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Latest News Around the Web

Survey Highlights Young Men’s Online Habits, Views On Mental Health

Psychiatric News (11/13) reports a new survey of 1,000 men ages 16 to 28 found that “young men who are online much of the day and have little or no social interaction outside of online activities are most likely to self-report dissatisfaction with their life and poor mental health.” According to the results, “about half of young men said they spend five or more hours a day online streaming, gaming, browsing, and/or using social media.” The results also indicated that “young men were split on whether their life is going the way they expected or envisioned it would go: 50% said yes, while 46% said no. Forty percent said they did not have a male mentor or role model. Seventeen percent rated mental health as their top priority – the second most popular answer behind financial stability (27%).” In addition, “young men were more likely to rate their own mental health as fair (33%) or poor/very poor (24%) rather than good (26%) or excellent (14%).”

Related Links:

— “Survey Looks at Young Men’s Online Habits, Satisfaction, and Mental Health, Psychiatric News, November 13, 2025

Surveys Show Growing Number Of Americans Experience Climate Anxiety

The AP (11/12, Wells) reports that surveys from the American Psychiatric Association “have repeatedly shown that a significant number of Americans experience climate anxiety.” A study published earlier this year in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences found that “while Generalized Anxiety Disorder often involves the part of the brain that handles fear, threat and emotion, climate anxiety activates parts of the brain that help with high cognition, willpower and tenacity.” Because the threat is indefinite, “it’s largely out of each person’s control and addressing it requires repeated and variable action.” Because climate anxiety is “such a big part of climate action,” the COP30 conference “has increased the number of mental health programs offered during the event, including several that focus on boosting mental health, building psychological resilience in the face of climate change and integrating mental health discussions in education.”

Related Links:

— “Climate change is in the news during COP30. We’ve got tips to tackle your climate anxiety,”Caleigh Wells, AP, November 12, 2025

Exposure To Common Infections Associated With Cognitive Decline In Older Patients, Study Suggests

Neurology Advisor (11/12, Khaja) reports a study found that “exposure to common infectious agents is associated with domain-specific cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults.” The researchers examined “whether serologic evidence of infection with 5 common pathogens (herpes simplex virus [HSV]-1, HSV-2, cytomegalovirus [CMV], Helicobacter pylori, and Chlamydia pneumoniae) was associated with cognitive performance and risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.” They found that “after adjusting for demographic, vascular, and psychosocial confounders, CMV and HSV-2 seropositivity were significantly associated with poorer executive function, while C pneumoniae seropositivity was linked to reduced language performance. In unadjusted models, CMV seropositivity was associated with increased risk for incident MCI and dementia. However, these associations were no longer significant after adjustment.” The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.

Related Links:

— “Common Infections Linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Adults,”Hibah Khaja, Neurology Advisor, November 12, 2025

Survey Shows Eating Disorders Prevalent But Underdiagnosed Within Latino Community

The Los Angeles Times (11/10, Flores) says that a nationwide survey conducted by Equip, a virtual eating disorder treatment program, found that “more than 70% of Latino respondents reported experiencing at least one disordered eating behavior in the past, with the most common behaviors being restrictive (52%) and binge eating (37%). However, only 12% reported having been formally diagnosed with an eating disorder.” Although a majority of survey respondents “identified food as being both positive and central to their life, 55% reported that they had experienced teasing or discrimination related to weight. Family was identified as having the top influence on body image, more than peers or social media.”

Related Links:

— “Binge eating disorder is prevalent among Latinos but underdiagnosed, Los Angeles Times , November 10, 2025

Study Finds Improvement In Carer-Child Relationship Quality Does Not Predict Later Emotional, Behavioral Outcomes

The American Journal of Managed Care (11/11, Steinzor) reports a study found that “although relationship quality between children and carers improved over 2.5 years, it did not directly predict later emotional or behavioral outcomes.” Researchers observed that over a 2.5-year period, mean (SD) Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) “scores increased from 66.12 (17.09) at baseline to 79.67 (16.52) at follow-up, indicating a shift toward more positive and secure relationships.” The findings “highlight the need for targeted interventions to support care-experienced children’s long-term mental health, as early caregiver-child relationships play a crucial role in shaping emotional and behavioral development.” The study was published in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Stronger Carer-Child Bonds Don’t Predict Later Mental Health,”Pearl Steinzor, The American Journal of Managed Care , November 11, 2025

Foundation News

Schuster to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award

Janice Lynch Schuster will be awarded the 2020 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for her op-ed, “People are not defined by their diseases” in the October 14, 2019 Baltimore Sun. The MFP Board unanimously felt that her article very effectively portrayed not only how hurtful stigma can be, but that health care providers themselves may be the culprits thoughtlessly participating in stigmatizing people – particularly when people are abusing drugs. Her statement inspires others to seek and give help, and to reframe substance abuse as a disease that must be treated scientifically and empathically.

The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award, which carries a $500 prize, will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on October 8.

The Foundation established this annual prize for a worthy piece published in a major newspaper (preferably local or regional) that accomplishes one or more of the following:
Shares with the public their experience with mental illness in themselves, a family
member, or simply in the community.
Helps others to overcome their inability to talk about mental illness or their own mental
illness.
Imparts particularly insightful observations on the general subject of mental illness.

Click here for information about past winners.

New Radio Ad Explores Racial Inequities and Mental Health in Current Crises

Institutional and structural racism are major factors in these times of pandemic and civil unrest. The African American community is particularly hit hard by the coronavirus, police brutality, and the economic burdens that come with them. The ad explains how there is hope and help available.

Racial Inequities and Current Crises in AmericaRacial Inequities and Current Crises in America, MP3, 712KB

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.

The Foundation Strongly Condemns All Forms of Racism

A Message from the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Board of Directors:

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry strongly condemns all forms of racism.  The Foundation calls on all Americans and all levels of government to actively oppose racism, and all related violence and brutality. The Foundation recognizes that there are wide disparities in treatment of mental illness and access to care related to race. Consistent with our mission to fight stigma associated with mental illness and to promote awareness and access to care for all individuals regardless of race, the Foundation pledges to support programs which combat racism.

The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry stands in solidarity with the agendas of the American Psychiatric Association, Maryland Psychiatric Society, and the Black Psychiatrists of America.  We endorse the following action items outlined by the Black Psychiatrists of America:

• Declare racism a public health problem and establish national goals for addressing this as a health equity issue. Give priority to addressing the issues of health care disparities including the mental health needs of historically marginalized communities across the US.
 
• Provide adequate funding for the clinical care, training, and research needed to eliminate health disparities and require racism impact statements for all government funded services and research. 
 
• Establish a governmental multidisciplinary and ethnically diverse commission with representatives from the major health care professional associations in medicine, nursing, psychiatry, public health, psychology, social work, etc., and the faith-based community to provide recommendations to Congress regarding policies on how best to improve the health and well-being of our nation’s Black citizens.
 
• Declare “Civic Mental Health” a national priority and incorporate it into the educational curriculum from K-college, as well as in the training of local, state and national officials, law enforcement, and the criminal justice system. 
 
• Establish police community review boards with power to take action in areas of police misconduct pending formal review by the appropriate authorities. This will offer a level of empowerment when communities feel they have a voice that can be heard. 
 
• Assure adequate insurance coverage for mental disorders and emotional distress that are the outgrowth of racism, police brutality, discrimination of all kinds and violence. 

The Maryland Psychiatric Society has also put out a statement on their website.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) also condemns racism and has published their statement, too.

New Radio Ad Explores Mental Health in the Wake of the Coronavirus

A recent poll shows that more than half the people in the United States are feeling extremely worried by the coronavirus. They find they aren’t sleeping properly, are distracted, or being driven into depression. The ad explains how there is hope and help available.

The Coronavirus and Your State of MindThe Coronavirus and Your State of Mind, MP3, 721KB

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.