Publications on Mental Health Topics
Suicide games can spread online for months before parents know, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Mar 8 2019.
“Researchers traced the path of one suicide game, the “blue whale challenge,” as awareness of it spread across social media and mainstream news outlets from 2013 to 2017. By the time the first U.S. news article about this suicide game appeared, the game had been circulating in English language social media posts for four months and in other languages for nine months, the study found. Nobody knows for sure whether this particular suicide game really existed or caused teens to harm themselves, or if it was an elaborate hoax. But as reports of these suicide games continue to go viral - including the latest one known as the “Momo challenge” - researchers say that it’s crucial for parents to know what their children and teens are exposed to in their digital lives. ”
Alzheimer's Screenings Often Left Out Of Seniors' Wellness Exams, by Jon Hamilton, NPR, Mar 5 2019.
“A brief cognitive test can detect signs of Alzheimer's in older patients. Fewer than half of primary care doctors surveyed say they routinely test patients 65 and older for problems with memory and thinking, despite coverage by Medicare as part of annual wellness visits. ”
The Creativity of ADHD, by Holly White, Scientific American, Mar 5 2019.
FDA Approves Esketamine Nasal Spray For Hard-To-Treat Depression, by Jon Hamilton, NPR, Mar 5 2019.
“The Food and Drug Administration approved the first drug that can relieve depression in hours instead of weeks. Esketamine, a chemical cousin of the anesthetic and party drug ketamine, represents the first truly new kind of depression drug since Prozac hit the market in 1988. ”
MMR vaccine does not cause autism, another study confirms, by Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN, Mar 4 2019.
“The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine does not increase the risk of autism and does not trigger autism in children who are at risk, according to a new study of over 650,000 children. ”
CBD Is Everywhere, but Scientists Still Don’t Know Much About, by Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times, Feb 25 2019.
“Cannabidiol, or CBD, a nonintoxicating component of the marijuana plant, is touted as a magic bullet that eases pain, anxiety, insomnia and depression. But scientists know little about what it can do. Most of the information about CBD’s effects in humans is anecdotal or extrapolated from animal studies, and few rigorous trials have been conducted. ”
One in four pre-teen suicides may be LGBT youth, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Feb 21 2019.
“Youth 12 to 14 years old who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) are much more likely to die by suicide than their heterosexual peers, a disparity that persists but becomes less pronounced by early adulthood, a U.S. study suggests. While 24 percent of the suicide deaths in the 12 to 14 age group were among LGBT youth in 2013-2015, this dropped to 8 percent of suicides among young adults 25 to 29 years old, researchers report in the Journal of Adolescent Health. ”
Friendly texts tied to fewer suicide attempts in the military, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Feb 20 2019.
“Military service members who are at risk for suicide may be less likely to attempt to harm themselves when they receive supportive text messages, a U.S. study suggests. Soldiers in the study had all received behavioral health services for considering or attempting suicide in the past, and all were on active duty, in the Reserve or in the National Guard. They all received standard treatments like medication or psychotherapy as needed; half of the 650 participants were also randomly assigned to received occasional texts with messages like “hope you’re having a good day.” Over the course of a year, people who received these texts were 44 percent less likely to experience suicidal thoughts and 48 percent less likely to attempt suicide than those who didn’t get the messages. ”
To Prevent Pregnancy-Related Depression, At-Risk Women Advised To Get Counseling, by Patti Neighmond, NPR, Feb 12 2019.
“Doctors can and should do more to prevent depression among pregnant women and new mothers by referring them to counseling. That's the recommendation of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an influential panel of clinicians and researchers that makes recommendations for patient care. [...] Depression during pregnancy and in the year after childbirth is surprisingly common. It's estimated that 1 in 7 pregnant women will suffer depression while pregnant or following childbirth. ”
Antidepressants Can Interfere With Pain Relief Of Common Opioids, by Jonathan Lambert, NPR, Feb 6 2019.
“Antidepressants may dampen the effects of some common opioids, resulting in less effective pain management according to research findings published Wednesday. The researchers suggest physicians should consider alternative pain management strategies for patients on antidepressants. ”
Telemedicine's challenge: Getting patients to click the app, by Tom Murphy, Associated Press, Feb 6 2019.
“Widespread smartphone use, looser regulations and employer enthusiasm are helping to expand access to telemedicine, where patients interact with doctors and nurses from afar, often through a secure video connection. Supporters say virtual visits make it easier for patients to see a therapist or quickly find help for ailments that aren’t emergencies. But many still fall back to going to the doctor’s office when they’re sick. Health care experts have long said that changing behavior can be hard. In telemedicine’s case, patients might learn about it from their employer and then forget about it by the time they need care a few months later. Plus emotions can complicate health care decisions, said Mercer’s Beth Umland. “My little kid is sick, I want them to have the best of care right away, and for some people that might not register as a telemedicine call,” she said. ”
Chronic pain most common reason U.S. patients get medical marijuana, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Feb 6 2019.
“Almost two-thirds of patients in the U.S. who get medical marijuana are using it as a treatment for chronic pain, a new study suggests. That’s in line with the large number of Americans who suffer chronic pain and the strong scientific evidence that marijuana is an effective pain treatment, the authors report in Health Affairs. ”
As concern about kids' mental health and social media use grows, authorities take action, by Jack Guy, CNN, Feb 5 2019.
“Concern over children's use of social media and its effect on their mental health has increased markedly in recent years, and now official action on the issue is also stepping up. In the UK, government ministers are considering imposing new rules on social media companies, while a trial introducing mindfulness exercises will be extended to up to 370 English schools. The response comes as separate surveys have revealed feelings of "overwhelming pressure" and inadequacy among young social media users, as well as the prevalence of online bullying. ”
If You're Often Angry Or Irritable, You May Be Depressed, by Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, Feb 4 2019.
“Many people — including physicians — associate depression with feelings of hopelessness, sadness and a lack of motivation or concentration, but not anger. Some researchers say that's a problem, given that there appears to be a strong link between irritability and depression. If you pick up what is often called the "bible of psychiatry," the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, you'll find that the list of core symptoms for major depression doesn't include anger. "It's not included at all in the adult classification of depression," says Dr. Maurizio Fava, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a professor at Harvard Medical School. But he points out that irritability — a reduced control over one's temper that results in angry outbursts — is listed as a core symptom of depression for children and adolescents. It has never made sense to him that it's not included for adults. "Why would someone who happens to be irritable and angry when depressed as an adolescent suddenly stop being angry at age 18?" he asks. ”
The digital drug: Internet addiction spawns U.S. treatment programs, by Gabriella Borter, Reuters, Jan 27 2019.
“Psychiatrists say internet addiction, characterized by a loss of control over internet use and disregard for the consequences of it, affects up to 8 percent of Americans and is becoming more common around the world. “We’re all mildly addicted. I think that’s obvious to see in our behavior,” said psychiatrist Kimberly Young, who has led the field of research since founding the Center for Internet Addiction in 1995. “It becomes a public health concern obviously as health is influenced by the behavior.” ”
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