Healthcare
December 22, 2022
74 citations
A randomized controlled trial with 122 Indonesian university students tested whether a four-week mindfulness breathing meditation program (15 minutes per session) could reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. The intervention group showed a statistically significant reduction in these symptoms compared to the control group on the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-42). No differences were found based on religion. The findings suggest that brief mindfulness meditation can help improve psychological well-being among university students.
Healthcare
June 16, 2020
61 citations
An 8-week loving-kindness meditation training improved subjective well-being and spirituality among 98 flight attendants randomly assigned to either the meditation or a waiting control group. Mindfulness did not change significantly. The control group showed no changes in any measure. The authors suggest that loving-kindness meditation may help enhance well-being and spirituality, but the mechanisms behind these effects require further study.
Healthcare
May 16, 2025
Sean Matthew Viña
5 citations
Structural inequalities in healthcare access may shape how people experience the psychological effects of psychedelics. Analyzing data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2008–2019; 484,732 participants), private health insurance was associated with lower psychological distress, while public insurance was associated with higher distress. Psychedelic use moderated these associations: it reinforced the protective pattern linked to private insurance and intensified distress among those with public coverage. Among women, psilocybin and LSD use were linked to lower distress for those with private insurance but higher distress for those with public insurance; among men, psychedelic use did not significantly alter the association. Psychedelics do not mitigate structural inequalities and may exacerbate them.
Healthcare
March 3, 2026
Paul Lie, Titus Lie, Madeleine Nguyen et al.
1 citation
Suicide rates are rising, and standard antidepressant medications (SSRIs) take 2–6 weeks to work, leaving a 1–3 month danger zone of high risk. Ketamine, a fast-acting NMDA receptor antagonist, works through the mTORC1 pathway to relieve depressive symptoms much more quickly, potentially eliminating this lag. This review proposes a hypothetical Bridge Protocol using a controlled, supervised subanesthetic dose of ketamine in a clinical setting, which the literature suggests has low addiction risk. However, the framework remains untested, and rigorous longitudinal studies are needed before widespread adoption.
Healthcare
September 12, 2025
Ariane Bélanger, Sue-Ling Chang, Jean-François Stephan et al.
1 citation
A decision aid for psilocybin-assisted therapy (PAT) was developed to help patients and healthcare professionals weigh risks and benefits when considering treatment for existential distress in serious illness. The booklet, created with a multidisciplinary steering committee following international standards, covers PAT education, treatment comparisons, and personal reflection. Feedback from five patients and five healthcare professionals guided refinements to improve clarity, balance, and usability. The final version met acceptability and usability criteria, offering balanced information to support shared decision-making in palliative care.
Healthcare
November 25, 2025
Matthew Furnell, William van Gordon, James Elander
People high in neuroticism showed greater gains in prosocial behavior after a mindfulness intervention that included wisdom-based practices (contemplations on interdependence and the emptiness of self) along with concentration and ethics practices, compared to a similar intervention without the wisdom component or a waitlist control. High agreeableness improved well-being outcomes for both mindfulness interventions, while high openness improved well-being only for the intervention that included wisdom practices. The findings suggest that tailoring mindfulness programs to personality traits, especially by adding wisdom-based elements, may enhance their effectiveness for individuals prone to interpersonal sensitivity and self-protective tendencies.