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Latest News Around the Web
Patients With Substance Use Disorder Most Likely To Go Out-Of-Network For Care, Study Finds
Psychiatric News (3/11) reports a study found that “patients with private insurance who saw behavioral health professionals went out-of-network for their care more often than their peers who received care from medical or surgical health professionals.” Researchers observed that “across all settings, patients with substance use disorder (SUD) were most likely to go out-of-network for care, followed by those with a mental disorder and those who received medical or surgical care.” The study was published in Psychiatric Services.
Related Links:
— “Out-of-Network Care More Common in Substance Use, Mental Disorder Treatment,” Psychiatric News, March 11, 2025
Alexithymia May Be Strong Influence In How Much Sensory Sensitivity People With Autism Spectrum Disorder Experience, Study Finds
Psychiatric News (3/10) reports a study found that “alexithymia – a condition associated with difficulty in identifying and describing one’s own emotions – may be a strong influence in how much sensory sensitivity people with autism spectrum disorder experience.” The researchers “conducted a series of modeling analyses to examine the interaction between the severity of alexithymia, sensory issues, and/or autism in” twin pairs in which at least one twin had autism. The analysis “found a strong correlation between autism and sensory symptoms; however, after controlling for alexithymia, the association between autism and sensory symptoms was no longer significant. In contrast, the correlation between alexithymia and sensory symptoms was significant, even after factoring in the influence of autism.” They concluded, “This suggests that alexithymia and sensory processing share genetic factors, independent of those that increase the likelihood of autism.” The study was published in Translational Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Sensory Sensitivity in People With Autism May Be Due to Emotional Blindness,” Psychiatric News, March10 , 2025
Physical Activity Has Strong Protective Effect On Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Study Suggests
Healio (3/10, Jenkins ) reports early study results suggest that “people who engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity may be less likely to develop dementia, stroke, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders compared with those with more sedentary behavior.” Researchers found that “moderate to vigorous physical activity had a strong protective effect on neuropsychiatric diseases…whereas more sedentary time was a risk factor.” They stated, “Our findings reinforce a dose-response relationship between physical activity and health benefits, supporting public health guidelines and highlighting exercise as a cost-effective and accessible preventive strategy, particularly for high-risk populations.” Preliminary results from the study will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s Annual Meeting.
Related Links:
— “Exercise tied to reduced risk for some neuropsychiatric diseases,” Cassandra Jenkins, Healio, March 10, 2025 — Free registration required
Girls Who Experience Childhood Trauma At Higher Risk Of Developing Internalizing Symptoms By Ages 12 To 14, Study Finds
Psychiatric News (3/7) reported a study found that “girls who experience childhood trauma are at a higher risk of developing internalizing symptoms like depression and anxiety by ages 12 to 14, an association that is partially explained by starting puberty ahead of their peers.” Researchers found that “early starters had significantly higher exposure to trauma at baseline compared with slow or typical developers, while slow developers had lower trauma exposure compared with typical developers. Slow developers also had significantly lower internalizing symptoms compared with early starters and typical developers.” The studywas published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Related Links:
— “Childhood Trauma, Early Puberty Associated With Internalizing Symptoms in Girls,” Psychiatric News, March 7, 2025
Many Patients With Chronic Pain Have Clinical Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (3/7, Monaco ) reported that a large systematic review and meta-analysis found that “about 40% of adults with chronic pain had clinical symptoms of depression and anxiety.” Researchers found that “as for formal diagnoses, 36.7% of people with chronic pain met criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), and 16.7% met criteria for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).” They noted these rates were “markedly higher than population norms,” which are about “8% and 3%, respectively, for U.S. adult population prevalence.” In addition, “6.3% of chronic pain sufferers met diagnostic criteria for persistent depressive disorder, 7.5% for panic disorder, and 2.2% for social anxiety disorder.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
Related Links:
— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)
Foundation News
Cooper to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
Damion Cooper, Th.M. will be awarded the 2019 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry (MFP) Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for his op-ed, “Surviving a gunshot, one man’s story” in the October 18, 2018 Baltimore Sun. The MFP Board unanimously felt that his article was the most deserving of this year’s recognition. Being shot is unfortunately a somewhat common experience for some residents of Baltimore, and the culture of not talking about it makes recovery very difficult for survivors. The Board believes that his courage may empower others to seek help and speak more openly about their own or their family’s suffering.
The Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award carries a $500 prize, which will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 25.
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.
Related Links:
— “Surviving a gunshot, one man’s story,” Damion J. Cooper, Baltimore Sun, October 18, 2018
Latest Foundation Ad Examines Reliving Trauma Via News and Events
Events and reports in the news can activate painful memories, causing people to relive and have to deal with abuse years after they thought they had successfully handled it via therapy or repression. A new public service ad by the Foundation is airing now that explores how someone to talk to, particularly a psychiatrist, can help cope.
Trauma: Never too late to speak, especially to a psychiatristTrauma: Never too late to speak, especially to a psychiatrist, MP3, 2.5MB
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.
This Is My Brave Project Added to Featured Websites
This Is My Brave (TIMB) has been added to our Links & Publications page. The goal of the non-profit aligns directly with our own here at the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry: to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues. They focus on sharing personal stories of individuals living successful, full lives despite mental illness through poetry, essay and original music, on stage in front of a live audience, through stories submitted and published to their blog, and via their YouTube channel.
Two of our directors, Dr. Komrad and Mr. Wiggins, recently attended a local event and reported the program was well-attended and very moving. TIMB has 17 more shows planned across the United states and 2 upcoming in Australia. You can find more information about the organization via their web site: https://thisismybrave.org/
Dr. Daniel Hale to Receive Anti-Stigma Advocacy Award
W. Daniel Hale, Ph.D. has been awarded the 2018 Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Anti-Stigma Advocacy Prize for his op-ed, “We need to talk about depression” in the June 13, 2016 Baltimore Sun. The Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry Board of Directors chose the piece from among several nominees. Dr. Hale eloquently writes in a very personal way about his daughter’s depression and suicide and his own depression and successful recovery. His courage to speak openly about suffering may give others the courage to speak about their own, or their family’s experiences. Hiding depression only makes it harder to get help and delays recovery.
The award carries a $500 prize, which will be formally presented at the Maryland Psychiatric Society annual meeting on April 26.
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.
Foundation Radio Ad Looks At Mental Health after School Shootings
To date in 2018 there have been 18 school shootings, and the effects upon those who experience them as well as those fearing such a thing might happen to their school are real and long term. A new public service ad by the Foundation is airing now that explores how and why student, teachers, and parents may be acting as they are and how psychiatry can help them heal and get beyond the trauma.
Anxiety and Mental Health in Wake of School ShootingsAnxiety and Mental Health in Wake of School Shootings, MP3, 1.5MB
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.