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Mental Health News
- What Is 'Rust Out' and What Can You Do About It?
March 8, 2023 — What to know about "rust out" -- which can lead to burnout -- and what you can do about it.
- Exercise Is Top Treatment for Depression, Anxiety: Study
February 27, 2023 — Exercise can be more effective than therapy or medication when treating depression and anxiety, according to researchers in Australia.
- Cutting Down on Social Media Brings Quick Boost to Teens' Self-Image
February 23, 2023 — Researchers estimate that youth spend about six to eight hours each day on screens -- and a lot of that time is spent on social media sites.
- Student Mental Health Week Focuses on Rates of Stress, Anxiety
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.
- Americans Getting More Comfortable Talking Over Mental Health With Doctors
February 8, 2023 — A new study finds Americans are increasingly turning to their primary care doctors for mental health care.
- New Mental Health Crisis Hotline Sees Surge in Calls
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.
- Medical Gaslighting: When the Doctor Dismisses Your Concerns
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.
- Powering Down Cellphone Use in Middle Schools
January 11, 2023 — What some middle schools are doing to decrease phone usage among students.
- Frequent Social Media Checks May Affect Young Brains
January 4, 2023 — A new study examines whether frequent checking of social media sites (Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat) is associated with changes in functional brain development in these early adolescents, about age 12.
- Young People Break Generational Norms Around Colorism
December 15, 2022 — Young people are breaking generational thought patterns surrounding colorism despite making older generations “uncomfortable,” according to mental health professionals.
- Your (Afro-Textured) Hair Is Beautiful: The Trauma of Texturism
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.
- Schools Teaching Mindfulness, Meditation to Help Lower Stress
November 18, 2022 — Meditation and mindfulness programs are now being used in some schools , from elementary through high school, to help children ease their anxiety. Advocates say it’s the remedy for mental health ills; critics say more scientific research is needed.
- Mental and Emotional Effects of Colorism Are Often Hidden
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.
- Five Tips on Taking a Mental Health Break From College
November 11, 2022 — Many students are considering taking time away from school to tend to their mental health - and it is something that should be encouraged, experts say.
- Colorism: How Skin Color, Race Create a Toxic Mix for Health
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.
- Surgeon General: 'Toxic Workplaces' Take Toll on Worker Health
October 21, 2022 — U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy released a report on Thursday that links low wages, discrimination, harassment, overwork and long commutes to physical health conditions, including cancer and heart disease.
- U.S. Suicide Rate Rose in 2021 After 2 Years of Decline
September 30, 2022 — The number of people in the United States who died by suicide increased 4% in 2021 compared to the previous year, the National Center for Health Statistics reported.
- Dogs Can Smell When We're Stressed
September 29, 2022 — Dogs can detect when we are stressed, say the researchers behind a new study.
- Plants and Nature Can Improve Your Mental Health
September 26, 2022 — Interactions with plants and nature, both indoors and outdoors, provided some benefits, which were shown by reduced depression, anxiety.
- New Book Brings Information, Hope, to People with Mental Illness
September 7, 2022 — A new book -- You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health – With Advice from Experts and Wisdom from Real Individuals and Families -- by Ken Duckworth, MD, challenges the stigma that surrounds mental illness and educates the public about what it feels like to have mental health challenges.
- Mental Health on Campus: Situation Grim, but Not Hopeless
August 29, 2022 — Mental health issues among college students have increased by nearly 50% since 2013, one large study shows, now affecting 3 of every 5 students. Other researchers have found that the pandemic definitely contributed to a heavier toll on college students’ mental health.
- Social Media Posts Criticize the New 988 Suicide Hotline
August 11, 2022 — The July launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was celebrated by many mental health providers and advocates, but it triggered concerns, too, from people who say using the service could lead to increased law enforcement involvement or forced hospitalization.
- The Truth Behind ‘Go Ask Alice’
August 3, 2022 — New book further details fraud behind 1970s bestseller.
- Pop Star Shawn Mendes Cancels Tour to Focus on Mental Health
July 28, 2022 — Pop Singer Shawn Mendes has cancelled his “Wonder” tour so he can focus on his own mental health.
- Lack of Treatment Access Blamed for Higher Overdose Death Rates
July 20, 2022 — As drug overdoses reach record highs across the U.S., disparities in access to treatment have led to higher death rates among Black Americans and Native Americans, according to a new CDC report.
- Eat Fruit to Help Fight Depression, Be Wary of Savory Snacks
July 18, 2022 — People who frequently eat fruit are less likely to report symptoms of depression, according to a new study, which found that how often people ate fruit was more important than how much they ate.
- Digital Mental Health Companies Draw Scrutiny and Growing Concerns
July 8, 2022 — Consumers who have trouble getting in to see a therapist are turning to online behavioral health providers that offer quick access. But there’s limited research on their effectiveness.
- Fit Kids More Likely to Stay Mentally Sharp with Age: Study
June 27, 2022 — Exercise is crucial not just for a healthy body but for a healthy brain – and we may need to start as far back as early childhood, Australian researchers say.
- Biden Boosts LGBTQI Protections, Bans Conversion Therapy
June 15, 2022 — President Joe Biden issued an executive order today banning conversion therapy and offering other LBGTQI+ protections as part of White House efforts to advance equality during Pride Month.
- Using Mental Health Team, Not Cops, on 911 Calls Lowers Crime
June 14, 2022 — Researchers evaluated a pilot program in Denver where dispatchers do not send police to certain low-level, non-violent calls to 911.
- Washington State Students to Get Mental Health Days Off From School
June 9, 2022 — Washington state students will be able to take mental health days off from classes at the start of the new school year. A new state law and rules will allow excused absences for kids with symptoms related to mental illness, challenges with their mental health condition, and for mental health appointments.
- Selena Gomez Shares Mental Health Journey at White House
May 20, 2022 — Actress and singer Selena Gomez shared her mental health journey at the White House on Wednesday, encouraging others to share their stories and help shift the cultural narrative from awareness to action.
- Study Shows Mediterranean Diet Helps Young Men With Depression
May 11, 2022 — Young men with a poor diet reported a decrease in symptoms of depression when they switched to the Mediterranean diet compared to young men who underwent befriending therapy, a new study shows.
- Adapting a Zero Suicide Approach to Native Communities
May 2, 2022 — While Native Americans have high suicide rates and unique cultural challenges, programs aimed at prevention have seldom been designed for their specific needs.
- Amber Heard’s Diagnosis: What Is Histrionic Personality Disorder?
April 29, 2022 — A psychologist testified that Heard has both borderline personality disorder and histrionic personality disorder. Heard has said she has posttraumatic stress disorder.
- Inflation Concerns May Mean More Anxiety, Depression
April 26, 2022 — With inflation at a 40-year high, people may be grappling with financial concerns that could lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.
- Clues Your Teen May Be Facing a Mental Health Challenge
February 8, 2022 — Signs your teen may be facing a mental health challenge.
- Shifting State Rules Keep Telepsychiatry Patients in Limbo
January 24, 2022 — If access to psychiatrists and psychologists disappears for out-of-state patients, all will be forced to find new professionals to treat them. In essence, it will mean starting their mental health treatment from scratch.
- Teens On Social Media Too Much? What Experts Want You to Know
January 13, 2022 — While there are positive aspects to social media, there's evidence it can pose risks to teens' mental health.
- Work Email Intruding On Time Off Can Be Bad for Your Health
December 21, 2021 — Some people feel pressure to respond to emails 24/7 -- even during vacations and holiday breaks. A new survey offers fresh evidence of the toll this can take on your health.
- Instagram Introducing New Safety Tools for Teens
December 7, 2021 — Instagram announced new safety features for the photo-sharing app on Tuesday, one day before the company’s top executive goes before a Senate committee to face questions about Instagram’s effect on young people’s mental health.
- 'Magic Mushroom' Drug Edges Toward Mainstream Therapy
December 6, 2021 — Psychedelic therapy focused on psilocybin has received new interest as a potential treatment against anxiety, depression and other mental illness.
- Britney Spears' Freed From Conservatorship
November 12, 2021 — A judge in Los Angeles on Friday ordered the end to the conservatorship that for years has limited the pop singer’s freedom over her own finances.
- Suicide Rates Declined in 2020, But Not for All Groups, CDC Says
November 3, 2021 — After 2 decades of rising suicide rates in the U.S., the number of deaths by suicide declined in 2020 for the second year in a row, according to preliminary data published Wednesday by the CDC.
- Liar, Liar: Chronic Fibbers Are Rare, Study Reveals
November 1, 2021 — Amid the flurry of "fake news" and misinformation, it turns out there are very few chronic liars. See more from a new study.
- Are Grit and Resilience Real? And How Do You Get Them?
October 22, 2021 — Besides a history of handling tough times, optimism and confidence are other traits associated with resilience.
- How 1.3 Million Americans Became Controlled by Conservatorships
October 18, 2021 — Most guardianships are run by family members and benefit the person who's been placed under one.
- 20 Years Later, 9/11 Still Haunts New York Doctors
September 10, 2021 — Three emergency medicine doctors share their experiences and the lessons they learned in the twenty years after the 9/11 attacks.
- Annoyed When Watching Others Fidget? You're Not Alone
September 3, 2021 — If other people's fidgeting makes you anxious, you may have a condition called misokinesia, which means "hatred of movements." And it's more common than you might think.