Anxiety

Australia is in the grip of an epidemic: almost half the adult population will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. Anxiety and depression are at the top of the list, but modern treatments can do much to alleviate the pain, writes Michael Sheather. At the height of her life-long battle […]

Most people think that looking after your health means eating well and getting a little exercise. Yet many medical experts now believe that looking after the mind is just as vital as taking care of the body. In fact, as actress Rebecca Gibney and TV personality Deborah Hutton tell Michael Sheather, taking care of your […]

It is estimated that up to 30 percent of people experience odontophobia, or anxiety when they visit the dentist. A further one in 20 people suffer from such extreme fear that they cannot go at all. Anaesthetic drugs and nitrous oxide, or “happy gas” can both help to numb pain, but they do not necessarily […]

Around 25 per cent of Australian adults will, at some time in their lives, suffer from a diagnosable mental health problem, most prominently depression or anxiety, including phobias. And as many of these people will be parents, unfortunately some of these behaviours are bound to be passed-onto their children. “Maybe someone can’t go into lifts; […]

The drug millions of Aussies are taking – what it does for weight, sex and you! More than 12 million anti-depressant scripts a year are prescribed in Australia – and rising. But are we taking mood-enhancing meds too far? Next time you’re at an office lunch, chances are at least one or more of the […]

When times are tough, don’t despair. It is possible to change the way you see things, and expert help is always at hand… Looking back over recent headlines you could be forgiven for thinking the world is about to come crashing to an end. The only uncertainty seems to be what we will ruin first […]

New scientific research has revealed that depression can potentially cause severe brain damage, reinforcing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment amongst sufferers. A three-year study of 38 patients admitted to a psychiatric ward with serious depression found that grey-matter loss in key areas of the brain — the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulum and hippocampus […]

The pursuit of happiness is a lifelong goal for most of us. No matter who you are or what you do, one thing we have in common is the want — and need — to be happy. And the great news is that, according to psychologist and founder of the Happiness Institute in Sydney, Dr […]

Practicing clinical psychologist Maria Gardiner clearly recalls the time a female client came to her Adelaide clinic for help… “She was the deputy director of a medical unit — and was actually doing the work of the director at the time,” Maria explains. “But when she was formally offered the position, with its title and […]

Don’t blame your boss or hassles at home. The problem could be what (and when and why) you’re eating. Pamela Allardice has 10 feel-good food tips. 1 Skip sugar Lollies, sweet biscuits and cakes trigger spikes in insulin levels, briefly revving up energy levels, before causing them to nosedive. Sugar also creates chemical fluctuations in […]