Cuando no es solo una etapa: Señales de depresión y ansiedad en la juventud hispana

• By Evelyn Melissa Esparza, B.S., M.D. Candidate
• Anxiety, Depression, Diverse populations, en español, Patients and Families

Muchos padres se preguntan si los cambios emocionales de sus hijos son parte del crecimiento o algo más serio. Saber distinguirlo puede marcar la diferencia. La depresión y la ansiedad suelen ignorarse o verse como “solo una etapa”. El trastorno depresivo mayor y el de ansiedad generalizada pueden manifestarse de manera distinta en niños y adolescentes que en adultos. En la comunidad hispana, a veces se minimizan como algo pasajero, lo retrasa la búsqueda de ayuda. Many parents wonder whether their children’s emotional changes are a normal part of growing up or could indicate something more serious. Knowing the difference can make a significant impact on their well-being. Depression and anxiety are often overlooked or hidden and may be dismissed as “just a phase” of youth.

She Stuck the Landing on Mental Health: What Elite Athletes Teach Physicians About Mental Health

• By Dionne Hart, M.D.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. warned that the greatest threat to justice was not overt hostility, but the silence of those who know better. During this year’s Area 4 Assembly Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Program, that call felt especially urgent as we reflected on what it truly means to be a champion in athletics, in medicine, specifically in mental health. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy reminds us that justice is never passive. In medicine, that silence often shows up as compliance quietly accepting systems that reward endurance over wellness and obedience over ethics.

Can Engaging in Art Help Address Loneliness?

Loneliness is a major public health concern and an important contributor to poor mental health. According to a 2025 APA poll, one-third of adults (33%) report that they experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year. That’s up slightly over polling from 2024 (30%). Loneliness is especially impacting young people. More than half of American college students are experiencing loneliness, according to a new study published in the Journal of American College Health.

Más allá de las dietas y la apariencia: Rompiendo el silencio y abordando los trastornos alimentarios en la comunidad hispana

• By Ruby Castilla-Puentes, M.D., Dr.P.H., MBA and Hector Colon-Rivera, M.D., MBA

Los Trastornos de la Conducta Alimentaria (TCA) no son simplemente una cuestión de "dieta" o vanidad; son enfermedades mentales y físicas complejas que pueden tener consecuencias graves para la salud. En la comunidad hispana, estas condiciones suelen estar rodeadas de mitos, vergüenza, silencio o estereotipos culturales que fomentan el estigma y dificultan la búsqueda de ayuda.

Black History Month: James Comer, M.D., M.P.H., on Co-Founding the Black Psychiatrists of America

• Diverse populations

In addition to driving an illustrious career in child and adolescent psychiatry, Dr. Comer is one of the founding members of Black Psychiatrists of America (BPA) and served as President of the BPA in 1973. He will turn 90 this year but remains a member of BPA and of the Yale School of Medicine faculty. In honor of Black History Month, the American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APA Foundation) sat down with Dr. Comer to discuss his monumental role in the societal progress of Black psychiatrists and the Civil Rights Movement at large. To learn more about the history of Black psychiatry, visit a new exhibit at the APA Foundation’s Library and Archives.