Mental Health Disorders

The rate of smoking and drinking is declining among American teens, a survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration finds.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, September 2- Thursday, September 8, 2016.

TRICARE, which provides health coverage for active duty and retired service members, their families, and survivors, will expand treatment for substance abuse and mental health care. Almost 9.4 million people are covered under the program.

A mental health reform bill passed earlier this month by the U.S. House would provide more hospital beds for people dealing with a mental illness who need short-term hospitalization. NBC News calls it one of the most significant mental health reform measures since 1963.

The shortage of child psychiatrists, which has been a problem for many years, is becoming worse at a time when the United States is facing an increase in depression and suicides among young people, experts tell NBC News.

Research suggests 50 percent or more of patients with psychiatric disorders abuse some type of drugs, including alcohol. Yet there are relatively few treatment programs that address addiction and mental health disorders together, according to John Tsuang, MD, Director of the Dual Diagnosis Treatment Program at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

While it’s true that smoking has dropped overall in the United States, smoking rates are significantly higher among people with mental illness than in the general population. Because so many people with mental illness smoke, many of them will get sick from tobacco-related diseases, explains Amy Taylor of Truth Initiative.

A group of scientists in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Australia is warning about the potential mental health consequences of marijuana use, The Guardian reports. They say frequent use of marijuana increases the risk of psychotic disorders in vulnerable people.

Young transgender women are more likely than the general U.S. population to be affected by mental health issues such as addiction and depression, a new study suggests.

The rate of mental disorders among smokers is increasing, a new study concludes. More recent smokers have the highest risk, HealthDay reports.

An increasing number of children age 2 or younger are being prescribed psychiatric drugs to address their violent or withdrawn behavior, The New York Times reports. Experts say there is no published research on the drugs’ effectiveness and potential health risks for this age group.

The number of U.S. children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is on the rise, with the largest increase seen in girls and Hispanic children, according to a new study.

One-third of children receiving outpatient care for mental health conditions only received care from their primary care physician, a new study finds. Only 26 percent saw a psychiatrist.

Two proposed health insurance mergers could negatively impact patients’ access to mental health care services, the American Psychiatric Association has warned antitrust regulators.

Older adults are prescribed mental health drugs at more than twice the rate of younger adults, but are much less likely to see a psychiatrist, according to a new study.

Children with mental health issues appear to be more likely to have serious problems that make it more difficult to lead successful lives in adulthood, a new study suggests.

People who suffer from chronic back pain along with high levels of anxiety or depression are 75 percent more likely to abuse opioids than those with low levels of depression or anxiety, a new study suggests.

Many children and teens who take antipsychotic drugs do not have a mental disorder diagnosis, according to a new study. Use of the drugs has been increasing among teens, the researchers found.

Top headlines of the week from Friday, June 12- Thursday, June 18, 2015.

Parents are more concerned about their teens’ mental health than about their use of drugs or alcohol, a new survey finds.

One-fourth of health plans sold on health insurance exchanges created through the Affordable Health Act appear to offer unequal benefits for mental and physical illness, a new study concludes. A federal “parity” law requires equal benefits for general medical and mental health care.

There is no coordination among the 112 federal programs, run by eight government agencies, which support people with serious mental illnesses, according to a new government report.

A new report that ranks mental illness and mental health services at the state level reveals some surprises, The Washington Post reports. Some states with the lowest rates of mental illness and substance abuse are in the South, even though southern states also score low on measures of physical health.

U.S. soldiers who have undergone inpatient psychiatric treatment have a greatly increased risk of suicide in the year after they are discharged from the hospital, suggests a new study.

While many newly insured patients are seeking care now that the Affordable Care Act has expanded coverage, there has not been a rush of new patients receiving treatment for substance use disorders or mental health issues, according to U.S. News & World Report.