Studies have shown that individuals who strictly followed this diet, known as the MIND diet, experienced less loss of grey matter in the brain over time. Grey matter is crucial for functions such as memory, learning, and decision making. It also appeared to slow down the enlargement of the brain's ventricles, fluid-filled spaces that tend to grow as brain tissue shrinks.

The MIND diet has been previously linked to improved cognitive health, say researchers. The eating plan emphasizes a range of nutrient-rich foods including green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, nuts, and whole grains.

The diet also recommends moderate consumption of wine and includes fish, beans, olive oil, and poultry as key components, while limiting butter/margarine, cheese, red meat, pastries/sweets, and fried fast foods.

The study involved a large cohort of middle-aged and older adults from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort, with an average age of 60 at the start of the research. This group underwent regular health evaluations every four to eight years, beginning in 1999.

In addition to these routine check-ups, participants also received MRI brain scans every two to six years, providing valuable insights into their brain changes over time. The researchers used data from at least one food frequency questionnaire completed during each participant's medical check-up between 1991 and 2001 to assess their dietary habits.

The MIND diet score, which ranges from zero to 15, was calculated for each participant based on their eating habits. On average, the participants scored just under seven out of a possible 15, indicating moderate adherence to the recommended diet. Interestingly, individuals in the highest third of MIND diet adherence were more likely to be women and college-educated.

These individuals also had lower rates of smoking and obesity compared to those with lower MIND scores. Furthermore, they were less likely to have conditions that can negatively impact brain health, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.

MRI scans taken over an average follow-up period of 12 years revealed the expected age-related changes across the group, including decreases in total brain, grey matter, white matter, and hippocampal volumes.

As MRI scans continued to reveal age-related changes across the group, a different picture emerged for those who adhered more closely to the MIND diet. While cerebrospinal fluid and ventricular volumes increased in most participants, individuals with higher MIND diet scores experienced slower loss of grey matter.

Researchers found that each 3-point increase in MIND diet score was associated with a significant slowdown in grey matter loss, equivalent to 20% less age-related decline. This translates to the brain aging more slowly by approximately 2.5 years compared to those who followed the diet less closely.

A similar trend emerged when examining ventricular enlargement. Each 3-point rise in MIND diet score was linked to slower expansion of total ventricular volume, corresponding to an 8% reduction in tissue loss and about one year of delayed brain aging.

Certain foods appeared to play a more significant role in the observed associations. Higher consumption of berries, for instance, was associated with slower increases in ventricular volume, while poultry intake was linked to both slower ventricular enlargement and grey matter decline.

In contrast, a diet rich in sweets led to faster ventricular enlargement and greater hippocampal atrophy, as did frequent consumption of fried fast foods. These findings suggest that MIND-recommended foods may help mitigate oxidative stress and neuronal damage, while unhealthy food choices could contribute to inflammation and vascular harm.

While some foods showed expected benefits in slowing down brain aging, others did not live up to expectations. Whole grain intake, for instance, was associated with faster losses of grey matter and hippocampal volume, as well as a quicker increase in ventricular size.

In an unexpected twist, greater cheese consumption was linked to slower declines in grey matter and hippocampal volume, less ventricular enlargement, and fewer white matter hyperintensities. This finding suggests that not all dairy products are created equal when it comes to brain health.

The researchers observed stronger associations between a brain-healthy diet and slower brain aging among older adults. This may indicate that the MIND diet is particularly relevant for individuals at higher risk of accelerated brain aging or those experiencing greater variability in brain atrophy rates.

The study's findings also suggest that combining a healthy diet with physical activity and a normal weight may help reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. However, it's essential to note that this observational study cannot establish cause-and-effect relationships between dietary choices and brain health outcomes due to potential recall bias in food frequency questionnaires.

The study's limitations must be considered when interpreting its findings. The researchers were unable to account for potential changes in diet over time and the impact of genetic risk factors on brain health outcomes.

This may be particularly relevant given that the majority of participants were from a White ethnic background, which could limit the generalizability of the results to other populations. Further research is needed to determine whether these findings apply equally across different racial and ethnic groups.

The study's conclusions reinforce the potential benefits of following a MIND diet in reducing neurodegeneration and promoting brain health in aging populations, highlighting its role as a valuable component of prevention strategies for cognitive decline.

ScienceDaily Health: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260930225503.htm

The study, published recently in JAMA Psychiatry, focuses on individuals who made significant changes to their diet by reducing their intake of processed foods and opting for healthier alternatives. Researchers believe this is the first time participants' depression symptoms have been tracked before and after such a substantial dietary shift.

Twenty people took part in the pilot study, which aimed to assess the feasibility of conducting larger-scale trials on the effects of ultra-processed food consumption on mental health. The results indicate that carrying out such research in a bigger group is indeed feasible, according to senior author Andrew Krystal, MD.

Participants dramatically reduced their intake of ultra-processed foods by over 85%, which led to notable improvements in depression symptoms across three separate measures. Anxiety scores also saw modest reductions following the dietary change.

Ultra-processed foods encompass a wide range of products, including packaged snacks, sugary drinks, and fast food, often containing preservatives, artificial flavor enhancers, and other additives. According to researchers, these products can be particularly appealing due to their high levels of sugar, salt, and fat, which trigger the release of dopamine, a key pleasure hormone that drives cravings for more.

The participants in this study had an average age of 44 and were predominantly female, making up around 70% of the group. A significant number of them also struggled with anxiety, alongside depression. The individuals involved all had high body mass indexes (BMIs) and at least one metabolic disorder, such as hypertension, diabetes, or elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.

To investigate the impact of ultra-processed foods on mental health, researchers divided the participants into two groups. One group continued with their usual diet for four weeks, while the other switched to a diet low in ultra-processed foods. The participants were responsible for selecting and purchasing their own food, with guidance from the research team.

Chagwedera, founder of the UCSF Metabolic and Mental Health Program, suggested that one possible explanation for the link between ultra-processed food and depression lies in its potential to damage the gut's protective lining. This "leaky, out-of-balance gut" can lead to low-grade inflammation throughout the body.

According to Chagwedera, this gut damage may either directly cause depression or make individuals more susceptible to it. The researchers now aim to build on these findings with a larger study, with enrollment for phase 2 expected to begin in 2028.

The study's findings suggest a link between reducing ultra-processed food consumption and improved mental health outcomes.

A larger trial is now being planned to further explore this association, with recruitment expected to begin in 2028 as part of phase 2 research.

Ultimately, the goal of these studies is to inform dietary guidelines that can help people lead healthier lives.

ScienceDaily Health: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260930225448.htm

Alzheimer's disease is a devastating condition that affects memory, thinking, and behavior in millions of older adults worldwide. In the United States alone, over 7 million people suffer from this debilitating illness. For years, researchers have known that blood vessels in the brain deteriorate as Alzheimer's progresses, particularly in individuals carrying the APOE4 gene.

The role of vascular damage in Alzheimer's disease has long been a subject of debate among scientists. While it was previously thought to be a consequence of the disease, new evidence suggests that it may actually contribute directly to its progression. This uncertainty has hindered efforts to develop effective treatments for the condition.

Mount Sinai researchers have developed a detailed map of gene activity in human brain blood vessels using existing datasets and cutting-edge technology. The resulting atlas provides a comprehensive view of how APOE4 contributes to vascular degeneration, shedding light on the disease processes involved.

The study's findings have significant implications for the development of treatments that target Alzheimer's disease at its root cause. By understanding how APOE4 damages brain blood vessels and promotes abnormal protein accumulation, scientists may be able to identify new therapeutic targets and develop more effective interventions.

The research team has made a significant discovery regarding the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. They found that this gene alters the behavior of pericytes, cells that play a crucial role in stabilizing small blood vessels and supporting the blood-brain barrier.

In the presence of APOE4, these pericytes transform into myofibroblast-like cells that produce scar tissue. This transformation leads to vascular fibrosis, which is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal protein around blood vessels. This buildup can interfere with blood flow and create conditions conducive to neurodegeneration.

The researchers have also found evidence that this process may be reversible. By blocking TGF-β signaling, a key component in cell communication and tissue remodeling, they were able to restore pericyte coverage while reducing fibrosis and amyloid accumulation around blood vessels.

This finding suggests that the vascular degeneration associated with APOE4 is not an irreversible consequence of Alzheimer's disease but rather a biologically active process that can be reversed. The study's results provide new insights into potential therapeutic targets for preserving vascular function and limiting abnormal protein buildup.

The researchers used aged APOE4 mice to replicate their findings, demonstrating the potential for therapeutic reversal of vascular degeneration in this model. This breakthrough has significant implications for the development of treatments aimed at protecting the brain's circulation in individuals with a high genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

The study's authors suggest that blocking TGF-β signaling could be a viable therapeutic strategy for preventing or reversing the vascular damage associated with APOE4. Further research is needed to explore this possibility and develop effective interventions for mitigating the risks of Alzheimer's disease in individuals carrying this gene variant.

The development of three-dimensional human brain tissue, known as miBrains, has been crucial in understanding the effects of the APOE4 gene variant on the brain. This model, created from induced pluripotent stem cells by a team at Mount Sinai, replicates key features of human brain tissue, including its intricate network of blood vessels.

Combining findings from miBrains with data from preclinical models, postmortem human brain tissue, and transcriptomic analysis has provided a more comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying APOE4's influence on the brain. Each approach has reinforced and expanded upon observations made using other methods.

By integrating these systems, researchers have been able to recreate events that occur before severe vascular abnormalities develop in human brain tissue after death. This has allowed them to identify the key factors behind these changes and test potential treatments.

In a related study published in Cell Stem Cell, scientists used miBrains to investigate another effect of APOE4: its role in the accumulation of abnormal proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

The buildup of abnormal proteins is a hallmark of conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, but studying this process within a living human brain is extremely challenging. The miBrain system provides a unique opportunity to observe related processes in complex human brain-like tissue under laboratory conditions.

The accumulation of alpha-synuclein in brain cells is a significant concern for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Researchers have been trying to understand the cellular processes that lead to this accumulation, but many questions remain unanswered.

A crucial aspect of this process appears to be cholesterol buildup inside astrocytes. These support cells are essential for maintaining brain health by performing various functions.

The excess cholesterol disrupts the lysosomal waste-disposal system in these cells, making them less effective at breaking down alpha-synuclein. As a result, the protein accumulates and spreads to neurons, contributing to toxic deposits.

This discovery suggests that cholesterol metabolism inside astrocytes and lysosomal function could be critical targets for treating neurodegenerative diseases.

The miBrain system has provided valuable insights into this process by allowing researchers to follow the chain of events in complex human brain-like tissue.

Researchers at Mount Sinai are developing brain tissue models called miBrains from individual patients, allowing them to investigate how neurodegenerative diseases develop uniquely in each person.

These personalized miBrain models will enable scientists to study the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and test potential treatments more efficiently. This could help bridge the gap between laboratory discoveries and actual treatments for a wide range of disorders.

The development of miBrains is part of Mount Sinai's ongoing research into various aspects of neurodegenerative disease, including vascular degeneration in the brain. A recent study published in Cell received support from several organizations, including NASA and the National Institute on Aging at the National Institutes of Health.

Another study examining abnormal protein buildup in the brain was also supported by these same organizations, as well as the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research and the CureAlz Fund. The SWT Foundation provided funding for both studies.

These ongoing research efforts are expected to provide valuable insights into the development and progression of neurodegenerative diseases, ultimately leading to more effective treatments and therapies.

Research has revealed that the APOE4 gene, often linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, may have a reversible weakness.

This discovery is significant as it could potentially lead to new avenues for treatment and therapy development. The study found that the APOE4 gene can be affected by dietary changes, which in turn may impact its function. This finding suggests that lifestyle modifications, such as adopting a specific eating pattern, may help mitigate the effects of this gene.

The potential implications of this research are far-reaching, with ongoing studies aiming to uncover more about the relationship between diet and genetic factors contributing to neurodegenerative diseases.

ScienceDaily Health: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260930225450.htm

The cause of death is attributed to measles and malaria, possibly exacerbated by malnutrition and delayed treatment. However, officials are still investigating the exact circumstances surrounding each case. Several children suffered from multiple infections, making it harder to pinpoint a single cause.

Sanjay Uikey, who has represented the area since 2013, described the outbreak as unprecedented in his experience. As a former two-term lawmaker and current representative of the region, he has seen his fair share of health crises but nothing on this scale. The sheer number of child deaths in such a short period is particularly alarming.

The villages affected are scattered across remote forested areas of Balaghat district. These regions were once plagued by Maoist insurgency, making it difficult for people to access basic amenities like healthcare. Even today, reaching a health centre can be a significant challenge due to the rugged terrain and lack of infrastructure.

Bamita Markam was just three years old when she died in May. She had been suffering from a high fever and painful sores on her body before succumbing to convulsions. Her mother, Koushila, had taken her to see several doctors and faith healers but none seemed to have any effect.

The symptoms of Bamita's illness were alarming, she vomited blood and was in severe pain. Despite the family's efforts to save her, she passed away before midday. The community is still reeling from the shock of so many young lives lost.

Health officials are scrambling to understand the full extent of the crisis and provide support to affected families. While some progress has been made in controlling outbreaks like measles and malaria, there is clearly more work to be done in these remote areas.

The terrain in these forest villages can be treacherous during the monsoon season, making it difficult for people to travel. The landscape is characterized by narrow dirt tracks that wind through paddy fields and mud homes, often becoming slippery and impassable when heavy rain hits.

Most Baiga houses have low mud walls, rough timber and bamboo structures, and tiled or thatched roofs patched with plastic to protect against the rain. While the countryside is lush and green, the homes are sparse and scattered throughout the forested hills.

Some of these homes can only be accessed by navigating through the muddy tracks, which has been a challenge for doctors investigating the recent child deaths in the area. On a recent visit, our team walked nearly 2km uphill to reach some of the more remote homes, passing by graves of children who had succumbed to illness.

The nearest state hospital is located about 70km away from these villages, and for families without vehicles, reaching it can be a daunting task. They often have to rely on makeshift bamboo stretchers or motorcycles, which can mean losing a day's wages due to the difficulty of navigating through the muddy tracks.

When Bamita fell ill, her family did not take her to hospital because of the heavy rain and difficult terrain. Her mother believes that if they could have taken her to the hospital, she might have survived. The family is now left to cope with the loss of their child.

In some Baiga families, certain illnesses are believed to be caused by a disease goddess who must be appeased through rituals rather than treated medically. For example, when a child falls ill with chicken pox, families may perform a seven to nine-day ritual involving bathing and offering cool water and neem leaves to the local disease goddess. Many believe that treating the patient before completing the ritual could lead to death.

The scale of child deaths in India's forest villages finally began to emerge on 21 July, when village council chief Parshuram Dhurwey received reports of two children dying in the same household in Bondari village.

Dhurwey was shocked by what he heard and decided to investigate further. He called local officials and visited the area, where he found that every other child was sick with fever, rashes, and signs of malnutrition.

Government medical officer Nimish Gautam arrived on the scene and found severely dehydrated children in need of urgent care. The first case he saw was a teenage girl who had been suffering from fever and rash for several days, with alarmingly low blood sugar levels.

Despite Gautam's efforts to persuade her family to take her to a health centre, they refused, fearing that treatment would be fatal. Instead, the health team kept her under observation, and she eventually recovered.

In one village, Dhurwey reported that officials were forced to enter homes and take five seriously ill children to hospital against their families' wishes. Miraculously, all of these children survived.

By this time, it was clear that many children had been dying for weeks, with 10 confirmed fatalities across the four villages in Dhurwey's council - Adori, Kundekasa, Bondari, and Usri.

The symptoms exhibited by the affected children were eerily similar: fever, rashes, weakness, dehydration, and seizures, often accompanied by other conditions like scabies, fungal infections, or bacterial skin infections. In a region where malaria is endemic, it was difficult to pinpoint a single cause of the outbreak.

In Matla village, a six-year-old girl and her four-year-old brother died within two days of each other. Their mother, Mahasingh Parte, had been following the instructions of a faith healer, who told her not to take them to hospital.

The family's circumstances are typical of many in these forest villages. Parte is a landless farm labourer who earns barely enough money to make ends meet - about 200 rupees on a good day. Work is scarce during the monsoon season, and although there is a small primary health centre nearby, Parte has never had reason to visit it.

Poverty and remoteness have created an environment where children are more vulnerable to illness. The family's home is far from the nearest healthcare facility, making it difficult for them to access medical care when needed.

As the number of child deaths increased, investigators struggled to pinpoint a single cause. They collected samples from affected villages on 7 August and sent them for testing.

The results revealed that six out of ten samples tested positive for measles. Measles is a highly contagious infection that causes high fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a rash. In most cases, children recover, but malnutrition can make the disease much more severe, increasing the risk of complications such as pneumonia and dehydration.

The presence of measles in these villages raises concerns about the vulnerability of local children to other infections. Measles weakens the immune system, making it easier for children to contract other diseases. In areas where malaria is common, this can be particularly problematic.

Doctors have cautioned that malaria may not necessarily follow measles, and not every fever or rash is a result of measles infection. Instead, it appears that multiple factors are contributing to the high number of child deaths in these villages.

Malnutrition is a pervasive issue in these forest villages, where children often receive inadequate nutrition. This can be seen in the case of a five-year-old who recently succumbed to measles, weighing a mere 5kg.

Early marriage and motherhood are significant contributors to malnutrition among young girls, many of whom become mothers at an age when their bodies are still developing. This sets off a chain reaction of closely spaced pregnancies, premature births, and low birth weight, making it even more challenging for these young mothers to care for their children.

The nutritional deficiencies in these villages are further exacerbated by the limited variety of food available, with many families relying heavily on rice and lentil soup that lacks essential protein. Studies have consistently shown that Baiga households suffer from widespread nutritional deficiencies due to poor access to public services.

Despite the existence of public health services in theory, the gap between what is promised and what is delivered on the ground is stark. The state response to the crisis was slow, with health teams struggling to reach and persuade families to accept help.

Health workers were eventually deployed door-to-door in affected villages, conducting screenings and treating patients on a massive scale. Mobile medical units equipped with essential equipment like oxygen, nebulisers, and malaria tests visited more than 20 villages.

These mobile units saw an average of over 50 patients per day, about half of whom were children. The teams conducted numerous malaria tests daily, often finding multiple positive cases in the process. This highlights the scale of the crisis that these health workers faced.

In addition to treating patients, vaccination efforts became a key component of the emergency response. Despite official records suggesting high coverage rates, health workers found that many children lacked documentation and families were reluctant to vaccinate their children.

Despite the vaccination efforts, concerns remain about the overall health and well-being of children in these forest villages.

A recent audit by India's Comptroller and Auditor General revealed serious irregularities in the distribution of take-home rations, which are meant to supplement the diets of vulnerable groups such as children under three years old, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The audit highlighted issues with beneficiary identification, production, transport, and distribution of these essential food supplies.

The villages continue to recover from the outbreak that claimed 32 child lives. Officials report that no new cases have been reported in over two weeks, and medical teams are still visiting villages to provide support and care to affected families. In one village, a medical camp that was once seeing up to 120 children daily is now attending to fewer than ten.

The loss of a child has left many mothers struggling to cope with the emotional toll of their grief. Bamita's mother, who lost her daughter in the outbreak, speaks about the pain of losing a child and the burden of caring for her surviving sibling. She expresses her desire to have more children, but also acknowledges the loneliness that she and her remaining child now face.

BBC News Health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmn9wr84v1qno?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss

The research, led by King's College London, analyzed data from over 265,000 people and distinguished between the general population and those receiving psychiatric care.

This distinction was made in order to provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between cannabis use and violence, according to the researchers' methodology.

Cannabis users were found to be at increased risk of both perpetrating and experiencing violence, with the World Health Organization's broad definition of violence encompassing physical, sexual, and psychological harm.

The study's findings suggest a significant link between cannabis use and an increased likelihood of perpetrating violence, which is in line with previous research on this topic.

In particular, women who used cannabis were found to be at greater risk of experiencing violence than their male counterparts, highlighting the need for further investigation into how gender influences the relationship between cannabis use and violent behavior.

The study's analysis also revealed that individuals who used cannabis were more likely to have a history of committing violent acts, with this association being particularly pronounced among those in psychiatric care. This subgroup was found to be at an even greater risk of violence if they had a history of using cannabis.

Furthermore, the review's findings suggest that the link between cannabis use and violence is not limited to specific contexts or populations, but rather appears to hold across different study designs and settings, including both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

A link between cannabis use and violence has been established in a comprehensive review of existing research, prompting calls for mental health services to take into account an individual's cannabis use when assessing their risk of violent behavior.

According to the study, public health information about cannabis should be updated to include potential connections with violence. This could involve incorporating questions about cannabis use into routine evaluations and developing targeted interventions aimed at mitigating its effects on behavior.

While the review highlights a significant association between cannabis use and violence, it's essential to note that this doesn't necessarily imply causation. Many factors can contribute to an individual's likelihood of engaging in violent behavior or becoming a victim, such as alcohol consumption, substance abuse, and socio-economic challenges.

The research also underscores limitations in existing studies, which often failed to account for the potency and frequency of cannabis use. The majority of these studies were conducted before high-potency products became widely available, raising concerns that the effects observed may be even more pronounced with modern cannabis products.

Research suggests that cannabis users are more prone to committing violent acts than non-users.

The findings indicate a significant link between cannabis consumption and aggressive behavior, with users being twice as likely to engage in violence compared to those who do not use the substance. This increased propensity for aggression is particularly concerning given the widespread availability of high-potency cannabis products, which may exacerbate these effects. Furthermore, this association holds true even when other factors such as mental health and socioeconomic status are taken into account.

The majority of studies reviewed were conducted before the proliferation of high-strength cannabis products, raising concerns that the observed effects may be amplified with modern cannabis use.

ScienceDaily Health: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260930020255.htm

Mary's experience is not unique, she was diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, which affects up to 12% of people at some point in their lives. Her condition worsened during her teenage years and forced her to withdraw from group settings even as she started university.

The fear of being rejected or judged by others can be crippling, leading individuals like Mary to avoid social interactions altogether.

Research suggests that more than a fifth of university students struggle with social anxiety, which has been linked to lower grades, strained relationships, and feelings of isolation.

Moving away from home to attend university can be an exciting and daunting experience for many students. The expectation is often that they will quickly form new friendships and settle into campus life.

However, for some individuals, this transition period can exacerbate existing social anxiety issues or even trigger new ones. One student who experienced this firsthand was Mary, who attended the University of Exeter. She recalls trying to join a university society but being overwhelmed by the prospect of interacting with others.

When faced with social situations, people with social anxiety often report experiencing physical symptoms such as heat rising in their face and tingling sensations in their hands. They may also feel disconnected from their body or struggle to form words. For Mary, these experiences were intense enough that she would often leave social situations feeling ashamed and flawed.

According to Neil Greening, chair of the Social Anxiety Alliance UK, this sense of shame and self-doubt is a common trait among individuals with social anxiety. He suggests that people struggling with these feelings often internalize their condition, viewing it as a personal failing rather than a treatable mental health issue.

Social anxiety can be a debilitating condition that prevents people from engaging in everyday activities and interactions.

When individuals experience social anxiety, they often develop habits to avoid situations that trigger their anxiety. For example, some may use their phones as a crutch, constantly checking notifications or scrolling through social media to avoid face-to-face conversations.

These avoidance behaviors can range from staying close to someone else in a group setting to sticking to safe topics of conversation, such as work-related subjects. By doing so, individuals attempt to minimize their anxiety levels and maintain a sense of control.

Greening notes that increased smartphone use and remote working may be contributing factors to the worsening of social anxiety, leading to reduced social interactions and heightened anxiety levels.

The gold standard treatment for social anxiety encourages individuals to reframe their thoughts and change their behaviors.

To combat social anxiety, people can take steps to help themselves, according to Prof David Clark, a psychologist at the University of Oxford. He emphasizes that one crucial step is to break the habit of obsessive self-focus during social situations. People with social anxiety often scrutinize themselves constantly, worrying about how they appear or sound in front of others.

Prof Clark advises individuals to shift their focus outwardly, concentrating on the conversation, other people, or their surroundings. This can help divert attention away from internalized fears and anxieties. He also suggests that individuals should test their fears through behavioral experiments, such as asking a question in a meeting or speaking up in a group.

By engaging in these experiments, people with social anxiety can challenge their assumptions about negative outcomes and learn to cope with uncertainty. Prof Clark notes that safety behaviors, like rehearsing every sentence or avoiding eye contact, only exacerbate the problem. Additionally, individuals should avoid post-event rumination, which can distort perceptions of what actually occurred in a social situation.

Individuals struggling with social anxiety often engage in negative thought patterns that can exacerbate their condition.

For Mary, one of these habits was ruminating on past interactions, replaying them over and over in her mind. However, a conversation with a friend had a profound impact on her mindset, encouraging her to reevaluate her self-perception.

By reframing her own abilities and potential, Mary has been able to push herself out of her comfort zone, taking small steps towards greater social engagement. This includes joining a postgraduate course with smaller group settings and an astronomy club, which have provided opportunities for growth in a more manageable environment.

BBC News Health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm4gl1yllg6po?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss