Anxiety

When students try to outsmart their peers, their academic performance suffers. A new psychology study reveals that pushing learners to compete leads them to ask ChatGPT superficial questions, increasing their anxiety and severely hindering true knowledge acquisition.

Aging adults with high autistic traits face a significantly greater risk of worsening anxiety over time, according to new research. The findings highlight a pressing need for targeted mental health support for older individuals on the autism spectrum.

A fear of massive objects may stem from ancient survival instincts. Clinicians treat megalophobia by retraining the amygdala using controlled exposure.

A new study in BMC Psychology suggests stuttering is more than a physical speech disorder. Researchers found that adults who stutter experience differences in auditory brain processing and higher anxiety, which both scale with their stuttering severity.

Higher levels of an excitatory brain chemical can make individuals overly sensitive to their mistakes. New research shows that an exaggerated response to everyday errors helps explain the shared biological roots of anxiety and depression.

Despite troubling reports of anxiety and depression among users of new weight loss and diabetes medications, a comprehensive genetic and clinical analysis reveals no biological link between the drugs and mental health disorders.

A new study finds that an inability to properly digest fructose alters the gut microbiome, triggering low-grade inflammation. This digestive disruption may contribute to anxiety and depressive behaviors by alarming the brain's immune system.

A new study explores the psychological factors driving extreme celebrity fandom. Researchers found that while mental distress is strongly linked to celebrity obsession, the impact of childhood trauma reveals a surprising pattern of both obsessive attachment and emotional withdrawal.

For some children, everyday noises like clinking dishes or traffic feel unbearably loud. A recent study reveals that this condition, known as hyperacusis, is a strong predictor of developing persistent fear, worry, and nervousness during adolescence.

People who obsess over missing out on social events show hypersensitive brain activity when receiving digital approval, revealing a biological clue behind problematic phone checking and social media habits.

To combat a global shortage of therapists, scientists are delivering mental health care through social media. A large new study confirms these online interventions work, particularly when they involve human guidance and community building.

A new framework explains how a single workout and long-term exercise habits help the brain process negative information. By altering attention, memory, and executive function, physical activity can transform how we manage stress and emotional distress.

A recent experiment shows that a quick jog on a treadmill can lower academic distress and sharpen mental focus. Researchers found that a short bout of aerobic activity physically rebalances the brain's ability to ignore distracting information.

A moderate dose of caffeine does not elevate baseline anxiety in people with panic disorder, though it may make them slightly more likely to step away from uncomfortable situations.