Mental Health News & Features

It’s natural to worry about your baby. But pregnancy-related obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can take over your life. Learn how two women learned to manage symptoms of perinatal and postpartum OCD.

November 29, 2023 — New government data shows U.S. suicides hit another record high in 2022, but the numbers also contain good news about suicides among young people and about deaths in the U.S. overall.

November 27, 2023 — The number of patients with a ketamine prescription rose more than fivefold from 2017 to 2022.

November 17, 2023 — Highly successful cognitive processing therapy helps female veterans overcome PTSD.

October 23, 2023 — Following a Mediterranean diet may help people exposed to trauma limit how severe their posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are, a new study suggests.

October 12, 2023 — Even though humans need sunlight for optimal health, less than 20% of people get outside every day for fun activities or relaxation, according to the 2021 General Social Survey. Now the same smartwatch that records your steps and sleep can also track your time in the sunshine.

October 12, 2023 — The top state for mental health is Nebraska, according to new rankings based on things ranging from violent crime rates to air pollution. Rounding out the top five spots were Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Rhode Island.

September 27, 2023 — New research is showing that caring for a loved one with a mental illness exacts a tremendous toll.

September 21, 2023 — A new study suggests that suppressing negative thoughts may improve people’s mental health.

Psychedelics scientist Roland Griffiths, who helped return scientific rigor to the study of psychedelic substances like psilocybin and MDMA, died Monday at age 77. Just a few weeks ago, he discussed his cancer diagnosis and a new Johns Hopkins endowment for psychedelics, with Manish Agrawal, MD,

September 15, 2023 — People who drink two to three cups of coffee per day are the least likely to have anxiety or depression, compared to people who drink more or less of the popular beverage.

August 31, 2023 — Raging drivers, violent airline passengers, irate customers – we dismiss them as jerks, but experts say a little-known psychological disorder could be at play.

August 23, 2023 — Recent surveys suggest that our hopefulness is sorely lagging, and in some populations more than others. Learning hopefulness is not only a good skill to have; it could be lifesaving.

August 11, 2023 — In 2022, 49,449 people in the U.S. died by suicide. That’s the most suicides in a single year in U.S. history and marks a 2.6% increase over the prior year, according to new figures released by the CDC this week.

July 10, 2023 — A person’s memories of childhood abuse or neglect may have a stronger impact on subsequent mental health than the experience itself, says a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry.

July 6, 2023 — Loneliness, once considered a mere longing for connection, is gaining recognition from doctors and scientists as something much more dangerous: a risk for heart disease, dementia, certain cancers, and even death.

June 26, 2023 — Recent research shows that limiting social media use among teens can be challenging, but the benefits can be worth it.

June 14, 2023 — More people facing crises such as suicidal feelings, addiction, or abuse are choosing artificial intelligence systems such as ChatGPT for help. But are they really helpful? A new study offers some insight.

June 13, 2023 — Mount Sinai researchers used smartwatches to assess people’s resilience and well-being, the latest advance in a slowly growing field studying wearables for monitoring mental health.

May 25, 2023 — Researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago and their colleagues have found that their AI app appears to be useful in treating anxiety and depression.

May 24, 2023 — During the COVID-19 pandemic, young people experienced spikes in mental health difficulties, with girls taking a harder hit, particularly adolescents developing eating disorders, according to a report this week in JAMA Network.

May 23, 2023 — Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD, called on policymakers and technology companies to fund more research and make social media safer.

May 22, 2023 — Two new studies suggest that even when a person swallows something as potentially harmful as a razor blade or a magnet, a doctor's best course of action may be to let nature takes it course.

May 18, 2023 — A new report by Sapien Labs published this week used global data from 27,969 “Gen Z” young adults (ages 18-24) to focus on the possible relationship between childhood smartphone use and current mental health.

May 12, 2023 — New CDC data suggests that the teen mental health crisis is improving, with year-over-year mental health emergency room visits declining significantly from 2021 to 2022.

May 9, 2023 — Just as a teenager must be trained to drive a car before getting a driver’s license, young people should be trained in how to safely use social media, says the top U.S. organization for therapists and psychologists.

April 13, 2023 — During the first full year of the pandemic, the U.S. suicide rate increased more than in any year in the previous two decades, a new analysis from the CDC shows.

Exposure to violence, whether from police or elsewhere in the community, can cause health effects that last a lifetime.

March 8, 2023 — What to know about "rust out" -- which can lead to burnout -- and what you can do about it.

February 27, 2023 — Exercise can be more effective than therapy or medication when treating depression and anxiety, according to researchers in Australia.

February 8, 2023 — A recent study showed that nearly one-third of students worldwide said their mental health has worsened since returning to campus following the COVID-19 lockdowns.

January 23, 2023 — A national suicide and crisis hotline has been serving many more people since the call-in number switched to 988 last summer.

January 20, 2023 — Having one’s symptoms dismissed by a health care professional is sometimes called “medical gaslighting." Here's what to know about it.

January 11, 2023 — What some middle schools are doing to decrease phone usage among students.

December 15, 2022 — Young people are breaking generational thought patterns surrounding colorism despite making older generations “uncomfortable,” according to mental health professionals.

December 1, 2022 — In our new docu-series “Color by WebMD: WebMD’s Exploration of Race and Mental Health,” we’ll be diving into texturism and its impact on many Black and Latino people. We’ll also look at ways to gain more appreciation for your naturally beautiful coils and curls.

November 14, 2022 — In our new docuseries, “Color by WebMD: WebMD’s Exploration of Race and Mental Health,” we look more into the mental health implications of experiencing colorism, often from those closest to you, as well as how to overcome the trauma that can come along with these painful encounters.

November 2, 2022 — In our new docu-series, “Color by WebMD: WebMD’s Exploration of Race and Mental Health,” we’ll start off addressing colorism – the silent nemesis of people of color – and the costly mental health effects of dealing with this phenomenon.

Find out what mental health teletherapy services are available in Spanish.

There’s no magic answer to prevent suicide. The key is to somehow weather the emotionally turbulent storm instead of succumbing to the moment.

September 26, 2022 — Interactions with plants and nature, both indoors and outdoors, provided some benefits, which were shown by reduced depression, anxiety.

A recent surge in factitious disorder has taken place online, and it appears to be due largely to TikTok.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, 988 is a new way to call, text, or chat the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Find out what to expect.

Tech companies and research institutions are among those working on ways to flag subtle signs of suicide risk and alert a human to intervene. Find out about this approach to suicide prevention.

Self-harm can be scary, but it’s not the problem — it’s a symptom of big emotions under the surface.

Finding mental health help can be harder in rural areas. Find out more about where to find resources.

What mental health resources are available for people in prison? Get the facts.

Battered woman syndrome is a form of trauma. The psychological effects of living with constant abuse and control make it almost impossible for some women to leave their partners.

Find out why your therapist may not tell you what to do about a certain situation, depending on the type of therapy you get.