U.S. Surgeon General’s Warning on Marijuana Use and the Developing Brain

• Addiction, Patients and Families

On August 29, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a new advisory on marijuana use and the developing brain. The advisory focuses on the dangers of marijuana for adolescents and for pregnant women. The statement from Surgeon General Vice Adm. Jerome Adams emphasized “the importance of protecting our Nation from the health risks of marijuana use in adolescence and during pregnancy. Recent increases in access to marijuana and in its potency, along with misperceptions of safety of marijuana endanger our

Workplace Stress Reduction Program Can Have Lasting Effects

• Depression, Patients and Families

Americans are feeling stress, anger and worry at the highest levels in a decade, according to a recent annual Gallup poll. Work can often be a big source of stress. Only about half of workers are comfortable talking with co-workers about mental health issues and about a third are concerned about retaliation if the seek mental healthcare, according to a recent national poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA). A new study finds that a workplace stress reduction program can have not on

Advanced Care Planning – It’s Not Just for Your Grandparents

• Patients and Families

Many people have heard of the term “advanced care planning.” Advanced care planning is the process of making and documenting decisions about the medical care you want to receive if you ever become unable to make medical decisions for yourself. However, it is a common misbelief that advanced care planning is meant only for people who are nearing the end of their life. Medical crises happen every day, leaving people either temporarily or permanently unable to make their own medical decisions. The

Teachers’ Mental Health and Well-being Linked to Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being

• Anxiety, Depression, Patients and Families

Teachers have important roles in the lives of the children they teach. That influence extends into the realm of mental health and well-being, according to research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. Researchers found that teachers’ mental health and well-being was associated with the mental health and well-being of their students.

Eating Healthy for Brain Health and Staying on Budget

We know that what we eat affects our physical health, but evidence continues to mount that what we eat significantly impacts our mental health also. For example, a healthy diet may be able to help prevent and treat depression, reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, and help maintain the mental health of children and adolescents.

Nationwide Holiday Mental Health Poll Reveals Americans are Worried about Contracting COVID, Missing Family Members and Procuring and Affording Gifts

According to a new poll, Americans are five times more likely to say their level of stress increases rather than decreases (41% to 7%) during the holidays. This year, top areas of concern are contracting COVID-19 during gatherings (38%), and finding (40%) and affording (46%) gifts. The unvaccinated are less worried than the vaccinated about contracting COVID-19 (28% to 43%). Additionally, nearly half of adults (47%) are anxious about missing family members around the holidays.

As Americans Emerge from Pandemic, Many Report Adopting Better Habits, While One in Five Are Smoking or Drinking More

As states lifted masking requirements and infection numbers dropped late this winter, the majority of Americans reported their mood was stable since January (64%) and that the pandemic either hadn’t changed their daily habits (49%) or had changed them for the better (26%). However, nearly three in 10 (28%) rated their mental health as merely fair or poor, and almost a fifth reported that they were smoking (17%) or drinking (18%) more.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Psychotherapy Outcomes

• Patients and Families

Artificial intelligence, the ability of a computer program or a machine to think and learn, is increasingly being used in many areas, including mental health treatment. A new study uses artificial intelligence to measure psychotherapy treatment and to examine links between specific aspects of the therapy and outcomes. This information could potentially lead to improvements in psychotherapy.

“Nowhere to Turn”: COVID-19 and Caregiver Stress

• Older adults, Patients and Families

“I need help, and I have nowhere to turn.” I find this a frighteningly common refrain among my patients who are also caregivers for people with dementia, autism, or children with a panoply of mental health conditions who need consistency and structure. As an individual psychiatrist, there seems to be no option, and I simply listen.

The Power of Pets for Your Well-being

• ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Depression

Most pet owners are well aware that pets make our lives better, but they can also help improve our health. Research continues to identify many ways pets help improve our health, including helping maintain mental health and well-being. More than two-thirds of us, about 68% of U.S. households, have a pet.

Practicing Gratitude to Boost Mental Well-being

• Patients and Families

Good mental health means emotional, social and psychological well-being, healthy relationships, effective functioning and productive activities, and an ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity. One approach that has been shown to foster mental well-being is focusing on gratitude. Many studies have found an association between being more grateful and a greater sense  of overall well-being.

Americans Embrace the Shift to Telehealth

• Patients and Families

About one in three U.S. adults (31%) have used telehealth services, according to a new poll* from the American Psychiatric Association. Almost three-quarters (72%) of those who have used telehealth services have done so for the first time in the past six months.