People with a serious mental illness often have dysfunctional beliefs that spiral them downward. They feel stigmatized. They may believe people are out to get them. They might think they will never get better. Wanting to address these dysfunctional beliefs, researchers created a smartphone app with daily game-like exercises to…
Researchers boost human mental function with brain stimulation
In a pilot human study, researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital show it is possible to improve specific human brain functions related to self-control and mental flexibility by merging artificial intelligence with targeted electrical brain stimulation. Alik Widge, MD, Ph.D., an assistant professor of…
Better mental health supports needed for pregnant individuals during the pandemic, says study
Physician-researchers say more mental health supports are needed for pregnant individuals, after a survey found nearly three-quarters of individuals who had been pregnant during the pandemic reported moderate to high levels of distress, and one in five experienced depressive symptoms. The researchers, led by clinicians at Unity Health Toronto, surveyed…
Study links mental health with risk of tuberculosis
New research presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) taking place online (9-12 July) shows that individuals affected by mental illnesses including depression and schizophrenia experience an increased incidence of tuberculosis (TB). TB and mental illnesses are both urgent global health priorities with a…
Specialist trauma mental health services a necessity for UK healthcare staff after COVID
Almost 60% of UK frontline health and social care workers (HSCWs) experienced a mental health disorder during the first COVID-19 lockdown, with many of those surveyed suffering “very high rates of distress”, suggests a new study led by researchers at UCL and the University of Haifa, Israel. Given the significantly…
Layperson can reduce pregnant women’s depression as well as mental health professional
Perinatal depression has soared during the pandemic. But many mental health professionals are overwhelmed and can’t take on new clients. Good news comes from a new Northwestern Medicine study finding paraprofessionals generated similar reductions in depressive symptoms as mental health professionals when delivering a group-based cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention. The study…
Podcast: Avoiding burnout and tending to mental health as the pandemic runs into a second year
A new episode of our podcast, “Show Me the Science,” has been posted. At present, these podcast episodes are highlighting research and patient care on the Washington University Medical Campus as our scientists and clinicians confront the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been a year since the first COVID-19 cases started appearing…
As Demand for Mental Health Care Spikes, Budget Ax Set to Strike
HELENA, Mont. — When the pandemic hit, health officials in Montana’s Beaverhead County had barely begun to fill a hole left by the 2017 closure of the local public assistance office, mental health clinic, chemical dependency center and job placement office after the state’s last budget shortfall. Now, those health…
Lockdown loneliness, homeworking and financial worries impact mental health
New research has found that the first coronavirus lockdown saw more people reporting common mental disorders in the UK, but that mental health began to recover once the lockdown eased. As the UK enters a further period of restrictions, this analysis highlights the particular issues that impacted on the mental…
For Rural Youth, Mental Health Care Can Be Tough to Find
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 4, 2020 — While young Americans’ mental health appears to be getting worse, the places where help is needed most appear to have the fewest resources. A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that rural areas of the United States have fewer mental health services for…
Fewer older Korean Americans use mental health services
Nearly 30% of older Korean American immigrants fell within the category of experiencing mental distress, but only 5.7% had used professional mental health services according to a study conducted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work faculty Seunghye Hong. These findings bring awareness…