HealthDay (6/4, Gordon) reports researchers found that “almost one-third of teens and young adults who reported seeing self-harm posts on Instagram said they had performed the same or similar self-harming behavior afterwards.” The findings were published in New Media and Society.

Related Links:

— “Instagram ‘Self-Harm’ Posts Give Rise to Copycat Behavior, ” Serena Gordon, HealthDay, June 4, 2019

Healio (6/4, Demko) reports researchers found that “parental prescription opioid use appeared associated with greater risk for suicide attempt among offspring.” The findings were published in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Parental opioid use increases risk for child suicide attempt, “Savannah Demko, Healio, June 4, 2019

HealthDay (6/3, Mozes) reports, “An alarming number of teens practice self-harm, but lesbian, gay and bisexual teens may be more than twice as likely as their straight peers to cut, hit or bruise themselves,” research indicated. After examining the “self-injury risk among more than 21,000 high schoolers in the state of Massachusetts between 2005 and 2017,” investigators found that “38% to 53% of lesbian, gay and bisexual teens” engaged in these behaviors, compared to “between 10% and 20% of heterosexual teens.” The findings were published online June 3 in a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics.

Related Links:

— “Lesbian, Gay Youth at Higher Risk for Self-Harm, “Alan Mozes, HealthDay, June 3, 2019

MedPage Today (6/3, Hlavinka) reports that “teens with mental health problems were more likely to take up cigarettes, both electronic and regular, according to a longitudinal study” published in Pediatrics. Youth aged “12-17 with at least four externalizing symptoms – such as impulsive or disruptive conduct and substance use – were more likely to start using e-cigarettes (adjusted relative risk ratio 2.78, 95% CI 1.76–4.40), combustible cigarettes (aRRR 5.59, 95% CI 2.63–11.90), or both (aRRR 2.23, 95% CI, 1.15–4.31), compared to teens with low externalizing behaviors, reported” the researchers.

Related Links:

— “Poor Mental Health Ups Risk for Teen E-Cigarette Use, “Elizabeth Hlavinka, MedPage Today, June 3, 2019

Medscape (6/3, Lowry, Subscription Publication) reports that after examining survey responses from 256 women, researchers “found that rates of suicidal ideation concurrent with” premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) “ranged from 11% to 32% for passive and from 9% to 23% for active suicidal ideation.” Currently, “suicidal ideation (SI) is not included in the fifth edition of the” American Psychiatric Association’s “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for PMDD,” Medscape adds. The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2019 annual meeting.

Related Links:

— “Suicidal Thoughts Common in Women With PMDD, “Fran Lowry, Medscape, June 3, 2019