Category: Mental Health
New restrictions on abortion care will have psychological harms
Research shows most women who have an abortion feel they made the right decision. Over 95% of women in a 2020 study reported that abortion was the right decision when looking back over five years
Taking the pill may change your behaviour – but exactly how is still uncertain
Naturally occurring hormones have a strong influence on behaviour. But less is known about the behavioural effects of synthetic hormones – like those in the pill.
Cognitive biases and brain biology help explain why facts don’t change minds
People form opinions based on emotions, such as fear, contempt and anger, rather than relying on facts. New facts often do not change people’s minds.
Rise in tics is caused by a known condition – and it’s not all due to TikTok
New tics in a teenager are hardly ever caused by Tourette’s. Usually, they are “functional tics” (involuntary rapid and repetitive movement and sound), which are one of many possible symptoms of functional neurological disorder.
Depression is probably not caused by a serotonin imbalance in the brain – new study
For three decades, people have been deluged with information suggesting that depression is caused by a “chemical imbalance” in the brain – namely an imbalance of a brain chemical called serotonin. However, our latest research review shows that the evidence does not support it.
White children are especially likely to be overdiagnosed and overtreated for ADHD, according to a new study
Among elementary school children who had shown above-average academic achievement, 27% of white children versus 19% of nonwhite children were later diagnosed with ADHD. About 20% of white children versus 14% of nonwhite children were using ADHD medication.
1 in 8 U.S. deaths from 2020 to 2021 came from COVID-19 – leaving millions of relatives reeling from distinctly difficult grief
More than 9 million Americans have lost a close relative to COVID-19, a dramatic rise in bereavement that makes them vulnerable to mental distress.
An online life coaching program for female physicians decreases burnout, increases self-compassion and cures impostor syndrome, according to a new study
The doctors who participated in this program went from highly to only mildly burned out, while their peers who were not in the program became even more burned out.
States Fight Student Mental Health Crisis With Days Off
States that mow allow students to take mental health days off include Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Virginia.
Child Suicides by Poisoning Rose During Pandemic, Studies Show
Suspected suicide attempts by young people ages 6-19 reported to U.S. poison centers increased 27% between 2015 and 2020.
Mental Health Resource Guide
The Public Health Communications Collaborative has developed a new directory of resources to help you communicate about this important public health issue all year. Our guide spotlights resources for public health and health professionals, parents and caregivers, employers and employees, youth, and anyone who is looking for general mental health information and guidance on how to connect with a mental health professional.
The Heard v. Depp trial is not just a media spectacle – it is an opportunity to discuss the nuances of intimate partner violence
Strip away the celebrity intrigue and media frenzy, and the high-profile court battle between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard involves issues painfully familiar to many women and men across America. intimate partner violence. IPV is experienced by an estimated 6.6 million women and 5.8 million men each year in the U.S.
These strategies and life hacks can help anyone with ADHD, as well as those who struggle with attention problems but don’t have a diagnosis
A simple organizational system can improve focus by providing a way to keep track of important activities. Ideally the system is centered on one tool, such as a notebook or phone app, assuming the phone is not too distracting.
Book Review: Unlocking the Mysteries of Pain
“What if chronic pain is neither a physical sensation nor an emotional state?” the author writes. “What if chronic pain is something else altogether: a memory?”
Why do teens engage in self-harm?
University of Washington clinical psychologists explain how to help teens reduce their emotional distress