HealthDay (5/2, Preidt) reports that a Michigan State University survey indicates “ignorance, myths and stigma are still common among Americans when it comes to mental health.” The online survey of approximately 4,600 people nationwide found, among other things, that “most people don’t know what to do about depression even if they recognize it.” Meanwhile, “nearly 80 percent don’t believe prescription drug abuse is a treatable problem.”

Related Links:

— “Mental Health Myths Abound in the U.S.,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, May 2, 2017.

The AP (4/29, Balsamo) reported from Los Angeles, CA that “the Twin Towers Correctional Facility is home to about 4,000” inmates with mental illness, about 30% of the inmate population there. That increase in prisoners with mental illness “has led the sheriff’s department to adapt its policies as deputies and clinicians work to treat people dealing with both psychiatric disorders and substance abuse.”

In fact, “over the past year,” the Los Angeles County “sheriff’s department has rolled out new training programs that focus on de-escalating potentially violent situations and teach deputies to handle mentally ill inmates…said” Kelly Harrington, “the assistant sheriff in Los Angeles who oversees the county jail system.” What’s more, “county officials have launched a program to transition” inmates with mental illness and comorbid “substance abuse problems to continue their treatment in community programs so they don’t return to a life of crime to get quick cash to buy drugs.”

Related Links:

— “SPIKE IN MENTALLY ILL LA JAIL INMATES LEADS TO NEW POLICIES,” MICHAEL BALSAMO, Associated Press, April 29, 2017.

The Wall Street Journal (4/25, Shellenbarger, Subscription Publication) reports it can be beneficial for parents to talk with their children about their own experimentation with drugs or alcohol. According to Marcia Lee Taylor, president of the non-profit Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, children who learn about the dangers of risky behavior from their parents are less likely to engage in that behavior themselves. While some parents avoid the topic at all, another common mistake is offering too many details. In addition, Wendie Lubic, an instructor for the Parent Encouragement Program, advises parents to avoid glorifying their experiences or overemphasizing the dangers.

Related Links:

— “Should You Tell Your Teen You Tried Alcohol or Drugs?,” Sue Shellenbarger, Wall Street Journal, April 25, 2017.

Healio (4/25, Miller) reports, “The likelihood of chronic opioid use in patients increased with each additional day of medication supplied starting with the third day and saw sharper increases as time went on,” researchers found after studying some “1.2 million patient records randomly chosen from the IMS Lifelink+ database.” The findings were published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Related Links:

— “Risk for chronic opioid use can be triggered in as little as three days,” Shah A, et al., Healio, April 25, 2017.

The Huffington Post has published a guide for parents preparing to send their children off to college for the first time. As stated in the article, over four million new students enroll each year, and, considering mental illnesses peak at the ages of 18-21, it’s good for parents and children to know resources and options at this critical time. The checklist includes preparation, planning, staying in touch, confronting stigma, and more.

We feel this is an important checklist and have featured it on our Links and Publications page.

Related Links:

— “College Mental Health: A Checklist for Parents,” Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD, Huffington Post, March 3, 2017.

NBC News (4/24, Fox) reports online that opioid deaths may be higher than report because opioids suppress the immune system and can result in infection deaths, researchers suggested at a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meeting on Monday. CDC field officer Victoria Hall found 59 examples of such cases in Minnesota’s Unexplained Death surveillance system. According to Hall, 22 of the “deaths involved toxic opioid levels.”

CNN (4/24, Scutti) reports online that Hall conceded the data could not indicate “what percent we are underestimating,” but she insisted that “we know we are missing cases.”

Related Links:

— “http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/deaths-infections-may-be-masking-opioid-deaths-n750336,” MAGGIE FOX, NBC News, April 24, 2017.

According to the NBC News (4/24, Gammon) website, data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse reveal that “approximately one in seven people who try addictive substances will get hooked, and the abuse of illicit drugs costs the economy $193 billion each year in healthcare, crime prevention, and loss of productivity.” Currently, scientists “are working on vaccines that block drugs from reaching the brain, preventing addicts from getting high.”

Related Links:

— “Anti-Drug Vaccines Could Be a Game-Changer for People Battling Addiction,” KATHARINE GAMMON, NBC News, April 24, 2017.

The AP (4/25, Johnson) features the stories of several teenagers who have received opioid abuse treatment at “special schools that use peer communities to support sobriety.” The piece centers on students at Hope, which offers services to 41 teenagers who have “abused marijuana, alcohol, painkillers and heroin.” Unlike other treatment facilities, Hope “embraces treatment with medication and doesn’t see it as a crutch.” The school is the subject of a study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in which a researcher who “is studying whether kids who’ve been treated for addiction do better in recovery schools” has found some “evidence [which] shows recovery-school students are less likely to relapse than students who attend traditional schools after treatment.”

Related Links:

— “Overcoming Opioids: Special schools help teens stay clean,” CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press via KWWL, April , 2017.

Healio (4/24, Oldt) reports, “Adults with mental illness were significantly more likely to smoke, compared with adults without any mental illness,” SAMHSA researchers found after analyzing “data from the 2012 to 2014 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health.” The study revealed that “adults with mental illness were more likely to report past-month cigarette use, compared with those without mental illness (33.3% vs. 20.7%).” The data can be seen here.

Related Links:

— “Smoking more common in adults with mental illness,” Amanda Oldt, Healio, April 24, 2017.

Healio (4/21, Oldt) reported, “Moderate-severe menopausal vasomotor symptoms were independently and significantly associated with moderate-severe depressive symptoms in women aged 40 to 65 years,” researchers found after conducting “a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 2,020 Australian women aged 40 to 65 years,” then adjusting for confounding factors. The findings were published online March 6 in the Journal of Women’s Health.

Related Links:

— “Severe hot flashes increase risk for depression,” Worsley R, et al., Healio, April 21, 2017.