The New York Times (12/10, Underwood) “Parenting” blog reports that “one in nine children has an underlying clinical disorder that can be tied to particularly severe tantrums,” research indicates. According to the Times, “atypical or severe tantrums, which are often marked by extreme aggression, high frequency, suddenness and specific triggers, are often the first (and easiest to recognize) sign of a behavioral, mood or anxiety disorder.” The piece adds, “Note that the American Psychiatric Association only permits diagnosis of mood disorders at age six or older, though it can be helpful to learn early on if your child is demonstrating traits consistent with these disorders.”

Related Links:

— “Are My Kid’s Tantrums Abnormal?, “Paul L. Underwood, The New York Times, December 10, 2019

In a nearly 4,100-word piece, The Atlantic (12/9, Tullis) reports how in jails across the US, “people who should be placed in mental-health facilities for treatment are instead detained…for unconstitutionally long periods – sometimes months – before they have been convicted or even tried for any crime.” For example, “in Texas in 2018, the average period that people with mental illness not convicted of any crime were held in jail was 229 days, according to reporting by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.” In many cases, “their condition deteriorates further as they are held in facilities unable to care for them.”

Related Links:

— “When Mental Illness Becomes a Jail Sentence, “Paul Tullis, The Atlantic, December 9, 2019

Kaiser Health News (12/9, Stephens) reports on warmlines. Unlike hotlines “for those in immediate crisis, warmlines provide early intervention with emotional support that can prevent a crisis – and a more costly 911 call or” visit to the emergency department. Warmlines “are typically free, confidential peer-support services staffed by volunteers or paid employees who have experienced mental health conditions themselves.” Currently, “about 30 states have some form of a warmline within their borders.”

Related Links:

— “‘Warm’ Hotlines Deliver Help Before Mental Health Crisis Heats Up, “Stephanie Stephens, Kaiser Health News, December 10, 2019

The New York Times (12/8, A25, Petersen) reported on “several new psychotherapies to treat anxiety and depression in people with cognitive impairments, including early to moderate dementia.” Two examples highlighted in the article were Problem Adaptation Therapy, or PATH, which “focuses on solving tangible problems that fuel feelings of sadness and hopelessness,” and the Peaceful Mind program, which “simplifies traditional cognitive behavioral therapy and focuses on scheduling pleasurable activities and skills.” The Times added, “Early research on the new approaches is encouraging, but longer and larger studies will be needed to fully assess the effectiveness.”

Related Links:

— “New Therapies Help Patients With Dementia Cope With Depression, “Andrea Petersen, The New York Times, December 8, 2019

MedPage Today (12/8, George) reported, “Teens with epilepsy were more than twice as likely as adults to talk about suicide on the Internet, an analysis of 222,000 online posts” demonstrated. In fact, “a total of 3,200 of 41,000 posts (8%) by teens with epilepsy discussed suicide, compared with 5,800 of 181,000 posts (3%) by adults with epilepsy,” the study found. The findings were presented at the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting.

Related Links:

— “Teens With Epilepsy More Likely to Discuss Suicide Online, “Judy George, MedPage Today, December 8, 2019