APA Blogs
351 Results
Can a Selfie Video Fight Mental Health Stigma?
Many people with mental health conditions don’t get needed treatment. Despite increased awareness and public discussion of mental health, stigma remains one of the primary barriers to people getting help. The use of brief videos, traditional and “selfie” style, with messages of recovery and hope may help reduce stigma and increase understanding of mental illness, as well as young people’s willingness to seek help, according to a recent study published in Psychiatric Services
New APA Resource Document Highlights Quality and Safety Considerations in the Use of Seclusion or Restraint
Seclusion or restraint is used as an intervention of last resort in the management of severe agitation (e.g., violence) in patients. Both are highly regulated by local, state, and federal law and other health care accreditation organizations. Patients, families, and psychiatrists may be concerned about these interventions as they can cause significant psychological distress and/or physical injury as well as perpetuate the stigma of mental illness. The APA recognizes these concerns, and has developed a resource document on seclusion or restraint to provide practical advice to psychiatrists and other mental health care workers to promote safe and quality mental health care.
Quitting Smoking Saves Lives, But Medications to Help Are Under Prescribed
On Nov. 17, 2022, the country will mark the Great American Smoke-Out, an event organized by the American Cancer Society to encourage people to quit smoking. Despite overall drops in tobacco usage over the past few decades, smoking still kills nearly an estimated 480,000 people a year. Â
Decriminalizing Mental Illness and Promoting Mental Health Equity
A poll commissioned by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that only 1 in 5 Americans believe that those in jails and prisons are getting the mental health care they need while 75% believe mental health support should be provided for incarcerated people.Â
The Challenges and Privileges of Caring for Veterans as a VA Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have the distinct honor of serving America’s veterans and the privilege of practicing in a functional federal healthcare system. While rewarding, the job is simultaneously an experience of perpetual demand to ensure time is most efficiently spent treating a panel of patients within a population-based care model.