Improv: A new tool for boosting empathy in health care When health care workers have higher levels of empathy and compassion, it improves the quality of patient care and decreases the likelihood of practitioner burnout. Read More
Mental health training for line managers linked to better business performance, says study In a study of several thousand companies in England, mental health training for line managers was associated with organizational-level benefits, including lower levels of long-term mental health-related sickness absence and better business performance, customer service, and staff recruitment and retention. Read More
Mindfulness training may lead to altered states of consciousness, study finds Mindfulness training may lead participants to experience disembodiment and unity—so-called altered states of consciousness—according to a new study from researchers at the University of Cambridge. The results are published in PLOS ONE. Read More
Brain circuit discovery illuminates circadian rhythms, psychiatric disorders with seasonal flare-ups Harvard Medical School scientists have discovered a brain circuit that influences the ability to adapt to changes in day length, like those that occur from season to season or when traveling across time zones. Read More
Increasing trends found in suicidality and bullying across race and sexual identity Compared with their heterosexual peers, thinking about suicide, attempting suicide, bullying in school and cyberbullying are happening at least double the rates among lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) adolescents—with these trends increasing among Black LGB adolescents, according to Rutgers Health research. Read More
Can AI be used to help in suicide prevention? Exploring technology in the mental health space From diagnosing cancers to the development of new drugs, artificial intelligence is helping reshape health care in transformative ways. Read More
Grad student uses animation to create an online community for abuse survivors Nitya Mehrotra uses her skills as an animator to create more than just art—she's building a community. Read More
Study advances efforts to harness psilocybin’s mind-altering power to treat mental illness People who consume psilocybin-containing mushrooms—otherwise known as magic mushrooms—typically undergo a surreal experience in which their sense of space, time and self is distorted. Advocates have long argued that, under the right conditions, psychedelic experiences can alleviate mental distress, and a smattering of scientific studies suggests they may be right. Understanding precisely how the drug affects the brain will help scientists and doctors harness its therapeutic potential. Read More
Study shows multiple home moves during childhood can increase the risks of depression in later life People who experience a significant number of moves before the age of 15 are over 40% more likely to be diagnosed with depression in later life, a new study has shown. Read More
Attention parents: Your teens aren’t coping nearly as well as you think they are Most U.S. teens aren't always getting the social and emotional support they need, and most of their parents have no idea, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read More