Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
'A Miracle': Girl, 12, Who Was Gravely Hurt In Minn. Shooting Leaves Hospital
AP: Girl Shot In The Head In Minneapolis Church Attack Celebrates Return Home From The Hospital
A 12-year-old girl who was shot in the head during a deadly attack at a Minneapolis Catholic church in August was released from the hospital Thursday and greeted with cheers as the police chief paraded her around town in a stretch limousine, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Sophia Forchas was the most seriously wounded child among those who survived the shooting at the Church of the Annunciation. A shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of the church on Aug. 27 and struck some of the nearly 200 children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people. The children who died were 8 and 10 years old. (10/24)
In other mental health news —
Military.com: From Combat To Community: Penn State Unpacks What Shapes Veterans’ Mental Health
There’s a stigma that veterans, especially those who were in combat, are defined by what they did on the battlefields. However, a new study from Pennsylvania State University, centering around post-9/11 veterans, found that for most, aspects of their mental health are shaped by other factors too, including traumatic moments from their youth, gender roles, and other deployment experiences. (Damask, 10/23)
North Carolina Health News: NC Youth Forge Their Own Path To Mental Wellness
At first, meditation and deep breathing were things Diya Patel used to help herself when she felt anxious or stressed. Then she saw a close friend struggle with a mental health crisis. Patel realized she could help other young people going through similar circumstances. (Fernandez, 10/24)
Katie Couric Media: Why Life After Breast Cancer Is Harder Than We Think
Remission from breast cancer is often framed as a happy ending: Cue the music, roll the credits, and voilà, life resumes. But for millions of women with breast cancer, survivorship is not a finale. Instead, it’s a messy sequel starring anxiety, grief, and the lurking fear that cancer could come back at any time. Even when the chemo chairs are gone and the radiation schedule has been completed, emotional aftershocks remain. Nearly half of breast cancer survivors face depression, anxiety, or both within five years of treatment — about twice the rate as what’s seen in the general female population. Then there’s “scanxiety,” the survivor-coined term for the dread that’s often set off by something as routine as an annual mammogram or as small as an unexplained ache. (Mancini, 10/23)
The New York Times: Kim Kardashian Announces Brain Aneurysm Diagnosis. Here’s What To Know.
Kim Kardashian, the reality television star and entrepreneur, says that she has been diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Ms. Kardashian, 45, disclosed the diagnosis during a teaser for the seventh season of her reality show, “The Kardashians,” which premiered on Thursday on Hulu. (Petri and Blum, 10/24)
Also —
The Washington Post: ‘Scream Clubs’ Are The Latest Way People Are Blowing Off Steam
The first rule of Scream Club is that you have to sign something indemnifying Scream Club in case you hurt yourself screaming. “I acknowledge that participation in Scream Clubᵀᴹ may carry certain risks, including but not limited to emotional distress, vocal strain, or accidental injury,” reads the liability waiver. The second rule of Scream Club is that you don’t talk about what brought you to Scream Club. Well, you can if you really want to. But feel free to set an intention in your heart and keep it there. (Judkis, 10/22)
The New York Times: When Joy Feels Out Of Reach
Struggling to feel pleasure is a key marker of depression. But this distressing symptom can also occur on its own. (Caron, 10/16)
The Washington Post: Want To Feel Better? Stop Trying To Be Happy And Do This Instead.
We are living through highly uncertain times. But a study out of Cornell has identified a happiness hack that can lead you toward a life of purpose. (Milbank, 10/24)
