Lifestyle

Antidepressant Trials Often Exclude Patients Displaying Suicidality, Study Finds

Of all the antidepressant efficacy trials conducted between 1991 and 2013, just 1 explicitly included patients who presented with suicidality.

Pregnant Women With Depression More Likely to Use Cannabis

Women with depression are more than three times more likely to use cannabis during pregnancy compared with women without depression.

Low Dose Ketamine Accelerates Onset of Antidepressant Effect for Electroconvulsive Therapy

The researchers found that the onset of the ECT effect was accelerated by a dose of 0.3 mg/kg of ketamine, but the antidepressant effect was not enhanced.

Mental Health Concerns Arise Amid COVID-19 Epidemic

The COVID-19 epidemic has underscored potential gaps in mental health services during emergencies, while also testing the resilience of healthcare workers and medical systems.

The Biggest Diet Trend of 2020 Is Not a Diet

Since its inception, the practice of intermittent fasting has been linked to such benefits as increased lifespan, mitigation of chronic disease risk, and improvements in physical performance.

Opioid-Related Unintentional Deaths and Suicides Have Increased Since 2000

Between 2000 and 2017, unintentional deaths and suicides related to opioid use have increased substantially, whereas overall deaths from have decreased.

Short Term Treatments for Depression: Ketamine vs ECT

Ketamine may be a useful treatment option when there is an urgent need for symptom improvement and for patients with pre-existing cognitive impairments.

Insomnia During Pregnancy May Lead to Postpartum Anxiety, OCD

Women with insomnia were more likely to report prior or current depression than women without insomnia in the study.

Anxiety, Depression Higher in Patients With Atopic Eczema Compared With Other Chronic Diseases

Depression, anxiety, and reduced quality of life are seen more frequently in patients with atopic eczema—and these associations imply that it may be more than just a skin disease.

Depression Screening Lacking for Perimenopausal Women

Practicing gynecologists largely fail to screen women for symptoms of depression during perimenopause, according to a study published in Menopause.

Q&A With Former APA President Dr Steven Sharfstein: Suicides and Psychiatric Beds

Since the 1960s, the number of psychiatric beds in the United States has decreased dramatically as a result of the closure of the traditional asylum system and the shift to community-based mental health care.

Social Unrest in Hong Kong Places a Heavy Toll on Citizens’ Mental Health

There have been substantial increases in the rates of depressive symptoms, probable depression, and suspected post-traumatic stress disorder among civilians in Hong Kong following the start of widespread protests.

Study Finds No Direct Link Between Having an Abortion and Increased Suicide Risk

An increased risk of attempting suicide is present both before and after the abortion, suggesting that having an abortion is not the primary contributor to this risk.

Acupuncture Proved More Effective Than Standard Care in Reducing Radiation-Induced Xerostomia

True acupuncture is more effective than placebo and standard care in reducing the number and severity of radiation-induced xerostomia (dry mouth) symptoms at 1 year following treatment in patients with head and neck cancer.

Increase in Minimum Wage May Lower Suicide Rate

Among US adults with a high school education or less, an increase in the state-level minimum wage may reduce the suicide rate.

Yoga Has Positive Effect on Brain Structure, Function

Yoga has a positive effect on the structure and/or function of various brain regions and networks.

Physician Depression Symptoms Associated With Increased Risk for Medical Error

Results published in JAMA Network Open suggest that physicians with positive screening for depressive symptoms were at higher risk for making medical errors.

The Association Between Different Subtypes of Major Depressive Disorder and Migraine

Researchers found evidence for a divergent association between lifetime MDD and the prevalence and severity of symptoms in patients with migraine.

Four-Item Screening Tool Rapidly and Effectively Identifies Suicide Risk in Youths Visiting the ED

Positive results on the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) may be helpful for identifying youths admitted to the emergency department (ED) who are at risk for suicidal behaviors.

Gout and Depression: Is There a Link?

In recent years, researchers have investigated a potential link between gout and depression. We review clinical evidence on the subject.