Anxiety is seen as an obstacle to success. It is a thought that always lingers in your mind before you start to do something. If you are doing something new or trying to do something that you have already done it in your life and have bad memories with. This thought creeps in. This thought that sometimes sends chills down your spine, makes you shiver, or that makes you feel like you cannot breathe, as if someone has put a huge rock on your heart is what defines anxiety. However, emerging research suggests that it can in fact, serve as a valuable tool for focus, motivation and problem solving. Studies on performance and stress, including the widely known Yerkes-Dodson curve, indicate that moderate levels of anxiety can enhance productivity, while both excessive and insufficient anxiety can hinder it.

The Yerkes-Dodson curve demonstrates that when anxiety is too high, it can become paralyzing, preventing individuals from taking action. On the other hand, very low anxiety can lead to complacency, reducing motivation and attention to detail. The ideal state falls somewhere in the middle, where anxiety signals importance, sharpens focus, and encourages preparation.

This perspective challenges the common belief that anxiety should always be suppressed. Instead, researchers argue that learning to harness anxiety can be beneficial. Studies have shown that people experiencing moderate anxiety often generate more creative solutions to problems compared to those who remain entirely calm.

How Can You Use Anxiety To Your Benefit?

Anxiety can serve as a sort of increased awareness, motivating people to take action in critical situations. Medical decision-making research show that concerned people are more likely to follow up on health issues, stick to treatment plans, and aggressively seek medical help. For example, studies on heart transplant patients show that people with moderate levels of anxiety are more likely to seek adequate care, which leads to improved survival rates.

The same strategy is used to address everyday difficulties. Anxiety tells the brain that something is important and requires effort. Anxiety can encourage you to be prepared and attentive, whether you're preparing for a presentation, making a critical life decision, or dealing with an uncertain situation.

Is There A Thin Line Between Anxiety That Helps And That Harms?

Despite its potential benefits, anxiety can become debilitating when it causes what researchers term “functional impairment.” This occurs when excessive worry prevents individuals from fulfilling their daily responsibilities, whether in work, relationships, or personal well-being.

One method for distinguishing between helpful and harmful anxiety is cognitive reframing—shifting the perspective on stressors. Studies suggest that those who reframe anxiety as a performance-enhancing tool rather than a hindrance experience less distress and greater effectiveness in high-pressure situations. By viewing anxiety as a source of energy rather than a threat, individuals can improve their ability to navigate challenges.

Research on stress resilience indicates that experiencing a moderate amount of adversity in life can lead to stronger coping skills. Longitudinal studies on both humans and animals suggest that those who have faced and overcome moderate difficulties—such as personal loss or professional setbacks—tend to develop greater mental fortitude.

One study found that individuals who had endured a small number of adverse events exhibited better overall mental health than those who had either faced extreme hardship or had led relatively stress-free lives. This pattern aligns with the concept of "stress inoculation," where manageable levels of stress act as a form of psychological training, making individuals more resilient to future challenges.

So, What Can You Do?

Rather than attempting to eliminate anxiety, researchers suggest acknowledging it as a natural response that can be channeled productively. Psychological studies indicate that when people view their physiological responses—such as increased heart rate and adrenaline surges—as performance enhancers, their actual outcomes improve.

For instance, in high-stakes situations like public speaking or athletic competitions, individuals who interpret nervousness as a sign of readiness rather than fear tend to perform better. Physiologically, the body's response to excitement and fear is similar; the key difference lies in perception.

Research suggests that those who embrace a mindset of "anxiety as fuel" experience improved cognitive and physical performance. This approach aligns with studies showing that moderate stress prompts the release of hormones that enhance alertness and problem-solving ability, whereas overwhelming stress triggers a flood of cortisol, which can impair decision-making.

Mental health issues among doctors remain a serious but rarely discussed concern within the medical community, said Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known on social media as the LiverDoc.

In an exclusive interaction with HealthandMe, the noted hepatologist highlighted the rising cases of burnout, depression, and suicide among healthcare professionals and the urgent need to address them.

He stated that doctors are among the major communities affected by mental health disorders, although the topic is often ignored within the profession.

“We have had very senior doctors die by suicide because of burnout,” he said, citing incidents involving highly successful doctors recently reported from parts of India, including Kerala.

Mental Health Of Doctors Impacts Patient Care

Liver Doc stressed that addressing doctors’ mental health is as important as treating patients’ mental health.

“A doctor who has good mental health will be a much better ally for the patient when it comes to treatment,” he said.

He also urged the medical community and regulatory authorities to introduce more interventions and support systems to prevent burnout and mental health disorders among doctors.

According to him, the emotional burden of treating critically ill patients and witnessing deaths regularly can deeply affect healthcare professionals.

“It’s depressing to treat patients and see them die. It’s depressing to see another human die,” he said.

The expert noted that doctors should find ways to openly discuss and process emotional stress and mental health struggles.

New Book On Burnout And Emotional Stress

Dr. Philips also addressed the issue in his recently released book, The Liver Doctor: Stories of Love, Loss and Regeneration.

He told HealthandMe that he has “very thoroughly and in very raw format addressed in the book” the mental health disorders affecting doctors, as it directly impacts patient care.

“Like every other doctor, I have also gone through that, and it's depressing to treat patients and see them die. I have this book to channelize that, and I feel less burdened when I do that, but other doctors also should find ways to do this. So this book also tells doctors to be more open about their mental health,” he said.

Deep Burnout Among Doctors

Doctors in teaching hospitals often endure long, unregulated shifts with little time for rest, especially during residency. Such exhausting work conditions not only increase the risk of medical errors but also significantly contribute to burnout, emotional exhaustion, and mental health problems among young doctors.

As per a recent nationwide survey on doctors’ mental health and morale, nine in ten doctors said they would not want their children to become physicians.

Also read: Global Mental Disorders Double In 33 Years, Affecting 1.2 Billion People: Study

The study, conducted by the Debabrata Mitalee Auro Foundation, surveyed 1,208 doctors across metropolitan cities and smaller towns over six months and found deep levels of burnout, fear of violence, and rising medico-legal anxiety among medical professionals.

Parliamentary Panel Flags Excessive Duty Hours

Further, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare also raised concerns over “excessive continuous duty hours” for junior and senior resident doctors in April.

In its latest report, the panel warned that fatigue-driven errors and burnout could compromise care.

The Panel recommended that the government introduce and strictly enforce a formal “Clinical Duty Hours Regulation” policy. This would mandate fixed rest periods and monitored duty rosters, with oversight mechanisms to prevent violations.

India’s cell and gene therapy ecosystem is beginning to attract a different kind of attention that is driven not just by healthcare demand, but by proprietary science and platform-led innovation.

For investors, however, the larger story may not be the funding round itself. It may be the problem the company is trying to solve.

CAR-T therapies have transformed outcomes for several difficult-to-treat blood cancers globally. But despite strong initial responses, relapse remains one of the field’s biggest limitations. One reason is antigen escape, which means cancer cells can change the markers that therapies use to identify them, making them harder to detect over time.

In an analysis of 4,129 CAR-T treated patients, relapse remained a substantial issue after single-target therapy, with 42.1% of relapses associated with loss of the CD19 target itself. The finding points to a larger issue: precision may not be enough if therapies lose visibility over time.

The response increasingly appears to be a move toward multi-target and more durable platforms. A bispecific CAR-T platform designed to recognize more than one tumor marker, to reduce relapse is crucial.

The science itself is becoming increasingly platform-oriented. Beyond broader targeting, recent work explored why immune cells themselves lose effectiveness over time and identified pathways associated with stronger persistence and memory. While still early, the broader implication is that future therapies may need to be designed not only to attack disease, but also to remain active longer.

For India, that creates a larger opportunity. Historically, advanced therapies such as CAR-T have remained expensive and heavily dependent on technologies developed elsewhere. The aim is to significantly reduce treatment costs while building indigenous capabilities across design and manufacturing.

The shift matters because biotech investing is increasingly moving beyond services and generics toward intellectual property and platform science. The transition from bedside observations to translational platforms may be where the next phase of healthcare innovation and investment gets built.

Colon cancer, medically known as colorectal cancer, was historically typical for people aged 50 or older. However, in recent years, the cancer that forms in the tissues of the large intestine has been increasing in prevalence in young adults. As many as one in five colorectal cancer patients today falls into this younger age group.

Now, a study published by the American Society of Clinical Oncology shows that marathons, which are one of the most celebrated physical activities, may be increasing the risk of the disease.

What Did The Study Find?

The team at Inova Schar Cancer Institute in Virginia, US, initiated the study after observing multiple “ultramarathoners” present to their cancer center with advanced colorectal cancer.

To probe the link, they recruited 100 runners to undergo colonoscopies — the gold standard for screening and preventing colorectal cancer. The team then looked at runners ages 35 to 50, who had either completed at least five marathons or two ultramarathons (any runs of 50 kilometers or more).

Presenting the findings at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, Dr. Timothy Cannon, an oncologist at the Institute, stated that

• Nearly 50 per cent of the participants in the study had polyps, which can become cancerous,
• 15 per cent had advanced adenomas (noncancerous tumor) which are likely to become cancerous.

Also read:Colorectal Cancer: UK Surgeon Warns Of 5 Silent Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Almost always, colon cancers start as small growths called polyps or precancerous lesions on the inner lining of the colon or rectum.

Moreover, the study found that the rate of advanced adenomas nearly tripled among the marathon runners, compared to the general population, at 4.5 -6 per cent.

How Does Ultra-running Spike Chance Of Developing Colon Cancer?

In general, running and other forms of exercise are known to reduce the risk of developing colon and other cancers. At the same time, exercise-induced gastrointestinal injury is also believed to be associated with reduced blood flow to the intestines during long-distance running.

Notably, to date there is no evidence that definitively shows running causes polyps.

The new study presents a correlation — an increasing relationship between long-distance running and advanced adenomas. It does not prove that running directly causes the adenomas.

Read More: Europe Sees Record Surge In Gonorrhea, Syphilis Cases In Over A Decade, Says ECDC

The new results suggest that “intensive long-distance running is a risk factor for advanced adenomas of the colon", said Dr. Timothy, in the paper. The team also called for "refining screening strategies" for marathon runners.

It is because runners put their bodies through a lot, which can raise the risk of chronic inflammation, enabling cancerous cells to grow.

Their high-caloric foods for immediate energy can slow down digestion and impact your overall colon health.

What is Colorectal Cancer

The American Cancer Society notes that colorectal cancer is a cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. Colorectal cancer impacts around 1.9 million people every year, noted the World Health Organization (WHO) as per its 2022 data.

It is a disease of the large bowel and a type of cancer that originates from the rectum or colon. A person's colon, cecum, rectum, and anus make up the large intestine.

According to experts, if you are above 45 years of age or have high-risk factors, you need to take the initiative to be screened, as the symptoms appear late, impacting treatment outcomes.

The common red flags for colorectal cancer include:

• rectal bleeding,
• persistent abdominal discomfort,
• pain,
• a noticeable change in bowel habits.