Behavioral Health News

Mood and behavior
An international team of researchers recently documented how mood influences behavior. The findings have implications for parenting and politics. March 1, 2010

Digest This: Office politics
There?s more to climbing the career ladder than just being qualified. Professional success often has a lot to do with who you know in an organization, how you act and what you will do to advance. Join Dan Gottlieb for an online conversation about how to cope with office politics in today?s workplace February 23, 2010

Depression and anxiety rise on campus
Colleges around the country report an increase in students seeking help at mental health counseling centers. And a new study looking at the mental wellness of college kids over the course of several decades found a steady rise in depression and severe anxiety. February 22, 2010

Treating trauma after disasters
When natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti strike, relief workers rush to address the physical wounds and needs of people affected. What about their mental health needs in the wake of a traumatic experience? February 8, 2010

The meaning of apologies
Tiger Woods had to do it, so did Mark McGwire, John Edwards and Harry Reid.... they had to make an apology. But - there's lots more to a real apology than saying "I'm sorry". WHYY's Behavioral Health reporter Maiken Scott spoke with psychologists Dan Gottlieb about apologies - what makes them sincere, and how they affect relationships: February 1, 2010

Volunteering has mental health benefits
Thousands of residents in the region are honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King with a day of service today. Volunteering doesn't just help people and communities, it also has mental health benefits for the volunteers. Maiken Scott spoke with psychologist Dan Gottlieb: January 18, 2010

The Art of Listening
We listen to people talk all day long - but do we really hear what they are saying? Tuning out has become easier - and more tempting - with modern technology. Who hasn't been at a dinner where everybody is busy checking emails, facebooking, or text messaging. What does being a good listener really mean - and can you learn it? January 11, 2010

Healing after the death of a loved one
A new book called "The Other Side of Sadness" challenges some long-held beliefs about grief after the death of a loved one. WHYY's Behavioral Health reporter Maiken Scott spoke with psychologist Dan Gottlieb about grief - and how we deal with it. January 4, 2010

Mental health ? the year and decade in review
As the year is winding down, a tumultuous and difficult decade is coming to a close. WHYY's Behavioral Health reporter Maiken Scott spoke with psychologist Dan Gottlieb about America's mental health during the past ten years - and what's next for the field. December 28, 2009

Meaningful holidays
The holiday season is a time to celebrate family and love - but for Dan Gottlieb, host of WHYY's Voices in the Family - it marks the anniversary of a personal loss. 30 years ago yesterday, a tire flew off a truck on the highway, and crashed through his windshield. He was paralyzed from the neck down as a result. WHYY's Behavioral Health reporter Maiken Scott spoke with Gottlieb about what this time of year has come to mean to him. December 21, 2009

A Jostled Princess, a Heavy Crown
The bullying of the 8-year-old daughter of Princess Masako has put the princess?s history of depression into the glare of Japan?s tabloid press. March 11, 2010

An Old Essay Used to Explain a New Movement
"The Paranoid Style of American Politics," published in 1964, is being invoked to analyze developments like the Tea Party movement, the stardom of Sarah Palin and the claims of right-wing talk radio. March 10, 2010

Fake Nostalgia for a Pre-Therapy Past
Navigating difficult years with the help of someone who gets it. March 8, 2010

Judge Orders New York to Move Mentally Ill Out of Large, Institutional Housing
The ruling gave 4,300 residents the right to leave housing that is compared to warehouses. March 2, 2010

Depression?s Upside
Is there an evolutionary purpose to feeling really sad? February 28, 2010

A Murder Suspect?s Worth to Science
In Web postings, some suggest that Amy Bishop, the suspect in six shootings, three of them fatal, could still contribute to medicine. February 23, 2010

An Apology With Echoes of 12 Steps
Sex addiction is not yet recognized as a psychiatric disorder, but doctors have long realized that some patients ruin their lives because of sex. February 23, 2010

Police Are Criticized in ?86 Shooting
The authorities who investigated a 1986 shooting missed an opportunity to order a psychiatric evaluation of Amy Bishop, said Representative William D. Delahunt, a former prosecutor. February 23, 2010

For Many Latina Teens, Gang Life Adds to Stress
The experiences of a young Hispanic girl, formerly a gang member, typify the pressures such girls face. February 21, 2010

Insanity Plea Likely in Boy?s Death
The lawyer for a woman accused of killing her son in a luxury hotel in Manhattan called it one of the ?saddest cases? he had ever seen. February 17, 2010

Arizona Inmate, Oldest Person on Death Row in the U.S., Dies of Natural Causes
Viva Leroy Nash, who spent most of his life behind bars, has died of natural causes at age 94 in Arizona. February 15, 2010

Study Suggests More Veterans May Be Helped by Talking About Killing
Killing is the one thing many combat veterans avoid discussing when they return home, whether out of shame, guilt or a deep fear of being misunderstood. February 14, 2010

When Children Are Overweight, Changes for the Whole Family
Parents can do a lot to prevent or rectify childhood obesity. It?s a case of home economics: exercise and healthier food are the easiest, cheapest approach. February 11, 2010

The Morning the Milking Was Finished
A 59-year-old dairy farmer killed his cows and himself last month in Copake, N.Y., highlighting the struggles of many dairymen reeling from last year?s disastrous drop in prices. February 4, 2010

Homeless, Shoeless, Even Nameless
A young woman who received treatment at a psychiatric ward in Portland, Ore., lamented the loss of the voices in her head. February 2, 2010

Why surprises temporarily blind us
New research reveals for the first time how our brains coordinate two different types of attention and why we may be temporarily blinded by surprises. March 14, 2010

12 year olds more likely to use potentially deadly inhalants than cigarettes or marijuana
More 12 year olds have used potentially lethal inhalants than have used marijuana, cocaine and hallucinogens combined, according to new data. March 14, 2010

Psychopaths' brains wired to seek rewards, no matter the consequences
The brains of psychopaths appear to be wired to keep seeking a reward at any cost, new research finds. The research uncovers the role of the brain's reward system in psychopathy and opens a new area of study for understanding what drives these individuals. March 14, 2010

Unlocking the opium poppy's biggest secret: Genes that make codeine, morphine
Researchers have discovered the unique genes that allow the opium poppy to make codeine and morphine, opening the door to alternate methods of producing these effective painkillers either by manufacturing them in a lab or controlling the production of these compounds in the plant. March 14, 2010

New insight into brain's decision-making process
The hippocampus, a part of the brain essential for memory, has long been known to "replay" recently experienced events. Previously, replay was believed to be a simple process of reviewing recent experiences in order to help consolidate them into long-term memory. However, new research shows the phenomenon of memory replay is much more complex, cognitive process that may help an animal maintain its internal representation of the world, or its cognitive map. March 13, 2010

Brain tumor's 'grow-or-go' switch discovered
High energy levels cause glioblastoma cells to proliferate; low levels cause them to grow less and to migrate. This study discovered that a molecule called miR-451 coordinates this grow-or-go behavior, which is closely linked to the cells' ability to invade and spread. Thus, the molecule might be a biomarker for predicting survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme and may serve as a target to develop drugs to fight these tumors. March 13, 2010

Best treatment for childhood epilepsy suggested by new research
One of the oldest available anti-seizure medications, ethosuximide, is the most effective treatment for childhood absence epilepsy, according to initial outcomes. March 13, 2010

Different signal paths for spontaneous and deliberate activation of memories
Entirely different signal paths and parts of the brain are involved when you try to remember something and when you just happen to remember something, prompted by a smell, a picture, or a word, for instance. March 13, 2010

First direct evidence of neuroplastic changes following brainwave training
Significant changes in brain plasticity have been observed following alpha brainwave training. Researchers have discovered the first evidence of neuroplastic changes occurring directly after natural brainwave training. They have demonstrated that half an hour of voluntary control of brain rhythms is sufficient to induce a lasting shift in cortical excitability and intracortical function. March 12, 2010

R-rated movies increase likelihood of underage children trying alcohol
R-rated movies portray violence and other behaviors deemed inappropriate for children under 17 year of age. A new study finds one more reason why parents should not let their kids watch those movies: adolescents who watch R-rated movies are more likely to try alcohol at a young age. March 12, 2010

After a fight with a partner, brain activity predicts emotional resiliency
Neural activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex can predict whether an individual will still be upset on the day after a conflict with his or her partner, according to new research. The findings point to the brain region's role in emotion regulation, and suggest that greater activity in this area might lead to improvement in day-to-day mood. March 12, 2010

Scientists discover 600 million-year-old origins of vision
By studying the hydra, a member of an ancient group of sea creatures that is still flourishing, scientists have made a discovery in understanding the origins of human vision. March 12, 2010

Men, not ladies, first: We're still sexist in writing
Putting male names before female names in writing is a remnant of sexist thinking, new research suggests. March 12, 2010

How a romantic breakup affects self-concept
When a romantic relationship ends, an individual's self-concept is vulnerable to change, according to new research. March 12, 2010

Free hormonal contraception halved termination rate
Free hormonal contraception was offered for a year to young women in two Norwegian cities. The result was that the abortion rate in the trial cities was halved. March 12, 2010