By Julien Dury PARIS, Nov 24, 2023 (AFP) – How will the first group of hostages released by Hamas on Friday recover from the psychological trauma of being held captive since the Palestinian militant group’s attack on Israel on October 7? It is a difficult question to answer, experts say, because the capacity to recover from being held hostage varies enormously and unpredictably from one person to another. “Whilst many people released from captivity experience […]
Tag: psychology
Toys and tales helping Ukraine kids process war trauma
by Anna MALPAS Agence France-Presse KYIV, Ukraine (AFP) — In the cellar of a Kyiv kindergarten decorated with bunting and wall paintings of doughnuts and cats, dozens of children are taking shelter during an air raid. The staff try to reduce the psychological impact on children who can barely remember a time without sirens and fear. “They go calmly, none of them cries,” says one of the carers, Tetiana, 68. The children chatter and giggle […]
Covid has taken severe mental health toll: WHO
by Nina LARSON Agence France-Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) – The Covid pandemic has taken a dire toll on mental health, the WHO said Wednesday, indicating that cases of anxiety and depression had swelled by over 25 percent globally. In a fresh scientific brief, the World Health Organization also found that the Covid-19 crisis had in many cases significantly impeded access to mental health services and raised concerns about increases in suicidal behaviour. The brief, which […]
US father of cognitive therapy dies at 100
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — American psychiatrist Aaron T. Beck, considered the father of cognitive therapy — an approach developed in the 1960s that revolutionized the field of psychotherapy — died Monday at age 100. He died at his home in Philadelphia, according to a statement from his daughter Judith Beck, the president of the Beck Institute, an organization of thousands of professionals practicing cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. “My father dedicated his life to […]
Coronavirus takes mental toll on New York’s medical staff
by Laura BONILLA Agence France Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Battling to keep intensive care patients alive at a hospital in one of New York City’s worst-affected coronavirus neighborhoods is taking a toll on nurse Debbie Sanchez’s mental health. “I have extreme anxiety,” said Sanchez, who has been working 12-hour shifts covered head-to-toe in protective clothing since New York became the epicenter of America’s COVID-19 outbreak last month. Sanchez, 57, was working in […]
From winners to worriers: isolated athletes face mental health risks
by Talek HARRIS HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Fear, stress and money worries: coronavirus lockdown is hard for anyone, but athletes are facing extra mental health risks as they go from highly active lifestyles to isolation and boredom, experts warn. While some housebound athletes have posted upbeat videos of themselves training or attempting internet challenges such as juggling toilet rolls, the stress caused by the extreme adjustment and uncertain future looks likely to take its […]
Mental issues sparked by pandemic could be ‘silent killer’: Red Cross
by Nina LARSON Agence France-Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The Red Cross called Friday for increased psychological support to health workers and others fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, warning of rising suicides as a result of pressure and isolation. Countries around the world have taken dramatic measures to try to halt the spread of the virus, which first emerged in China late last year, with more than three billion people now living under lockdown. The demand for […]
Sleep shown to be linked to externalizing behavioral difficulties in children: a study review
By David Oria There exist a large body of research in the area of childhood psychology that has examined the effects of sleep on behavioral issues in adolescents. In many of these studies, the behavioral problems explored were categorized into two: internalizing difficulties or externalizing difficulties. In the world of psychology, internalizing difficulties are behaviors that result from difficulty coping with negative emotions or stressful situations, so they directed inward (eg. withdrawal, loneliness, fearfulness, […]
Ad firms using tools to help them read your mind
by John BIERS Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Why did you splurge on that new pair of shoes? Or that pricey smartphone? More and more advertisers are trying to tap into the unconscious to divine the invisible forces that drive those spending decisions. Using gadgets to track eye movements, computer maps of faces to capture a momentary grin (approval) or squinting (anger), and sensors to measure perspiration or monitor brain activity, companies […]
French pedestrians see green light, even when it’s red: study
PARIS, France (AFP) — French pedestrians have the reputation of being a law unto themselves — but an unusual study has provided some scientific backing for the stereotype. Four times out of 10, French pedestrians cross the road when the lights are against them, according to a paper published on Wednesday. In disciplined Japan, though, the rate is 20 times lower. Cedric Sueur of Strasbourg University in eastern France led a team that analysed behaviour […]





