Poor Student Mental Health Prompts Teachers To Learn Skills To Help
AP and ABC News cover the mental health crisis in schools, which has spurred some teachers to learn mental health first-aid techniques and is driving a discussion over starting school at a later time during the morning. Other mental and public health matters are also reported.
AP:
With Students In Turmoil, US Teachers Train In Mental Health
As Benito Luna-Herrera teaches his 7th grade social studies classes, he is on alert for signs of inner turmoil. And there is so much of it these days. One of his 12-year-old students felt her world was falling apart. Distance learning had upended her friendships. Things with her boyfriend were verging on violent. Her home life was stressful. “I’m just done with it,” the girl told Luna-Herrera during the pandemic, and shared a detailed plan to kill herself. (Gecker, 4/4)
ABC News:
Later School Start Times Eyed To Address Youth Mental Health Crisis
California was the first state to mandate that high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. Pediatrician Dr. Bert Mandelbaum hopes New Jersey will be the second. New Jersey is one of several states exploring later school start times, as educators and health professionals grapple with concerns about the pandemic's impact on youth's mental health. (Deliso, 4/3)
In other mental health news —
Wyoming Public Radio:
Some Say Mental Health Funding Could Go A Long Way Toward Improving Services
Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and increased revenue, the Wyoming legislature took a crack at addressing a longtime problem in the state: the lack of mental health care services. Lawmakers voted to put millions of the federal dollars into the effort. Wyoming Department of Health Director Stefan Johansson said it's always been a problem. "Mental health, it seems to be a topic that in state planning or state government, that never goes away, we're talking about it every year," said Johansson. Fremont Counseling Service Director Scott Hayes said Wyoming's mental health system is fragile. (Beck, 4/1)
The Wall Street Journal:
Why So Many Women In Middle Age Are On Antidepressants
For years, middle-aged women have had some of the country’s highest rates of antidepressant use. Now, scientists are starting to better understand why—and to develop more targeted treatments for women’s midlife depression. About one in five women ages 40 to 59 and nearly one in four women ages 60 and over used antidepressants in the last 30 days during 2015 to 2018, according to the latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics. Among women ages 18 to 39, the figure was about one in 10. Among men, 8.4% of those ages 40 to 59 and 12.8% of those 60 and older used antidepressants in the last 30 days, according to the NCHS data. (Petersen, 4/2)
And more public health news —
USA Today:
Terry Wallis, Arkansas Man Who Woke Up After Nearly 2 Decades In A Coma, Dies At 57
Terry Wayne Wallis, the Arkansas man who spent 19 years in a coma before regaining awareness and speaking in 2003, died last week, according to an obituary. He was 57. Wallis was in an automobile accident in his home state of Arkansas with a friend in July 1984, six weeks after his daughter, Amber, was born, according to the obituary in Roller Funeral Homes. The car plunged into a creek, and the two weren't found until the following day, underneath a bridge, the Associated Press reported in 2003. Wallis' friend was killed while Wallis was put into a coma. The accident had left him a quadriplegic. Wallis remained in the coma for 19 years, until June 12, 2003, when we said "mom," his first word since he was comatose. (Mendoza, 4/3)
NPR:
Unilever Recalls Suave Antiperspirants Because Benzene Was Found
Unilever is voluntarily recalling two Suave aerosol antiperspirant products after identifying elevated levels of benzene in some samples of the products during an internal review. It's the latest company to recall consumer products because the carcinogen was found in samples. The nationwide recall covers lots of two antiperspirants with expiration dates through September 2023: Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Powder in 4 oz. and 6 oz. sizes and Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Fresh in the 6 oz. size. You can check if any of your products are affected here. If you have an affected product, Unilever says you should stop using it and throw it away. (Torchinsky, 4/1)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Pregnant Women With Mild High Blood Pressure Benefit From Treatment
Pregnant women with mild high blood pressure and their babies can benefit from treatment, according to a large study co-authored by a researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Current national guidelines only suggest treating pregnant women with severe high blood pressure, but that could change following the new study, which was published Saturday in the New England Journal of Medicine. Guidelines are set by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (Johnson, 4/2)
Miami Herald:
Portuguese Man O’ War Safety Tips On South FL Beaches
Natives probably know the primary thing to do when they see those pretty blue and purple bubbles that look like partially deflated balloons on the beach. Don’t pick them up! Spring on South Florida beaches is not just for spring breakers and swimmers. Spring is also often about the return of Portuguese man o’ war. These sea creatures are best viewed from afar because they have tentacles — and even when the creatures lie immobile on the beach, they’ve enough juice to sting. (Cohen, 4/2)
Fox News:
Amy Schumer Reveals Struggling With A Disorder Called Trichotillomania: What Is It?
Comedian Amy Schumer is bringing awareness to a mental health condition she has secretly battled until now, according to multiple reports. "I think everybody has a big secret and that’s mine," she told The Hollywood Reporter over a mid-February interview. "And I’m proud that my big secret only hurts me, but it’s been what I’ve carried so much shame about for so long." Trichotillomania, pronounced (trick-o-till-o-may-nee-uh), is a condition marked by repetitive hair pulling that is classified as part of a group of body-focused repetitive behaviors, such as nail-biting, hair pulling or skin pricking, that leads to physical damage and psychological distress, according to the TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. (Sudhakar, 4/2)
