The NPR (2/20, Silberner) “Goats and Soda” blog reported that psychologist and psychiatrist Daniel Vigo, MD, of Harvard University, “along with Rifat Atun, also of Harvard, and Graham Thornicroft of King’s College in London, co-authored an eye-opening analysis published this month in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.”

After reinterpreting “data about illnesses and deaths collected over the last two decades as part of… the Global Burden of Disease Study,” the team has “concluded that the number of people affected by mental illness is greater than has been thought.”

Related Links:

— “A Man On A Mission: Give A True Count Of The Toll Of Mental Illness,” Joanne Silberner, National Public Radio, February 20, 2016.

In a 1,200-word article, the New York Times (2/22, A9, Philipps, Subscription Publication) reports that over the past 15 years, “more than 300,000 people, about 13 percent of all troops,” many with undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), “have been forced out of the military with less-than-honorable discharges.”

Congress has since implemented changes, including a requirement for “mental health professionals to review all discharges,” and these days, soldiers “with PTSD are more likely to be medically discharged with benefits.” Such measures have not remedied the situation for veterans “discharged before the changes,” however.

Some veterans are now “pushing for a bill in Congress that would overhaul the system by mandating that the military give veterans the benefit of the doubt, requiring the boards to decide cases starting from the presumption that PTSD materially contributed to the discharges.”

Related Links:

— “Veterans Want Past Discharges to Recognize Post-Traumatic Stress,” Dave Philipps, New York Times, February 19, 2016.

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.