HealthDay (2/18, Preidt) reports that patients with schizophrenia may be “at significantly increased risk of attempting suicide,” according to a study published online in Schizophrenia Research and Treatment. After analyzing data on “more than 21,700 Canadians,” researchers found that patients “with schizophrenia had six times the odds of having attempted suicide in comparison to those without schizophrenia.”

Related Links:

— “Schizophrenia Tied to Much Higher Risk of Suicide Attempts,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, February 18, 2016.

Medical Daily (2/18, Baulkman) reports that a large study published Thursday in the scientific journal Addiction found “cigarette smokers with depressive symptoms, such as feelings of guilt and helplessness, had a higher motivation to quit smoking, but were more likely to relapse within the first month.” The Daily says this creates a “catch-22,” as quitting smoking creates risks of depression. The CDC is cited indicating tobacco smoking is “the leading preventable cause of death” in the US.

Related Links:

— “Smokers With Depression Have A Higher Motivation To Quit, But More Likely To Relapse,” Jaleesa Baulkman, Medical Daily, February 18, 2016.

The NBC News (2/18, Fox) website reports that “more Americans than ever are overdosing on anxiety” medications. Researchers found that while the amount of filled prescriptions for anxiety medications has tripled from 1996 to 2013, the number of overdoses quadrupled over the same time period.

Related Links:

— “Anxiety Drug Overdoses Have Quadrupled Over Last Two Decades, Study Finds,” Maggie Fox, NBC News, February 18, 2016.

The Huffington Post (2/18, Pearson) reports that antenatal depression “affects roughly 15 to 25 percent of expectant mothers,” and is not given as much attention as postpartum depression. Meanwhile, “the DSM-5, the American Psychiatric Association’s official manual of mental disorders, does not recognize antenatal and postpartum depression as separate things, instead including them both under the umbrella of ‘major depression’ with a specifier of ‘peripartum onset.’”

Both conditions “can be closely intertwined,” however. “Women who are depressed or anxious during pregnancy are 50 percent more likely than the general population to struggle postpartum,” said clinical social worker Kate Kripke, founder of the Postpartum Wellness Center of Boulder.

Related Links:

— “We Need To Talk More About Depression During Pregnancy,” Catherine Pearson, Huffington Post, February 17, 2016.

Medscape (2/17, Brooks) reports that “a sense of meaning in life may be a critical factor in curbing suicidal thoughts in older adults.”

Related Links:

— Medscape (requires login and subscription)

HealthDay (2/17, Mozes) reports, “Nearly four in 10 people who seriously consider suicide end up recovering long-term, achieving a mental state that’s free of suicidal symptoms or thoughts,” a study published online Jan. 26 in the journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior suggests. After examining “nearly 2,900 formerly suicidal men and women,” researchers also found that “chances of recovery are more than seven times greater when a patient has a close confidant to trust and count on.”

Related Links:

— “Many Suicidal People Make Long-Term Recovery, Study Shows,” Alan Mozes, HealthDay, February 17, 2016.

USA Today (2/17, Puente) reports that HRH Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, wrote a guest editor piece in “The Blog” for the Huffington Post (UK) promoting children’s mental health. The Duchess is “trying to give more of her spotlight to improving children’s mental-health policies, to dispel the taboo of talking about it in public and to help parents and kids find resources they need.” The Duchess is launching a “new global initiative” under the hashtag of #YoungMindsMatter.

The AP (2/18) reports, “US first lady Michelle Obama also wrote an article for the site, praising” the Duchess “for shining ‘a bright light on mental health, particularly children’s mental health, and on the tens of millions of people who suffer in silence.’”

Related Links:

— “Duchess Kate takes over Huffington Post UK as guest editor for a day,” Maria Puente, USA Today, February 17, 2016.

USA Today (2/18, Zoroya) reports that a study released Feb. 18 by the RAND Corp. suggests that the US military is “struggling to provide adequate therapy sessions for thousands of active-duty troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.” According to the study, only a third of troops suffering from PTSD and fewer than a quarter of those suffering from clinical depression receive the minimum number of therapy sessions once they have been diagnosed. RAND “described the study as the largest independent examination of mental health treatment in the military.”

Related Links:

— “Study: Military falls short in treating new cases of war-related stress,” Gregg Zoroya, USA Today, February 18, 2016.

The CBS News (2/16, Kraft) website reports on the growing misuse of the stimulant medication Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine), which is often prescribed for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD). A study published online Feb. 16 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry indicates that “incidences of misuse and emergency room visits related to Adderall increased dramatically for young adults between 2006 and 2011.” Researchers arrived at this conclusion after examining data from the “National Disease and Therapeutic Index, a survey of office-based practices; National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a population survey of substance use; and Drug Abuse Warning Network, a survey of hospital emergency department visits.”

Related Links:

— “Adderall misuse rising among young adults,” Amy Kraft, CBS News, February 16, 2016.

The New York Post (2/17) reports that according to NYU professor of Global Public Health Michael Weitzman, some fathers experience a kind of postpartum depression, and “the father being depressed has an influence on the mom and her ability to mother.” A father’s depression can also have a negative impact on a child’s behavior in school.

Related Links:

— “Dads get postpartum depression, too,” Natalie O’Niell, New York Post, February 17, 2016.