Latest news with #Brinen
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Is your favorite TV show spiking your blood pressure? 4 signs that your viewing habits might be stressing you out too much.
Diving into your favorite TV show or movie is the ideal way to unwind after a long day. At least it is in theory. The effect is a little different when your go-to series is a plot-twisting thriller like Paradise, the intriguing murder mystery of Traitors or the gorySquid Game. In those cases, you may end up feeling more stressed out than you did before turning on the television. 'Certain topics on TV shows, like death, loss or drama, can trigger anxiety in us,' Jaime Zuckerman, a licensed clinical psychologist based in Pennsylvania, tells Yahoo Life. But some people are impacted by this more than others. 'Many people have a little bit of fun watching these intense shows or movies — they get a heightened experience, and then they'll get back to their mood baseline,' Aaron Brinen, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. 'But sometimes we'll watch something that gets under our skin, and it takes longer to come back down from that.' You probably have a solid sense of how you feel after watching these shows, but it can be hard to know whether you're reacting in a typical way or if your viewing habits are throwing off your mental health. Ahead, therapists break down how these intense shows and movies can affect your stress levels — plus the major signs that it's time to turn on some lighter fare. At baseline, these shows are designed to affect you in some way. 'All media we consume can impact our mood — music, video games, news programming, movies and TV,' Hillary Ammon, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Women's Emotional Wellness, tells Yahoo Life. Depending on what you see, you may end up feeling happy, relaxed, sad, angry, comforted or fearful, she says. In fact, having some kind of emotional reaction to a show or movie is usually a sign that it's good content, Brinen says. 'These are designed to change our mood, and that's what makes them great,' he points out. But intense or dramatic shows can affect you differently than, say, a comedy — and they can have a lingering impact on your mood, Thea Gallagher, clinical psychologist and co-host of the Mind in View podcast, tells Yahoo Life. 'They could potentially trigger memories of the past, which may not be good,' she says. 'The content can also just get stuck in your head.' Storylines that could happen in the real world can also be especially tough to shake, Gallagher adds. These intense shows and movies can even activate your fight-or-flight system, according to Ammon. 'You might notice your heart racing or feeling a little restless while watching intense shows,' she says. There's also this to consider, according to Brinen: 'There are some shows that push the boundary and are objectively disturbing. Those can be hard to shake.' Experts emphasize that you shouldn't watch TV or a movie before bed for good sleep hygiene, regardless of what you're viewing. But between work schedules and other activities of life, before bed is usually the only time people can watch screens. Unfortunately, watching intense shows before bed can counteract your ability to wind down before you go to sleep, Brinen says. 'You need sleep momentum. Your brain needs to be at rest in order to sleep,' he says. 'Anything that works against that, such as a TV show that gets your mind going, is not going to be helpful.' Shows with violence or that bring on feelings of fear can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body too, Zuckerman says. 'That can also interfere with your ability to fall asleep,' she adds. But even if you don't watch these shows before bed, Gallagher says the themes may stick with you and rattle around in your head when your brain quiets down for the night. 'They can make you feel worried or scared or have a new fear unlocked,' she says. True crime documentaries have exploded in popularity over the past few years. Some people even watch them as a way to unwind, which is a curious response given how disturbing the topics can be. 'Some people like that there's justice and a legal process in place that works — it gives them a sense of safety,' Zuckerman says. 'I hear this a lot from female patients especially. It gives them plans, strategies and ideas on how to look at relationships differently, especially since these often involve intimate partner violence.' But these shows also tap into a certain part of human nature that some people love. 'We're nosy,' Zuckerman says. 'We like to know what's going on and to try to figure out the crime on our own.' A love of true crime shows can even tap into a level of stress that you're used to, Zuckerman says. 'For some, it may feel normal to bring up feelings of a high-stress environment because that's what they're used to or they grew up in a chaotic environment,' she says. 'People can mistake that for comfort.' Therapists recommend being on the lookout for certain signs and symptoms that intense shows are stressing you out. 'Collect good data on yourself and pay attention to what you find,' Brinen says. These are the biggies to look out for: That includes having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and Gallagher says it can be linked to watching the show before bed or any time during your day. 'If you watch one of these shows and you can't sleep afterward, that's a major sign that this is not good for you,' Brinen says. A good show will be on your mind after you watch it, Brinen points out. But if you keep coming back to thoughts about disturbing scenes, especially over the course of several days, he says that's concerning. 'It should not be sticking with you longer than you want it to,' Brinen says. While you're probably not going to feel elated after watching a series like Squid Game, it shouldn't bring your mood down and keep it low for hours or days. 'Some shows can trigger intense feelings, like sadness or fear, that can be hard for some people to shake,' Gallagher says. This sounds slightly extreme, but it ties back to new fears. If you find that you're suddenly scared that someone is going to break into your home after watching the latest true crime series and you can't sleep, or have trouble focusing at work because your mind keeps going back to a show's disturbing plot, Zuckerman says that's a major sign this type of content isn't for you. In general, Zuckerman recommends being mindful about when and how you watch these more intense shows. 'If it's already a high-stress time, like during the holidays, maybe avoid them for a bit,' she says. It can also be helpful to balance your viewing with other things, like watching with friends so you can dissect the plot, or having a full day outside of your home and not just binge-watching a thriller. 'Everything in moderation,' she says. But if you enjoy watching intense shows and it doesn't seem to have a negative impact on your mental health, Brinen says you're just fine to keep watching them. 'I never yuck someone's yum,' he says. 'If you like figuring out a true crime or watching an intense show, bless your heart.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Adult ADHD prescriptions still on the rise, especially among older women
Prescriptions for ADHD medications have been spiking in recent years, with the sharpest increase among middle-aged and older women. They're also the least likely to misuse the prescription stimulants, a new study finds. The rise among women ages 35 to 64 has been substantial. At the end of 2022, 1.7 million women in this age group were prescribed stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin for ADHD, compared to 1.2 million prescriptions in 2019. There's been an overall jump in ADHD prescriptions since the pandemic and the rise of telehealth. The new analysis, published in JAMA Psychiatry by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, also looked into how the medications are being misused — that is, taking more of the drugs than prescribed, taking them at times that differed from what the doctor ordered or using medication from someone else's prescription The researchers used data from more than 83,000 adults, ages 18 to 64 who participated in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Information on prescriptions came from the 2019-2022 IQVIA Total Patient Tracker and National Prescription Audit New to Brand databases. They found that the prevalence of misuse of prescription stimulants among women aged 35 to 64 was significantly lower than it was among men of the same age (13.7% versus 22.0%). Middle-aged women also misused their medications less than younger women (13.7% versus 36.8%). Three types of stimulants are approved for ADHD: amphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall); methamphetamine (Desoxyn); and methylphenidate (Ritalin). Overall, just over a quarter of people with prescriptions for ADHD medications reported misusing them. About 9% had what is called prescription stimulant use disorder, or addiction. People taking an amphetamine or methamphetamine were more likely to misuse than those taking a methylphenidate. The researchers aren't sure why there was such a big increase in older adult women being prescribed stimulants for ADHD. 'It is a very large increase that I can't fully explain,' said a study co-author, Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse The size of the increase in middle-aged women is surprising, said Aaron Brinen, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, who was not involved in the study. Girls with the neurodevelopmental disorder may not be diagnosed because their symptoms are often more subtle than those exhibited by boys, who are more likely to show symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsiveness, research indicates. 'I wonder if it speaks to women feeling more empowered to talk about what they are needing and about their struggles in life,' Brinen said. They may realize that they had ADHD as children but were never diagnosed. 'Girls are more likely to be overlooked because the way they express ADHD isn't likely to be captured by teachers,' he added. Brinen has female friends who weren't diagnosed and treated until they were in their 50s. 'It was the first time in their lives that they felt functional,' he said. 'It's a tragedy that it took so long.' Untreated ADHD can lead to feelings of failure and depression, Brinen said. 'People think of them as not trying, but they are constantly trying and meeting disappointment,' he added. Brinen suspects women with ADHD are less likely to misuse the stimulants because their prescriptions make life easier. They don't get high from the stimulants, they just feel more normal. Women with ADHD sometimes manage to get by until they hit a stage where life becomes more difficult and challenging, said Mariely Hernandez, a clinical psychologist who specializes in addiction and ADHD and is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of psychiatry at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. The symptoms of ADHD might become a much bigger problem when women have children, Hernandez said. 'The executive function needed to manage a family may exceed their cognitive resources, especially when the children are young,' she added. 'Then their symptoms become too impairing.' Hormonal status can also affect the severity of symptoms, Hernandez said. 'We see a lot of women diagnosed at menopause,' she said, adding that low estrogen levels in a woman with ADHD can lead to a dopamine deficit. 'Dopamine underlies our reward system,' she explained. 'If you don't make enough or aren't able to properly utilize it, you won't be able to focus as well. Women will say, 'I can't live like this. I want to be evaluated.'' This article was originally published on
NBC News
19-03-2025
- Health
- NBC News
Adult ADHD prescriptions still on the rise, especially among older women
Prescriptions for ADHD medications have been spiking in recent years, with the sharpest increase among middle-aged and older women. They're also the least likely to misuse the prescription stimulants, a new study finds. The rise among women ages 35 to 64 has been substantial. At the end of 2022, 1.7 million women in this age group were prescribed stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin for ADHD, compared to 1.2 million prescriptions in 2019. There's been an overall jump in ADHD prescriptions since the pandemic and the rise of telehealth. The new analysis, published in JAMA Psychiatry by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, also looked into how the medications are being misused — that is, taking more of the drugs than prescribed, taking them at times that differed from what the doctor ordered or using medication from someone else's prescription The researchers used data from more than 83,000 adults, ages 18 to 64 who participated in the 2021-2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Information on prescriptions came from the 2019-2022 IQVIA Total Patient Tracker and National Prescription Audit New to Brand databases. They found that the prevalence of misuse of prescription stimulants among women aged 35 to 64 was significantly lower than it was among men of the same age (13.7% versus 22.0%). Middle-aged women also misused their medications less than younger women (13.7% versus 36.8%). Three types of stimulants are approved for ADHD: amphetamine (Dexedrine, Adderall); methamphetamine (Desoxyn); and methylphenidate (Ritalin). Overall, just over a quarter of people with prescriptions for ADHD medications reported misusing them. About 9% had what is called prescription stimulant use disorder, or addiction. People taking an amphetamine or methamphetamine were more likely to misuse than those taking a methylphenidate. The researchers aren't sure why there was such a big increase in older adult women being prescribed stimulants for ADHD. 'It is a very large increase that I can't fully explain,' said a study co-author, Dr. Wilson Compton, deputy director at the National Institute on Drug Abuse The size of the increase in middle-aged women is surprising, said Aaron Brinen, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, who was not involved in the study. Girls with the neurodevelopmental disorder may not be diagnosed because their symptoms are often more subtle than those exhibited by boys, who are more likely to show symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsiveness, research indicates. 'I wonder if it speaks to women feeling more empowered to talk about what they are needing and about their struggles in life,' Brinen said. They may realize that they had ADHD as children but were never diagnosed. 'Girls are more likely to be overlooked because the way they express ADHD isn't likely to be captured by teachers,' he added. Brinen has female friends who weren't diagnosed and treated until they were in their 50s. 'It was the first time in their lives that they felt functional,' he said. 'It's a tragedy that it took so long.' Untreated ADHD can lead to feelings of failure and depression, Brinen said. 'People think of them as not trying, but they are constantly trying and meeting disappointment,' he added. Brinen suspects women with ADHD are less likely to misuse the stimulants because their prescriptions make life easier. They don't get high from the stimulants, they just feel more normal. Women with ADHD sometimes manage to get by until they hit a stage where life becomes more difficult and challenging, said Mariely Hernandez, a clinical psychologist who specializes in addiction and ADHD and is a postdoctoral research fellow in the department of psychiatry at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. The symptoms of ADHD might become a much bigger problem when women have children, Hernandez said. 'The executive function needed to manage a family may exceed their cognitive resources, especially when the children are young,' she added. 'Then their symptoms become too impairing.' Hormonal status can also affect the severity of symptoms, Hernandez said. 'We see a lot of women diagnosed at menopause,' she said, adding that low estrogen levels in a woman with ADHD can lead to a dopamine deficit. 'Dopamine underlies our reward system,' she explained. 'If you don't make enough or aren't able to properly utilize it, you won't be able to focus as well. Women will say, 'I can't live like this. I want to be evaluated.''
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tennessee bill would require temporary virtual learning option for students after school shooting
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee bill filed by two Democratic lawmakers would give students who survive a school shooting or other act of mass violence the option to learn and heal from home temporarily. The bill, named the 'Student Comfort through Alternative Restorative Environments (CARE) Act' by its sponsors, Sen. Sara Kyle (D-Memphis) and Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville), would require public school districts to provide a virtual learning option to students for at least 31 days after an 'act of mass violence' at a school. It comes on the heels of the deadly Antioch High School shooting last month where students returned to the building less than one week after the tragedy. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'It is very traumatizing to go back to where it all started,' Kellan Tabor, a sophomore at Antioch High School said. 'They have [the cafeteria] all closed off. You can't go near the area. They're still investigating around there.' Some Antioch High parents told News 2 they planned to keep their children home after the building reopened. 'My daughter is not going to school tomorrow, and I don't think a lot of them are,' Jennifer Hernandez, an Antioch High parent said. 'It's still too early. Even the ones who are close to graduating, I think they should give them the opportunity to either do virtual or give them their credits and allow them to stay at home with their families during this time.' Dr. Aaron Brinen, a psychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told News 2 deciding when to return to the location of a traumatic event and resume a routine is a delicate balance. 'You don't want to start engaging in a lot of avoidance, but you also don't want to force yourself into it,' Dr. Brinen said. 'Individuals who engage in a high amount of avoidance after a traumatic event are more likely to develop PTSD because they're starting to engage in that pattern that is a part of PTSD, that avoidance of the memory and the avoidance of the things in their life that remind them of the memory.' He added those who appear to struggle shortly after a traumatic event may be less likely to experience any long-term challenges associated with the event. 'Individuals who have a lot of intrusive memories, who are highly emotional, who are really upset after a traumatic event, those individuals are more likely to do better over the long course because they're slowly exposing themselves to those things and habituating, meaning getting used to, those things in the short run.' When News 2 asked Dr. Brinen his thoughts on giving students a temporary virtual learning option after a tragedy like a school shooting, he said he was split. 'I like the idea of a young person being able to continue to learn, and in the short run, I think if we facilitate a lot of avoidance, I think we could set it up to make it really easy for a young person to foster unhelpful avoidance that could lead to PTSD,' Dr. Brinen said. If the General Assembly chooses to pass this bill, Dr. Brinen said the state could conduct a study and collect data on students who returned to school when it opened, versus those who chose to learn virtually to determine the ideal amount of time districts should provide the virtual learning option. ⏩ News 2 reached out to both the Senate and House sponsors for an interview, but neither were available. It's unclear whether the state or school district would have to pay for the virtual learning option. If the bill passed, it would go into effect during the 2025-2026 school year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
