Psychiatric News (1/8) reported, “Financial distress, feeling downhearted, and doing activities less carefully were identified through machine learning as risk factors for suicide,” investigators concluded after drawing “on data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions, which is conducted with a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 18 years and older.” The findings were published online Jan. 6 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Study Confirms Well-Known Suicide Risk Factors, Identifies New Risks, Psychiatric News, January 8, 2021

According to HealthDay (1/8, Thompson), the US is “in a state of shock and outrage over” the Jan. 6 “riotous siege on the U.S. Capitol Building by supporters of President Donald Trump.” Because “there could be still worse to come before the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden,” it is important to take care of “mental and physical health…in the coming days of trial and tribulation…American Psychiatric Association President” Jeffrey Geller, MD, MPH, “said.” By “sticking to a normal daily routine, sleeping well, staying hydrated, eating healthy, exercising and participating in self-calming techniques like meditation or yoga, Geller said” that people could ease the stress they feel. People also should “try to avoid the use of alcohol, drugs or tobacco, Geller added.”

Related Links:

— “Coping With Anxiety, Fear During a Rocky Presidential Transition ” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, January 8, 2021

MedPage Today (1/7, Ingram) reports researchers found that among patients with cancer “receiving long-term opioid treatment for pain, 19% developed behaviors of nonmedical opioid use.” The findings were published in JAMA Oncology.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

The Washington Post (1/7, Chiu) reports, “Many Americans have been unable to pull their eyes away from images of hundreds of Trump supporters storming the U.S. Capitol building Wednesday – smashing windows, trampling over police officers, rampaging through the halls of government and forcing frightened lawmakers to flee.” But “constant exposure to images that generate fear, anxiety and distress can exact a heavy toll on people’s minds and bodies.” People also “may struggle with concentration or difficulties with sleep, causing confusion and exhaustion, said Jeffrey Geller, president of the American Psychiatric Association.” These effects “are likely to be only worsened by prolonged exposure to the triggering media, Geller said.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

The New York Times (1/4, Goldberg) reports on the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on addiction treatment. For example, some addiction treatments have been forced to close and studies have found that binge drinking has increased during the pandemic.

Related Links:

— “‘Relapsing Left and Right’: Trying to Overcome Addiction in a Pandemic “Emma Goldberg, The New York Times, January 4, 2021