Telemedicine could be a better way to get opioid addicts to seek out and stick with treatment, a new study suggests. People referred to an addiction treatment clinic following a telemedicine evaluation were more likely to show up to their first appointment than those whose referral resulted from an ER visit, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. Those referred to addiction treatment through telemedicine also were more likely to stick with the program for at least a month. “Our study shows that patients referred from telemedicine are more likely to follow up initially, and still be retained in care at 30 days,” said lead researcher Dr. Joshua Lynch, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Buffalo in New York. Long-term recovery from addiction requires consistent care, involving repeated outpatient visits as well as continuing use of treatment drugs like buprenorphine or methadone, researchers said. “Patients with opioid use disorder often seek care in times of crisis in emergency departments,” said senior researcher Dr. Brian Clemency, a professor of emergency medicine at the University of Buffalo. “However, the emergency department may not be a good option for all patients. We wanted to see if telemedicine could be used as a gateway to ongoing care.” For the study, researchers analyzed data on nearly 400 patients referred to addiction…  read on >  read on >

“Magic” mushrooms achieve their psychedelic effects by temporarily scrambling a brain network involved in introspective thinking like daydreaming and remembering, a new study reports. Brain scans of people who took psilocybin — the psychedelic drug in ‘shrooms — revealed that the substance causes profound and widespread temporary changes to the brain’s default mode network. These findings provide an explanation for psilocybin’s mind-bending effects, and could lay the groundwork for better understanding how the drug might be used to treat mental health conditions like depression, researchers said. “There’s a massive effect initially, and when it’s gone, a pinpoint effect remains,” said co-senior study author Dr. Nico Dosenbach, a professor of neurology with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “That’s exactly what you’d want to see for a potential medicine.” “You wouldn’t want people’s brain networks to be obliterated for days, but you also wouldn’t want everything to snap back to the way it was immediately,” Dosenbach added in a university news release. “You want an effect that lasts long enough to make a difference.” Psilocybin showed promise as a treatment for depression in the 1950s and 1960s, but research into its potential flagged after the federal government deemed the substance an illegal drug in the late ‘60s, researchers explained in background notes.  However, research efforts have revived in recent years as psilocybin has…  read on >  read on >

Children born with type 1 diabetes are much more likely to develop certain mental health issues than those without the condition, a new study warns. Kids with type 1 diabetes are more than twice as likely to develop a mood disorder and 50% more likely to suffer from anxiety than other children, researchers reported June 17 in the journal Nature Mental Health. They also are more than four times as likely to develop behavioral issues like eating or sleep disorders, researchers said. However, the findings suggest this isn’t due to any specific health problem caused by type 1 diabetes. Rather, children appear to be vulnerable to “diabetes distress” resulting from the ongoing management of their chronic condition, researchers said. “This emphasizes the importance of prevention and sustained attention to the mental health needs of children and young people with type 1 diabetes,” said lead researcher Tomas Formanek, a doctoral student with the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and the National Institute of Mental Health, in Klecany, Czech Republic. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system turns on the pancreas, the organ that produces insulin. Damage to the pancreas destroys its ability to make insulin, or decreases production so much that people need to take insulin to live. For the new study, researchers analyzed data for more than 4,500 children with type 1 diabetes…  read on >  read on >

Just two years after the launch of the nation’s three-digit crisis hotline, more than 10 million calls, texts and chat messages have been fielded by counselors, U.S. health officials announced Tuesday. Introduced in July 2022 to simplify emergency calls and help counter a burgeoning mental health crisis in the United States, 988 was touted as a simpler way for folks struggling with their mental health to get help. “We’re connecting more people to help than ever before,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a news release announcing the milestone. “We’re connecting them faster and with more personalized services, which are critical for helping people in crisis. We know that 988 is saving lives and helping millions of people. I hope anyone who feels alone, or that they are without options, knows that 988 is there to help.” Of the 10 million messages answered in the past two years, 1.7 million were texts — with 988 answering 51% more texts in the past 12 months than the year before, the HHS said. Nearly 1.2 million of 988 calls were answered by the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL), through 988’s Press 1 option. “Our Veterans Crisis Line connects veterans to caring, qualified responders 24/7 — and two years ago, we made it even easier for veterans in crisis and their loved ones to reach out for help by…  read on >  read on >

Many couples may be painfully familiar with the scenario: One partner snores loudly all night long, so the other partner seeks better sleep in another bed. Now, a new survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) shows just how common the practice of “sleep divorce” is: 29% of Americans have opted to sleep in another bed in the same bedroom or in another space in the home to accommodate their partner. That is up from 2023, when only 20% of respondents admitted to sleeping in another room on occasion. Only 15% said they did so consistently in that earlier survey. “The concept of ‘sleep divorce’ simply means sleeping in separate beds or bedrooms and is an option for couples seeking better sleep quality,” said AASM spokesperson Dr. Seema Khosla. “The term might sound alarming, but it’s not about ending a relationship — it’s about prioritizing sleep health and addressing the sleep issues that may be eroding a relationship, such as snoring, tossing and turning, or differing sleep schedules,” she said in an AASM news release on the survey. “A sleep divorce is not a sign of a relationship in trouble — it allows for honest conversation about disruptive habits and allows each person to enjoy uninterrupted, restorative sleep.” Sleeping in different beds aren’t the only tactic couples are trying: One-third of U.S. adults…  read on >  read on >

It’s a little known health condition that can become a nightmare: Regular and sudden episodes of intense nausea and vomiting. Now, new clinical guidance urges people to take notes and speak up if they think they have the condition, known as cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS). About 2% of people experience CVS, but it can take years before they receive a diagnosis, the new guidance from the American Gastroenterological Association says. “A diagnosis is a powerful tool. Not only does it help patients make sense of debilitating symptoms, but it allows healthcare providers to create an effective treatment plan,” said guidance author Dr. David Levinthal, director of the neurogastroenterology & motility center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Episodes of CVS involve nausea, vomiting and retching that can last for days, followed by long periods without an intense attack, experts said. People with mild cyclic vomiting syndrome can experience fewer than four episodes per year, lasting less than two days. Those with more severe CVS might suffer many drawn-out episodes in any given year, some requiring hospitalization or an ER visit, researchers said. Currently about half of patients with CVS need an ER visit at least once a year, and one-third become disabled by the condition. Between episodes, patients don’t have any repetitive vomiting, but they might experience symptoms like nausea and indigestion, researchers said.…  read on >  read on >