mental health news stories on Newser

Senators Want 'Lunatic' Deleted From Federal Laws

Dustin Lushing — Wed, 02 May 2012 16:24:01 CDT

Two senators have introduced a bill to erase the word "lunatic" from the federal code because the term is considered outdated and offensive, reports the Los Angeles Times . "Federal law should reflect the 21st century understanding of mental illness and disease," says Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who co-sponsored the...

Alabama to Close Most Mental Hospitals

Kevin Spak — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:35:05 CST

Alabama plans to shut down four of its six mental hospitals, laying off 948 employees in the process, by next year, state officials announced this week. By next May, only two facilities will remain open, one for criminal suspects, and another for geriatrics, the New York Times reports. The move...

5% of US Adults Suffer Serious Mental Disorders

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:36:27 CST

Some troubling numbers from a government report released today: Each year, around 20% of US adults suffer from a mental illness—and about 5% suffer from a serious mental disorder. But less than half of all mental illness sufferers get treatment, and just 60% of those who suffer serious disorders...

Worrying Yourself Sick? Science Has a Cure

Neal Colgrass — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:00:00 CST

Worried that it's unhealthy to be glued to the Internet, surfing through stories? That anxiety alone could cause health problems—and doctors are now uncovering the neurological roots of this so-called "nocebo" effect, according to an award-winning essay by Penny Sarchet in the Guardian . The opposite of the "placebo" effect,...

Yoga's Mental Benefits? Maybe None

Evann Gastaldo — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:22:55 CDT

Bad news for those of you who assumed yoga was curing all that ails you: A new study found no evidence that yoga's mental effects benefit the body. The good news is that yoga does help to relieve lower back pain, the Wall Street Journal reports. However, stretching was found...

Autism 5 Times More Likely for Premature Babies

Dustin Lushing — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:58:05 CDT

Sad news for babies already facing an uphill battle: A 20-year study has found that infants born prematurely and with low birth weights are five times more likely than typical babies to be diagnosed with autism. The US study, released this week, looked at 862 children born between 1984 and...

1 in 10 Americans on Antidepressants

John Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 16:39:30 CDT

The CDC rounds up some depressing stats about antidepressant use: More than one in 10 Americans (11%) older than 12 take the drugs, the majority of them for depression. That marks a 400% increase since 1988 and makes antidepressants the most commonly used drug for people ages 18 to 44,...

10K 9/11 Witnesses Grapple With PTSD

Kate Schwartz — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:11:44 CDT

As the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 nears, the New York Times takes a look at one of the many groups of Americans still touched by—and suffering from—the experience: those with post-traumatic stress disorder. At least 10,000 witnesses developed PTSD, and many are still grappling with it,...

Casey Anthony Will Seek Mental Health Treatment

John Johnson — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:46:25 CDT

Don't expect to see any Casey Anthony interviews (or photo spreads ) anytime soon. TMZ reports that she will get treatment for mental health issues before entertaining the possibility of going public with her story. "Sources close to Anthony" say she never properly dealt with Caylee's death, and spending three...