APA Blogs
393 Results
Overcoming Barriers: How to Help Someone Get Mental Health Care
When we see a friend or loved one experiencing significant mental health issues, our instinct is to try to help, yet obstacles, including stigma of mental health, are often hard to overcome. A recent commentary by Ken Duckworth, M.D., and Nickki Rashes in the APA journal Focus offers some insights on how to help a loved one reach out for mental health care.
Youth Perspectives on Climate Change and Mental Health
Two new studies look at youth concerns about climate change and its impacts, including mental health, and at the impacts on youth mental health of exposure to climate-related disasters and mental distress.
Southern California Wildfire Response: Resources for Mental Health Clinicians Who Are Helping
In response to the devastating wildfires in Southern California, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Committee on Psychiatric Dimensions of Disaster offers the following list of resources for mental health clinicians. These resources are fully vetted by physicians and are free to all who may need them.
Lifestyle Factors Key to Reducing Risk for Dementia, Late Life Depression
A recent study highlights the lifestyle factors that can be protective against age-related brain conditions, including depression and late life depression. The research used the “Brain Care Score,” measuring lifestyle factors, and found that a higher Brain Care Score is associated with a lower risk of age-related brain disease, including stroke, late-life depression, and dementia.
Bright Light Therapy: Growing Evidence Beyond Seasonal Depression
Bright light therapy has long been a key treatment for seasonal depression. Now, new research adds to the evidence of its effectiveness for other types of depression. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry in late 2024, found that bright light therapy was an effective supplementary treatment for depressive disorders other than seasonal depression.