claiming 'Exhaust fume link to autism in infants and The Daily Telegraph reporting that 'Traffic fumes linked to autism...

Neuroticism can be 'good for your health'

Friday Nov 16 2012

'Being neurotic can be good for your health after all' is the claim in the Daily Mail. It comes after a study found that people with a neurotic personality traits, such as being a worrier, had lower levels of a protein associated with inflammation…