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Up, Up, and Aware: What Superman Can Teach Us About Mental Health
Chanukah came early for me this year with the release of James Gunn's Superman trailer. Superheroes have always soared through our imaginations, but lately, they’ve landed squarely in the world of mental wellness. As a rabbi, comic book aficionado (once called “New York’s Hippest Rabbi”...
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Reported Use of Most Drugs Among Adolescents Remained Low in 2024
New NIH-funded data show lower use of most substances continues following the COVID-19 pandemic. After declining significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, substance use among adolescents has continued to hold steady at lowered levels for the fourth year in a row, according to the latest...
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Meth is Still Ravaging the LGBTQ+ Community, We Must Address the Crisis
As the opioid epidemic continues to dominate national news, another urgent crisis is wreaking havoc in communities throughout the United States. Methamphetamine addiction is on the rise, and it’s hitting communities hard, especially the LGBTQ+ community. November 30th is National...
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Navigating the Digital Minefield: Cyberbullying, Catfishing, and Vulnerability Among Neurodivergent Populations
Sometimes, I think about the 90s when I was in elementary school, and I’m glad that tablets and smartphones were not yet in the world. I had faced a significant amount of bullying in person, but being bullied online can be a different kind of struggle. Cyberbullying is just as prevalent as...
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Biden-Harris Administration Launches National Behavioral Health Workforce Career Navigator
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), announced on November 13 the launch of the Behavioral Health Workforce Career Navigator, designed to help current and aspiring behavioral health...
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Behavioral Health Equity: Responding to the Needs of Our Nation’s Veterans
On Veterans Day, we take time to honor former service members for their willingness to make sacrifices for our nation. Support for all our nation’s Veterans is a prominent component of the wide-ranging services provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). An...
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Implantable Device Reverses Opioid Overdose in Animals
An implantable device detected opioid overdose and automatically administered naloxone, saving lives in rat and pig models. The device hasn’t yet been tested in people. If successful, it might also be adapted to treat other emergencies, such as life-threatening allergic...
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Gender Perspectives on Hazing: Understanding Mental Health Outcomes
The heartbreaking deaths of Tim Piazza and Kristin High underscore the deadly risks of fraternity and sorority hazing, revealing how gendered practices in hazing not only differ but also lead to distinct psychological and physical consequences. Nineteen-year-old Tim Piazza, a student at Penn State,...
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Beyond the Locker Room: Unmasking Hazing in the Military, Workplaces, and Sports Teams
Danny Chen's Story Danny Chen, a 19-year-old Army private from New York, died by suicide on October 3, 2011, while deployed in Afghanistan. His death followed hazing and racial bullying from fellow soldiers. Being of Chinese descent, Chen endured racial slurs like “gook" and “chink,” along...
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Integrating Behavioral Health into Primary Care: A Step Towards Holistic and Equitable Patient Care
Nearly 60 million U.S. adults live with a behavioral health condition that requires medical assistance, yet stigma, socioeconomic factors, and navigational challenges caused by a fragmented healthcare system are all barriers to care. However, there is a systemic change that could dynamically...
