Latest news with #Falkenstein
Economic Times
a day ago
- Health
- Economic Times
This overlooked personality trait may hold key to understanding anxiety and depression, study finds
A groundbreaking meta-analysis reveals sensitivity as a significant factor in mental health, impacting vulnerability to conditions like anxiety and depression. Affecting about 31% of the population, sensitivity influences responsiveness to psychological treatments, particularly mindfulness and relaxation techniques. The research advocates for incorporating sensitivity measures into clinical practice to personalize interventions and improve patient outcomes. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What is sensitivity? Key findings from the meta-analysis Strong link to mental health: Highly sensitive individuals are moderately to much more likely to experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, and avoidant personality disorder than those who are less sensitive. Prevalence: About 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive, placing a large number of people at potential risk for these common mental health challenges. Responsiveness to therapy: Importantly, the study revealed that sensitive people may respond better to certain psychological treatments, particularly those emphasizing applied relaxation and mindfulness. Such approaches may also help these individuals prevent relapse of their symptoms. Implications for treatment and diagnosis Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The double-edged nature of sensitivity Call for change in mental health care A new meta-analysis , the first of its kind, has spotlighted sensitivity as a crucial and previously overlooked factor in understanding common mental health issues like anxiety and depression according to a study by Queen Mary University of London This comprehensive review, conducted by an international team of researchers, systematically analyzed data from 33 studies and found a significant, positive relationship between an individual's sensitivity and their likelihood of developing mental health as defined in this research, refers to a personality trait capturing a person's capacity to perceive and process environmental stimuli. This encompasses how individuals respond to bright lights, subtle changes in surroundings, and other peoples' moods. Unlike neuroticism , which has long dominated mental health research and clinical assessments, sensitivity has received little focus—despite its potentially widespread Falkenstein, psychotherapist and lead researcher from Queen Mary University of London, emphasizes the clinical importance of these findings:'This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship[...] Our findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice which could be used to improve diagnosis of conditions.'Dr. Falkenstein and colleagues assert that treatment plans tailored to patients' sensitivity level could enhance outcomes. For instance, highly sensitive individuals may benefit more from interventions like mindfulness and applied relaxation than traditional according to Professor Michael Pluess of the University of Surrey, is not solely a risk factor:'Highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment[...] Our results provide further evidence that sensitive people are more affected by both negative and positive experiences and that the quality of their environment is particularly important for their well-being.'This means that sensitive individuals, while at higher risk for anxiety and depression, are also more likely to derive significant benefit from supportive environments and effective authors urge greater awareness among mental health professionals about the role of sensitivity. By incorporating measures of sensitivity into diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, clinicians could more accurately identify patients at risk and customize interventions leading to better recovery landmark research signals a shift in the understanding of mental health: it is not enough to focus only on factors like neuroticism. Sensitivity is both widespread and impactful, influencing both vulnerability to mental disorders and responsiveness to positive treatment experiences. As awareness of sensitivity grows among clinicians, millions may benefit from more personalized and effective care for anxiety, depression, and related conditions.
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
This overlooked personality trait may hold key to understanding anxiety and depression, study finds
A groundbreaking meta-analysis reveals sensitivity as a significant factor in mental health, impacting vulnerability to conditions like anxiety and depression. Affecting about 31% of the population, sensitivity influences responsiveness to psychological treatments, particularly mindfulness and relaxation techniques. The research advocates for incorporating sensitivity measures into clinical practice to personalize interventions and improve patient outcomes. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What is sensitivity? Key findings from the meta-analysis Strong link to mental health: Highly sensitive individuals are moderately to much more likely to experience depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), agoraphobia, and avoidant personality disorder than those who are less sensitive. Prevalence: About 31% of the general population are considered highly sensitive, placing a large number of people at potential risk for these common mental health challenges. Responsiveness to therapy: Importantly, the study revealed that sensitive people may respond better to certain psychological treatments, particularly those emphasizing applied relaxation and mindfulness. Such approaches may also help these individuals prevent relapse of their symptoms. Implications for treatment and diagnosis Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The double-edged nature of sensitivity Call for change in mental health care A new meta-analysis , the first of its kind, has spotlighted sensitivity as a crucial and previously overlooked factor in understanding common mental health issues like anxiety and depression according to a study by Queen Mary University of London This comprehensive review, conducted by an international team of researchers, systematically analyzed data from 33 studies and found a significant, positive relationship between an individual's sensitivity and their likelihood of developing mental health as defined in this research, refers to a personality trait capturing a person's capacity to perceive and process environmental stimuli. This encompasses how individuals respond to bright lights, subtle changes in surroundings, and other peoples' moods. Unlike neuroticism , which has long dominated mental health research and clinical assessments, sensitivity has received little focus—despite its potentially widespread Falkenstein, psychotherapist and lead researcher from Queen Mary University of London, emphasizes the clinical importance of these findings:'This is the most extensive systematic review on sensitivity and mental health in adolescents and adults to date, and is the first ever meta-analysis on the topic to estimate the impact of this relationship[...] Our findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice which could be used to improve diagnosis of conditions.'Dr. Falkenstein and colleagues assert that treatment plans tailored to patients' sensitivity level could enhance outcomes. For instance, highly sensitive individuals may benefit more from interventions like mindfulness and applied relaxation than traditional according to Professor Michael Pluess of the University of Surrey, is not solely a risk factor:'Highly sensitive people are also more responsive to positive experiences, including psychological treatment[...] Our results provide further evidence that sensitive people are more affected by both negative and positive experiences and that the quality of their environment is particularly important for their well-being.'This means that sensitive individuals, while at higher risk for anxiety and depression, are also more likely to derive significant benefit from supportive environments and effective authors urge greater awareness among mental health professionals about the role of sensitivity. By incorporating measures of sensitivity into diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, clinicians could more accurately identify patients at risk and customize interventions leading to better recovery landmark research signals a shift in the understanding of mental health: it is not enough to focus only on factors like neuroticism. Sensitivity is both widespread and impactful, influencing both vulnerability to mental disorders and responsiveness to positive treatment experiences. As awareness of sensitivity grows among clinicians, millions may benefit from more personalized and effective care for anxiety, depression, and related conditions.
India.com
3 days ago
- Health
- India.com
Highly Sensitive People More Likely To Experience Depression, Anxiety: Study
The study, led by Queen Mary University of London, defined sensitivity as a personality trait that reflects people's capacity to perceive and process environmental stimuli such as bright lights, subtle changes in the environment, and other people's moods. The research, based on a meta-analysis of 33 studies, revealed there was a significant, positive relationship between sensitivity and depression and anxiety. The findings, published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, noted that highly sensitive people are more likely to experience depression and anxiety compared to those who are less sensitive. 'We found positive and moderate correlations between sensitivity and various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, agoraphobia, and avoidant personality disorder,' said Tom Falkenstein, a psychotherapist and a doctoral student at Queen Mary University of London. "Our findings suggest that sensitivity should be considered more in clinical practice, which could be used to improve the diagnosis of conditions," he added. Falkenstein said that around 31 per cent of the general population are considered highly sensitive, and the findings show they are more likely to respond better to some psychological interventions than less sensitive individuals. For example, people with more sensitive personality traits may be more likely to benefit from treatment plans that involve techniques such as applied relaxation and mindfulness, which can also prevent relapse. 'Therefore, sensitivity should be considered when thinking about treatment plans for mental health conditions. Our work shows it is crucial that the awareness of sensitivity is improved among mental health care professionals, so clinicians and practitioners can recognise the trait in their patients, and tailor treatment to their sensitivity,' the researcher said.
