The New York Times (12/22, Hartocollis) reports, “Colleges across the country are facing a mental health crisis, driven in part by the pandemic.” Students “are anxious, socially isolated, depressed – and overwhelming mental health centers,” after nearly “two years of remote schooling, restricted gatherings and constant testing.” Furthermore, the rate of suicides has increased at some universities. University administrations are worried that a second coronavirus surge and set of lockdowns due to the Omicron variant will exacerbate the problem.

Related Links:

— “Another Surge in the Virus Has Colleges Fearing a Mental Health Crisis “Anemona Hartocollis, The New York Times, December 22, 2021

Kaiser Health News (12/21, Szabo) reports, “The pandemic has created a hostile environment for pregnant people and their babies.” Pregnant women infected with COVID-19 “are five times as likely as uninfected pregnant people to require intensive care and 22 times as likely to die.” Furthermore, “babies of covid-infected moms are 60% more likely to be born very prematurely, which increases the danger of infant mortality and long-term disabilities such as cerebral palsy, asthma and hearing loss, as well as a child’s risk of adult disease, including depression, anxiety, heart disease and kidney disease.”

Related Links:

— “Pandemic Poses Short- and Long-Term Risks to Babies, Especially Boys ” Liz Szabo, Kaiser Health News, December 21, 2021

HealthDay (12/21) reports, “Public stigma toward depression seems to have decreased, according to a study.” The findings were published online Dec. 21 in JAMA Network Open.

Psychiatric News (12/21) reports, “To better understand the nature and magnitude of public stigma over two decades for major mental illnesses, the researchers analyzed data from the 1996, 2006, and 2018 U.S. National Stigma Studies, which are part of the General Social Survey,” and “the participants were randomly assigned to one vignette describing a fictitious person with behaviors meeting DSM-4 criteria for schizophrenia, major depression, or alcohol dependence or a control.”

Related Links:

— “Public Stigma Toward Depression Decreased From 2006 to 2018, HealthDay, December 21, 2021

Some people are consuming high doses of loperamide in an attempt to self-manage opioid withdrawal or to achieve a euphoric high. Taking high doses puts these individuals at risk for severe or fatal cardiac events. Help prevent loperamide misuse by educating at-risk patients about the risks of misusing loperamide or taking more than the directed dose. Download the patient fact sheet to share with patients and colleagues and find resources for providers at LoperamideSafety.org.

Related Links:

— “Understanding Loperamide Abuse

The AP (12/20, Alonso-Zaldivar) reports, “People in crisis and those trying to help them will have a new phone number – 988 – to reach the national suicide prevention network starting in July,” now that “federal health officials” from the Department of Health and Human Services on Dec. 20 “announced more than $280 million to smooth the transition from the current 10-digit number to three digits.” In addition to voice calls, the 988 number will “handle text and chat.” People using 988 “will be able to reach trained counselors who belong to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network.”

The Hill (12/20, Coleman) reports, “Before July, Americans needing help should call the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.”

Related Links:

— “988 suicide phone hotline getting $282M to ease July launch “Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, AP, December 20, 2021