Medscape (1/26, Melville) reports that “increasing evidence shows a bidirectional” association “between psychological stress and physical disease, as underscored in” research “linking posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to cancer as well as acute cardiovascular disease and stroke, according to two articles published in” The Lancet. In one study, investigators “outline the evidence supporting the role of PTSD as a potentially causative factor as well as a consequential factor in cardiovascular disease.” In the other “article, a qualitative review of PTSD and cancer, the authors report that studies involving various cancer types, including lung and breast cancer, show rates of traumatization and stress symptoms in approximately 37% to 60% of cancer survivors.”

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— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

Medscape (1/26, Anderson) reports, “Getting a divorce increases the risk of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD) by more than sevenfold for women and almost sixfold for men,” researchers found after identifying and then following “942,366 individuals born in Sweden between 1960 and 1990 who were married and residing with their spouse in or after 1990 and who had no AUD prior to marriage.” The findings were published online Jan. 20 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

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— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

MedPage Today (1/25, Duggal) reports that data from “a large federal survey” indicates that “office visits during 2012-2013 by children with a primary diagnosis of ADHD reached an annual average of 6.1 million, equating to a rate of 105 per 1,000 children ages 4 to 17.” The article notes that “the majority of these visits were not with a psychiatrist,” which may be attributable to an “unequal distribution of specialists around the country,” particularly in rural areas.

Related Links:

— “6 Million Visits for ADHD by U.S. Kids Each Year,”Neel A. Duggal, MedPage Today, January 25, 2017.

The New York Times (1/25, Reynolds, Subscription Publication) reports in “Well” that “when people get up and move, even a little, they tend to be happier than when they are still,” researchers found in a large study after using “cellphone data to track activities and moods.” Overall, investigators found that “people who move are more content than people who sit.” The Times also points out, “Epidemiological studies have found…that people who exercise or otherwise are active typically are less prone to depression and anxiety than sedentary people.” The findings were published online Jan. 4 in PLOS One.

Related Links:

— “Get Up and Move. It May Make You Happier,”Gretchen Reynolds, The New York Times, January 25, 2017.

HealthDay (1/25, Preidt) reports that research suggests “anxiety and depression may increase the risk of death from certain cancers,” including “colon, esophageal, pancreatic and prostate cancers and leukemia.” Investigators came to this conclusion after looking at data from 16 “studies that included more than 163,000 people.” The findings were published in the BMJ.

Related Links:

— “Mental Health May Affect Chances Against Cancer,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, January 25, 2017.

USA Today (1/24) columnist Steven Petrow writes that mental health mobile apps are a great idea that could potentially help many people with mental health problems get the treatment they need, but that many of the apps still have problems. Petrow shares his experience with one such app, Talkspace, and explains why he is concerned about the therapists on the app, and also whether the app does enough to protect patients’ privacy. Petrow mentions that the American Psychiatric Association has developed a model for evaluating such apps.

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— “Text-based therapy is not ready for prime time,”Steven Petrow, USA Today, January 24, 2017.

In a greater than 1,200-word piece, Scientific American (1/24) reports, “As many as 46 states have now enacted measures for” assisted outpatient treatment (AOT), “and these policies have garnered support from organizations including the American Psychiatric Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.” Nevertheless, “these laws are often underutilized,” partly due to a lack of “trained personnel and underfunding, but fierce opposition to AOT plays a part.” Some critics of AOT contend that the treatment “infringes on patients’ rights and harkens [sic] back to the days of asylums.”

Related Links:

— “How Community Mental Health Care Can Make a Major Difference,”Nathaniel P. Morris, Scientific American, January 24, 2017.

HealthDay (1/23, Preidt) reports, “Gestational diabetes and a previous bout of depression can increase a first-time mother’s risk of postpartum depression,” researchers found after analyzing “data from more than 700,000 women in Sweden.” The findings were published online Jan. 18 in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

Related Links:

— “Gestational Diabetes a Risk Factor for Postpartum Depression: Study,”Robert Preidt, HealthDay , January 23, 2017.

HealthDay (1/23, Thompson) reports that research suggests “the stress of managing breast cancer care provokes symptoms of anxiety in more than 42 percent of partners and caregivers.” Investigators found that “this stress-induced anxiety can last years after their loved one’s illness.” Investigators came to these conclusions after surveying “289 partners of patients diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger.” The findings are scheduled to be presented at a meeting of the American Society for Clinical Oncology.

Related Links:

— “When Loved One Has Breast Cancer, Partner Suffers, Too,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 23, 2017.

In a 2,000-word piece, the Washington Post (1/21, Itkowitz) reported on how certain community-based programs are helping give people with severe mental illness “a chance to lead a meaningful life.” For example, the Way Station program, “which serves more than 5,000 people across Maryland,” is making a big difference in the lives of individuals with mental illnesses by using “social support systems to integrate people with mental illnesses into their communities.”

Related Links:

— “His mental illness left him homeless. Then a unique program gave him his life back,”Colby Itkowitz, The Washington Post, January 21, 2017.