170 Results
APA Expresses Concern About the Trump Administration Executive Order Regarding Diversity and Inclusion Training by Federal Agencies
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is concerned about the impact a recent Trump Administration Executive Order may have on gender or racial diversity training in federal agencies and by contractors that receive federal funding.
An Interview with APA CEO and Medical Director Marketa Wills
Azza Hussein, M.A., with APA’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity, interviewed Marketa Wills, M.D., M.B.A., the new CEO and Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association (APA). Her appointment is a historic milestone as she is the first woman and African American to hold this role.
New Research: Coaching Healthcare Workers Supports Wellness and Resilience During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers face unprecedented challenges that pose a threat to mental health and resilience. A preliminary assessment of a program of coaching for healthcare workers, presented at the American Psychiatric Association’s Annual Meeting, held online, finds it is effective in supporting workers’ wellness and resilience.
The ‘Q’ in LGBTQ: Queer/Questioning
Most people are familiar with the term LGBT—lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The acronym increasingly includes the letter Q, LGBTQ, referring to queer and/or questioning individuals. The terms queer and questioning are important because they encompass a larger number of individuals who identify as having same-sex attraction and behaviors.
Addressing Mental Health Stigma in African American and Other Communities of Color
To maintain good mental health, many people turn to friends, family, the church and other community supports, especially when they are going through emotional difficulty. However, there may be times when these supports are not enough to maintain emotional wellness and seeing a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, is needed.
Maintaining Mental Well-being: Exercise and Access to Outdoor Spaces
Recent research is supporting what many people reported during the stressful times of the pandemic: physical activity/exercise and access to parks and green spaces have a positive effect on mental health.
Among LGBTQ+ Adults, Mental Health Improves with Age
Many years of research have identified health and mental health disparities among LGBTQ+ individuals, showing they experience higher rates of mental health problems compared to the heterosexual, cisgender population. A recent APA national poll found that LGBTQ+ adults are more likely than adults overall to be anxious about a number of current issues, including gun violence, climate change and the future of reproductive rights. They are twice as likely (62% vs 31%) to be anxious about the future
APA Member Serves as Inaugural Director of MGH Psychiatry Center for Racial Equity and Justice
APA sat down with Director Olivia I. Okereke, M.D., M.S. to learn more about the MGH Psychiatry Center for Racial Equity and Justice in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital.
How to Talk About Suicide on Social Media
Social media has tremendous reach and influence. When people post on social media about suicide, that influence can be helpful or hurtful. Conversations about suicide on social media can promote misperceptions and stigma and potentially influence others to attempt suicide
New APA Poll: One in Three Americans Feels Lonely Every Week
In May 2023, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., called loneliness a public health epidemic. The latest Healthy Minds Monthly Poll from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) finds that, early in 2024, 30% of adults say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year, while 10% say they are lonely every day.
Supporting Student Mental Well-Being with Mindfulness Programs
A variety of mindfulness-based programs are increasingly being used in schools to help support and improve students’ mental, emotional and behavioral health. A new study looks at the evidence about their effectiveness.
Athletes’ Superstitions and Rituals
Rituals and superstitions among athletes, and non-athletes, are very common and are typically harmless. In fact, they are at times helpful for athletes facing unpredictability in their sport and these rituals and superstitions can help them feel more in control. People may jokingly or offhandedly refer to these behaviors as OCD-like, referring to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, they are not the same as OCD, a potentially debilitating mental health disorder.