Publications on Mental Health Topics

For teen girls, risky dieting tied to family conflict, depression, by Kathryn Doyle, Reuters, Jun 15 2016.

“Young teen girls are more likely to count calories, skip meals and engage in other risky dieting behaviors if they’re experiencing family conflict or have symptoms of depressed mood, according to a new study from Australia. “There are many factors associated with the development of risky dieting, including socialization by peers, media, and parents/family,” said coauthor Adrian B. Kelly of The University of Queensland in an email. “This study takes a look at the emotional climate of families as an underlying vulnerability of girls to risky dieting.” ”

How teachers and parents can talk to kids about the Orlando shootings, by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, Jun 13 2016.

“Sadly, this is not the first time I have run some of the information in this post. The mass shooting in a popular gay Orlando nightclub by a gunman who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group has made it relevant again. Here is information about how teachers and parents can address the violence with students of different ages. ”

Are mental health issues more of a problem for immigrants than for others?, by Jack Doppelt, Immigrant Connect, Jun 12 2016.

“This is a blog-run information site for immigrants in the Chicago area.  This article discusses the many pitfalls both children and adults face as either first or second generation immigrants in terms of accessing proper mental health care.   ”

Elder Financial Exploitation: A Crime AND a Serious Health Risk, by Richard W. Besdine M.D., The Huffington Post, Jun 10 2016.

“Elder abuse is an ugly, even life-threatening problem, yet it tends to "fly under the radar." The most common form is financial exploitation, which the Administration on Aging’s National Center on Elder Abuse defines as, “the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property, or assets.” ”

More Than 6 Million U.S. Students Are 'Chronically Absent', by Elissa Nadworny, NPR, Jun 10 2016.

“It's one of the oldest issues in school improvement: Getting kids to show up. If students miss 10 percent of the school year — that's just two days a month —research shows they are way more likely to fall behind — even drop out. Today, the U.S. Education Department is releasing a report on the first national data set on chronic absence — defined as missing 15 or more days of school a year. The numbers come from the 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection survey — an on-the-ground look from 95,000 schools. The numbers are striking: More than 6 million kids are missing 15 days or more of school a year. ”

As Suicide Rates Rise, Scientists Find New Warning Signs, by Andrea Petersen, The Wall Street Journal, Jun 7 2016.

“Scientists are making headway in the search for solutions to one of the most vexing problems in mental health: How to predict who is at risk for suicide. Researchers are hunting for so-called biomarkers, such as patterns of brain activity on fMRI scans or levels of stress hormones in the blood, linked to suicidal thoughts and acts. They are creating computer algorithms, fed with tens of thousands of pieces of data, to come up with measures of risk. They are looking at sleep patterns and even responses to specialized computer tasks that can reveal unconscious biases toward self-harm. ”

New Programs Help Parents Cope With Stillbirth and Infant Death, by Laura Landro, The Wall Street Journal, Jun 6 2016.

“Despite advances in pregnancy care, each year in the U.S. there are approximately 50,000 stillbirths and infant deaths shortly after delivery, a rate that hasn’t budged in years. Some are the result of genetic abnormalities or unanticipated complications, but often there is no known cause. Now, as researchers learn more about the traumatic effects of such deaths on families, more hospitals are creating programs to help them cope. So-called perinatal-loss coordinators train staff to provide compassionate care and guidance for both practical and emotional issues. They are connecting grieving parents with support groups, counseling and nonprofit advocacy groups that help mothers move on and in many cases try again for a successful pregnancy. ”

Embracing Life With Radical Acceptance, by Alivia Hall, The Huffington Post, Jun 6 2016.

“Radical acceptance is the cultivation of mindfulness and compassion. It is the “antidote to years of neglecting ourselves, years of treating ourselves harshly, years of rejecting this moment’s experience.” ”

The Grieving Process, by American Cancer Society, Jun 6 2016.

“Many people think of grief as a single instance or short time of pain or sadness in response to a loss – like the tears shed at a loved one’s funeral. But grieving includes the entire emotional process of coping with a loss, and it can last a long time. Normal grieving allows us to let a loved one go and keep on living in a healthy way. ”

Depression in Older Adults, by L. Robinson, M. Smith, M.A. & J. Segal, Ph.D, Helpguide.org, Jun 2016.

“Never assume that a loss of mental sharpness is just a normal sign of old age. It could be a sign of either depression or dementia, both of which are common in older adults and the elderly. Depression and dementia share many similar symptoms, including memory problems, sluggish speech and movements, and low motivation, so it can be difficult to tell the two apart.  As you age, you experience many losses. Loss is painful—whether it’s a loss of independence, mobility, health, your long-time career, or someone you love. Grieving over these losses is normal and healthy, even if the feelings of sadness last for a long time. Additionally, distinguishing between grief and clinical depression isn’t always easy, since they share many symptoms. However, there are ways to tell the difference. Grief is a roller coaster involving a wide variety of emotions and a mix of good and bad days. Even when you’re in the middle of the grieving process, you will have moments of pleasure or happiness. With depression, on the other hand, the feelings of emptiness and despair are constant. ”

Study: Same-sex experiences are on the rise, and Americans are increasingly chill about it, by Rachel Feltman, The Washington Post, Jun 1 2016.

“A rise in bisexuality is driving a sharp increase in same-sex experiences in the United States, according to a new study — and Americans are increasingly open to the shift. Using data from the General Social Survey (GSS), a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults conducted since 1972 including a total of 33,728 participants, a team of social scientists found that the percentage of men reporting male sexual partners had nearly doubled from 1990 to 2014, and the percentage of women reporting same-sex experiences had more than doubled during the same period. Their study, published Wednesday in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior, also shows a dramatic increase in the percentage of Americans who find these sexual interactions acceptable. ”

The Complicated Task of Identifying Homeless Students, by Adrienne Green , The Atlantic, Jun 2016.

“The number of homeless students in the United States has doubled in the past decade. During the 2013-14 school year, more than 1.3 million students were homeless, a 7 percent increase over the previous school year, according to a new report by the advocacy group Civic Enterprises and the polling firm Hart Research Associates. A disproportionate number are students of color or identify as LGBT. ”

Building Brainerd's resilience: Could research on childhood trauma change society?, by Chelsey Perkins, Brainerd Dispatch, May 29 2016.

“What if one area of research could prevent some of society's biggest problems? Researchers say an ever-expanding pool of data on the effects of childhood trauma—and how to counteract those effects—might be the key to alleviating countless societal problems. These include criminality, substance abuse, mental health problems and some of the leading causes of death. ”

For trans people, family rejection tied to suicide attempts, substance abuse, by Andrew M. Seaman, Reuters, May 27 2016.

“For transgender or gender non-conforming individuals, as rejection from family members increases, so does their likelihood of suicide attempts or substance abuse, according to a new study.   "People should understand that families matter," said researcher Sarit Golub, of Hunter College and the Graduate Center of City University of New York (CUNY). "When people are rejected by their loved ones, it can have serious emotional and social consequences." ”

Girls’ early puberty and breast development tied to depression, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, May 26 2016.

“Girls who go through puberty and develop breasts earlier than peers may have a higher risk of depression as well, a Chinese study suggests. Researchers analyzed data on puberty timing and adolescent depression for almost 5,800 children born in Hong Kong in 1997. For boys, the timing of genital development was unrelated to the presence of depression, researchers report in the journal Pediatrics. ”