Tag: mental health

Buffalo Suspect, Lonely, Isolated—and a Sign of Trouble

CONKLIN, N.Y.—In the waning days of Payton Gendron’s COVID-19-altered senior year at Susquehanna Valley High School, he logged on to a virtual learning program in economics class that asked: “What do you plan to do when you retire?” “Murder-suicide,” Gendron typed. Despite his protests that it was all a joke, the bespectacled 17-year-old who had…


Capitol Report (May 16): Bezos accuses White House of misleading on inflation; Tangled Roots of Shooting

The FDA gives an update on the baby formula shortage. What’s their plan for recovery and when can we expect to see those shelves stocked again? After 10 people died in a mass shooting in Buffalo over the weekend, Republicans and Democrats are showing further signs of division. Clinical psychologist and Oregon candidate for Congress…


Buffalo Supermarket Shooting Suspect Was Questioned After Threat Last Year

BUFFALO, N.Y.—A teenager who allegedly killed 10 people in a shooting at a western New York grocery store had been taken into custody last year and given a mental health evaluation after making a threat at his high school, authorities said. New details, including the previous threat, emerged on Sunday that provided a fuller portrait…


Fish Oil and Depression

Can Omega-3 Fatty Acids Stabilize Mood and Combat Depression? We all have fat on the brain. Amazingly enough, more than half of the brain’s dry weight comes from fat. Some of these fats are the key building blocks of cell membranes and play essential roles in the brain’s function. Omega-3 fatty acids, for example, help…


The Epidemic No One Wants to Talk About

Katie Meyer had her whole life ahead of her. A senior at one of the most prestigious universities in the world—Stanford—the 22-year-old was also a soccer star. A goalkeeper and captain of her team, Meyer’s excellence on and off the field helped Stanford defeat North Carolina 5–4 to win the women’s College Cup national championship…


How to Boost Brain BDNF Levels for Depression Treatment

There is accumulating evidence that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be playing a role in human depression. BDNF controls the growth of new nerve cells, and “so, low levels [may explain the] atrophy of specific brain areas… [you see] among depressed patients.” That may be one of the reasons exercise is so good for our…


Ashley Judd Talks About Mental Health After Mother’s Death

NASHVILLE, Tennessee—Ashley Judd encouraged people to seek help for their mental health and talked about her grieving process after the loss of her mother, country star Naomi Judd. In an interview aired on “Good Morning America” on Thursday, the movie star said she wanted to address her mother’s struggle with depression. Judd said she was…


Daughter Beguiled Into Believing She Was Male, Took Hormones: Mother Discusses Her Child’s Detransition

A week before Emma* turned 18, she told her family that she was a boy. “We were really sceptical,” said her mother, Judith Hunter, “She had no history of gender dysphoria, and she was at the end of three years of very poor mental health.” Despite the family’s objection, Emma visited a gender clinic in…


Good Neighbors Found to Be Important for Good Mental Health

Researchers from Australia have discovered through a nationally-representative survey that living in community-minded neighbourhoods can have a major impact on a person’s mental health. A survey undertaken by Australian National University (ANU) which monitored over 3000 people during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, showed that the social relationships provided within good neighbourhoods protect residents against anxiety,…


The Problematic Overprescription of Psychiatric Drugs

The use of antidepressants and antipsychotics has skyrocketed among children, adults, and the elderly—a trend seen long before the COVID-19 pandemic. One in six Americans now takes a psychiatric drug and many are on drug “cocktails,” with drugs added to treat the side effects of other drugs. Some people have been on the drugs or…