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Thousands of Mental Health Apps Available: Supporting Evidence Not So Plentiful
There are more than 10,000 mental or behavioral health apps publicly available; however, there is little available information on the quality and effectiveness of the apps, “leaving consumers with very little to go on when trying to determine which apps might be helpful and worthwhile.” Several recent studies highlight the need for better information on the effectiveness and quality of mental health apps.
Mental Health Education for Youth: Focus on Mental Wellness
Despite frequent media coverage, public understanding of health and mental health issues is still lacking, according to recent study in the Journal of Mental Health. Overall, they concluded that people are “equally and relatively poorly informed” about relatively common mental and physical health conditions. A new study finds that education efforts for teens that specifically focus on mental health and well-being, rather than mental illness, can help.
What APA is Doing for You: Diversity and Health Equity Resources
- By Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., FRCP-E, FRCPsych
Diversity is one of the main pillars of APA’s mission and values, both in terms of making sure our profession is diverse and inclusive of a wide range of voices and viewpoints, and in addressing the issues that cause disparities in care for our minority and underserved patients. July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, and with that in mind I wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the ways that APA is working to ensure our members help address these care disparities through cultural competency training.
Sense of Smell, Memories and Emotions
Many people have had the experience of a familiar smell bringing up a memory or a feeling. That is just one of several ways our sense of smell is associated with mental health and emotions. Memories associated with a specific odor may be particularly strong. In writing about the relation of these odor-evoked memories to our mental health, psychologist Rachel Herz, Ph.D., concludes that “from numerous perspectives it is evident that the autobiographical memories and emotional associations that are triggered by odors are essential to our psychological and physiological health.”
Recognizing Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
- By Steven Starks, M.D.
In 2008, Congress passed a resolution that established the month of July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This month highlights the following aims: To improve access to mental health treatment and services. To address the need for improved access to care, treatment, and services for those diagnosed with severe and persistent mental health disorders. To enhance public awareness of mental illness and mental illness among minorities.