Two in Five Americans Say Their Mood Worsens in Winter; 29% Say “Falling Back” Hurts Their Mental Health

As the nation “falls back” to standard time, Americans are twice as likely to say their mood declines in the winter (41%) as they are to say it improves (22%). But, as also found in the latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA), when spring comes around, 61% report feeling better.

November Is National Family Caregivers Month

• Healthy living for mental well-being, Older adults, Patients and Families

Day in and day out, more than 4 million family caregivers in the U.S. provide care for adult family and friends with chronic illnesses or other needs for assistance. National Family Caregivers Month offers an opportunity to raise awareness of the issues; celebrate their efforts and increase support for family caregivers.

Honoring Women’s Contributions to Psychiatry Research

All across the field of psychiatry, women make an impact every day in furthering our understanding of the brain and how to treat mental health and substance use disorders. In recognition of Women’s History Month, APA is highlighting six women whose research contributions have meant better outcomes for people with mental illness.

LGBTQ+ Mental Health and Participation in Sports

• LGBTQ+

Approximately 7-9% of youth identify as LGBTQ+, including 2% identifying as transgender. Well-established research shows LGBTQ+ persons are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression, substance misuse, disordered eating, homelessness, and suicide. Since youth participation in sports has been linked to better outcomes in academics, self-esteem, confidence, stress, anxiety, depression, and risky behavior engagement, it would seem to make sense to encourage LGBTQ+ people to participate in sports as o

APA’s 2024 Annual Meeting Made News: Don’t Miss Out on ’25!

Press covered over 500 sessions and interviewed experts on new research in psychedelics, substance use disorders, drugs/medications, and mood disorders.

APA Statement on Addressing Veteran and Refugee Mental Health in Evacuation from Afghanistan

Learn more about APA Statement on Addressing U.S. Veteran and Refugee Mental Health in Evacuation from Afghanistan at psychiatry.org

August Issues of American Psychiatric Association Journals Cover Use of Neuroimaging; Addressing Service Inequities in Underserved Groups

The August issues of two of the American Psychiatric Association journals, The American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Services, are available online. The American Journal of Psychiatry is the most widely read psychiatric journal in the world. The August issue offers a collection of articles on the use of neuroimaging and machine learning, highlighting both the potential to advance understanding and practice in psychiatry and limitations. Among the research featured in the August issue

Extreme Heat Contributes to Worsening Mental Health, Especially Among Vulnerable Populations

The extreme heat that much of thethe country is experiencing has significant impacts on mental health alongside serious physical health impacts. Some groups, including people with pre-existing mental health conditions, are especially vulnerable.

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

Sense of Smell, Memories and Emotions

• Older adults, Patients and Families, Serious mental illness, Trauma

Many people have had the experience of a familiar smell bringing up a memory or a feeling. That is just one of several ways our sense of smell is associated with mental health and emotions. Memories associated with a specific odor may be particularly strong. In writing about the relation of these odor-evoked memories to our mental health, psychologist Rachel Herz, Ph.D., concludes that “from numerous perspectives it is evident that the autobiographical memories and emotional associations that ar

Is Internet Use Changing Our Brains?

• ADHD, Depression, Patients and Families

It’s easy to see how much the internet has changed our lives. Most adults go online daily and more than one in four are online “almost constantly,” according to a recent Pew Research Center report. But is our extensive online activity affecting our brains? That is the question looked at in a recent study published in World Psychiatry.

Video-based Program Helps Reduce Anxiety

• Anxiety, Patients and Families

Technology is increasingly being used in many ways to help meet needs for mental health services and support. For example, apps can help track your mood or symptoms and can help connect you to providers or other support. Among the barriers that technology may help overcome are access to care, cost and stigma. Despite increased awareness and acceptance of mental health care, many people are reluctant to seek help.