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.

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.

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.

What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness means paying close attention to what’s happening right now, both inside your mind and around you, without judging it. Instead of worrying about the past or future, you focus on the present. You can practice mindfulness through meditation, breathing exercises, or by simply noticing your thoughts and feelings as you do everyday things like walking or eating. Why Practice Mindfulness? Mindfulness has many benefits for your mind and body: It helps lower stress and anxiety by teaching you to stay calm and focused on the present instead of worrying. It can make you feel happier and less overwhelmed by negative thoughts. Mindfulness helps you notice and manage your emotions, so you don’t react too quickly or strongly when things get tough. It can improve your concentration and help you get more done at school or work. Practicing mindfulness can also help your body by lowering blood pressure, boosting your immune system, and helping you sleep better.

Mindfulness is a simple way to help you feel calmer and more focused. It means paying attention to what is happening right now, without judging yourself. Anyone can learn mindfulness, and you don’t need special equipment or a lot of time to get started. What Is Mindfulness? Mindfulness is being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and what’s around you in the present moment. Instead of worrying about the past or future, you focus on what’s happening now. You don’t have to sit still or meditate for a long time: mindfulness can be done while walking, eating, or even breathing. The goal is to notice what you are doing and thinking, and to be curious, not critical, about your feelings.

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.

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.

Stress is an umbrella term to describe how your body reacts to threats, demands, or injuries. An automatic protective response that many people are aware of is the 'fight or flight' reaction to stressful situations that come up suddenly. In the right setting, this can be life-saving or even sharpen your mind and help you focus. However, if your stress response is inappropriate or your body is under constant threat, it can bring your nervous system into disarray and affect many aspects of your life, disrupting your health, mood, and relationships. Stress can be a cause or the result of a problem, but it's best to manage it and reduce it where possible to avoid it taking over your life.

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.

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.

What can I do or take to relieve stress? Exam time is undoubtedly a stressful time. It’s important not to let stress affect your well-being. Make sure you are taking time out of studying to look after yourself, setting a block of time to exercise, rest, relax, and do something you enjoy. Make sure you drink fluids, eat well-balanced meals and get enough sleep. Taking a mental break gives your mind time to recover, so studying is more effective. Exercising or practicing mindfulness are also great stressbusters and can positively affect your mental well-being. If you feel yourself panicking, pause, and breathe. Panicking does you no good and makes you feel worse. The best thing you can do is keep calm and level-headed. If you ever feel overwhelmed or unable to cope, talk to a friend, family member or even your doctor. You can also reach out to your school or university for support.