Rise of Therapy Speak; Bipolar Treatment Review; White House Addiction Strategy

A New York Times piece highlighted how young girls and women are employing therapy jargon in their initial mental health consultations, often presenting a diagnosis they discovered through online research. This phenomenon has sparked concern among mental health professionals. Experts note a trend of individuals being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), yet subsequently deciding against pursuing treatment.

Research also indicates that state laws regarding gun ownership, such as permit requirements and age restrictions for handgun acquisition, correlate with reduced firearm suicide rates. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed a significant increase in prescriptions of leucovorin during pregnancy, following federal promotion of the drug as an autism treatment.

The BMJ published an umbrella review evaluating the most effective therapies for bipolar disorder across various age groups and phases, including acute depressive episodes, mania, and mixed episodes. Reports from The Guardian detailed distressing incidents aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where sailors attempted to jump overboard while the carrier was deployed for over 250 days in support of the Iran conflict.

The White House recently unveiled a strategy aimed at treating addiction first, emphasizing faith-based approaches over previous harm reduction and housing first initiatives under the Biden administration. A digital behavioral health game designed for adolescents showed promising results in reducing depressive symptoms over a 12-month period, as reported in a JAMA Network Open study.

Meta Platforms is facing legal challenges over allegations that its social media platforms, engineered with addictive features, contributed to a youth mental health crisis. Neutrogena, a skincare brand, is experiencing backlash online following the unexpected death of actress Hayden Panettiere, who had previously alleged the company sought to terminate her contract due to her openness about postpartum depression.

Selena Gomez is currently embroiled in a lawsuit from investors alleging securities fraud against her mental health startup, Wondermind. Finally, a nationwide Medicaid study published in JAMA Psychiatry revealed that Black women are significantly more likely to discontinue buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder during pregnancy compared to white women.