Light, Sleep and Mental Health

• Patients and Families, Sleep Disorders

Light, both natural and artificial, can affect our health and mental health in several different ways. Depending on the time of day, light exposure can promote or disrupt sleep. A persistently disrupted sleep cycle can contribute to a variety of health problems, including heart disease, obesity and mental health disorders. Research is also beginning to clarify non-circadian effects of light – light can have a direct impact on the sleep and mood centers in the brain. 

Interested in Serious Mental Illness (SMI)? We’ve Got Sessions for You.

During the 2023 Annual Meeting, several high-interest sessions are led by experts from SMI Adviser. SMI Adviser is an initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by the APA.

Extreme Heat Can Take a Toll on Mental Health

• Patients and Families, Public awareness

In addition to the potentially serious physical health consequences, the extreme heat that much of the country is experiencing can also have significant impacts on mental health.

How Dental Health and Mental Health Are Connected

• Healthy living for mental well-being, Older adults, Patients and Families

While it may not be widely understood, there is a clear connection between a person’s dental health and their mental health. Numerous studies have identified associations between mental health and oral health(1), however, the interaction often does not get much attention, even among health care professionals.

An App for Therapy? Exploring Digital Therapeutics

• Patients and Families, Technology, Treatment

In May 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first app for the treatment of depression, Rejoyn. This new smartphone app is intended to help treat people who don’t fully respond to antidepressants and it is expected to be available for patients starting this summer. This is the latest in a series of FDA approvals of digital therapeutics for mental health conditions

Preparing for the Potential Upcoming Expiration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) Flexibilities

The potential end of these flexibilities will mark a significant shift in the landscape of telemedicine. To prepare APA members for this shift, our Committee on Telepsychiatry provides you with the following guidance.

December Issues of APA Journals Feature Research on the Amygdala, PTSD, and Discrimination

The latest issues of two American Psychiatric Association journals, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and Psychiatric Services, are now available online.

Personal Perspectives on Early Psychosis, Part 2

This episode is the second of a two-part discussion about early psychosis led by Dr. Ken Duckworth.

Preventing Burnout: A Guide to Protecting Your Well-Being

• Healthy living for mental well-being, Patients and Families

Burnout—it's a term we hear often, but we don't always recognize it creeping up on us until it's too late. Whether it's from work, personal life, or the weight of unmet expectations, burnout is a significant challenge in today's fast-paced, performance-driven world. We live in a culture of "upward comparisons," constantly measuring ourselves against those further along than us, which can leave us feeling inadequate. Or, we get buried under a growing workload with little institutional support.

Data Driven Decisions and Outcomes in Telepsychiatry

Telepsychiatry offers a variety of benefits in today@s changing healthcare landscape, and also serves as an excellent platform to train the next generation of healthcare workforce. However, perhaps an often-overlooked benefit of telepsychiatry, is that it as a fertile bed to collect data and conduct outcomes research.

Recognizing Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

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.

What Will Protect Health Care Workers’ Mental Health During the Pandemic? 

• Anxiety, Depression, Patients and Families

Health care workers have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic since March, many of them facing very difficult and stressful situations, such as long hours, lack of equipment, unknowns about spread of the virus, and concerns for their own safety and that of their families. Some health care workers have lost colleagues or family members to COVID-19. The mental health concerns the workforce faces are devastating and may linger long after the pandemic ends.