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Latest News Around the Web
Children Whose Fathers Took Valproate Prior To Conception More Likely To Have Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Study Suggests
MedPage Today (11/13, George) reports a study found that “children whose dads took valproate up to 3 months before conception were more likely to have neurodevelopmental disorders.” Researchers observed that “compared with children whose fathers took lamotrigine or levetiracetam, kids with fathers exposed to valproate had a higher risk of a neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis up to age 12 years.” They noted that “congenital malformation risk did not differ between exposure groups.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.
Related Links:
— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)
Survey Highlights Young Men’s Online Habits, Views On Mental Health
Psychiatric News (11/13) reports a new survey of 1,000 men ages 16 to 28 found that “young men who are online much of the day and have little or no social interaction outside of online activities are most likely to self-report dissatisfaction with their life and poor mental health.” According to the results, “about half of young men said they spend five or more hours a day online streaming, gaming, browsing, and/or using social media.” The results also indicated that “young men were split on whether their life is going the way they expected or envisioned it would go: 50% said yes, while 46% said no. Forty percent said they did not have a male mentor or role model. Seventeen percent rated mental health as their top priority – the second most popular answer behind financial stability (27%).” In addition, “young men were more likely to rate their own mental health as fair (33%) or poor/very poor (24%) rather than good (26%) or excellent (14%).”
Related Links:
— “Survey Looks at Young Men’s Online Habits, Satisfaction, and Mental Health, Psychiatric News, November 13, 2025
Surveys Show Growing Number Of Americans Experience Climate Anxiety
The AP (11/12, Wells) reports that surveys from the American Psychiatric Association “have repeatedly shown that a significant number of Americans experience climate anxiety.” A study published earlier this year in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences found that “while Generalized Anxiety Disorder often involves the part of the brain that handles fear, threat and emotion, climate anxiety activates parts of the brain that help with high cognition, willpower and tenacity.” Because the threat is indefinite, “it’s largely out of each person’s control and addressing it requires repeated and variable action.” Because climate anxiety is “such a big part of climate action,” the COP30 conference “has increased the number of mental health programs offered during the event, including several that focus on boosting mental health, building psychological resilience in the face of climate change and integrating mental health discussions in education.”
Related Links:
— “Climate change is in the news during COP30. We’ve got tips to tackle your climate anxiety,”Caleigh Wells, AP, November 12, 2025
Exposure To Common Infections Associated With Cognitive Decline In Older Patients, Study Suggests
Neurology Advisor (11/12, Khaja) reports a study found that “exposure to common infectious agents is associated with domain-specific cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults.” The researchers examined “whether serologic evidence of infection with 5 common pathogens (herpes simplex virus [HSV]-1, HSV-2, cytomegalovirus [CMV], Helicobacter pylori, and Chlamydia pneumoniae) was associated with cognitive performance and risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.” They found that “after adjusting for demographic, vascular, and psychosocial confounders, CMV and HSV-2 seropositivity were significantly associated with poorer executive function, while C pneumoniae seropositivity was linked to reduced language performance. In unadjusted models, CMV seropositivity was associated with increased risk for incident MCI and dementia. However, these associations were no longer significant after adjustment.” The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Related Links:
— “Common Infections Linked to Cognitive Decline in Older Adults,”Hibah Khaja, Neurology Advisor, November 12, 2025
Survey Shows Eating Disorders Prevalent But Underdiagnosed Within Latino Community
The Los Angeles Times (11/10, Flores) says that a nationwide survey conducted by Equip, a virtual eating disorder treatment program, found that “more than 70% of Latino respondents reported experiencing at least one disordered eating behavior in the past, with the most common behaviors being restrictive (52%) and binge eating (37%). However, only 12% reported having been formally diagnosed with an eating disorder.” Although a majority of survey respondents “identified food as being both positive and central to their life, 55% reported that they had experienced teasing or discrimination related to weight. Family was identified as having the top influence on body image, more than peers or social media.”
Related Links:
— “Binge eating disorder is prevalent among Latinos but underdiagnosed, Los Angeles Times , November 10, 2025
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.