Publications on Mental Health Topics

Depression's Tipping Point, by Sarah P. Williams, Science News , Dec 9 2013.

“Someday, a smart phone app that asks what you’re feeling 10 times a day may be able to tell you if you’re edging closer to depression-and recommend that you seek preventive therapy or drugs. Scientists have discovered that how quickly someone bounces back from negative feelings, over hours or days, can predict whether that person is at risk of an episode of major depressive disorder. ”

Sex Crime, Offenders, and Society: A Critical Look at Sexual Offending and Policy, by Mancini, C., Dec 6 2013.

Maternal Depression May Affect Infant Development, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Dec 5 2013.

“New research finds that depression among pregnant women may have an impact on their developing babies. Experts have observed that children of depressed parents are at an increased risk of developing depression themselves - presumably a combination of both genetic and environmental factors. These children also display alterations in the amygdala, a brain structure important for the regulation of emotion and stress. ”

From Worrier to Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Fears, by Daniel B. Peters, PhD , Nov 30 2013.

Military deployments tied to teens' depression, by Kathleen Raven, Reuters , Nov 29 2013.

“Adolescents who experience the deployment of a family member in the U.S. military may face an increased risk of depression, suggests a new study. Ninth- and eleventh-grade students in California public schools with two or more deployment experiences over the past decade were 56 percent more likely to feel sad or hopeless compared with their non-military-family peers, the researchers found. The same kids were 34 percent more likely to have suicidal thoughts. ”

Screening children for mental health issues may not guarantee care, by Chelsea Conaboy, Boston Globe , Nov 25 2013.

“Six years after the state launched an unprecedented effort to address the mental and developmental needs of young children, doctors in Massachusetts are screening more children for behavioral health concerns than any other state. ”

Rat Study Aids Understanding of Depression Treatment, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Nov 25 2013.

“A new study identifies a small area of the brain that appears to be important for decision-making and depression treatment. University of British Columbia researchers believe the lateral habenula, a region of the brain linked to depression and avoidance behaviors, has been largely misunderstood and may be integral in cost-benefit decisions. ”

Tips for staying on the eating disorder recovery track throughout the holiday, by Cristin Runfola, University of North Carolina Center for Excellence in Eating Di , Nov 25 2013.

“For individuals recovering from eating disorders, an all too familiar, yet unwelcome fear can arise as thoughts about holiday eating, weight, and social gatherings near. Recollections of past holidays that were fraught with triggers and slips, can also bring up painful memories and worries about staying healthy while sharing precious time with friends and family. These very thoughts may result in feelings of isolation, anxiety, defeat, and even despair. ”

Mental health advocates: Shortage of beds could mean more violence, by Ray Sanchez and Rose Arce, CNN , Nov 20 2013.

“The incident renewed public attention on a chronic shortage of beds for the mentally ill -- an alarming national trend that mental-health advocates say is responsible for a long list of violent acts. Research from the nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center found that the number of state psychiatric beds decreased nationwide by 14% from 2005 to 2010. In 2005, there were 50,509 state psychiatric beds, compared with 43,318 in 2010. In 1960, by comparison there were 535,000 public psychiatric beds nationwide. ”

Sleep Therapy Seen as an Aid for Depression, by Benedict Carey, New York Times , Nov 18 2013.

“Curing insomnia in people with depression could double their chance of a full recovery, scientists are reporting. The findings, based on an insomnia treatment that uses talk therapy rather than drugs, are the first to emerge from a series of closely watched studies of sleep and depression to be released in the coming year. ”

Bully in the next bedroom - are we in denial about sibling aggression?, by William Kremer, Nov 8 2013.

“Sibling relationships can be difficult, and never more so than in childhood. But society often regards the scrapping and squabbling, the play fighting and not-so-playful fighting as a normal part of growing up. Almost a third of the 3,600 children questioned said they had been the victim of some sort of sibling aggression in the past 12 months. This included a range of acts from theft and psychological abuse to physical assault, either mild or severe. In comparison, research suggests that up to a quarter of children are victims of schoolyard aggression every year. ”

Study: Signs of autism may show up as early as first month, by Miriam Falco, CNN , Nov 8 2013.

“The first signs of autism may be visible as early as the first month of a child's life, according to a study published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature. "These are the earliest signs of autism ever observed," says lead study author Warren Jones. Researchers at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta followed 110 children from birth to age 3, at which point a diagnosis of autism was ascertained. Fifty-nine babies were considered "high risk" for developing an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because they had siblings with autism; 51 were considered "low risk" because they did not have first, second or third-degree relatives with ASD. ”

Play Therapy Promotes Emotional Healing in Kids Battling Chronic Illnesses, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central , Nov 6 2013.

“A version of play therapy using medically themed toys appears to help chronically ill children and their siblings express fears and foster hope for recovery. The innovative project, reported in the journal Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing, primarily focused on chronically ill children and their siblings who were staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Cincinnati, Ohio. ”

A Same-Sex Domestic Violence Epidemic Is Silent, by Maya Shwayder, The Atlantic.com, Nov 5 2013.

“Typical framing of partner abuse as a heterosexual issue—with men abusing women—does a disservice to victims in abusive homosexual relationships. ”

Childhood Maltreatment Can Leave Scars In The Brain, by Jon Hamilton, NPR , Nov 4 2013.

“Maltreatment during childhood can lead to long-term changes in brain circuits that process fear, researchers say. This could help explain why children who suffer abuse are much more likely than others to develop problems like anxiety and depression later on ”