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Technology is Always Evolving – So Should Our Approach to Youth Mental Health
From smartphones and watches to social media platforms, the world we live in today is much different than the one from twenty or even ten years ago. Technology continues to grow at a rapid pace as do the impacts these new devices are having on our mental wellbeing. Specifically, we are...
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How New York Psychotherapy and Counseling Center Uses Data Analytics to Expand Access and Improve Behavioral Healthcare for Underserved Communities
The ongoing mental health crisis, exacerbated by widespread staff shortages across behavioral health providers, has highlighted the urgent need for accessible, high-quality mental health services, especially in underserved urban communities. In New York City, organizations like New York...
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How to Allow Your Kids to Stay Connected and Protected: Strategies for Healthy Social Media Use in Schools and Homes
Over the last few years, as my boys became adolescents and entered high school (right smack in the middle of the COVID pandemic), as a parent and a psychiatrist, I have witnessed firsthand the impact of smartphones and social media. There has been a flurry of articles on this topic as well...
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Using Big Data Analytics to Predict and Prevent Mental Health Crises
In recent years, mental health crises and suicide rates have surged across America. This concerning trend spans demographics, with 11.5% of youth (over 2.7 million people) reporting severe major depression and 20.78% of adults (over 50 million people) facing some form of mental illness. The...
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AI’s Next Target: Clinician Burnout
Artificial intelligence threatens to disrupt work as we know it, displacing great swaths of the workforce with language models and artificial neural networks that perform least as well as humans. Although that frightens healthcare workers, many are burning out and looking for relief. AI might be...
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CDC Report: Why Schools Are Crucial for Youth Suicide Prevention
Our schools have the power to be one of the strongest allies in protecting the mental health of our youth. With growing concerns about suicide prevention, the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report from the CDC underscores the urgent need for proactive measures. Schools...
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A Decade of Advancements in Behavioral Health Technology for Pennsylvania Students
The year was 2014, and Drexel University, where I was working at the time, partnered with Pennsylvania’s Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) in submitting and being awarded a 5-year, $736,000 annually Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) grant for youth suicide prevention. Our...
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The Importance of Real-Time Data in Tailored Patient Treatment and Integrating Traditional Wellness Practices in Modern Substance Abuse Therapy
In the ever-evolving field of mental health and substance abuse therapy, utilizing real-time data to tailor patient treatment is becoming increasingly crucial. Real-time data allows healthcare providers to monitor and adjust treatment plans promptly based on the latest information, leading to more...
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What Makes a Bully? Can Hazing Culture Temporarily Warp Someone’s Moral Compass?
I was a sophomore at Smoky Hill High School when the Columbine school shooting happened just 20 miles away. I remember the confusion as our school went into lockdown. None of us could have imagined the horror unfolding nearby. For 25 years, I’ve carried the weight of that day, and I’ve long...
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How to Counter TikTok’s Mental Health Misinformation
KEY POINTS: During the pandemic, TikTok served as a way for teens to connect with others over sharing a mental health illness. Predatory advertising and popularity incentives drove creation of content that promoted self-diagnosis and misinformation. Parents and clinicians can assist...
