APA Blogs
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Myths and Facts Concerning Abortions and Mental Health
The APA Council on Women’s Mental Health has put together a series of Myths and Facts everyone needs to know about abortion and mental health.
Mental Health and Faith Community Partnerships Can Help Improve Access to Care
For many people, faith or spirituality are strongly connected to their mental health and emotional well-being, though it may not be directly addressed within the faith community. According to a recent survey from APA, about 60% of adults say that faith or spirituality is an important factor in supporting their mental wellness. However, just half of those who belong to a religious community say that mental health is discussed openly and without stigma.
Olympian Mindset: The Role of Sports Psychiatry
- By Brook Choulet, M.D.
The journey to becoming an Olympian is as much a mental endeavor as a physical one. Behind every gold medal and record-breaking performance lies preparation, mental clarity, resilience, physical training, and sacrifices. Athletes face internal and external pressures from family and coaches to their self-criticism and strides toward perfection. These factors can ultimately lead to detrimental effects on performance. However, through optimizing their mental health and overall well-being, athletes can harness the strength of their minds, leading to mental clarity, focus, and record-breaking performances.
Marking Two Years of 988: The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Two years ago, on July 16, 2022, a new, easy-to-remember, three-digit number (9-8-8) to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline became available across the United States. The three-digit number provides easy access to crisis services for people with mental health and substance use issues and helps reduce the stigma surrounding these conditions. The 9-8-8 number is considered the 9-1-1 of mental health and substance use issues. The goal of 9-8-8 is to have 24/7 crisis call centers (someone to talk to), mobile crisis teams (someone to respond to crises), and crisis stabilization programs (somewhere to go).
Climate Cafés: A Resource to Help with Climate Distress
The multiple impacts of climate change are increasingly part of everyday discourse. These impacts weigh on the minds of many, and elicit several emotions, such as distress, worry, anxiety, sadness, and others as described in the Climate Mental Health Network’s Climate Emotions Wheel. In 2023, 64% of adults in the United States reported being worried about climate change, according to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication’s Climate Opinions Map. Meanwhile, other research suggests that a majority of youth are very or extremely worried about climate change.