Page 51 - Healthy (March - April 2020)

theCLINIC

Promising news for
anxiety sufferers
As many as one in three of us will
experience an anxiety disorder, during
which situations that pose no objective
danger can cause paralysing fear. However,
new US research has found that a simple
form of conditioning could treat this. In
the research, participants were trained
to associate one shape with a threatening
outcome and another with a non-
THE ONCE-A-MONTH CONTRACEPTIVE threatening one. The subjects were irst
COULD COMBAT FORGOTTEN PILLS presented with the threatening shape
Ever had that feeling you’ve forgotten something, only to realise it alone, then with the non-threatening
was your contraceptive pill? You’re not alone. While 3.1 million women shape (known as a ‘safety signal’) alongside
in 2017-18 were found to rely on it, some reports suggest up to 50% it. When the threatening shape was shown
miss at least one pill every three months, leaving them vulnerable with the safety signal, fear was proven to
to unplanned pregnancies. However, researchers at Massachusetts reduce, compared to when the threatening
Institute of Technology have designed a once-a-month oral shape was shown alone. As anti-anxiety
contraceptive that could make forgotten pills a thing of the past. The medication can have unwanted side efects,
minuscule starfish-shaped device (yet to be tested on humans) the research may be promising for helping
can be swallowed in a capsule that unfolds in the stomach to to develop non-medicative treatments.
deliver hormones throughout the month, replacing daily pills.

THE EDIT We’ve heard that omega-3 fatty
OMEGA-3 FOR ADHD

The new studies and stats you need to know about acids can aid our brain, eye and
heart health, but research has
found they might have useful
applications in treating children
60 of life, according to new research. A three-year, cross- controlled trial, 92 children with
with ADHD. In a randomised
is the age at which we’re most likely to discover the meaning
ADHD were given either a daily
sectional study by the University of California examined
dose of the omega-3 fatty acid
data from 1,042 adults, aged 21 to 100-plus, and found
EPA or a placebo for 12 weeks.
that 60 was the age at which perceived meaning peaked.
Words Niamh Leonard-Bedwell, Rachel Wall. Photographs Stocksy, iStock
Researchers analysed the participants using interviews The results found that children
who started with lower levels
and a questionnaire to rank the truth of statements relating to their satisfaction, or
of EPA showed a significant
search for meaning. According to the researchers, their results showed that search
improvement in attention after
for meaning was at its lowest at 60,
taking omega-3. This is
while participants also perceived their
important because traditional
lives to be most meaningful at this age.
ADHD medications can have
This is significant because finding
side effects for children, such
meaning in life is associated with
as sleep problems. While
better physical and mental wellbeing.
omega-3 supplements could
The results could be linked to life
be an effective alternative, it’s
events: we often spend our early 20s
worth noting that children with
searching for meaning, while starting
already high baseline EPA
a family and becoming established in
showed less improvement with
our career and relationships can make
supplements, and may even
life feel more meaningful.
be negatively affected.
healthy-magazine.co.uk 51