Mental Health

Kristen Clifford's husband, Steve Clifford, died in May 2017. She says he was worried he would lose his job if his colleagues knew he was struggling mentally.

National

After Husbands' Suicides, 'Best Widow Friends' Want Police Officers To Reach For Help

11:35am June 09, 2019

Nicole Rikard, Kristen Clifford, Erin Gibson and Melissa Swailes were all married to officers who killed themselves. They want to end the stigma of police asking for help when facing mental illness.

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Thor Ringler (right) interviewed Ray Miller (left) in Miller's hospital room at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, Wis., in April. Miller's daughter Barbara (center) brought in photos and a press clipping from Miller's time in

Health & Safety

Storytelling Helps Hospital Staff Discover The Person Within The Patient

7:00am June 08, 2019

by Bram Sable-Smith

VA hospitals are recording patients' life stories to help strengthen understanding between patients and their caregivers. Including such stories in medical records may even improve health outcomes.

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The best help for patients struggling with addiction, eating disorders or other mental health problems sometimes includes intensive therapy, the evidence shows. But many patients still have trouble getting their health insurers to cover needed mental heal

'Mental Health Parity' Is Still An Elusive Goal In U.S. Insurance Coverage

5:00am June 07, 2019

by Graison Dangor

The Affordable Care Act and other U.S. laws sought to put insurance coverage for mental health conditions on equal footing with coverage for physical conditions. But patients say that's not happening.

A California two-spot octopus extends a sucker-lined arm from its den. In 2015, this was the first octopus species to have its full genetic sequence published.

Why Octopuses Might Be The Next Lab Rats

5:29pm June 03, 2019

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Move over, fruit flies, rats and zebrafish. Squid and octopuses have elaborate brains and behaviors, and scientists say studying them in the laboratory could yield important biological insights.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound that can be extracted from marijuana or from hemp. It doesn't get people high because it doesn't contain THC, the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant.

As CBD Oils Become More Popular, The FDA Considers Whether To Set New Rules

2:45pm May 31, 2019

by Allison Aubrey

The marijuana and hemp extract has been touted as a way to ease anxiety and inflammation, despite limited science. Now, the FDA is holding its first public hearing on cannabidiol.

A file photo shows the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. Dr. Anthony Rostain, co-author of The Stressed Years of Their Lives, says today's college students are experiencing an "inordinate amount of anxiety."

College Students (And Their Parents) Face A Campus Mental Health 'Epidemic'

8:25pm May 28, 2019

by Terry Gross

Anthony Rostain and B. Janet Hibbs say college students today face an "inordinate amount of anxiety" — but parents can help their kids cope. Their book is The Stressed Years of Their Lives.

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A young man in Vermont allegedly had plans to shoot people at his former high school — plans that were foiled because the system worked.

This Teen Planned A School Shooting. But Did He Break The Law?

7:39pm May 28, 2019

In 2018, Jack Sawyer told police he wanted to set a new record: highest death count for a school shooter. He was arrested, but the courts had to decide whether Sawyer's plan was even a crime.

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Participation in team sports as a teen may help protect against the long-term mental health effects of childhood trauma.

Health & Safety

Playing Teen Sports May Protect From Some Damages Of Childhood Trauma

4:43pm May 28, 2019

by Susie Neilson

For teens who've experienced childhood trauma, playing team sports may help them avoid depression and anxiety later in life. But the cost of teen sports puts them out of reach for many could benefit.

Volunteers help pay for and disseminate overdose kits, including the overdose antidote, naloxone, in Summit County, Ohio. The costs of battling the addiction crisis are a burden on many local municipalities.

Health & Safety

Cities And States Look To Big Pharma To Cover Costs Of The Opioid Epidemic

10:10pm May 27, 2019

by Brian Mann

The pharmaceutical industry is facing hundreds of lawsuits around the country from state and local officials, who want the industry to help pay to tackle the opioid epidemic.

Outside of military contexts, many therapists are not familiar with treatment options for trauma recommended by the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Health & Safety

Not Just For Soldiers: Civilians With PTSD Struggle To Find Effective Therapy

5:11pm May 20, 2019

by Caroline Covington

Outside of military contexts, many therapists aren't familiar with two key treatment options for trauma recommended by the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs.