Publications - Anxiety Disorders

Lawmakers push mental health days for kids amid pandemic, by Sopia Eppolitio, Associated Press, Jan 30 2021.

“State lawmakers are increasingly seeking more support for kids. This year, legislation proposed in Utah and Arizona would add mental or behavioral health to the list of reasons students can be absent from class, similar to staying out with a physical illness. Similar laws have passed in Oregon, Maine, Colorado and Virginia in the past two years. ”

Pandemic's toll on mental health accentuated in cities, by Kanwal Syed and Naitian Zhou, NBC News, Nov 23 2020.

“Covid-19 hasn't been the only catastrophe sweeping the country this year.  Health experts say Americans are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression made worse by pandemic-related stressors, including job loss, evictions, remote learning, travel restrictions and limits on gathering.  The contentious presidential election, increased racial tensions and natural disasters, in addition to Covid-19, added to Americans' stressors, said Dr. Joshua Gordon, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. ”

How To Help Your Kids Reframe Their Anxiety — And Reclaim Their Superpowers, by Kavitha Cardoza, NPR, Nov 16 2020.

“Every child feels anxious at times — but for some, that feeling persists and interferes with friendships and schoolwork. It can cause children to be fearful, worried, irritable and angry. And there are physical symptoms: Kids can feel tired and have headaches, stomachaches and trouble sleeping. Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns for children. ”

After COVID-19 Diagnosis, Nearly 1 In 5 Are Diagnosed With Mental Disorder, by Laurel Wamsley, NPR, Nov 11 2020.

“New research has found that nearly 1 person in 5 diagnosed with COVID-19 is diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder like anxiety, depression or insomnia within three months.  The analysis was conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, using electronic health records for 69.8 million patients in the U.S. — including more than 62,000 diagnosed with COVID-19.  Compared with patients who had experienced certain other health events this year — such as influenza, kidney stones or a major bone fracture – those diagnosed with COVID-19 were more likely to have a subsequent psychiatric diagnosis in the following 14 to 90 days. ”

CDC study sheds new light on mental health crisis linked to coronavirus pandemic, by Jacqueline Howard & Andrea Kane, CNN Health, Aug 13 2020.

“The Covid-19 crisis has brought with it a mental health crisis in the United States, and new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show just how broad the pandemic's impact on mental health might be. A new CDC survey found that almost 41% of respondents are struggling with mental health issues stemming from the pandemic -- both related to the coronavirus pandemic itself and the measures put in place to contain it, including physical distancing and stay-at-home orders. ”

An Era of Peril for Black Mental Health, by Joseph P. Williams, U.S. News & World Report, Aug 13 2020.

“n Cook County, Illinois, home to Chicago, officials say suicides in the Black community this year have been happening at an extreme pace, with men accounting for nearly 80% of victims. Meanwhile, snapshot government data collected last month indicates 4 in 10 Black Americans were struggling with anxiety or depression, while a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report released Thursday showed that 15% of Black survey respondents in late June had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days, compared with about 8% of whites. ”

How to Help Children Cope with Depression and Anxiety Right Now, by Tessa Yannone, Boston Magazine, Jun 16 2020.

“Growing up like a “regular kid” is anything but regular these days. From virtual learning to days on end spent with parents and siblings instead of friends and classmates, plus urgent new Black Lives Matter protests (read more on how to speak to kids about the protest movement here) and nonstop fireworks keeping neighborhoods up at night, parents may be wondering how to gauge how anxious kids are and how to help. This article addresses this issue! ”

These are challenging times — here's how to get free mental health assistance, by Cory Stieg, CNBC, Jun 7 2020.

“As millions of people around the world are protesting police brutality in the wake of George Floyd's death, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to sweep the nation. Many people are experiencing increased levels of stress and anxiety as a result. From therapy to coping mechanisms, here are some free and low-cost resources that can help you during this time: ”

Not a staycation: Isolating at home affects our mental health (and what to do), by Claire McCarthy,MD, Harvard Health , Apr 14 2020.

“Tips from a pediatrician at Havard Medical School, Dr. McCarthy. "There is no way that we can live this without anxiety and sadness — and no way that our children can live it without anxiety and sadness. We all need to do our best, sure, but it’s important that we acknowledge that we are feeling strange and bad, that our kids are too, and this can’t help but affect how we all behave. We have to take care of ourselves in a different way, being proactive about our mental health." ”

Coronavirus is harming the mental health of tens of millions of people in U.S., new poll finds, by Joel Achenbach , Washington Post, Apr 2 2020.

“Nearly half the people in the United States feel the coronavirus crisis is harming their mental health, according to a survey published Thursday that demonstrates how the covid-19 pandemic has escalated into a nationwide psychological trauma. The tracking poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, conducted March 25 to 30, found that 45 percent of adults say the pandemic has affected their mental health, and 19 percent say it has had a “major impact.” The rates are slightly higher among women, Hispanic adults and black adults, the survey found. ”

Single dose of psychedelic drug eased cancer patients' anxiety, depression for years, by Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, Jan 28 2020.

“Nearly five years after a group of cancer patients were given a single dose of a psychedelic drug to ease depression and anxiety, new research finds that many of them are still feeling the positive effects. ”

Mental health declining among older U.S. adults, poor hardest hit, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jan 3 2020.

“Many older Americans have experienced more days of poor mental health in recent years, particularly individuals with limited income and education, a U.S. study suggests. ”

As stigma ebbs, college students seek mental health help, by COLLIN BINKLEY and LARRY FENN, Associated Press, Nov 25 2019.

“More college students are turning to their schools for help with anxiety, depression and other mental health problems, and many must wait weeks for treatment or find help elsewhere as campus clinics struggle to meet demand, an Associated Press review of more than three dozen public universities found ”

More Adolescents Seek Medical Care for Mental Health Issues, by Phillip Reese, U.S. News & World Report, Nov 11 2019.

“ERs throughout California are reporting a sharp increase in adolescents and young adults seeking care for a mental health crisis. ”

Americans spending more out-of-pocket on mental health than physical health, by Linda Carroll, Reuters, Nov 8 2019.

“Many insured Americans go out of network for mental health services, a new study suggests, despite the higher costs to them and despite a federal law mandating that policies’ mental health coverage be at least as good as their physical health coverage ”