Publications on Mental Health Topics

Calls to suicide prevention lifeline rose 45% after changeover to 988 number, by Jacqueline Howard, CNN, Sep 9 2022.

“After the summer launch of the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, calls to the lifeline increased 45% compared with the same time last year, and the majority of those calls were connected to a counselor, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. ”

As school starts, teachers add a mental-health check-in to their lesson plans, by Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, Sep 2 2022.

“As the new school year begins, teachers at many schools across the country are adding a new component to their routines: a mental health check-in with their students. The idea is to open up conversations around how kids are feeling emotionally, and to connect them to help before issues escalate to a crisis. [...] The new approach comes after two and a half rocky years of pandemic, with kids' lives disrupted by bouts of remote schooling and many families in economic stress, which worsened the already shaky state of children's mental health in the U.S. In 2020, the CDC reported a greater proportion of kids showing up at emergency rooms in a mental health crises: serious suicide attempts, eating disorders, aggressive behaviors. "The thing that's most concerned us was really the number of significant self-harm and suicidal ideation that we've seen in an emergency room," says Dr. Smriti Khare, pediatrician and the chief mental and behavioral health office at Children's Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, which saw a 40% rise in visits to the ER after the start of the pandemic in 2020 compared to the year before. ”

ADHD Specialists Worry Stimulant Drugs Are Overprescribed, Push for Treatment Guidelines, by Rolfe Winkler, The Wall Street Journal, Sep 1 2022.

“A group of specialists in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder plan to create the first U.S. guidelines for diagnosing and treating the condition in adults, partly due to the proliferation of telehealth companies that they worry are prescribing stimulant medications irresponsibly.  Led by the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders, the effort is motivated in part by growing demand for ADHD treatment and medication, particularly during the pandemic when more mental-health care has been taking place online, members say.  Social-media content about ADHD, including advertising by companies such as Cerebral Inc. and Done Global Inc., has driven an uptick in patients who believe they have ADHD and are seeking treatment, said Ann Childress, the group’s president. As a result, more clinicians without ADHD experience are being asked about it, she said.  “We want to make sure that all ADHD medications are prescribed appropriately and that everyone has access to high-quality evaluations,” said Dr. Childress. ”

The Mental Health Effects of Ghosting, by Dan Mager, MSW, Psychology Today, Aug 31 2022.

“Other research indicates the adverse effects that ghosting can have on mental health and emotional well-being.[3] Short-term consequences included overwhelming rejection and confusion along with wounded self-esteem. Contributing factors involved the lack of closure and clarity—not knowing why communication abruptly stopped, leaving the person being ghosted trying to make sense of the situation. Long-term effects for “ghostees” centered around feelings of mistrust that developed over time, in some cases spilling over to future relationships. Such experiences often precipitated internalized rejection, self-blame, and feelings of low self-worth. However, there were also psychological consequences for those perpetrating ghosting. Approximately 50 percent of those who ghosted others experienced feelings of guilt or remorse or guilt. Findings also suggested that as people increasingly utilize ghosting as a way of ending relationships and essentially practice “serial ghosting,” it can become habitual. This has the potential to inhibit personal growth as genuine intimacy becomes more unfamiliar and “ghosters” become more and more comfortable avoiding it. ”

Confronting Health Worker Burnout and Well-Being, by Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., New England Journal of Medicine, Aug 18 2022.

“Expressions of gratitude have too often been replaced by hostility, anger, and even death threats toward health workers, as health misinformation has exploded, eroding trust in science and public health experts. Yet doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, respiratory therapists, hospital security officers, and staff members of health care and public health organizations continue showing up to battle the pandemic and its sequelae — long Covid, mental health strain, widening health disparities, and 2 years’ worth of deferred care for myriad conditions.  The toll on our health workers is alarming. Thousands of them have died from Covid. More than half of health workers report symptoms of burnout,1 and many are contending with insomnia, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental health challenges.2  ”

Men’s Body-Image Issues Got Worse During the Pandemic—Even if Many Didn’t Realize It, by Heidi Mitchell, The Wall Street Journal, Aug 14 2022.

“Having a negative body image has long been considered a female problem. Countless books, videos and after-school specials have been devoted to highlighting the concern and the damage it does to girls and women.  But men are nearly as likely to suffer from negative body-image concerns—and studies suggest that the stress and anxiety of the pandemic only made things worse.  Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)—a clinical disorder in which people become preoccupied with a perceived imperfection in their physical appearance to the point that it causes them significant emotional distress or interferes with their day-to-day functioning—was first listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in the 1980s. Population studies show that 2.4% of Americans currently suffer from BDD, though most experts believe this number is underreported and may impact up to 3% of the population. [...] Without proper treatment, the consequences for men with BDD can be severe. About 80% of these men have had suicidal ideation at some point during their lives, and about 25% have attempted suicide. Signs of BDD include spending at least one hour a day thinking about perceived defects, obsessively looking at or avoiding mirrors, compulsively comparing oneself to others, missing work or school, an increased likelihood of alcohol or drug abuse, anabolic steroid usage (among men with muscle dysmorphia), and a feeling that one looks unattractive or even hideous. ”

How the U.S. Can Solve a Shortage of Mental-Health Professionals, by Lisa Ward, The Wall Street Journal, Aug 14 2022.

“Many sufferers of mental-health issues can’t find the help they need. Often there just aren’t enough providers.  More than a third of the U.S. population, about 130 million people, live in areas that have a dearth of mental-health workers. Residents of underserved areas have roughly a quarter of the providers they need, in aggregate, the Kaiser Family Foundation says. The shortage is even more acute in rural areas. About 80% of rural counties lack access to a single psychiatrist, according to a report by the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, citing data from the Health Resources and Services Administration.  The pandemic brought the shortage of mental-health services into sharp focus as more adults sought help to deal with the stress and disruption of their daily lives. Children suffered immensely, too, as prolonged school closures weren’t only psychologically damaging, but also caused many children’s mental-health conditions to go unnoticed because teachers and school psychologists are a primary source of referrals. ”

Make space, listen, offer hope: How to help a child at risk of suicide, by Rhitu Chatterjee and Michelle Aslam, NPR, Jul 18 2022.

“As the coronavirus pandemic has worsened the mental health of kids, more families are dealing with their children feeling anxious, depressed and thinking about and even attempting suicide. But mental health professionals say that suicide is preventable and that parents and family members can play an important role.  It's hard work that requires parents to listen to their children, acknowledge their struggles and help them find a way out of their darkness. And in the long run, it calls for creating a home environment where kids feel safe sharing their emotional lives and where families solve problems together. ”

Debunking myths about suicide helps encourage compassion and understanding, by Kristen Rogers, CNN, Jul 16 2022.

“Sometimes people who die by suicide get branded as selfish, depressed or attention-seeking.  Such myths contribute to the stigma that can prevent those who are suicidal from seeking the help they need and falsify understanding of the motivations behind suicide, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.  Suicide is a leading cause of death among children and adults, with nearly 800,000 people worldwide dying from suicide yearly, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017, cited by the online scientific publication Our World in Data. In 2020, there were 1.2 million attempts globally, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says. Awareness of the realities of suicide can help people view these deaths with more understanding and compassion, realize the importance of helping others get help and address their own mental health problems if they are struggling, NAMI says. ”

The new 988 mental health hotline is live. Here's what to know, by Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, Jul 16 2022.

“People experiencing a mental health crisis have a new way to reach out for help in the U.S. Starting Saturday, they can simply call or text the numbers 9-8-8.  Modeled after 911, the new three-digit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people who are suicidal or in any other mental health crisis to a trained mental health professional.  "If you are willing to turn to someone in your moment of crisis, 988 will be there," said Xavier Becerra, the secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, at a recent press briefing. "988 won't be a busy signal, and 988 won't put you on hold. You will get help." ”

Many Black children are dying by suicide, doctors say: Understanding the why -- and how to help, by Kelly Livingston, ABC News, Jul 6 2022.

“The suicide rate among Black youth has been increasing along with the number of suicide attempts and the severity of those attempts, according to the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, released in 2019.   That report, tracking suicide trends among students ages 14-18 over the previous 10 years, found that of the 8.9% who reported attempting suicide, Black youth were among the populations with the highest rates of reporting attempts, accounting for 11.8%. By contrast, white youth accounted for 7.9% of those reported attempts and Hispanic youth accounted for 8.9%.  The study found there was an even greater difference in reported attempts by race among female students: Black female students accounted for 15.2% of those reporting attempts, white female students made up 9.4% of that population, and Hispanic female students accounted for 11.9%.  A separate report from the American Academy of Pediatrics tracking suicidal behavior in youth from 1991 to 2017 found that Black youth experienced significant increases in suicide attempts over that period. And among Black kids ages 5-12, the suicide rate was found to be twice that of their white counterparts in 2017 ”

It’s Science: Preschool play protects your child’s mental health later in life, by Kristen Fischer, Motherly, Jul 5 2022.

“Preschoolers who learn to play well with others have better mental health as they age, according to a recent study. The research looked at “peer play ability,” an indicator of how well kids play with each other.  The report provides the first clear evidence that peer play ability “has a protective effect on mental health,” the authors said in a statement. The study appeared in Child Psychiatry and Human Development.  Three-year-olds who had better peer play ability consistently had fewer signs of poor mental health when they were 7 years old. That is, their parents and teachers reported fewer emotional issues and conduct problems, they were less likely to get into spats with other kids, and they had lower hyperactivity.  ”

Myths about abortion and women's mental health are widespread, experts say, by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, Jul 2 2022.

“"There's so much misinformation, so many myths about abortion. Abortion will lead to substance abuse, depression, suicidal thoughts; abortion is bad for your health; every woman is going to regret it," said social psychologist Brenda Major, a distinguished professor emeritus in the department of psychological and brain sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  In reality, decades of research has shown "the vast majority of women feel they made the right choice, and they don't experience regret," said Major, who led a 2008 American Psychological Association task force exploring the science on abortion and mental health. ”

What Porn Does to Teen Brains—and How to Keep It Off Their Devices, by Julie Jargon, The Wall Street Journal, Jul 2 2022.

“While there’s plenty to say about ways porn can affect the development of relationships and sexuality, this is a more focused look at children’s brain chemistry. Research shows that younger people’s brains are more wired for pleasure than adults, with higher spikes of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine released in anticipation of enjoyable activities.  Because of this, many researchers believe young people are more vulnerable to compulsive porn use, which can lead to unrealistic views on sex. [...] Psychologists say it’s important to talk to kids about porn without making them feel ashamed. Some exposure to it can be a natural part of development, they say, and porn shouldn’t be shunned in a way that creates a taboo. They do, however, recommend using tech guardrails to reduce the chances that younger kids see things they’re not ready to see. More on how to do that below. [...] Nicole Prause, a research scientist at University of California, Los Angeles, and a licensed psychologist, said she’s more concerned about what parents and authority figures tell kids about porn. She recently surveyed young adult men who had been in porn-abstinence programs and relapsed. Nearly 30% of the 228 respondents reported feeling suicidal afterward; many more said they felt shame because of the societal messages about porn being bad. ”

Here’s How to Cry the Right Way to Relieve Stress and Anxiety, by Elizabeth Bernstein, The Wall Street Journal, Jun 28 2022.

“Stressed out? Sleep deprived? Sad?  You may need a good cry. Crying is an important coping mechanism, psychologists say. It allows us to express difficult emotions. It may help reduce stress by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the body’s ability to relax. And, perhaps most important, it allows us to solicit emotional support and bond.  “Suppression of painful emotions inhibits your ability to feel all emotions,” says Natalie Dattilo, a clinical psychologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and instructor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “One of the best ways to feel better, and get better at feeling, is to cry.” ”