Aug 07 Watch 8:05 Are smartphones making a generation unhappy? By PBS News Hour The promise of social media is instant human connection. But for many teens, greater use of social media mans a far greater sense of isolation, according to an increasing body of evidence. William Brangham speaks with Jean Twenge, author of… Continue watching
May 24 Why is the teenage brain so unpredictable? A neurobiologist explains By Julia Scott, KQED Neurobiologist Frances Jensen explores the biochemical imperatives that make teenagers and young adults so emotional and unpredictable, as well as leaving them more vulnerable to addiction and mental disorders. Continue reading
Apr 19 Graduate students are underpaid and overstressed. Can academic unions change that? By Kristin Hugo A Belgian study found doctoral students experience mental illness at 2.5 times the rate of other people with college degrees or those currently enrolled at university. Continue reading
Mar 30 Diagnosing Vincent Van Gogh By Dr. Howard Markel Every schoolchild knows that Vincent Van Gogh cut off his ear. The bloody event occurred on Dec. 23, 1888. But how much he sliced away (the entire ear, a chunk of his earlobe, or a mutilation in between) and why… Continue reading
Mar 29 Watch 9:06 The stigma that stops veterans from getting help for PTSD What discourages veterans from seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress? As part of our series War on the Brain, special correspondent Soledad O’Brien talks to former service members who have struggled to accept the diagnosis and get help. Continue watching
Feb 28 In the war on heroin, Baltimore drug programs face an uncertain future By Laura Santhanam In 2015, Baltimore wrote a city-wide prescription for a heroin antidote. Two years later, as the city tries to expand access to addiction treatment, will the White House support its mission?… Continue reading
Jan 16 Can Instagram’s new tool really help users who self-harm? By Emily Wishingrad Is social media reporting the future of mental health treatment?… Continue reading
Jan 07 Airport shooting suspect was receiving psychological treatment, relatives say By Jason Dearen, Associated Press The man police say opened fire with a gun from his checked baggage at a Florida airport had a history of mental health problems, some of which followed his military service in Iraq, relatives said. Continue reading
Dec 13 Watch 7:00 How the big biomedical bill advances U.S. mental health care By PBS News Hour Most of the attention around the biomedical bill President Obama signed on Tuesday has focused on faster drug approval and new money for research. But included within the massive piece of legislation are measures for mental health care. William Brangham… Continue watching
Dec 11 In a land of thundering reindeer, suicide stalks the indigenous Sami By Melody Schreiber, STAT Suicide is a growing problem among the indigenous Sami of Sweden. Many work as reindeer herders, and feel acute anxiety about the effects of climate change. Continue reading