Mental Health

An abrupt spike in suicide deaths among students in the Clark County School District has officials in the Las Vegas district wondering if pressures brought on by the coronavirus pandemic might have been part of what fueled the increase.

Child Psychiatrists Warn That The Pandemic May Be Driving Up Kids' Suicide Risk

3:49pm February 02, 2021

by Rhitu Chatterjee

A cluster of suicides in Las Vegas, plus a troubling rise in youth suicide attempts observed in ERs nationwide, is raising fears that the pandemic is fueling a children's mental health crisis.

If your child tells you they're thinking of wanting to end their life, how do you help? Number one, don't panic. Suicide is preventable. Here's advice for helping young people in crisis, from people who've lived through it.

Health & Safety

Make Space, Listen, Offer Hope: How To Help A Child At Risk Of Suicide

10:24am February 02, 2021

by Rhitu Chatterjee

If a young person says they want to end their life, how do you help? First, don't panic. Suicide is preventable. Here's advice for helping young people in crisis, from people who've lived through it.

How Poverty Makes Workers Less Productive

6:31am February 02, 2021

by Greg Rosalsky

A new study adds to the growing mountain of evidence that says that poverty impairs people's ability to think.

What We Lose When We Lose Acquaintances

4:28pm February 01, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Amanda Mull, a staff writer for The Atlantic, about what we lose when we no longer have relationships with the peripheral people in our lives due to the pandemic.

Naked mole rats are very communicative creatures, they quietly chirp, squeak, twitter or even grunt to one another. The scientists wanted to find out whether these vocalizations have a social function for the animals – and found that each colony has its

Friend or Foe? Naked Mole Rats Can Tell By A Unique Squeak

8:35pm January 28, 2021

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A new study shows that naked mole rats speak with distinct dialects that appear to be learned — and reveal what group they belong to.

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A skier ascending in Jackson, Wyo., in February. The Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020 requires the Department of Veteran Affairs to investigate outdoor recreation as a recognized form of therapy.

New VA Program Investigates Outdoor Therapy For Veterans

5:13am January 27, 2021

by Dustin Jones

The Department of Veterans Affairs will create a task force charged with researching the benefits of outdoor recreation in an effort to help reduce veteran suicides.

Biden Administration Criticized For Delay In Tackling Opioid Crisis

6:26pm January 26, 2021

by Brian Mann

More than 200 Americans are dying from drug overdoses daily. Now the Biden administration faces criticism for reportedly delaying a Trump administration policy widely seen as a way to help save lives.

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Outdoor Zumba Classes Bring Joy To Some New Yorkers During The Pandemic

4:22pm January 26, 2021

by Sally Herships

The pandemic and contentious national politics have left many Americans disheartened. Some are turning to little things to find joy. For one group of New Yorkers, that's outdoor Zumba classes.

Suzan Mubarak and her boyfriend, Mitch Domier, live only a few miles apart in Bozeman, Mont., yet the pandemic has limited their ability to see each other in person.

Health & Safety

The Pandemic Made Their Love Long Distance — From Just A Few Miles Apart

9:04am January 26, 2021

by Katheryn Houghton

Everyone is trying to figure out how relationships work in the pandemic. That includes a couple keeping their love alive, ever since their group homes for adults with disabilities went into lockdown.

Experts Express Concerns Over Mental Health Of Some Kids In The Pandemic

7:36pm January 25, 2021

by Rhitu Chatterjee

A year into the pandemic, emergency rooms nationwide are seeing a rise in kids experiencing mental health crises. Educators and doctors are concerned that many of those kids are turning to suicide.

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