Much ado about Wordle and mental health
Today’s Daily begins with a burning question: Is Wordle good or bad for your mental health? A youth behavioral health survey finds improvements in two states. And more.
Don's Latest Articles
Inside Baltimore’s Worst-in-the-Nation Overdose Crisis
Investigative reporters walk readers through what they found after a year of digging. Troubled 988 centers can look to Missouri for guidance. And more.
Will the FDA Open the Door to Psychedelic Therapy?
An FDA advisory panel today will launch a new era as it considers for the first time approving a psychedelic to treat a mental health condition. And a national mental health campaign enlists the power of 11 professional sports leagues.
Pharmacies and overdose reduction: Part of the problem, or the solution?
In the fight to reduce overdose deaths, pharmacies can be part of the solution. Instead, some experts say, many are part of the problem.
The Case for Hope
In a world of despair, Nicholas Kristof makes a case for hope. A new Youth Mental Health Corps aims to train hundreds of young adults starting this fall.
Are We Overdoing the Mental Health Talk?
Some researchers argue that too much talk about mental health can make it worse. College students’ requests for counseling have increased amidst the deadly conflict in Israel and Gaza – and the contentious campus protests. And more.
For Mental Health Awareness Month, a batch of new surveys
In time for Mental Health Awareness Month, lots of new surveys are out. The findings aren't encouraging. Plus, why depression can make it hard to bathe.
Philanthropy’s ‘Uneasy Journey’ to Supporting Behavioral Health
A secret algorithm may (incorrectly) classify your addiction risk. And foundations are grappling with how to boost funding for mental health programs.
Legalized marijuana and teenage use
How did legalization of marijuana affect use by adolescents? Not the way you might think. And a comprehensive new report documents – once again – the failure of health insurers to equitably cover mental health.
Is Social Media Really Mental Health’s Public Enemy No. 1?
Social media gets a lot of blame for kids' poor mental health – including in Jonathan Haidt's new book. Does the evidence support the contention? And two big reasons it's hard to find a therapist.
Doggie Prozac Is On the Rise. What Does it Mean?
Dogs are being prescribed more psychiatric meds than ever, and that may say more about our mental health crisis than theirs. And a new report looks at spirituality and mental wellbeing. Its conclusion: to have better wellbeing, love more people.
Why Do We Expect People to ‘Stay Clean’ to Get Mental Health Services?
Many mental health programs require people to get and stay clean of drugs and alcohol. A social worker says that's a bad idea. The federal Medicaid agency is chided for not enforcing parity rules in eight states. And more.
Private equity-backed methadone clinics fight efforts to expand access to the lifesaving drug
Private equity-backed clinic chains are lobbying Congress to preserve methadone clinics' exclusive right to dispense methadone. Also, the country's in a COVID-related funk, a quarter of U.S. kids have a mental health condition, and more.
How Can Endless Trauma Even Be Measured?
Better tools are needed to describe the never-ending trauma experienced by Gazans that Western measures label simply PTSD, a Palestinian-American professor says.
Suicide Rising Among Women Veterans
A report shows a sharp rise in suicides by female veterans, and inadequate VA services to prevent them. A new study in twins shows the impact of trauma in childhood while controlling for genetic factors.
Measuring Mental Health on Earth and Mars
A survey of global mental health finds that people everywhere are still stuck at pandemic-level lows – and young people are faring worst. And a look at the “psychological torment” that would accompany any mission to Mars.
The Addiction Story Everyone Should Hear
What if everyone with a drug problem was involved in a free comprehensive, long-term recovery program? Plus, Arizona's 988 success story. More than half of mental health appointments are now remote. And more.
A Resource Guide for Black Mental Health
A resource guide for Black mental health was timed for Black History Month, but it’s relevant all year round. And some therapists are moving their work outside to take advantage of the salubrious effects of nature.
Listening to the Voices of Hotline Counselors
Crisis line counselors are used to listening, but their voices are rarely heard. Until now. A journalist who covers addiction – and is in recovery – describes how she managed the risk of relapse when she needed opioids after surgery.
A Former Hotline Counselor ‘Hands the Mic’ to Call-takers to Amplify Their Voices
The author of a survey of crisis hotline counselors talks about his experiences and why he wanted to tap into the wisdom of the people who answer calls to 988.
The importance of showing up
A Jewish ritual dating back two millennia teaches us to connect with people in pain, and people in pain to connect to us. And the massive shortage of therapists is stoking interest in alternative approaches.
MLK Jr. and Mental Health
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have turned 95 today. As we celebrate his legacy of leadership in the fight for social justice, it's also worth thinking about his experiences with mental health.
A bold editorial spells out the need to change U.S. approach to addiction
A comprehensive story about what it would take to treat addiction. The nightmare of children traumatized by the Israel-Hamas war has only just begun. Online sports betting is creating a new epidemic of addiction on college campuses.
The Power and the Toll of Caregiving
How to care for yourself when you're taking care of a loved one. Who's blocking syringe exchange centers. And more.
Revisiting Mass Shootings and Mental Illness
A researcher comments on her team study that found most mass shooters are mentally ill, contrary to popular belief. Holiday suicide myths. And more.
