Answer Addiction

Tag: stress

  • Have Depression Or Anxiety? There May Be Health Risks Down The Line

    Have Depression Or Anxiety? There May Be Health Risks Down The Line

    A new study examined whether people with depression/anxiety could be at higher risks of future health problems.

    Could struggling with depression and anxiety put you at risk for more health issues down the road? According to Forbes, new research points to yes.  

    A recent study determined that those with depression/anxiety could be at the same or higher risk level for future health problems as smokers or those who are overweight.

    The study examined data from the Health and Retirement Study, which included the health data of 15,000 older US adults over four years. Of those, 16% reported high levels of depression and anxiety, 31% were considered obese and 14% were smokers. 

    In comparing individuals with anxiety and depression to those without, researchers found that those with depression and/or anxiety had a 65% higher risk of heart conditions, a 64% higher risk for stroke and a 50% higher risk of high blood pressure. Especially high was the increased risk of arthritis, at 87%. 

    Lead study author Aoife O’Donovan of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry says these odds are in line with individuals who smoke or are overweight.

    “These increased odds are similar to those of participants who are smokers or are obese,” he said, according to Forbes. “However, for arthritis, high anxiety and depression seem to confer higher risks than smoking and obesity.”


    Researchers also discovered connections between depression/anxiety and more mild health issues like back pain, stomach pain and shortness of breath. Headaches were 161% higher in those with depression and/or anxiety in comparison to those who were smokers or obese.

    However, the study did not find any links between depression and anxiety and cancer. 

    “Our findings are in line with a lot of other studies showing that psychological distress is not a strong predictor of many types of cancer,” O’Donovan tells Forbes. “On top of highlighting that mental health matters for a whole host of medical illnesses, it is important that we promote these null findings. We need to stop attributing cancer diagnoses to histories of stress, depression and anxiety.”

    A possible limitation of this study, according to Forbes, is that the data used came from self-assessments of individuals versus clinical assessments. 

    “The methodology in this case relied on in-depth interviews and other survey methods, but the results are still observational, not clinical,” Forbes states.

    As these findings are in line with other past studies, researchers are reiterating the importance of mental health care. 

    “Anxiety and depression symptoms are strongly linked to poor physical health,” the study’s first author, Andrea Niles said, according to Forbes. “Yet these conditions continue to receive limited attention in primary care settings, compared to smoking and obesity.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Generation Z Is Massively Stressed Out

    Generation Z Is Massively Stressed Out

    Generation Z is also the most likely to report mental health conditions, according to a new survey. 

    Issues such as gun violence, sexual assault and immigration are contributing to high levels of stress in Generation Z, according to new data. 

    According to the American Psychological Association’s annual Stress in America survey, Generation Z (those ages 15 to 21) has become more politically active this year and that the condition of the country is contributing to their stress levels. 

    The survey included data from 3,458 individuals 18 and older, as well as interviews with 300 teenagers ages 15 to 17. The purpose of the survey is to measure “attitudes and perception of stress to identify the leading sources of stress among the general public.”

    One of the main areas of concern among the younger generation was safety in schools. According to the survey, about 75% of Generation Z say that mass shootings contribute to their stress levels, and 72% said the same of school shootings specifically.

    The survey also found that about 74% of parents are concerned about the possibility of a school shooting. 

    In comparison, the survey found that 69% of millennials stress about mass shootings and 73% about school shootings. For Generation X and Baby Boomers, that decreased to about 58% for each. 

    “The pressures facing Generation Z are different from those that faced older generations at the same age. For example, mass shootings simply did not happen with the same scale and frequency when I was in school,” Arthur Evans, a psychologist and CEO of the American Psychological Association (APA), told CNN.

    According to APA spokeswoman Sophie Bethune, this is the 12th year that the APA has conducted this survey, but the first year it has asked participants about gun violence. 

    The survey also asked about issues such as immigration, climate change, rising suicide rates and reports of sexual harassment or abuse, CNN reports. 

    In doing so, it found that 68% of people between 18 and 21 were concerned about the state of the country, yet only 54% said they would be voting in November, which is well below the average of 70% across generations. 

    When it came to other issues, 57% of Generation Z considered separation and deportation of immigrant families to contribute to their stress levels, whereas only 45% of adults as a whole did. Similarly, 53% of Gen Z considered sexual harassment or abuse a stressor, compared to 39% of overall adults.  

    Evans says these differences have to do with the development of the brain and how it processes stress.

    However, there were some positive findings when it came to Generation Z. According to survey findings, members of this generation were more likely to report mental health conditions and more likely to speak out about challenges. 

    As a whole, the survey found that 75% of participants reported feeling hopeful about their future.

    View the original article at thefix.com