Mental health
A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body. Mental health affects our well-being, our relationships, and our overall quality of life.
In this category, we delve into the complexity of mental health, from stress and loneliness to the impact of media on our perceptions. Prevention is a prerequisite for a healthier society, with attention to initiatives such as Mentaal Gezond Groningen. And how can science and policy contribute to better mental health for everyone?
The brain as tumble tower
For decades, Monicque Lorist, Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology, has been trying to unravel how the human brain works. What influences our thinking? What happens when we are tired, or when we age? ‘There‘s still so much we don’t know. Questions I enjoy finding the answers to.’
Mind and money matters
How to manage your finances: it is not a subject you are taught at school; you are just supposed to know how to do it. For people with a mental health condition, this can prove a real challenge. Psychologist Janneke Koerts investigates where things go wrong and what can be done about it.
What if we would classify mental disorders in a different way?
‘I am convinced that mental disorders arise from an interaction between the environment and the brain,’ says Martien Kas, Professor of Behavioural Neuroscience. Kas is a member of the strategic committee for the next edition of the DSM, the handbook for psychiatrists and psychologists.
He argues that the DSM should devote more attention to the biological origin of disorders: ‘Ultimately, this will make it possible to diagnose and treat patients in a much more targeted way. At the moment, biology is still completely ignored.’
Menopause in perspective: How the media influences our perception
Menopause is not a taboo subject. This is evident from new research by Rina Knoeff, Professor of Health and Humanities, Tineke Oldehinkel, Professor of Epidemiology of the Life Course of Common Psychiatric Disorders, and PhD candidate Hanneke de Boer. The study shows that it is not silence but rather the way we talk about menopause that determines how women experience this phase.
Autism in women: masking takes its toll
Women with autism are often diagnosed later than men; partly because they show socially desirable behaviour and mask their symptoms. Researcher Yvonne Groen developed a screening tool together with her colleagues to simplify the diagnosis and hopes to help women find the proper support faster.
Stress Navigation with prof. dr. Peter de Jonge - Podcast (Dutch)
Peter de Jonge, hoogleraar ontwikkelingspsychologie, vertelt in de podcast Stress Navigation over psychologische ontwikkeling en de invloed van persoonlijke ervaringen op stress en emoties. Kinderen die bijvoorbeeld al op jonge leeftijd op zoek gaan naar spannende dingen waar ze hun controle verliezen, trainen hun stressmechanisme.
In de aflevering ‘Peter de Jonge over de ontwikkeling van stress en emoties’ duiken we dieper in op de ontwikkeling van stress, stemming, emoties, psychische gezondheid en de relatie tussen psychopathologie en lichamelijke ziekten.