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Treating pediatric psychiatric disorders with psychotropic drugs reduces later substance use disorder risk

One half of psychiatric and substance use disorders start by the age of 18; three-quarters by age 24. While these are concerning statistics, a new study from Massachusetts General Hospital finds that treating psychiatric disorders with psychotropic medications in children and adolescents does not increase the risk of developing substance use, misuse, or substance use disorder (SUD).

19 May 2022

How has COVID-19 affected maternal mental health?

Writing in the journal Reproductive Health, two researchers examine the unexpected impact of the virus on maternal mental health.

15 May 2022

Researchers warn against national strategies for a "new normal" of life with COVID-19

Researchers are warning U.S. leaders and health officials against national strategies for a "new normal" of life with COVID-19.

10 May 2022

National addiction treatment locator has outdated data and other critical flaws

At a psychiatric hospital in Michigan, Dr. Cara Poland's patients were handed a sheet of paper to find follow-up care. The hospital had entered local ZIP codes on a website — run by the nation's top substance use and mental health agency — and printed the resulting list of providers for patients to call.

9 May 2022

Study provides important insights into employee performance while working remotely

A research team from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health found that employee and company resiliency may be enhanced through the opportunity for employees to work remotely during natural disasters and other events that cause workplace displacement.

6 May 2022

Psychologists investigate the likelihood of individuals recovering and living a life after mental illness

University of South Florida (USF) psychologists are challenging stereotypes surrounding mental illness – finding that some conditions are not always chronic and can still allow for one to thrive.

4 May 2022

LA mayoral hopefuls agree addressing homelessness is crucial but disagree on how

As encampments multiply from Echo Park to Venice, homelessness has been the top issue in the L.A. mayoral race. And although Angelenos express broad support for building more housing for the homeless, the contenders say that can be only part of the solution.

29 Apr 2022

Researchers unravel why neuropsychiatric symptoms appear in Alzheimer's patients before memory loss

Researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine are studying why neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as apathy and irritability, appear in most Alzheimer's disease patients before the onset of memory loss.

28 Apr 2022

Analysis finds reductions in cigarette use among people with major depression, substance use disorder

Significant reductions in cigarette use were found among U.S. adults with major depression, substance use disorder, or both from 2006 to 2019, according to a new analysis of nationally representative survey data published today in JAMA.

26 Apr 2022

Nationwide collaborative effort launched to eliminate mental health and substance use disorder stigma

Together, with national experts across the country, Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah launched a nationwide collaborative effort to eliminate mental health and substance use disorder stigma.

25 Apr 2022

Study links shift work with poorer working memory and slower mental processing speed

Shift work is linked to poorer working memory and slower mental processing speed, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

9 Mar 2022

Study to examine the risks for brain disorders from repetitive head impacts in contact sports

Internationally-renowned researchers from Boston University and the University of California, San Francisco) are launching a new study, called the Head Impact & Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS).

7 Mar 2022

Calls to overhaul methadone distribution intensify, but clinics resist

Days typically start early for patients undergoing opioid addiction treatment at Denver Recovery Group's six methadone clinics in Colorado.

3 Mar 2022

$5 million federal grant helps establish innovative community-based behavioral health program at NYU Langone

To address the sharp rise in mental health challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, an innovative community-based behavioral health program is bringing novel peer-to-peer counseling, telehealth, advanced psychiatric care, and early intervention programs for youth and young adults to Southeast Brooklyn.

22 Feb 2022

‘Injections, injections, injections’: Troubling questions follow closure of sprawling pain clinic chain

On May 13 of last year, the cellphones of thousands of California residents undergoing treatment for chronic pain lit up with a terse text message: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, Lags Medical Centers will be closing effective May 19, 2021."

22 Feb 2022

Study reveals psychological benefits of COVID-19 vaccination beyond reducing disease severity

Getting vaccinated for COVID-19 measurably improved the psychological well-being of participants in the Understanding Coronavirus in America study, a large longitudinal look at the impact of the pandemic on individuals in the United States.

15 Feb 2022

Trauma centers expand care to treat patients with mental health and substance use disorders

Most patients who show signs of alcohol or opioid/stimulant drug use associated with injury now undergo screening and/or intervention in Level I and II trauma centers, according to national survey results.

14 Feb 2022

Researchers discover a molecular indicator and regulator of social isolation in female mice

As we have experienced during the COVID pandemic, loneliness, or perceived social isolation, is a major stress for social animals and increases the risk of various mental and physical health issues such as depression, substance abuse, obesity, and premature death.

9 Feb 2022

One in five young sexual minority men and transgender women may engage in transactional sex

About a fifth of young sexual minority males and transgender females are estimated to be engaging in transactional, or survival sex, according to results of a new survey study by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers.

25 Jan 2022

One in five young adults with substance use disorder may have undiagnosed autistic traits

One in five teens and young adults who seek treatment for alcohol or drug use may have traits characteristic of a previously unrecognized autism spectrum disorder (ASD), researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) report.