Reuters (9/25, Rapaport) reports a study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may feel relief from antidepressants or psychotherapy. Researchers looked at data from 53 trials which “compared the effects of antidepressants or psychotherapy, either alone or in combination, versus placebo treatments or ‘usual management’ in people with IBS” and concluded that “rates of ‘no relief’ were highest with placebo treatments.” Patients were 34 percent “less likely to have no relief from antidepressants and 31 percent less likely to get no relief from psychotherapy.”

Related Links:

— “Antidepressants, psychotherapy may help ease irritable bowel syndrome, “Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, September 25, 2018.

Healio (9/25, Demko) reports there appear to be “significant disparities in treatment across race/ethnicity among college students with” mental illnesses. After examining “the prevalence of [mental illness] and treatment utilization among more than 13,000 college students of color using data from 43,375 undergraduate and graduate students at 60 institutions that participated in the survey-based Healthy Minds Study from 2012 to 2015,” investigators found that “college students of color had greater levels of unmet mental health needs relative to white students.” The findings were published in the September issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Related Links:

— “College Students color more likely to have unmet mental health needs, “Savannah Demko, Healio, September 25, 2018.

Reuters (9/25, Weinstock) reports a 21-study review reveals that “talk therapy for anxiety disorders can be effective even when done via video-conference.” The findings were published online Sept. 4 in the journal Family Practice. According to Reuters, “nearly one in three U.S. adults suffer from an anxiety disorder at some time in their lives, according to the National Institute of Mental Health,” but, the US Department of Health and Human Services has found that “55 percent of U.S. counties have no psychiatrists.”

Related Links:

— “Video-conferencing brings therapists to patients with anxiety, “Cheryl Platzman Weinstock, Reuters, September 25, 2018.

The Chicago Tribune (9/24, Pattani) reports that more than ever before, students “are entering college with pre-existing mental health conditions, and medication can be an important component of their care.” Many students, however, “stop taking medications when they arrive on campus – the exact moment their stress” increase. As a result, there “can be a resurgence of mental illness symptoms, side effects students don’t realize can occur from the sudden stop, and in the worst cases, self-harm and even suicide.” As to why the students stop taking medications, reasons range from stigma, lack of daily parental supervision to ensure the medication is taken, and “facing a new environment with new schedules and priorities.”

Related Links:

— “Some students quit mental health medication when they get to college. Here’s why that’s so dangerous, “Aneri Pattani, The Chicago Tribune, September 24, 2018.

Healio (9/24, Demko) reports, “Patients with panic disorder who responded to treatment with either panic-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy or applied relaxation training maintained improvement one year after end of therapy,” research indicated. The findings of the 91-patient study were published online Sept. 11 in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Patients with panic disorder maintain long-term improvement after treatment, “Savannah Demko, Healio, September 24, 2018.