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Beyond the Pain: Insights From Individuals Living With Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is a significant contributor to disability among Americans, with an estimated 51.6 million people experiencing chronic pain that lasts longer than three months. (Rikard, Strahan, Schit, & Guy, 2023). Regardless of its source – whether medical or unexplained origin – chronic...
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Basic Research Has Had a Major Impact on Developing New Treatments for Serious Mental Illnesses
Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, with an estimated $2 trillion annual economic impact. The cost in terms of human suffering is, of course, incalculable. Each year about 8% of adults—nearly 20 million Americans—experience major depression; 8% of adolescents experience at...
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Outcome of Schizophrenia in Later Life: Conceptual Changes and Implications for Treatment and Policy
In tandem with the greying of the general population, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of older adults with schizophrenia (OAS). Since 2000, there has been a doubling of persons aged 55 and over with schizophrenia and they now comprise about one-fourth of all persons with...
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Addressing Stigma Among High School Students Using NAMI’s Ending the Silence
Middle adolescence (corresponding to ages 14-18, when youth typically attend high school) is a potentially critical period for both the development of mental health conditions and targeting mental health stigma. Approximately 50% of all diagnosable mental health conditions develop in middle...
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Drug Use Severity in Adolescence Affects Substance Use Disorder Risk in Adulthood
People who reported multiple symptoms consistent with severe substance use disorder at age 18 exhibited two or more of these symptoms in adulthood, according to a new analysis of a nationwide survey in the United States. These individuals were also more likely, as adults, to use and misuse...
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Buprenorphine Misuse Decreased Among U.S. Adults with Opioid Use Disorder From 2015-2019
Data from a nationally representative survey indicate that in 2019, nearly three-fourths of U.S. adults reporting buprenorphine use did not misuse the medication in the past 12 months. In addition, buprenorphine misuse among people with opioid use disorder trended downward between 2015-2019,...
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A Virtual Peer DBT Consultation Group
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based treatment developed for individuals meeting criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder, is one of the primary interventions delivered at Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS). In an effort to supplement existing training and practice in...
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Utilizing Trauma-Informed Care to Address Trauma Reactions in Staff: Potential Impacts on Retention
In our current sociocultural climate, we have been hearing the term “trauma” discussed more frequently, not only in healthcare, but in a variety of environments and social circles. This shift signifies a changing of the guard, as there is now a social and professional movement toward...
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NYS Office of Mental Health Seeks to Address the Social Determinants That Affect Mental Health in Our Communities
A part of New York State’s strength lies in its diversity, which provides us with the wisdom of many different cultures from which we can all learn. But diversity is often accompanied by inexcusable inequity, as residents of some communities are exposed greater risk of health problems. The...
