Category: Mental Health
Can a psychedelic-induced mystical experience really improve your mental health?
Mystics once spent years meditating in caves in search of transcendence. Today, a growing number of people believe something similar can be reached in a single afternoon with the help of a psychedelic drug. Swallow a capsule of psilocybin or take a carefully supervised dose of LSD and you may encounter what many describe as one of the most meaningful experiences of their lives. Modern clinical trials appear to support this.
No gym or regular routine? Here’s how to stay fit over the holiday break
The festive season can throw our exercise routines out the window.
You might be staying somewhere different, with no access to a gym.
Maybe your yoga studio is closed or social sport is on a break.
Or you might just be too flat out with social events to find the time.
For some people, a break from pushing their bodies will be exactly what they need.
But others will want to keep up the fitness and strength they’ve been working on throughout the year – and some will crave the mental release.
Taking a drug like Ozempic? What you need to know about risks of suicidal thoughts and contraception failure
Australian health authorities recommend that if you’re taking GLP-1 medicines, you should tell your doctor if you experience new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or any unusual changes in mood or behaviour.
Wings, booze and heartbreak – what my research says about the hidden costs of sports fandom
The researchers found that fans consume more calories – and less healthy food – on the day following a loss by their favorite team, a reaction the researchers tied to stress and disappointment.
The growing fad of ‘microdosing’ mushrooms is leading to an uptick in poison control center calls and emergency room visits
Microdosing involves the ingestion of small quantities of psychoactive mushrooms, less than a regular dose and not in sufficient quantities to induce a “trip” or psychedelic experience, but to boost mood, creativity, concentration or productivity.
Medicaid cuts are likely to worsen mental health care in rural America
Medicaid cuts in the massive tax and spending bill signed into law earlier this month will worsen mental health disparities in those communities, experts say, as patients lose coverage and rural health centers are unable to remain open amid a loss of funds.
Dogs are helping people regulate stress even more than expected, research shows
Dogs aren’t just good company. They might just be one of the most accessible and effective tools for staying healthy in a stressful world.
Suicide Rates Remain Higher in Rural Areas, Study
Between 2018 and 2020, the suicide rate again increased across the country, but more so in rural areas, the researchers found. When looking at urban areas overall, researchers found that suicide rates averages about 14 suicides per 100,000. Looking at the overall rural area, average rates neared 20 per 100,000.
Online therapy as effective as in-person therapy, finds large study
We aren’t certain why remote care works, but one reason might be that the most important aspects of good therapy – things like building trust between patient and therapist, using evidence-based treatments and regular follow-up – can still occur online. In fact, for some people, meeting by video can make it easier to show up and feel comfortable.
Proposed Federal Cuts Put Rural Behavioral Health Resources on the Line
The proposed FY2026 Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) budget would cut nearly $1 billion and dozens of programs from SAMHSA following a March announcement that SAMHSA would be one of five agencies folded into a new, centralized Administration for a Healthy America. BCOR is one of the grants eliminated in the current budget proposal.
Five prescription drugs that can make it harder to cope with the heat
As temperatures rise, so does the risk of heat-related illness – especially for people taking certain prescription drugs.
Book Review: A Clear-Eyed Look at the Risks of ‘Diagnosis Creep’
Are normal differences among individuals being diagnosed as medical conditions?
Teachers and librarians are among those least likely to die by suicide − public health researchers offer insights on what this means for other professions
National and state data shows that educators in the U.S., including teachers, professors and librarians, are among the least likely to die by suicide.
Cutting Edge: The Cautious Optimism for Psychiatric Brain Surgery
Originally known as psychosurgery, this uncommon approach to mental health care involves operating on the brain to alter its function. After lobotomies left many vulnerable patients disabled in the mid-20th century, the practice lost momentum and acquired a stigma. But surgeons in the field continued to refine their techniques. Now, psychiatric neurosurgery, a more nimble descendent, has seen an uptick in the treatment of conditions like severe OCD, and — more rarely — treatment-resistant depression and anxiety.
‘Pandemic babies’ turn 5: Here’s what research tells us about their development and remarkable resilience
Given the effects early-life stress exposure has on a child’s development, many people worried the pandemic would create a generation of children who wouldn’t achieve their potential. But the most recent evidence suggests that pandemic babies are doing better than anyone expected.