The Washington Post (5/4, Wan) reports, “Three months into the coronavirus pandemic, America is on the verge of another health crisis, with daily doses of death, isolation and fear generating widespread psychological trauma.” The Washington Post adds, “Federal agencies and experts warn that a historic wave of mental health problems is approaching: depression, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide.” On Wednesday, the American Psychiatric Association and other groups signed a joint letter urging the Trump Administration to help address the situation by saving community mental health centers that are facing financial collapse and lifting restrictions on reimbursements so therapists can talk with patients over the phone.

Related Links:

— “The coronavirus pandemic is pushing America into a mental health crisis, “William Wan, The Washington Post, May 4, 2020

According to Healio (5/1, Burba), “premature menopause and current use of hormone therapy [HT] were associated with self-reported depression,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data on menopausal status, use of HT and other sociodemographic and lifestyle variables from 13,216 women aged 45 to 64 years who participated in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging between 2010 and 2015.” The findings were published online in the journal Menopause.

Related Links:

— “More depression reported by women with premature menopause, current HT use, “Kate Burba, Healio, May 1, 2020

MD Magazine (5/3, Rosenfeld) reported research indicates that “older adults with depression” may be “at a higher risk of remaining depressed if they experienced persistent or worsening sleep problems.” Investigators arrived at this conclusion after analyzing “data from nearly 600 older adults who visited primary care centers in the Northeast US to determine the association between sleep difficulties and outcomes of depression and suicidal ideation.” The study revealed that “adults >60 years old who had a pattern of worsening insomnia symptoms over the following year had almost 30 times the odds of having a major depression diagnosis at the end of the year compared to those who had improving sleep.” The findings from the “PROSPECT study” were published online April 2 in the journal Sleep.

Related Links:

— “Worsening Sleep Increases Depression Persistence in Older Patients, “Samara Rosenfeld, MD Magazine, May 3, 2020

The Hill (4/30, Axelrod) reports, “Seventy-six lawmakers from both chambers of Congress are lobbying leadership to include funding for mental health in the next coronavirus stimulus package.” The “lawmakers called for the next coronavirus stimulus to include at least $38.5 billion for behavior health organizations (BHOs), which they say are at risk of being shuttered as part of the pandemic’s economic fallout.” They wrote that “many organizations that primarily treat individuals with mental health and/or substance use disorders…are at risk of closing their doors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The immediate and long-term effects of this cannot be overstated as millions of Americans rely on BHOs to address their mental health and substance use disorder treatment needs.”

Related Links:

— “6 lawmakers urge emergency funding for mental health in next coronavirus stimulus package, “Tal Axelrod, The Hill, April 30, 2020

Psychiatric News (4/30) reports, “People with mental illness reported that the COVID-19 pandemic has led them to feel greater feelings of isolation, less connected with others, and increasingly worried that their illnesses may worsen,” investigators concluded after analyzing “survey data collected” from 214 respondents “by the online community ForLikeMinds, which is dedicated to promoting mental health recovery and wellness.” The findings (PDF) will be published online in Psychiatric Services, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association.

Related Links:

— “People With Mental Illness Say COVID-19 Pandemic Has Led To Greater Feelings Of Isolation And Increased Worry About Worsening Illness, Study Data Suggest, Psychiatric News, April 30, 2020