Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health disorders, and their prevalence is rising. Why? International expert in mental health research prof. dr. Brenda Penninx says several factors contribute to this. One reason is that many who need treatment don’t receive it. Another is that current treatments like psychotherapy and medication are not enough for full recovery. Moreover, we often consider these conditions as one-dimensional and episodic when, in reality, they are multidimensional and chronic lifelong journeys. Finally, more needs to be done to tackle an incredibly common and crucial causal factor in their development. That factor is STRESS.

That’s why in 2023 Brenda Penninx kickstarted a large research project called Stress in Action. Over the next 10 years, the project will focus on understanding how daily life stress impacts both mental and cardiometabolic health. Using smartphone and wearable technology, the goal is to create a toolkit for tracking stress in real time, providing people and healthcare practitioners with resources that can prevent disease and promote healthier lifestyles.

In this podcast, Brenda Penninx is interviewed by PhD candidate Marcos Ross, part of the Stress in Action project

For more information, please visit the website of Stress in Action