Excessive Worry Research Articles

Anxiety - Unlocking the Dynamics and Management in Ayurveda

Ayurveda has the most ingenious approach to achieve complete health as it doesn’t leave any domain unattained, especially mental health. Rajas & Tamas Manas Dosha are responsible for all the psychic disorders including Anxiety which is usually characterized by hyperactivity, state of excessive worry, fear and poor decision-making ability. Its psychopathology affects humans on somatic level as well. Mental health concerns touch most people’s lives directly or indirectly, it can affect a person’s work productivity, their personal and professional lives and in severe cases destroy their quality of life. Ayurveda takes two approaches Drug therapy like use of Medhya Rasayan, through internal as well as external method which enhances the function of intellect & non-drug therapy like Aachar Rasayan, Satwavajaya Chikitsa & Yoga therapy. Anxiety is more chronic as it often overshadowed by other health conditions like GIT problems. Hence exploring presenting problem involving mind-body relationship and finding a synergistic solution is the need of the hour, to reduce the stigma associated with it, by understanding Anxiety in depth from Ayurveda’s point of view.

The Impact of Cannabidiol Treatment on Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common psychiatric condition characterized by persistent and excessive worry, often accompanied by dysautonomic symptoms that significantly impact patients’ well-being. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from cannabis, has shown potential as an anxiolytic through its partial agonism of the 5HT-1A receptor and its negative allosteric modulation of CB1 receptors, which may help mitigate the anxiogenic effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This study evaluates the impact of CBD on individuals diagnosed with various anxiety disorders, comparing its effects to placebo and conventional pharmaceutical treatments through a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A systematic search of RCTs published between 2013 and 2023 was conducted across three databases using the terms “cannabidiol” and “anxiety”. Out of the 284 articles identified, 11 met the eligibility criteria. The studies reviewed varied widely in terms of the types of anxiety disorders and CBD dosages examined, leading to results that were often contradictory. Despite these conflicting outcomes, the data suggest that CBD may reduce anxiety with minimal adverse effects when compared to a placebo. However, further RCTs with improved methodologies, encompassing a broad range of doses and continuous CBD administration across specific anxiety disorders, are needed. Unlike previous studies and meta-analyses, this review encompasses a broader spectrum of anxiety disorders and a variety of study designs and dosages, providing a more nuanced understanding of CBD’s potential efficacy across different conditions.

INSECURE ON THE PERSPECTIVE OF TAFSĪR AL-JAYLĀNĪ

Insecurity has now become a common thing that affects many people. Many people worry about their future or feel inferior when facing reality or interacting with others. Excessive worry can prevent someone from doing activities or doing something. Insecurity can be a disease that disrupts people's mental health. If not handled well, anxiety, low self-esteem, and feeling unable to accept oneself completely, including feeling inferior, can make someone prefer to be alone and what is most worrying is that when insecurity is not handled well, there is a risk of increasing cases of suicide. Insecurity can be caused by many things, including changes in the environment and times. Materialism results in the loss of the essence of life, which leads to a crisis of meaning, values ​​, and spirituality. Spiritual values ​​can help someone avoid insecurity. A spiritual crisis and mental well-being can trigger emotional anxiety. This research aims to explore the Al-Qur'an's views regarding the phenomenon of insecurity in Tafsīr al-Jaylānī. From an Islamic perspective, the solution to overcoming insecurity includes obedience to Allah, humility, and patience. This research method is qualitative with a character thematic approach. Although al-Jaylānī does not discuss insecurity explicitly, he emphasizes the importance of repentance and returning to spiritual values. The implications of the interpretation show that the Qur'an provides solutions through obedience, patience, and strengthening self-confidence.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes among children with congenital gastrointestinal anomalies using Korean National Health Insurance claims data.

This study investigated neurodevelopment and risk factors in children surgically treated for congenital gastrointestinal anomalies (CGIA), excluding those with known high-risk factors such as low birth weight or chromosomal anomalies. Data of children born between 2008 and 2015 who underwent surgical treatment for CGIA were retrieved from the Korean National Health Insurance Database. CGIA included esophageal atresia, duodenal atresia, jejunoileal atresia, anorectal malformations, and congenital megacolon. Neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI) was defined as Korean Ages and Stages Questionnaire scores below the determined cut-off or Korean Developmental Screening Test scores < 2 standard deviations at 3 years of age. Children with CGIA had a significantly higher risk of NDI than controls (6.2% vs. 2.7%, p < 0.001). Growth failure was correlated with NDI. Longer durations of oxygen support (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.013-1.063), mechanical ventilation (aOR, 1.053; 95% CI, 1.018-1.089), and number of surgeries (aOR, 1.137; 95% CI, 1.016-1.273) were significantly associated with NDI. These findings emphasize that cautious yet proactive neurodevelopmental monitoring is crucial in affected children, ensuring timely intervention and that excessive concern among families is unnecessary.

Efficacy of Vagal nerve stimulation on anxiety among elderly retired teachers during COVID-19 pandemic.

Excessive fear, worry and behavioral disturbances define anxiety, with particular significance attributed to vagal nerve, a crucial transmitter of information to the brain regions governing anxiety. Highlighting the importance of vagal nerve, transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) emerges as a tolerable and safe technique. The success of non-invasive vagal nerve stimulation in alleviating anxiety underscores the pivotal role of the vagal nerve. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in mitigating anxiety among retired teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the relevance of targeting the vagal nerve for improved mental well-being. 60 retired teachers diagnosed with anxiety were chosen through random allocation. Participants were divided into two groups: Group A (Experimental group) received transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS), and Group B (Control group) underwent the Jacobson relaxation technique. Intervention period spanned 4 weeks, with four sessions per week, lasting 30 minutes. The outcome measures included Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire and salivary cortisol levels. Following the 4-week intervention, both groups exhibited a significant reduction in Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scores and salivary cortisol levels (P < 0.001). Notably, Group A demonstrated a significantly higher effectiveness rate compared to Group B. The study concludes that transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) is effective in reducing anxiety among retired teachers. Transcutaneous auricular vagal nerve stimulation (TaVNS) proves to be a powerful and effective intervention in alleviating anxiety among retired teachers, emphasizing its potential significance in enhancing mental well-being.

Enhanced diagnostics for generalized anxiety disorder: leveraging differential channel and functional connectivity features based on frontal EEG signals

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a chronic anxiety condition characterized by persistent excessive worry, anxiety, and fear. Current diagnostic practices primarily rely on clinicians’ subjective assessments and experience, highlighting a need for more objective and reliable methods. This study collected 10-minute resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) from 45 GAD patients and 36 healthy controls (HC), focusing on six frontal EEG channels for preprocessing, data segmentation, and frequency band division. Innovatively, this study introduced the “Differential Channel” method, which enhances classification performance by enhancing the information related to anxiety from the data, thereby highlighting signal differences. Utilizing the preprocessed EEG signals, undirected functional connectivity features (Phase Lag Index, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Mutual Information) and directed functional connectivity features (Partial Directed Coherence) were extracted. Multiple machine learning models were applied to distinguish between GAD patients and HC. The results show that the Deep Forest classifier achieves excellent performance with a 12-second time window of DiffFeature. In particular, the classification of GAD and HC was successfully obtained by combining OriFeature and DiffFeature on Mutual Information with a maximum accuracy of 98.08%. Furthermore, it was observed that undirected functional connectivity features significantly outperformed directed functional connectivity when fewer frontal channels were used. Overall, the methodologies developed in this study offer accurate and practical identification strategies for the early screening and clinical diagnosis of GAD, offering the necessary theoretical and technical support for further enhancing the portability of EEG devices.

Influencia del sexo, país, IMC, uso de Instagram, moralización de la comida e imagen corporal sobre la dismorfia corporal en adultos jóvenes de España y Venezuela

Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD) is characterized by an excessive concern with physical appearance, which has been of interest to the scientific community in recent years. Different variables have been found to influence BDD; therefore, the aim of the present research was to determine the direct and indirect effect of gender, country, age, body mass index, Instagram use, food moralization and body image on dysmorphia; comparing Spanish and Venezuelan nationality. A path analysis was performed with the total sample (208 participants), finding that the variables thatdirectly or indirectly influence are sex, body mass index, food-related guilt, country and body image; also, people who present body dysmorphia behaviors tend to be women, people with high BMI, greater dissonance between their body image and perceived body image, and tend to feel food-related guilt. In addition, in an indirect way, Venezuelans presented greater body dysmorphia behaviors. We conclude the relevance of these variables on BDD and recommend considering these findings when planning intervention strategies and prevention policies.

Exploring the Neuropharmacological Terrain of Depression and Anxiety: Mechanisms, Therapies, and Future Avenues

Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental health illnesses that have significant worldwide consequences, impacting millions of individuals who experience chronic feelings of melancholy, excessive worry, and significant limitations in their everyday activities. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and several anxiety disorders, such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder, are defined by severe symptoms that make their treatment more difficult, especially when these illnesses happen at the same time. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of the neuropharmacological mechanisms that are responsible for these illnesses is of utmost importance in order to facilitate the development of treatments that are very effective. The existing therapy approaches, such as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and newer antidepressants, provide partial relief but do not work for everyone. This suggests that further research is necessary to explore the underlying neurological causes of these illnesses. Recent developments in the field of neuropharmacology have provided insights into the significance of imbalances in neurotransmitters, specifically serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, in the underlying mechanisms of mood disorders. Disruption of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and neuroinflammation are also major factors in the development of these illnesses. This review offers a thorough examination of these pathways, emphasizing the functions of neurotransmitter systems, neurostimulation treatments, and developing pharmaceutical medicines. This study investigates the possibility of new neuropharmacological targets, including NMDA receptor antagonists, AMPA receptor modulators, and neurosteroids, to enhance the effectiveness of treatment. In addition, it discusses non-pharmacological methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), physical activity, and mindfulness, highlighting their neuropharmacological foundations and advantages.This review is to provide an in-depth investigation of the current understanding and approaches to addressing depression and anxiety by including latest research findings. The text discusses crucial therapeutic approaches and presents potential areas of future study that could improve treatment results for these prevalent mental health illnesses.

Psychological Problems and Postpartum Coitus Timeline for Dyspareunia

Problem statement. One of the basic needs after the puerperium is over is sexual. Often these needs are not properly met due to various factors. Excessive worry makes the mother feel not ready for this sexual activity. Not a few also when having sex mothers experience pain. Aim of the study. The purpose of this study was to analyze psychological problems and Coitus Postpartum Time Span are affect dyspareunia. Methodology. Non-experimental research design: cross-sectional analytic. The population is post-partum mothers as many as 86 people. Sampling technique nonprobability sampling by taking samples insdental sampling for 3 months at Clinic Pratama Anugrah Surabaya in 2023. Independent variables of psychological problems and coitus time span, dyspareunia dependent variable, questionnaire instrument, data were analyzed multiple linear regression test. Main findings. The results that the majority of mothers who did not have psychological problems (65.4%) experienced mild dyspareunia. Mothers who had sex for less than 40 days postpartum mostly (66.6%) experienced mild dyspareunia. Simultaneous results F (p=0.003) means that there is a significant effect of psychological problems and coitus time on the incidence of dyspareunia. Partially there was an effect (p=0.001) of psychological problems on dyspareunia, but for the time span of coitus it had no effect (p=0.855) on the incidence of dyspareunia. Conclusion. The more the mother has psychological problems related to sexual relations after childbirth, the more mother will experience dyspareunia. The time that is considered most appropriate for sexual intercourse after childbirth does not always affect the incidence of dyspareunia.

The case for eliminating excessive worry as a requirement for generalized anxiety disorder: a cross-national investigation.

Around the world, people living in objectively difficult circumstances who experience symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) do not qualify for a diagnosis because their worry is not 'excessive' relative to the context. We carried out the first large-scale, cross-national study to explore the implications of removing this excessiveness requirement. Data come from the World Health Organization World Mental Health Survey Initiative. A total of 133 614 adults from 12 surveys in Low- or Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and 16 surveys in High-Income Countries (HICs) were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Non-excessive worriers meeting all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD were compared to respondents meeting all criteria for GAD, and to respondents without GAD, on clinically-relevant correlates. Removing the excessiveness requirement increases the global lifetime prevalence of GAD from 2.6% to 4.0%, with larger increases in LMICs than HICs. Non-excessive and excessive GAD cases worry about many of the same things, although non-excessive cases worry more about health/welfare of loved ones, and less about personal or non-specific concerns, than excessive cases. Non-excessive cases closely resemble excessive cases in socio-demographic characteristics, family history of GAD, and risk of temporally secondary comorbidity and suicidality. Although non-excessive cases are less severe on average, they report impairment comparable to excessive cases and often seek treatment for GAD symptoms. Individuals with non-excessive worry who meet all other DSM-5 criteria for GAD are clinically significant cases. Eliminating the excessiveness requirement would lead to a more defensible GAD diagnosis.

What pupil size can and cannot tell about math anxiety

Math Anxiety (MA) consists of excessive fear and worry about math-related situations. It represents a major barrier to numerical competence and the pursuit of STEM careers. Yet, we currently do not dispose of many tools that can capture its multifaceted nature, e.g. moving beyond the exclusive reliance on self-reports and meta-cognition. Here we sought to probe Pupil Size (PS) as a viable tool in the study of MA by administering arithmetic problems to university students in the humanities (N = 70) with various levels of MA. We found that arithmetic competence and performance are indeed negatively associated with MA, and this is accurately tracked by PS. When performance is accounted for, MA does not further modulate PS (before, during, or after calculation). However, the latency of PS peak dilation can add a significant contribution to predicting MA scores, indicating that high MA may be accompanied by more prolonged cognitive effort. Results show that MA and mathematical competence may be too crystalized in young university students to be discernible. We therefore call for early educational interventions to tackle and mitigate this dysfunctional association early on.

The Effect of Mindfulness and Emotional Regulation on Self-care Competence Among Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

Many cancer patients require long-term self-care, both during and after treatment, and need to have self-care competence. Mindfulness and emotional regulation can enhance self-care competence among cancer patients. To examine the effect of mindfulness and emotional regulation on self-care competence among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The data were completed by 106 cancer patients who were hospitalized at 3 long-term nursing hospitals. The instruments were the Mindfulness Scale, Korean Version of the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and Self-As-Care Inventory Scale. Self-care competence was significantly correlated with mindfulness among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Also, the relationship between mindfulness and emotional regulation was significant. However, emotional regulation did not significantly affect self-care competence. It is important for cancer patients to focus on the present moment and maintain a balanced approach that keeps a distance from excessive worry. Development and application of interventions aimed at enhancing self-care competence among cancer patients should focus on a high level of mindfulness. It is necessary to support cancer patients in taking time out for mindfulness practice through meditation programs and to help them seamlessly incorporate this habit into their daily lives. Nurses can effectively assist cancer patients by being well-versed in mindfulness techniques and providing adept guidance. Offering personalized mindfulness guidance based on the patient's condition and needs is also beneficial. By developing programs that incorporate feedback from both patients and healthcare providers, nurses can help patients continuously apply mindfulness practices.

Ouyang Xiu's Literary Writing and Self-Reinvention in the Perspective of the Disease of Secret Worry

The disease of secret sorrow is similar to modern depression, which is a kind of psychological disease caused by excessive worry and sadness. Under the perspective of the disease of melancholy, we analyze Ouyang Xiu's psychological journey from three perspectives: cause and origin, sickness and healing, and self-transcendence; Ouyang Xiu at different times mainly used the three ways of borrowing objects to express his feelings, sending his love to landscapes and constructing a fairyland to ease his psychology. In the process of self-analysis, Ouyang Xiu is constantly revising his self-orientation, transforming from idealization to reality, and ultimately completing the spiritual transformation of the "Sixth Householder".

The Interplay of Self-Esteem in the Relationship Between Sexual Dating Violence and Self-Silencing in Adolescent Girls

Several repercussions have been linked to teen dating violence, including self-silencing. Self-silencing refers to an excessive worry about the partner’s needs and opinions, which can lead to neglecting one’s well-being. However, the mechanisms by which dating violence, especially sexual victimization, affects self-silencing are understudied. Moreover, studies have identified sexual victimization by an intimate partner as one of the most critical factors affecting youth’s self-esteem development, which may explain this relationship. The present study aimed to explore the possible mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between sexual teen dating violence and self-silencing. Adolescents were recruited from a one-stage stratified cluster sample of 34 high schools inQuebec, Canada. Adolescents completed measures on sexual dating violence and self-esteem at Wave 1 and self-silencing in their relationship at Wave 2, 6 months later. Analyses were conducted on 2,489 adolescent girls (M= 15.48 years,SD= .95) who participated in Wave 2 and reported being in a dating relationship in the last 6 months. Results of the path analysis indicated that self-esteem acted as a mediator in the relationship between sexual teen dating violence and self-silencing. This study helps better understand the processes underlying self-silencing behaviors in adolescent victims of sexual dating violence. The results highlight a potential target for intervention to inhibit the development of self-silencing in adolescent girls experiencing sexual dating violence.

Self-objectification and appearance anxiety in university students: Physical activity as a moderator

Excessive concern among university students over their physical appearance can lead to depression, eating disorders, and negative emotions, making appearance anxiety a significant social issue affecting students' mental and physical health. In this study 352 Chinese university students completed a survey. Results showed there was a significant positive correlation between selfobjectification and appearance anxiety, and a significant negative correlation of both appearance anxiety and self-objectification with physical activity. The interaction between self-objectification and physical activity was significant, indicating that physical activity played an important moderating role in the relationship between self-objectification and appearance anxiety. Selfobjectification had a positive predictive effect on appearance anxiety, whereas physical activity had a negative predictive effect. Physical activity also served as a moderating factor in the relationship between self-objectification and appearance anxiety. Our findings emphasize that physical activity can reduce the impact of self-objectification on appearance anxiety, providing potential solutions to students' appearance anxiety.

The association between online learning, perceived parental relationship, anxiety, and depression symptoms among secondary school students: insight from symptom network and cross-lagged panel network approach

IntroductionAnxiety and depression often co-occur in adolescents, with factors from family and school playing a significant role in the comorbidity. However, network analysis has not examined and clarified the detailed bridge and central symptoms of this comorbidity caused by online learning and perceived parental relationships across different COVID-19 times.MethodsOver four months, 2,356 secondary school students completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7. Participants were divided into harmonious and disharmonious groups based on their answers to a question about parental conflicts.ResultsThe results indicated that adolescents perceiving more parental conflicts showed a denser comorbidity network after four months of online learning. Significant bridge symptoms decreased from three to two across two waves in the harmonious group, while in the disharmonious group, they increased from two to three. The number of central symptoms increased from one in wave 1 to three in wave 2 for the harmonious group, while four in wave 1 decreased to two in wave 2 for the disharmonious group. Furthermore, the CLPN analysis revealed that the strongest positive cross-lagged edge intensity between symptoms was anhedonia—energy in the harmonious group, with anhedonia being the most trigger symptom. In contrast, for the disharmonious group, guilt—suicide and trouble relaxing—excessive worry were the strongest cross-lagged edge, and trouble relaxing was the most trigger symptom.ConclusionThese findings may have implications for interventions designed to promote adolescent mental health in the context of online learning and parental conflicts.

Research on sleep disorders and related risk factors among healthcare workers from Fujian province supporting Hubei province during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the sleep of healthcare workers from Fujian Province supporting Hubei Province and its related risk factors. A cross-sectional, anonymous, self-reported online questionnaire survey was conducted among all participants. The questionnaire consisted of five parts: sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 epidemic-related factors, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire-5 (MEQ-5), and 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Among 552 participants, 203 (36.8%) had a PSQI score > 7, indicating the presence of sleep disorders. Logistic regression analysis revealed that sleep disorders were independently associated with a history of previously diagnosed sleep disorders (OR 6.074, 95% CI 2.626-14.049, P < 0.001), rotating night shifts > 3 times per week (OR 3.089, 95% CI 1.650-5.781, P < 0.001), using electronic devices before sleep >1 h (OR 1.685, 95% CI 1.131-2.511, P = 0.010), concern about contracting COVID-19 (OR 1.116, 95% CI 1.034-1.204, P = 0.005), perception of societal support for supporting healthcare workers in Hubei (OR 0.861,95% CI 0.744-0.998, P = 0.047) (OR 0.861, 95% CI 0.744-0.998, P = 0.047), non-medical staff (OR 0.257, 95% CI 0.067-0.987, P = 0.048), ESS score (OR 1.068, 95% CI 1.018-1.121, P = 0.007), and GHQ-12 score (OR 1.511, 95% CI 1.281-1.782, P < 0.001). Sleep disorders were highly prevalent among healthcare workers from Fujian Province supporting Hubei Province during the COVID-19 pandemic. Risk factors for sleep disorders included a history of previously diagnosed sleep disorders, rotating night shifts > 3 times per week, using electronic devices before sleep >1 h, excessive concern about contracting COVID-19, and poorer psychological health. Higher perceived societal support and understanding of support for healthcare workers supporting Hubei were associated with a reduced risk of sleep disorders, as was being non-medical staff. Providing more sleep hygiene education and psychological health services for frontline healthcare workers is necessary.

Sleep habits of preschool children after the COVID-19 lockdown in a municipality in Paraíba, Brazil

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes in routines, use of time, behaviors, social relationships and concerns that can compromise children’s sleep, and studies on the subject are essential. Objective: to evaluate the sleep habits of preschool children after the COVID-19 lockdown in Brazil.Methods: this is a cross-sectional study nested in a cohort of live births to assess growth and development up to 1,000 days of age. For this study, data were collected from children at 4 years of age related to biological profile, health status, maternal care, screen time and physical activity, and behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean scores of the children’s sleep habits (bedtime routine, rhythmicity and affective separation) were analyzed according to the children’s characteristics using the Student’s t-test. Results: sleep routine was the most impaired sleep habit, with lower averages in cases of hospitalization (p = 0.047), mother’s difficulty in caring for the child (p = 0.003) and great concern about COVID-19 during the pandemic (p = 0.003); followed by rhythmicity, which was also worse in the previous situations. In addition, children with more than 60 minutes of recreational screen time (p = 0.002) and without a mask-wearing routine during the pandemic (p = 0.003) had lower average bedtime routines. Health problems at birth (p = 0.001), hospitalization (p = 0.000), special health needs (p = 0.025) and mother’s difficulty in providing care (p = 0.037) negatively interfered with affective separation. Conclusion:children with health problems, excessive screen time and concern about COVID-19 during the pandemic, as well as the difficulty of maternal care, influenced children’s sleep habits.

Algorithm-Based Modular Psychotherapy Alleviates Brain Inflammation in Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is marked by prolonged and excessive worry, physical signs of anxiety, and associated neuroinflammation. Traditional treatments, like pharmacotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), often leave residual symptoms and have high relapse rates. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of algorithm-based modular psychotherapy (MoBa), a combination of CBT and mindfulness meditation as validated by the research domain criteria (RDoC), in reducing anxiety and neuroinflammation in GAD. A longitudinal design was used, with 50 patients with GAD undergoing a 12-week MoBa treatment. The patients were investigated pre- and post-treatment using MRI to measure neuroinflammatory markers (DBSI-RF, diffusion-basis spectral imaging-based restricted fraction) in the hippocampus, amygdala, and neocortex. Clinical symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale (GAD-7). Results indicated significant reductions in both anxiety symptoms and MRI RF values in the amygdala, suggesting decreased neuroinflammation. A reduction in anxiety was associated with the amelioration of neuroinflammation in the amygdala. These results suggest that MoBa is effective in alleviating both the psychological and neuroinflammatory aspects of GAD, offering a promising personalized treatment approach. Future research should focus on long-term effects and the mechanisms through which MoBa impacts neuroinflammation and anxiety.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder as Accentuated in Ann Beattie’s Shifting

Generalized anxiety disorder is an anxiety disorder commonly experienced in excessive worry by some people with trauma. In the short story entitled Shifting written by Ann Beattie, Natalie is worried about her marriage because Natalie thinks that Larry's mother will not approve of their marriage, this is because Natalie is rarely accompanying Larry. Then, how are generalized anxiety disorders accentuated in Ann Beattie’s Shifting? In analysis, the main character in this story is over-worrying that makes herself being different in the view of the others. The language that she knows has been over consumed that she has been swallowed by the language itself. In conclusion, the short story indicates how any disorder may come from any small worry. If the worrying is not finished, it could be piled up and be shaped into further anxiety that disturbs life of being individuals and parts of societies.