‘Very Hopeful’: New Data Show Teen Suicide, Depression Are Declining
NPR reports that a new federal report, however, found that the percentage of adults with suicidal thoughts and attempts remained about the same between 2021 and 2024. Also: ChatGPT, the stress of grocery prices, colon cancer screenings, and more.
NPR:
Teen Suicide Is On The Decline, New Federal Data Shows
A new federal report finds that the percentage of adults with suicidal thoughts and attempts remained about the same between 2021 and 2024. But the analysis of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health did offer some good news: Over that same time period, depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors in teens declined. (Chatterjee, 8/4)
In other mental health news —
NBC News:
ChatGPT Adds Mental Health Guardrails After Bot 'Fell Short In Recognizing Signs Of Delusion'
OpenAI wants ChatGPT to stop enabling its users’ unhealthy behaviors. Starting Monday, the popular chatbot app will prompt users to take breaks from lengthy conversations. The tool will also soon shy away from giving direct advice about personal challenges, instead aiming to help users decide for themselves by asking questions or weighing pros and cons. (Yang, 8/4)
Newsweek:
PTSD Drug Discovery May Help Patients Let Go Of Trauma
A promising new drug could help people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) finally let go of trauma. This is the discovery of scientists at the Institute of Basic Science (IBS) and Ewha Womans University in South Korea who have identified a new brain mechanism driving the mental health condition—and a drug with the potential to counteract its effects. (Millington, 8/4)
Axios:
Grocery Prices Are A Source Of Stress For Most Americans: Poll
More than half of Americans are stressed about buying groceries — significantly more than the financial pressure they feel about credit card debt, child care or student debt, an AP-NORC poll out Monday found. President Trump campaigned on a promise to bring down grocery prices, but the data shows Americans are still stressed out about affording these basic necessities. (Lotz, 8/4)
More health and wellness news —
CBS News:
More Early Stage Colon Cancers Found In People Aged 45-49 Due To More Screenings, Research Shows
As more people aged 45-49 are getting screened for colon cancer, more early stage diagnoses are being made, according to new research from the American Cancer Society. The research, published in two studies Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, showed increases in screenings among those younger than 50 is linked to rises in earlier diagnosis. One study showed an annual increase of 1.1% from 2004 to 2019 jumped to 12% from 2019 to 2022 for colorectal cancer incidence among people aged 45 to 49, while another study showed screenings among U.S. adults aged 45 to 49 increase 62% from 2019 to 2023. (Moniuszko, 8/4)
Newsweek:
Bee Venom Could Help Cure A Type Of Cancer
Ongoing investigation into whether bee venom could help treat a certain type of cancer has been making "important progress," the leading researcher has told Newsweek. Experts at the Epigenetics Lab at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research have been exploring since 2020 how the venom from honeybees could be used to kill aggressive breast cancer cells, without harming healthy cells. (Laws, 8/5)
The New York Times:
Once a Death Sentence, This Heart Condition Is Finally Treatable
Over the past 50 years, heart failure has become one of the fastest-growing cardiac killers. It was long considered a disease of aging, caused by gradual yet unavoidable changes to the heart. But doctors are now discovering that about 15 percent of cases are caused by a rogue protein called amyloid, perhaps best known for its role in Alzheimer’s. While one type tangles neurons in the brain, others infiltrate the heart, making the muscle stiff and less able to pump blood. (Bajaj, 8/4)
The New York Times:
Avoiding Ultraprocessed Foods Might Double Weight Loss
New research suggests that people can lose more weight by avoiding ultraprocessed foods, even those that are typically considered healthy. The study, published today in the journal Nature Medicine, is the largest and longest clinical trial yet to examine the effects of ultraprocessed foods on weight. Participants lost twice as much weight when they followed diets made up of minimally processed foods, like pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables, as they did when they followed diets with ultraprocessed foods that met nutrition standards, such as ready-to-heat frozen meals, breakfast cereals, protein bars and shakes. (Callahan, 8/4)
