A class of sedatives called benzodiazepines, which include meds like Ativan, Valium and Xanax, could be linked to higher odds for miscarriage if taken during pregnancy, new research finds. The findings held even after accounting for possible confounding factors such as anxiety and insomnia, the Taiwanese research team said. Looking at data on about 3 million pregnancies, “we found that benzodiazepine use during pregnancy was associated with an approximately 70% increased risk of miscarriage,” wrote a team led by Fei-Yuan Hsiao at Taiwan University’s Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy. Based on the findings, they urge that doctors “meticulously balance” the risks and benefits of benzodiazepines whenever they consider prescribing the drugs to pregnant women who are dealing with insomnia or other psychiatric issues. In the new study, miscarriage was defined as loss of pregnancy between the first prenatal visit with a doctor (typically around the 8th week of gestation) and before the 20th week. Hsiao’s group looked at data from over 3 million pregnancies among Taiwanese women, out of which 4.4% resulted in a miscarriage. Focusing on the women’s prescription drug use during pregnancy, the study found that using a benzodiazepine boosted the odds for miscarriage by 69%. That number was “consistent” regardless of confounding factors and the duration of benzodiazepine use. The study was published Dec. 27 in the journal JAMA Psychiatry. Hsiao’s group…  read on >  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 27, 2023 (HealthDay news) — A rising tide of cannabis-related mental health problems is resulting from the widespread legalization of recreational weed in the United States, warns a new evidence review. Nearly one in five Americans aged 12 and older used marijuana in 2021, and more than 16 million meet the criteria for a diagnosis of cannabis use disorder, the researchers wrote. Further, nearly half of those with cannabis use disorder have another psychiatric condition like anxiety, major depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, said review author Dr. David Gorelick, a professor of psychiatry the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore. “There is a lot of misinformation in the public sphere about cannabis and its effects on psychological health, with many assuming that this drug is safe to use with no side effects,” Gorelick said in a university news release. “It is important for physicians and the public to understand that cannabis can have addictive effects and to recognize signs and symptoms in order to get properly diagnosed and treated,” he added. Weed use accounts for 10% of all drug-related ER visits in the United States, according to the review published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. There are seven recognized disorders related to cannabis use, the report noted. Some include cannabis-induced anxiety disorder, cannabis-induced psychotic disorder, cannabis-induced sleep disorder…  read on >  read on >

New Year’s resolutions often center on weight loss and personal lifestyle changes, but setting good parenting goals is also well worth the effort, pediatricians say. “This is a great time to take a step back, take a breath and look at how we as a family taking care of ourselves and each other,” pediatrician Dr. Steph Lee said. “What are we already doing right? Let’s celebrate that first. Then, let’s think about ways we can improve together and create a list of individual and shared family goals for the new year.” “Maybe this is the year you decide to join a parent’s group for support or maybe it’s time you said no to some things, if you’ve felt overextended in the past year,” Lee said in an American Academy of Pediatrics news release. “Your pediatrician can help you with your child’s health, but we care about parents, too… because when parents are feeling their best, they create a healthy environment for children to thrive.” Lee suggested the following eight goals that could help families thrive in 2024: Get recommended shots. Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself, your children and other loved ones from the flu, RSV and COVID. Call your pediatrician to make sure your children have all recommended immunizations, and remind your children that good hand hygiene habits help prevent the spread…  read on >  read on >

 Three-quarters of Americans plan to start the New Year with a resolution to be more healthy, including 28% who want to focus on improving their mental health, a new survey has found. These folks plan to exercise more (67%), meditate (49%), keep a diary (26%), or see a therapist (35%) or psychiatrist (21%), according to the results of the American Psychiatric Association’s (APA) Healthy Minds monthly poll. “Many see the new year as a time for a new chance, or to try something different, which is great,” said APA President Dr. Petros Levounis. “At the same time, in mental health — just like physical health — maintenance and care matter,” Levounis added in an APA news release. “Preserve your healthy routines, maintain your relationships with loved ones and take good care of yourself, as well as the people around you.” Age played a part in how likely someone was to focus on improving their mental health. More than two in five (44%) young adults ages 18-34 plan to take on a New Year’s resolution related to mental health, compared to just 7% of seniors, the poll found. Other popular resolutions that could contribute to better mental health include focusing more on spirituality (40%), cutting back on social media (31%) or using a mental health app (21%), poll results show. About 6% chose “forest bathing” —…  read on >  read on >

Online gaming and vaping to the point of addiction have become widespread enough that most high school counselors regularly confront these behaviors in today’s teens, a new survey shows. Four out of five counselors say they’ve worked with at least one student during the past year who had struggled with problematic use of video games or e-cigarettes. However, few said they had the training necessary to adequately help their young charges, researchers found. “School counselors are aware this is an issue, but it doesn’t seem like we’re providing the training as a profession so that they can address it,” said principal investigator Amanda Giordano, an associate professor in the University of Georgia’s Mary Frances Early College of Education. “They’re seeking their own continuing education and self-study to learn how to meet these needs.” About 41% of teens say they’ve vaped nicotine at some point in their lives, while 26% say they have vaped marijuana, researchers said in background notes. “These are really distressing numbers because as a society, we’ve worked hard to curb adolescent smoking of combustible tobacco products,” said Giordano. “Now with vaping, we see those numbers going back up.” Gaming addiction is also a growing problem, marked by compulsive behavior, a loss of control and cravings, researchers said. It was officially recognized as a disorder by the World Health Organization in 2019. For the…  read on >  read on >

An exhaustive review of sleep research spanning five decades underscores the importance of getting your Zzzzzs. Sleep loss undermines emotional functioning and increases a person’s risk for anxiety and depression, the study found. It also takes a toll on positive emotions like joy, happiness and contentment.   “In our largely sleep-deprived society, quantifying the effects of sleep loss on emotion is critical for promoting psychological health,” said lead author Cara Palma, director of the Sleep and Development Lab at Montana State University in Bozeman. “This study … provides strong evidence that periods of extended wakefulness, shortened sleep duration, and nighttime awakenings adversely influence human emotional functioning.” For the study, Palma’s team analyzed data from 154 studies that included more than 5,700 people.  In every study, participants’ sleep was disrupted for one night or more. Some kept participants awake for an extended period. Some allowed less-than-typical amounts of shuteye, and others awakened participants periodically throughout the night. Each also looked at one emotional measure, such as self-reported mood or measures of anxiety and depression. All three types of sleep loss took a toll on positive emotions and increased anxiety symptoms such as worry and rapid heart rate.  “This occurred even after short periods of sleep loss, like staying up an hour or two later than usual or after losing just a few hours of sleep,” Palmer…  read on >  read on >

Believe it or not, your spinal cord may be a pathway to better mood and even an end to depression, new research suggests. Investigators at the University of Cincinnati stressed that their pilot study — to see whether tweaking the spinal cord can ease depression — is in its very early stages. However, 20-minute sessions did seem to bring mental health benefits to participants, the team said. As the scientists explained it, the spinal cord serves (among other functions) as a kind of neuronal highway, transmitting information from throughout the body to the brain’s mood centers. The Cincinnati researchers theorized that an informational “overload” on this pathway might overwhelm the brain, playing a role in depression. So, study lead author Dr. Francisco Romo-Nava designed a noninvasive spinal cord stimulation method that he has patented. Using this technology, he and his colleagues hoped to decrease the “noise” traveling along the spinal cord, offering some relief to an overtaxed brain. “Spinal cord stimulation is thought to help the brain modulate itself as it should by decreasing the noise or decreasing the hyperactive signaling that may be in place during a depressive syndrome,” explained Romo-Nava, a research associate professor in the university’s department of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience. The current trial was small, just 20 patients diagnosed with depression. Three times a week for eight weeks, half of…  read on >  read on >

Kids are home for the holidays, but the wonders of the season can pose problems for children with asthma. Sources of joy like Christmas trees, a Yule log burning or Grandma’s pet dog can all be unexpected asthma triggers, warns the American Lung Association. Parents should talk with their kid’s doctor about creating an asthma action plan based on their plans for the holidays, the ALA says. Such a plan could alert them to early warning signs and help them manage symptoms during a flare-up. They also should keep the following holiday hazards in mind while crafting such a plan. Holiday scents Popular holiday-scented items like candles, dried potpourri, scented pine cones and cinnamon brooms all pose a similar risk to children with asthma as air fresheners do year-round, the ALA warns. Cinnamon brooms in particular create a powerful asthma-triggering scent. Parents should refrain from hanging cinnamon brooms in their home, and instead bake cinnamon-, vanilla- or citrus-laced goodies to provide a festive aroma. Parents who crave the ambiance of candlelight should opt for either non-scented candles or battery-operated flameless candles, the ALA adds. Christmas decorations A live Christmas tree might be one of the ultimate holiday traditions, but a pine tree can harbor asthma triggers like mold and pollen, the ALA warns. Even the strong smell of pine can be a trigger. Parents should…  read on >  read on >