Children with mental health problems are flooding America’s hospitals. A new study of 4.8 million pediatric hospitalizations between 2009 and 2019 found that the number of acute care hospitalizations for kids with mental health problems increased significantly. In 2019, most were due to attempted suicides, suicidal thoughts or self-injury, researchers said. “What we’re seeing are more and more hospital stays by children and adolescents due to mental health concerns in terms of absolute numbers, and a substantially larger fraction of these stays are related to suicide or self-injury,” said study leader Mary Arakelyan, research project manager at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. “With hospitalizations for mental health concerns representing a larger proportion of all pediatric hospitalizations in 2019 than in 2009, it’s imperative to consider how inpatient settings will meet the mental health needs of a growing population of young people,” she added. The study found that pediatric mental health hospitalizations rose 26% between 2009 and 2019. And, over that same period, those owing to attempted suicide, suicidal thought or self-injury increased from 31% to 64%. Senior researcher Dr. JoAnna Leyenaar, vice chair of research in the pediatric department at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, said kids with mental health issues go to hospitals because they have nowhere else to turn. “Acute care hospitals provide access to care for youth and families when they’re experiencing a mental health…  read on >  read on >

Could inhaling a deep whiff of another person’s sweat help ease crippling social anxiety? Quite possibly, new Swedish research suggests. The notion stems from a trial that involved just 48 women. All struggled with what’s known as social anxiety disorder — an often intense and relentless fear of being watched or judged by others when participating in common social situations. The standard course of treatment centers on talk therapy involving meditation practices that are designed to ease some of the anxiety that arises. But Swedish researchers discovered that when such “mindfulness therapy” is combined with the inhaling of sweat of others, the result appears to be a far steeper drop in anxiety levels. “Social anxiety is a common disorder which entails an intense and persistent fear of social situations,” explained study author Elisa Vigna, a research assistant with the Swedish National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention at the Karolinska Institute. “This can lead to anxiety and fear of common situations like speaking in front of an audience, meeting new people, even talking to a cashier in a store. So, it can be very debilitating, affecting many areas of everyday life.” This is the first study that uses body odor as a treatment enhancer, Vigna noted. The results “were very interesting and promising,” she said. While a single session of mindfulness therapy alone triggered a…  read on >  read on >

In yet another sign of the stress that can haunt gay, lesbian and bisexual youth, a new study finds that compared with their straight peers, they are twice as likely to report trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Depression and family conflict may be contributing to sleep issues in young LGBTQ people, the researchers noted. “Young people who identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual may face discrimination and negative attitudes because of their sexual orientation. These experiences can make it harder for them to get a good night’s sleep,” said lead author Dr. Jason Nagata, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. “Difficulties getting along with family, feeling sad and hopeless, and being under a lot of pressure could all make it hard for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth to sleep well,” he explained. For the study, Nagata’s team used data from 2018 to 2020 on more than 8,500 chlidren aged 10 to 14 who were part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a large, long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. The children and their parents answered questions about their sleep habits. The kids were also asked about their sexual orientation. Those who were only starting to question their sexuality also had greater risk for sleep problems compared to their straight peers, the…  read on >  read on >

For depressed or anxious children, taking melatonin may afford a good night’s sleep and, as a result, lower the odds they will harm themselves, new research suggests. The risk of self-harm increased before melatonin was prescribed and decreased by about half after kids started taking the supplement, the study found. Teen girls suffering from depression or anxiety were the most likely to benefit. “This suggests that melatonin might be responsible for the reduced self-harm rates, but we cannot rule out that the use of other psychiatric medications or psychotherapy may have influenced the findings,” said senior researcher Sarah Bergen, from the department of medical epidemiology and biostatistics at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. “Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone, and we believe the findings are due to improved sleep,” she said. The study can’t prove that melatonin caused the drop off in self-harm, only that there appears to be a link. Of the more than 25,000 young people in the study, 87% had psychiatric disorders in addition to sleep problems. “Melatonin was probably only one part of their treatment package,” Bergen said. “We found that controlling for antidepressant use did not appreciably alter the results, but it’s possible that other medications or psychotherapy are contributing to the observed findings.” For the study, her team identified nearly 25,600 Swedish youngsters between 6 and 18 years…  read on >

While all Americans could benefit from proposed new limits on what’s called PM2.5 air pollution, new research indicates the change has the potential to benefit Black and low-income Americans the most. The limits being considered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) could cut death rates in those more vulnerable groups by up to 7%, according to researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston. “The EPA is currently considering stronger rules for PM2.5 air pollution and the decision will have profound effects on ensuring all Americans have an equal opportunity to breathe clean air,” said co-lead author Scott Delaney, a research associate in the department of environmental health at Harvard. “Our research shows that, while stronger rules will protect all aging Americans from air pollution, those harmed the most by air pollution will benefit the most — and that these benefits may be larger than prior research suggests,” Delaney said in a Harvard news release. These stronger air quality policies could also drive innovative ways to reduce the emission of heat-trapping gases, the study authors said. This might save even more lives through its impact on climate change. To study this, the researchers used Medicare data from more than 73 million Americans aged 65 and older between 2000 and 2016 according to race, income level and annual average PM2.5 exposure by…  read on >  read on >

While thinking declines can be a common symptom of multiple sclerosis in women, new research suggests sleep, or lack of it, could be making matters worse. “Sleep disorders have gained substantial recognition for their role in cognitive [thinking] decline, which affects up to 70% of people with multiple sclerosis,” explained study author Dr. Tiffany Braley, director of the Multiple Sclerosis/Neuroimmunology Division and the MS Fatigue and Sleep Clinic at University of Michigan Health. “Our results highlighted important pathways between sleep and perceptions of cognitive function in women with MS,” Braley said in a university news release. “We have previously identified important associations between objective cognitive performance and sleep in people with MS, but little is known about how sleep and MS interact together to impact long-term cognitive outcomes, particularly among women who are less likely to be diagnosed with sleep disorders.” Using data for more than 60,000 women in the 2013 and 2017 waves of the Nurses’ Health Study, the reseachers found that women with MS were more likely than those without MS to report sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia and sleepiness. Sleep disorders identified in 2013 contributed to thinking problems reported by women with MS in 2017, including memory and ability to follow instructions and conversations, according to the authors. Sleep apnea accounted for 34% of the total effect between MS…  read on >  read on >

While some gamble socially and others do it for a living, it’s a serious addiction for those who have an uncontrollable urge to keep going at the risk of losing everything. “In our brain, the centers involved with gambling addiction are the same centers involved with substance addiction,” said Dr. Asim Shah, professor and executive vice chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “The warning signs can be the same as any addiction,” he said in a college news release. Gambling stimulates the brain’s reward center, resulting in a rush that makes someone want to keep doing it. Shah said there are three types of gamblers. While skilled professional gamblers demonstrate self-control, patience and rational thinking, problem gamblers are compulsive, rely on the habit for their livelihood and have no self-control around it. A social gambler, meanwhile, spends a moderate amount of time and money in casinos or enjoys occasionally making bets. While problem gamblers may think they fit in one of these other categories, there are warning signs of gambling addiction. They may feel helpless or hopeless, become restless or edgy. A problem gambler may max out their credit cards to feed this behavior. A problem gambler may also bet more to recover money lost, lie to hide the problem or have others suggesting they should cut back.…  read on >  read on >

Endless worry, irritability and insomnia are all symptoms of a possible anxiety disorder. Luckily, there are numerous anxiety medications that can help ease the condition. Joy Alonzo, a specialist in the pharmacotherapy of mental disorders at Texas A&M’s College of Pharmacy, said recently, “If you understand the different types of medication, then you can become a better advocate for your anxiety treatment. Anxiety is one of the most under-treated mental illnesses, and we need to talk more about it.” So, what medications can bring relief from crippling anxiety? According to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America (ADAA), the most common classes of drugs for the treatment of anxiety include: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) Benzodiazepines Tricyclic antidepressants Here is a rundown on medications for anxiety. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) SSRIs work by preventing the body from reabsorbing serotonin, which leaves more available for use. The ADAA describes serotonin as a neurotransmitter that plays a role in feelings of well-being and happiness. SSRIs are considered the first-line treatment for all types of anxiety disorders. A higher dose may be required when treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Common side effects: Insomnia Sleepiness Sexual dysfunction Weight gain Dry mouth Common SSRIs: Citalopram (Celexa) Escitalopram (Lexapro) Fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) Paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR, Pexeva, Brisdelle) Sertraline (Zoloft) What else you should know about SSRIs:…  read on >  read on >