282 Results
Mental Health Impacts of Increasingly Severe Storms: Lessons from the 2017 Atlantic Storm Season
The 2017 Atlantic storm season provides important lessons on the need to anticipate and prepare for the mental health impacts of increasingly severe weather events, according to new research presented here at the American Psychiatric Association’s 2019 Annual Meeting.
Microaggressions: Subtle, Pervasive, Harmful
As rapper and songwriter Kanye West stated in “Never Let Me Down:” “racism’s still alive, they just be concealin’ it.” The subtle, yet insidious, nature of “concealed” forms of discrimination has garnered increasing attention in popular media. Recent films and television shows such as “Get Out” and “Dear White People,” have showcased the occurrence and effects of microaggressions. Despite intermittent attention in news outlets, this pervasive form of discrimination is often misunderstood and cri
Body Dysmorphic Disorder and a Culture of Perfection
Body dysmorphic disorder is an obsessive-compulsive related disorder that has garnered some media attention recently. Contrary to the offhand way it sometimes referred to in the media, body dysmorphic disorder is a serious mental health condition with potentially severe consequences. Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are preoccupied with what they see as flaws in their physical appearance. They believe they look ugly or abnormal. These flaws are not noticeable to others or only seem to
Overtraining and Under Eating: Athletes at Risk of RED-S Syndrome
Regular exercise typically improves mood, promotes better sleep, and prevents health problems such as high blood pressure. However, if people exercise too much, as Katie Kirk did, they can experience a wide range of negative health effects.
Twelve-Step-Based Programs Effective for Substance Use Problems
Spiritual or religious based programs, such as those based on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, are effective for treating people with substance use disorders, according to the first systematic review of such programs. In the U.S., more than 20 million people 12 years and older (about 7.4%) have a substance use disorder and among 18-to-25-year-olds, 15% have a substance use disorder, according to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
Mental Health Education for Youth: Focus on Mental Wellness
Despite frequent media coverage, public understanding of health and mental health issues is still lacking, according to recent study in the Journal of Mental Health. Overall, they concluded that people are “equally and relatively poorly informed” about relatively common mental and physical health conditions. A new study finds that education efforts for teens that specifically focus on mental health and well-being, rather than mental illness, can help.
Study Finds Sharp Increase in the Number of Adults with Autism Receiving Disability Benefits
The number of adults with autism receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits has risen steadily in recent years, according to a recent new study published in Psychiatric Services. The study found that between 2005 and 2015, the number of adults with autism receiving SSI increased by nearly three-fold, significantly greater than the increase in SSI recipients with intellectual disability and other mental disorders.
Mental Health Resources for the Latino Community
There are more than 60 million Hispanic/Latino individuals in the U.S., making up about 18% of the population. Latinos have experienced disproportionate economic, physical, and mental health impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.
COP26: A Critical Juncture on Climate Change and Global Mental Health
All eyes are on the global leaders who are convening in Glasgow at COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference, to focus on strategies for cutting carbon emissions across the world. The risks and ongoing impacts of climate change are clear, summarized by The American Psychiatric Association’s position statement on the subject: “climate change poses a threat to public health, including mental health.”
LGBTQ Youth Face Mental Health Challenges: Social Support and Safe Spaces Make a Difference
More than four in 10 LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the past year, according to The Trevor Project’s third annual survey out last May. Meanwhile, nearly half (46%) of LGBTQ youth reported wanting psychological or emotional counseling from a mental health professional but were unable to receive it in.
APA Collaborates with YouTube to Develop Fact-based Mental Health Content; Receives “Accredited Health Educator” Label
Over the better part of a decade, health-related searches on social media platforms have increased exponentially. YouTube has more than 2 billion monthly logged-in users and every day, people watch over a billion hours of video and generate billions of views. To connect Americans with evidence-based information about mental health, the American Psychiatric Association has recently ramped up its efforts on this important platform.
New Study: Expatriates Experience Anxiety, Helplessness, When Traumatic Events Occur in Their Home Country
A new study presented today at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting found that traumatic incidents in their home countries can harm the mental health of expatriates months after the traumatic incident, regardless of how long they have been away from their country, and even if they did not witness the traumatic incident firsthand. The mental health impact was larger among female and younger expatriates.