Recent posts
How Delta-8 THC Works, and Why Experts Are Worried About It
The New York Times By Dana G. Smith July 1, 2022 This popular cannabis product claims to be milder than regular marijuana. But is it legal? And is it safe? Over the past few years, you may have seen headlines about a drug called delta-8. Google searches for the term grew by more than 850 percent in... read more
The New York Times By Emi Nietfeld Dec. 31, 2022 Ms. Nietfeld is the author of a memoir, “Acceptance.” When I applied to college in the 2009-10 school year, I wasn’t worried about my grades or extracurriculars. Instead, I agonized over a dilemma that’s familiar to more students than ever as the Common Application deadline... read more
California Plans Deny Mental Health Claims Despite New Law
Bloomberg Law By Tiffany Stecker Dec. 21, 2022 More than two years after California passed a law to require more comprehensive mental health coverage, health insurance companies still appear to regularly deny claims for medically necessary treatment, a survey of state data shows. California regulators reversed 65% of contested claims for mental health coverage in... read more
The Washington Post By Frances Stead Sellers and Meena Venkataramanan October 10, 2022 Religious doctrine restricts access to abortion and birth control and limits treatment options for miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies The Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to abortion is revealingthe growing influence of Catholic health systems and their restrictions on reproductive services including birth control and... read more
The Washington Post By Richard Sima December 29, 2022 The buzz produced by alcohol comes from a cocktail of pharmacology and social ingredients, research shows Alcohol is one of the most-used drugs in the world. Millions of people enjoy the tipsy feeling it produces, especially in social gatherings where a little booze seems to make... read more
Suicidal thoughts are often hidden. Here’s how to talk about it.
The Washington Post By Stacey Freedenthal December 17, 2022 Dancer and ‘Ellen’ DJ Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss’s death has opened more conversations about suicide In Stephen “tWitch” Boss’s final Instagram video, a Christmas tree twinkles with white lights as the famous dancer and “Ellen” DJ fluidly bounces to an upbeat song. As he and his wife, Allison... read more
When Black Psychiatrists Reach Out to Teens of Color
The New York Times By Matt Richtel Dec. 13, 2022 In Atlanta, a team of mental health experts is bringing care to adolescents whose needs often go unaddressed and misunderstood. ATLANTA — Dr. Brittany Stallworth was in fifth grade when she received her first suspension. She and four girlfriends had worn lime-green shirts to school... read more
A world gone mad: Schizophrenia and a journey through California’s failed mental health system
Los Angeles Times By Thomas Curwen Dec. 8, 2022 Standing in the dappled sunlight of a Westside city park, Anthony Mazzucca was trying to make a point. The words flew out of him, like birds, a flock of words. He laughed at the thought. Yet he wondered whether he was being clear. No one —... read more
Cannabis Use in Pregnancy Linked to Preterm Birth
American Psychiatric Association Fri, Nov 18, 2022 Using cannabis while pregnant may raise the risk of preterm birth, a study in Addiction has found. “The findings further support the message provided by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that pregnant mothers should be encouraged to avoid cannabis use during [the] prenatal period,” wrote Bereket Duko, Ph.D., of Curtin University in... read more
Paranoia, voices, sleeplessness. What my psychotic break felt like.
The Washington Post By Danielle Huggins November 13, 2022 My bipolar meds made me gain weight, so I stopped taking them. That was a terrible mistake. I am under slept and overwhelmed. I’m in a London hotel room, at the beginning of a four-day trip that was too cheap to pass up. I am 25.... read more