Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Serious Covid Cases Linked To Depression, Anxiety Risks Later
USA Today: COVID: Anxiety, Depression Lingers For Bedridden Patients, Study Finds
People who were bedridden for a week or more with COVID-19 remain at increased risk for anxiety and depression more than a year later, according to a new study. But those who had milder infections are actually at lower risk for mental health problems than the general public. "The good news is that the patient group as a whole is not at higher risk of developing long-term (mental health) symptoms," said Unnur Anna Valdimarsdóttir, a psychiatric epidemiologist at the University of Iceland, who helped lead the research. (Weintraub, 3/14)
NBC News: Lasting Depression And Anxiety Can Follow Severe Case Of Covid, Study Finds
Feelings of depression and anxiety can last nearly a year and a half after a serious bout of Covid-19, according to a study released Monday. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health, is among the first to analyze long-term mental health repercussions following severe cases of Covid, which researchers described as being unable to get out of bed for at least a week. (Edwards, 3/14)
In related news about mental health during the pandemic —
The New York Times: ‘Think Of Groundhogs’: For Life Advice From A Grade Schooler, Press 2
If, for some reason, you happen to find yourself feeling overwhelmed or anxious about matters personal, professional or geopolitical, a new hotline offers advice on how to deal with those big feelings. “If you’re nervous, go get your wallet and spend it on ice cream and shoes,” a distinctly young-sounding voice enthusiastically advises. “If you’re frustrated, you can always go to your bedroom, punch your pillow or cry on it. And just go scream outside,” another child says matter-of-factly. ... At various points since it became operational late last month, about 9,000 people an hour were calling PepToc, a hotline dispensing the wit and wisdom of students at West Side School, a small primary school (enrollment: 147) in rural Healdsburg, Calif., about 70 miles north of San Francisco. (Paz, 3/13)
The Conversation: An Excess Of Empathy Can Be Bad For Your Mental Health
Have you found yourself irritable, sad or close to tears when watching the news lately? If so, you are not alone. Experiencing empathy has its benefits, but there are also many downsides to it, which is why we must learn to practice healthy empathy. (3/14)
Detroit Free Press: Dogs Are The ‘Rock Stars’ Of Michigan’s Student Mental Health Crisis
There are many ways to address a youth mental health crisis, including throwing a massive birthday party for a dog named Gravy. A sweet-natured chocolate Lab, Gravy quickly became a celebrity to students at Grand Ledge High School after she started working there as a therapy dog in September. She showed off tricks in the hallways with her handler, Dean of Students Maria Capra. When students knelt to pet Gravy, she crawled onto their laps. So when students learned that Gravy’s first birthday fell just before Thanksgiving break, they asked Capra whether they could throw a party. (Levin, 3/14)
Detroit Free Press: How Do Michigan Teens Feel About Decisions Made Over COVID-19, Safety?
It's a Sunday afternoon in early January and about a dozen Michigan teenagers have hopped onto a conference call. In just over a month, these teens have seen so much: a school shooting in their state that shocked an already-fragile sense of security. Another new, deadly, more infectious variant of the coronavirus, sending them back in front of their laptops for eight hours a day. Finals. They are living through normal, teenage milestones — and sometimes missing them — amid the unfamiliar angst of multiple crises happening all at once. (Altavena, 3/14)
