Mental Health

In 23 states and Washington, D.C., the nighttime driving restriction for unsupervised teens begins at midnight or later.

Most Nighttime Crashes With Teen Drivers Happen Before Midnight

4:28pm August 03, 2016

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Nighttime driving restrictions on teens may save lives, a study finds, but should probably be shifted to include late evening. A third of all fatal crashes with teen drivers happen after dark.

'Guilty But Mentally Ill' Doesn't Protect Against Harsh Sentences

1:25pm August 02, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

Jurors often are reluctant to acquit someone who committed a crime while mentally ill, or to find that person guilty. So they take a third option: guilty but mentally ill. It's far from perfect.

Prescribing of oxycodone and other opioid pain pills rose sharply after 2000.

Many More People Seek Medical Help For Opioid Abuse

12:56pm August 01, 2016

by Julie Appleby

Insurance claims for medical services related to opioid dependence rose more than 3,000 percent between 2007 and 2014, a study finds, suggesting that opioid problems have gone mainstream.

A Soldier-Scientist's Insights Expand Understanding Of Brain Injuries

7:57am August 01, 2016

by Jon Hamilton

Harvard researcher Kit Parker put his academic career on hold to serve in the Army in Afghanistan. When he returned from war, he made a discovery that changed our understanding of brain injuries.

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Invisibilia: He Mocked Celebrity, Then Came To Crave It Himself

11:23am July 29, 2016

by NPR Staff

This week the NPR program Invisibilia talks with a guy who despised our mindless worship of celebrities. So he devised an elaborate prank. It succeeded in ways he never would have anticipated.

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Eric Aniva told the BBC that he was hired by families to have sex with more than 100 young women, including children, in what was described as

Health & Safety

Malawi's 'Hyena' Men: Paid By Parents To Have Sex With Their Daughters

10:14am July 29, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

This week, a "hyena" man was arrested in Malawi for having sex with more than 100 women and girls, some as young as 12. We ask the experts to tell us more about this practice.

How Can Success Still Make You Feel Like A Failure?

9:20am July 29, 2016

by NPR/TED Staff

Writer Lidia Yuknavitch's early failures made her feel unworthy of success. Now, she says, those moments push her to find worth in herself as a writer.

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The 307-foot tower at the University of Texas at Austin was the site of mass murder 50 years ago Sunday.

Gun Violence And Mental Health Laws, 50 Years After Texas Tower Sniper

7:39am July 29, 2016

by Lauren Silverman

Trying to prevent gun violence by tying it to mental health legislation began in 1966 when a young gunman killed 16 people in Austin, Texas. But some believe the approach is misguided.

This undated photo was taken of John Hinckley Jr. in front of the White House. He attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in D.C. on March 30, 1981.

After Hinckley, States Tightened Use Of The Insanity Plea

4:40pm July 28, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

John Hinckley's not-guilty verdict prompted tighter restrictions on the insanity defense. Civil rights advocates say that means seriously ill people are imprisoned without adequate treatment.

Dr. Michael Frost demonstrates use of Probuphine, an implant that dispenses medication to treat opioid addiction.

Doctors Need A New Skill Set For This Opioid Abuse Treatment

12:58pm July 28, 2016

by Karen Shakerdge

Practicing surgery on a piece of pork — that's how some doctors are learning to implant a new drug that curbs opioid cravings. It's not a skill set typically used in addiction medicine.