The positive association between exercise and physical health is well known, and the perception of the association between exercise and mental health is the same. However, specific measures of how much physical activity is effective have not been established. In this review, we present findings from previous studies on the effects of physical activity on anxiety and other indicators of mental health. We also present the effects of the measures of optimal physical activity time and Differences from Optimal physical activity Time (DOT), which were calculated by our research team. We hope that clarification of the dose-response effects of physical activity on mental health will be beneficial for the primary prevention and treatment of mental illness.

The number of patients with disorders due to use of benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) is increasing. Disorders due to the use of BZRA often involve harmful use, such as issues related to overdose, as well as dependence, which leads to a loss of control and disruptions in social life. Patients with disorders due to the use of BZRA are more commonly women, and the condition is prevalent among younger generations, particularly those in their 20s and 30s. These trends differ from those observed in traditional addiction patients. When it comes to treatment, simply stopping BZRA is not enough. In some cases, it may be necessary to continue using BZRA to treat the underlying mental disorder. This paper outlines the characteristics of BZRA as an addictive substance and discusses the traits of patients who use it as a form of self-medication to cope with difficulties in life. It summarizes what is necessary for recovery from disorders due to the use of BZRA, including methods for tapering off BZRA.

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterised by intrusive thoughts (obsession) and repetitive behaviors (compulsion). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cognitive behavioral therapy and their combination therapy are endorsed first line treatments, although only two SSRIs are approved for OCD and the dissemination of CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is not yet widespread. Treatment for OCD tends to be prolonged, but achieving complete remission within two years of initiating treatment is desirable to prevent relapse and recurrence. Psychoeducation in the early stages of treatment is considered one of the most crucial interventions for overall therapeutic success. This review begins with a case presentation, followed by a comprehensive review of psychoeducation in the early stages of OCD treatment, focusing on its pivotal role in enhancing treatment outcomes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended as the first-line choice treatment for social anxiety disorder. However, few reports have examined the treatment mechanisms through the lens of resting-state functional connectivity. This paper presents the study by Kurita et al. (2023), which conducted individual cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder and investigated the treatment mechanisms using resting-state functional connectivity. The results indicated that patients with social anxiety disorder exhibited a decrease in resting-state functional connectivity between the thalamus and the frontal pole after individual cognitive therapy. Furthermore, the resting-state functional connectivity between the thalamus and the frontal pole before treatment was suggested to potentially predict treatment response. The implications of these findings may enhance our understanding of the treatment mechanisms in individual cognitive therapy and serve as a biomarker for predicting treatment efficacy in social anxiety disorder patients undergoing CBT.

Deipnophobia is a strong fear of eating in public and has been reported mainly in cases. This study reviewed previous studies on deipnophobia, summarized previous trends in deipnophobia research, and discussed the type of research needed in the future. Although deipnophobia is considered one of the social anxiety disorder, it was thought that the clinical concept of deipnophobia would become clearer by examining its association with surrounding disorders such as emetophobia and eating disorder. Through the review of the cases, it was found that the proportion of male patients with deipnophobia was higher, the onset was more common in adolescents, and there was a latent period between the onset of the disorder and the time when patients became aware of it. However, it is difficult at this time to determine the actual condition of deipnophobia only from a limited number of cases, and it is necessary to conduct a survey to clarify the prevalence and characteristics of deipnophobia, and to conduct research to examine the relationship with surrounding disorders and factors related to the onset and maintenance of symptoms in order to clarify the pathology and treatment methods of deipnophobia.