Applying Psychological Science, Benefiting Society
From 2001 to 2015, the suicide risk for Black boys between the ages of 5 and 11 was two to three times higher than that of White boys, according to a new research letter in JAMA Pediatrics (Bridge, 2018). This concerning trend continues through adolescence as reported by the Nationwide Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Kann et al., 2017). The rates of attempted suicide, including attempts that resulted in an injury, poisoning, or overdose, are 1.2x higher among Black males compared to White males.
Many of us have had the experience of losing interest in some of the activities that used to excite us. This is to be expected as our lives change and we experience new things. However, some people have a more general decrease in their ability to experience pleasure in activities they used to find enjoyable. Psychologists refer to this as anhedonia. And here’s what you should know.
As our Vietnam veteran population ages, many may become increasingly vulnerable for death by suicide. Despite the fact that the Vietnam war occurred approximately 40 years ago, the moral injuries sustained are still felt by many who served our country.
It’s a new year and we know that 2016 was a stressful year for many of us. Thinking of a way to manage your stress and anxiety in the year ahead? Practicing mindfulness may be the answer.
October 6th is National Depression Screening Day. This day affords the opportunity to receive a free, anonymous and confidential screen for a mood disorder. Depression’s end game is the death of its victim. But, screenings help all those who may be afflicted to begin the process of understanding and healing. Please do yourself a favor if you are struggling with your mood, and take the brave and wise step to get screened.
Rebecca, a former smoker featured in CDC’s Tips From Former Smokers campaign, started smoking cigarettes at age 16. Everyone in her family smoked, and once she started smoking, she quickly became addicted. She kept smoking into adulthood. While she tried to stop, she had difficulty quitting. “I probably tried to quit smoking at least half a dozen times, but the addiction was so strong.”
Up to 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, a very real and serious mood disorder. Studies show that new mothers of color have rates of postpartum depression soaring close to 38% compared with the 13 – 19% rate for all new mothers.
By Amalia Corby-Edwards, MS (Senior Legislative and Federal Affairs Officer, APA Public Interest Directorate) You may not have heard much about this, but something just happened that could positively impact millions of women and their families. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) just included pregnant and postpartum women in the new depression screening guidelines. […]
In this week’s In Case You Missed It (a roundup of articles related to psychology, health, mental health and social justice collated from multiple news and commentary websites) we cover the impact of race and poverty on black girls, the routine physical abuse experienced by mentally ill inmates, the link between chronic depression and risk of stroke […]
Welcome to our new feature – In Case You Missed It, a weekly roundup of recent news articles related to issues of psychology, health and mental health, social justice and the public interest that you may be interested in. This week, we have stories ranging from a new campaign to raise awareness of the importance of […]
Psychology Benefits Society 