Psychiatric News (12/8) reports, “Women with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are at an increased risk of death compared with women without trauma exposure or depression,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data collected from participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II,” which “involves 116,429 women who enrolled in 1989 at ages 25 to 42 years and are followed-up biennially.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “PTSD, Depression May Increase Risk of Death in Women, Psychiatric News, December 8, 2020

Healio (12/8, Gramigna) reports, “Gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals had more adverse childhood experiences than their heterosexual counterparts in the United States,” investigators concluded after analyzing “data collected in households via structured diagnostic face-to-face interviews of 36,309 U.S. adults aged 18 years or older who were included in the 2012 to 2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III.” The study revealed “the highest prevalence of adverse sexual experiences and comorbid substance use and mental health disorders among gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals, especially bisexual women.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Gay, lesbian, bisexual individuals have higher rates of adverse childhood experiences “Joe Gramigna, Healio, December 8, 2020

Healio (12/8, Gramigna) reports, “The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the mental health of” healthcare workers on the front line, “survey results released by Mental Health America” indicate. The online survey garnered responses from 1,119 healthcare workers, revealing that 93% of them “reported experiencing stress, 86% reported experiencing anxiety, 77% reported frustration, 76% reported exhaustion and burnout and 75% reported feeling overwhelmed.” Click here to see the full breakdown of the survey’s findings.

Related Links:

— “Survey shows significant mental health burden on frontline care workers during pandemic “Joe Gramigna, Healio, December 8, 2020

HealthDay (12/7, Mann) reports, “Growing numbers of younger kids are overdosing on stimulant medications commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder [AD/HD],” researchers concluded after reviewing “charts from close to 90 million emergency department visits for nonfatal overdoses that took place over three years among U.S. kids in three age groups: 0 to 10; 11 to 14; and 15 to 24.” The findings were published online Dec. 7 in Pediatrics. MedPage Today (12/7, Hlavinka) also covers the study.

Related Links:

— “ADHD Medication ODs Rising in U.S. Kids, Teens “Denise Mann, HealthDay, December 7, 2020

According to Healio (12/7, Weller), the COVID-19 “pandemic has heightened the stress and burnout that” healthcare professionals “experience, such that it is imperative to seek mental health care and, when needed, take difficult steps to protect colleagues’ well-being, according to” a speech given by “Saul Levin, MD, MPA, FRCP-E, FRCPsych, CEO and medical director of the American Psychiatric Association and clinical professor at the George Washington School of Medicine…at the opening session of the virtual American Academy of Ophthalmology annual meeting.” Dr. Levin said, “As physicians, we’re responsible for the health of our patients, but we need to remember, we’re also responsible for ours.” In addition, “physicians must…be able to recognize symptoms of burnout and depression in themselves and their colleagues.” Finally, “if immediate help is needed for a colleague who expresses active suicidal ideation, physicians must be prepared to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or emergency services, Levin said.”

Related Links:

— “It takes ‘great courage’ to support colleagues’ mental health during pandemic “Madison Weller, Healio, December 7, 2020