Depression May Stand in Way of Smoking Cessation Success

A new study has found that smokers who suffer from depression want to quit smoking as much as non-depressed smokers do, but their depression may stand in the way of their success. Researchers from the University of California at San Diego found that 24 percent of people who called the California Smokers’ Helpline currently suffered from major depression, and 17 percent had mild depression.

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Improving Mood Could Help Obese Women Lose Weight

Many women who suffer from obesity also suffer from depression, and a new study has found that improving one’s mood may be the key to losing weight. The study cites previous studies that show that having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more (which is classified as obesity) increases the risk of depression by 50 to 150 percent.

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One-Third of LGBT Youth Have Attempted Suicide, Most Don’t Have Mental Health Problems

A new study has found that one-third of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth have attempted suicide in their lifetime. The study is the first to report the frequency of mental disorders in LGBT youth using the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).

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Problem Gamblers Have Increased Risk of Suicide, Personality Disorders

A new study from Montreal has found that pathological gamblers are more likely to commit suicide, and also tend to suffer from personality disorders. These findings could help develop improved suicide prevention programs.

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Children’s Unhappiness Linked to Risk of Alcohol Use, Sexual Activity

Several studies have shown that intervening with troubled youth is the best strategy to prevent future mental health disorders or substance abuse problems in adulthood. Most chronic behavioral and psychiatric disorders—including alcoholism, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and schizophrenia—can be rooted in adverse events that are experienced during childhood, yet children who are generally most in need of treatment rarely receive it.

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Researchers Identify Four Different Types of Compulsive Gamblers

To effectively reach through to pathological gamblers, clinicians may need to customize treatment strategies for patients that meet their specific therapeutic needs.

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Exposure to Light at Night Could Lead to Weight Gain, Obesity

A new study has found that consistently being exposed to light at night can lead to obesity and weight gain, even if an individual isn’t eating more food or changing their physical activity. Researchers from Ohio State University found that mice exposed to dim light at night over a period of eight weeks gained about 50 percent more weight than mice that weren’t exposed to light.

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Childhood Abuse or Neglect Can Lead to Elevated Stress Response Later in Life

If an individual was abused or neglected during childhood, he or she may have an elevated inflammatory response to stress later in life, according to a new study. The research was led by Linda Carpenter, associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University who also treats patients with mood disorders at Butler Hospital.

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HHS Awards Millions to Behavioral Health Care Facilities

On Friday, September 24, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $26.2 million in grants to 43 different community behavioral health agencies across the country in an effort to expand and improve the availability of the public’s substance abuse treatment and mental health services.

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Veterans with PTSD at Greater Risk of Dementia

This year, the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and other federal health agencies have reported of evidenced-based research demonstrating a common link between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among veterans and later-life dementia. With 6–11% of Afghanistan veterans and 12–20% of Iraq veterans returning to the U.S. with PTSD, the VA has been investigating these individuals’ additional risks of mental problems based on the mental health of their predecessors.

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