Mental Health

Brain imaging experiments found patterns associated with attention span.

A Peek At Brain Connections May Reveal Attention Deficits

7:19pm November 23, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

By assessing the strength of certain connections in the brain with an MRI test, researchers were often able to tell whether children and adolescents had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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Addiction counselor John Fisher says prescriptions for medicines to help people wean themselves from opioid drugs are part of the appeal of the clinic he operates in Blountville, Tenn.

When Drug Treatment For Narcotic Addiction Never Ends

8:12pm November 20, 2015

Medicines that help users wean themselves from opioid drugs can be prescribed in a doctor's office or clinic. But some clients question whether the clinics always have their best interests at heart.

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Was it good for you? Yes, as long as we're doing it at least once a week.

Is Sex Once A Week Enough For A Happy Relationship?

12:37pm November 18, 2015

by Nancy Shute

A study of thousands of people, most in committed relationships, finds that having sex about once a week correlates best with happiness and well-being. More didn't turn out to be better.

Top Silicon Valley High Schools Respond To Rising Suicide Rate

7:19pm November 17, 2015

At two top-tier high schools in Palo Alto, Calif., the suicide rate is four times higher than the national average over the last 10 years. NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Hanna Rosin, who's reported for The Atlantic, on what might be behind the trend and how the schools are responding.

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Yolanda Roberson, who directs the Empowerment program, teaches a class at a Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx. The classes are funded by the state of New York.

To Prevent Addiction In Adults, Help Teens Learn How To Cope

3:56pm November 12, 2015

by Elaine Korry

Many people who become addicted to drugs, tobacco or alcohol start using as teenagers. So more effort is being put into helping teenagers stop before they get in too deep.

The drug sold as K2, spike, spice or "synthetic marijuana" may look like dried marijuana leaves. But it's really any of a combination of chemicals created in a lab that are then sprayed on dried plant material.

Surge In Use Of 'Synthetic Marijuana' Still One Step Ahead Of The Law

1:58pm November 12, 2015

by Hansi Lo Wang

Outlawing more than a dozen cannabinoids — chemicals concocted in labs and sprayed on leaves to create this risky street drug — hasn't stopped the problem. Chemists just make new versions.

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For it to work, you have to do it. And doing can be difficult when depressed.

Depressed? Look For Help From A Human, Not A Computer

10:24am November 12, 2015

by Lynne Shallcross

Researchers asked people with depression to use an online cognitive behavioral therapy program at home. It helped no more than primary care visits. Most said they were too depressed to use it.

"How is it that we spend more time taking care of our teeth than we do our minds?" — Guy Winch

Is It Possible To Put A Band-Aid On A Bad Feeling?

9:59am November 06, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Psychologist Guy Winch makes the case for practicing emotional hygiene — taking care of our emotions with the same diligence we take care of our bodies.

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"I've found a way to love my depression. I love it because it has forced me ... to cleave to the reasons for living." — Andrew Solomon

Why Is It So Hard To Talk About Depression?

9:59am November 06, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Writer and psychologist Andrew Solomon describes how he hid from — and eventually confronted — his own serious depression.

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"I know for myself, I have a very colorful personality, rich ideas, and just a lot going on in my mind. But there's a gap between where that stands, and how I communicate it with the rest of the world." — Alix Generous

How Do Stereotypes Of Mental Health Affect Us?

9:59am November 06, 2015

by NPR/TED STAFF

Twenty-three-year-old Alix Generous describes her years-long journey through misdiagnosis in the mental health system and how it affected her sense of confidence and self-worth.

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