The very instant Penny Kukovec was diagnosed with breast cancer her world permanently changed. Suddenly, it felt as if her life was out of her control. She felt powerless and overwhelmed. There were so many unanswered questions. Why me? What's next? What about my family? The feelings Kukovec experienced are felt by many cancer patients following their initial diagnosis and as they pursue treatment. In an ef ...

Hypnosis can help alleviate the pain and suffering experienced by women being treated for breast cancer, according to a study by a University at Buffalo School of Social Work professor. The randomized trial measured pain and suffering, frequency of pain, and degree of constant pain among 124 women with metastatic breast cancer, according to Lisa D. Butler, associate professor in UB's School of Social Work, ...

New research using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows that childhood stress such as abuse or emotional neglect, in particular when combined with genetic factors, can result in structural brain changes, rendering these people more vulnerable to developing depression. The study led by scientists at Trinity College Dublin has just been published in the international scientific journal, Neuropsychopharmacol ...

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia significantly improved sleep for patients with chronic neck or back pain and also reduced the extent to which pain interfered with their daily functioning, according to a study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers. The study, published online by the journal Sleep Medicine, demonstrates that a behavioral intervention can help patients who alrea ...

What is psychotherapy? Psychotherapy, also known as "talk therapy" or "psychological treatment," is a way to treat people with a mental disorder by helping them understand their illness. It teaches people strategies and gives them tools to deal with stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. Psychotherapy helps patients manage their symptoms better and function at their best in everyday life. Sometimes ps ...

Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor function of the hippocampus, a brain structure that stores and retrieves memories. The research helps explain why traumatized chil ...

"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" (ADHD) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a free, full color 28 page ebook. This ebook provides answers to common questions posed by the recently diagnosed and by parents of children with ADHD. As with all NIH publications, an evidenced-based explanation of the disorder and its available treatment options is given in simple language that is suitable fo ...

The National Institutes of Health (NIMH) maintains their steady release of free, evidence-based mental health resources for the general public with their latest ebook, "Treatment of Children with Mental Disorders." Parents who are faced with child behavior problems and are uncertain what to do may find this publication's easy-to-read question and answer format to be very helpful. Healthcare providers should ...