GAD-7 is a questionnaire that is used to help assess the presence and severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). There are 7 questions (hence the name GAD-7) which ask about different symptoms and how often you experience them. The questions ask how often you have been bothered by these symptoms over the previous 2 weeks: Feeling anxious, nervous or on edge Not being able to stop, or control, worrying Worrying too much about different things Trouble relaxing Being so restless that it’s hard to sit still Becoming easily irritable or annoyed Feeling that something awful might happen The score is calculated by assigning scores of 0, 1, 2, and 3, to the response categories of “not at all,” “several days,” “more than half the days,” and “nearly every day,” respectively. GAD-7 total score for the seven items ranges from 0 to 21. Scores of 0-5 show mild anxiety, 6-10 moderate, 11-15 moderately severe anxiety and 15-21 severe anxiety Anxiety is a feeling that occurs when someone feels under threat or stress. It is a natural response to a threat that actually can at times be helpful and has helped with the survival of humans across the ages. However, if it is excessive, persistent or affecting people's daily life then it may be an anxiety disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder is characterized by anxiety around lots of different things (usually everyday occurrences) rather than anxiety relating to one specific thing or situation.

This guide is all about mental health and well-being. Mental health is important for a happy life, but it is often misunderstood or ignored. This guide will help you understand mental health and provide tools to help you prioritize your mental health. There are many factors that affect mental health. Some factors are biological, such as genetics and brain chemistry. Environmental factors like childhood experiences and socioeconomic status can also impact mental health. Psychological factors like stress and coping mechanisms can also affect mental well-being. We want to empower you with the knowledge and tools to take care of your mental health. We will explore evidence-based strategies for promoting mental wellness at every stage of life, from understanding the underlying mechanisms of mental illness to practical techniques for self-care and seeking professional support when needed. Remember, taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Seeking help when needed is a sign of strength. We hope this guide helps you prioritize your mental health and well-being.

Miscarriage, or early pregnancy loss, is defined as the spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation (time since conception). The majority of miscarriages occur before the 13th week of gestation. Sadly, miscarriage is far more common than people sometimes think. Approximately one in every ten pregnancies will end in miscarriage. Miscarriage is an incredibly difficult and emotional experience. There are physical, mental health, and social impacts from a miscarriage. If you have had a miscarriage and are worried about it, we want you to be reassured that there isn’t anything you have done wrong and there is nothing you could have done differently or better. A miscarriage, or even multiple miscarriages does not mean that you are not going to be a parent.

Miscarriage is the term used for loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation. Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester, or before the 13th week of gestation. Sadly, miscarriage is far more common than people think. Approximately one in every ten pregnancies will end in miscarriage. It's an incredibly difficult and emotional experience. It brings physical, psychological, and social challenges. People often wonder why it has happened, and whether they've done anything wrong or could have done something to prevent it. Most of the time, there is no obvious reason for a miscarriage, and you should reassure yourself that there's nothing you could have done differently or better. You should also take heart from the fact that a miscarriage, even multiple miscarriages, does not mean that you are not going to carry a pregnancy to full term and become a parent.

Our mental well-being is of huge importance as it has an impact on nearly every aspect of our lives. As we get busy or face challenges in our lives, it can be something we overlook or forget to make time for. Here are our top tips from our medical experts here at Healthwords on how to keep a check on your mental well-being and help yourself stay healthy. Good mental well-being does not mean you will always feel happy, but it can help us cope better with the challenges we face in day-to-day life. Aiming for contentment is more realistic. Our first top tip is exercise. You may not look forward to exercising, but it can give a substantial boost to your mental well-being. Increased blood flow to the brain increases brain cell growth and the generation of new connections. Endorphins and dopamine are released, helping make us feel good and giving us better sleep. Resilience to stress is improved, and it has a positive impact on symptoms of depression and anxiety. It helps posture, too – the better you hold yourself when you sit or stand, the fewer aches and pains you get, but evidence shows that you also feel more confident and content within yourself.

Many people struggle with the concept of mental health. It often brings up feelings of guilt, failure or embarrassment, but they don’t feel the same when discussing a physical condition, such as an eye infection, a knee injury or a heart attack. Stigmatizing attitudes towards mental health are imposed by society and also by patients themselves. So let’s try to break down the stigma, and bring conditions of the body and the mind to an even playing field.

Life can feel rather gray at times, and as a result, your mood may suffer. Sometimes you can work out the exact reason you are feeling down. It could be caused by things such as stress at work, problems in relationships with family, friends or partners, or financial worries. When you know what is making you feel this way it’s easier to try and deal with it. There are times, however, when your mood can feel low for no particular reason and this is harder to tackle. It may help to boost certain vitamins, which when they run low can have a negative impact on your mood. The following may be helpful for you to try for mild symptoms of depression – for more severe symptoms that are impacting your everyday life, you should see your doctor.

Parkinson's disease is a complex nerve disorder that affects movement. Approximately 1% of the population over 60 years has the condition. Symptoms start slowly, usually in those over 50 years old, and progress over time. It affects both men and women but is very slightly more common in men. The main symptoms are tremors, stiffness, and slowed movement, which can significantly affect their day-to-day activities. There is no cure for Parkinson's disease, but medication can be used to improve symptoms, and most people respond well to it.

PHQ-9 is a questionnaire that is used to help assess the severity of depression. The name stands for patient health questionnaire, and 9 questions ask about different symptoms and how often you experience them. Each answer is assigned a number of points out of 3, and once you add the points from the 9 questions, you will have a score out of 27. If you score 5 points or more, this suggests mild depression severity, 10 points and more for moderate, 15 points and more for moderately severe, and 20 points or more for severe depression. The questionnaire isn’t for diagnosing depression but for assessing severity.

Anxiety can set in ahead of big events such as an interview or an exam, or you may just be feeling a bit on edge without any particular cause. Some pharmacy products are known to calm mild anxiety and that panicky feeling that can rise up. Let’s take a look at one of them on the market in more detail.

Anxiety can set in ahead of big events such as an interview or an exam, or you may just be feeling a bit on edge without any particular cause. Some pharmacy products are known to calm mild anxiety and that panicky feeling that can rise up. Let’s take a look at one of them on the market in more detail.

Anxiety occurs when we feel under threat or stress and is a normal part of life – it's actually helped our survival in the past. These days some mild anxiety can help us achieve (a bit of adrenaline may help us perform well in an exam or spur us on in a job interview) but it becomes a problem if it gets in the way of us going about our everyday life and stops us from doing things we’d like to do. It’s common to feel anxious: you may feel worried, tense or panicked. Feelings can vary in intensity and you might get physical symptoms such as your heart racing, breathing quickly, a heavy feeling in the chest, feeling sick or shaky, sweaty and getting a dry mouth. You often then start to avoid situations that make you feel like this but if it stands in the way of you leaving the house or stopping you from doing certain things, it has started to become a problem.