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Latest News Around the Web

Instagram Says It Will Expand Privacy Protections For Children

The New York Times (9/17, Isaac, Singer) reports Instagram on Tuesday said it would bolster its privacy protections for children. The social media firm “said the accounts of users younger than 18 will be made private by default in the coming weeks.” The Meta-owned company “also plans to stop notifications to minors from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to promote sleep. In addition, Instagram will introduce more supervision tools for adults, including a feature that allows parents to see the accounts that their teenager recently messaged.”

The AP (9/17, Ortutay ) reports Instagram “says it will require” users “to verify their ages in more instances.” The company “also said it is building technology that proactively finds teen accounts that pretend to be grownups and automatically places them into the restricted teen accounts.”

According to ABC News (9/17, Kindelan ), “With the new accounts, teens will have the power to choose the age-appropriate topics they want to see more of on Instagram, like sports or art, and parents will also be able to see the topics their teens choose.”

Related Links:

— “The New York Times (requires login and subscription)

Patients turn to online communities to learn how to make pirated versions of drugs

According to Axios (9/16, Reed ), patients increasingly are “joining online communities to learn how to make pirated versions” of medications like “GLP-1s and other prescription drugs and medical treatments.” Some patients also are organizing “into online communities and sharing what they find.” Meanwhile, “These patients are essentially reformulating or mixing their own drugs and potentially putting themselves at a great risk for harm and even death on the advice of people they’ve never met, Bruce A. Scott, MD, president of the American Medical Association, told Axios.” Dr. Scott remarked, “I don’t think I can overemphasize the fact that this is scary stuff, and that patients should consult their physicians.”

Related Links:

— “DIY medicine draws frustrated patients to online forums,”Tina Reed, Axios , September 16, 2024

Study Finds Children Who Reported Severe Sleep Disturbances At Age 10 Have Higher Odds Of Reporting Suicidal Ideation Or Attempt At Age 12

MedPage Today (9/16, DePeau-Wilson ) says, “A study of more than 8,000 kids found that those who reported severe sleep disturbances at age 10 had a higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation or attempt…at age 12.” The findings from the longitudinal cohort study were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Data Suggest Only 1% Of People Who Call 988 During Mental Health Crisis Undergo Involuntary Emergency Rescue

According to CBS News (9/16, Tin ), “Many people in [a] mental health crisis fear that if they dial 988, law enforcement might show up or they might be forced to go to the hospital,” but “involuntary emergency rescue” only occurs to “about 1% of callers, suggests new data from Vibrant Emotional Health, the administrator of the 988 Lifeline for suicide and mental health crises.” The research, however, “only spans around 2 million calls made from 2019 through 2023, tallied from a fraction of the now more than 200 locally run crisis centers that underpin the network.”

Related Links:

— “Will 988 call the police? Data suggests 1% of mental health crisis calls get “involuntary” rescues,”Alexander Tin, CBS News, September 16, 2024

Each Additional Hour Of Total Screen Time Or Social Media Use Raises Likelihood A Child Will Have Eating Disorder Symptoms Two Years Later, Findings Suggest

HealthDay (9/13, Thompson ) reported, “Each additional hour of total screen time or social media use raises the likelihood that a kid or young teen will have eating disorder symptoms two years later,” according to findings published in Eating and Weight Disorders. These symptoms, researchers found, “include worrying about gaining weight, linking one’s self-worth to weight and binge eating, researchers said. Others include excessive exercise, restricting calories, throwing up, or taking water pills, laxatives or diet pills.”

Related Links:

— “Social Media Linked to Eating Disorders in Kids and Young Teens,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, September 13, 2024

Foundation News

Depressed Adolescents Often Struggle Alone

The Los Angeles Times (4/29, Healy) “Booster Shots” blog reported that although “some 2-million Americans adolescents experienced a bout of major depression last year,” only about one-third of them received help, according to a report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to “kick off a month of national activity aimed at raising awareness of childrens’ mental health.”

Overall, about “8.1% of the population between 12 and 17 years old reported experiencing a period of depressed mood lasting two or more weeks in the preceding 12 months.” Depressive episodes increased with age; and adolescent boys were “consistently less likely to report depression.” Nearly 15 percent of “girls 15 to 17 years old” described a “major depressive episode in the preceding year, compared to an average of 6.4% of boys” of the same age “who did so.”

Related Links:

– “Depressed teens mostly struggle alone,” Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times, April 29, 2011.

John Plaskon Wins 2011 Outstanding Merit Award

At the MPS annual meeting in April, the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry presented its 2011 Outstanding Merit Award to John Plaskon, executive director of Crossroads Community, Inc. in Centreville, for his vision and leadership in opening a new mental health clinic in rural Queen Anne’s County during the height of the recession.

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry established the annual Outstanding Merit Award for a worthy program in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

  • Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
  • Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
  • Reduces the stigma of mental illness

The award, open to the entire Maryland community, carries a prize of $500. Find information on nominating for the 2012 award here.

2012 Outstanding Merit Award Entries Open Now

Nominations are now being accepted for the Foundation’s 2012 Outstanding Merit Award.

The annual Outstanding Merit Award is given for a worthy endeavor in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

  • Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness

  • Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness

  • Reduces the stigma of mental illness

Nominations for this award of $500 are being invited from the entire Maryland community. A short nomination form must be submitted with a cover letter by March 1, 2012, to the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, 1101 Saint. Paul Street, Suite 305, Baltimore, MD 21202-6405. The form is available as PDF or Word document.

Foundation’s Latest Radio Spot Examines Disaster and Crisis

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, Inc. recently began airing a new public service announcement on local Maryland radio stations. It focuses on the psychological effects of disasters such as the recent tragic earthquake and tsunami in Japan as well as the toll personal crises can take on the mind.

You can listen to the ad using the player in the upper right of the website’s homepage. All past public service spots are also available for listening or to download on our Radio Advertisements page.

Adolescent Depression Awareness Program Wins 2010 Outstanding Merit Award

At the MPS annual meeting in April, the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry presented its 2010 Outstanding Merit Award to the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program of the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins.

The Board was particularly impressed with this outstanding program, which through student, parent and teacher education seeks to increase awareness of adolescent depression and bipolar disorder while reducing the stigma associated with these illnesses.

In addition, the foundation awarded Honorable Mentions to the Southern Maryland Community Network in Prince Frederick, which offers essential services to persons with severe and persistent mental illness, and to Helping Other People through Empowerment, Inc. Wellness and Recovery Center in Baltimore, which assists adults with mental illness in becoming empowered to rejoin mainstream society by increasing awareness of available resources through peer support.

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry established the annual Outstanding Merit Award for a worthy program in Maryland that accomplishes one or more of the following:

  • Increases public awareness and understanding of mental illness
  • Enhances the quality of care for psychiatric illness
  • Reduces the stigma of mental illness

The award, open to the entire Maryland community, carries a prize of $500.

Related Links:

– Johns Hopkins Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP)
– Southern Maryland Community Network
– Helping Other People through Empowerment