Dementia affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide and about 4 million in the U.S., about 9% of adults 65 or older.1 In the past, several factors have been identified that reduce the risk of dementia, including educational level, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, obesity, smoking, sedentary lifestyle, depression, social isolation. Recent research says that in older adults, treatments for hearing and vision problems can also help reduce the risk of dementia ..read more

The social determinants of health and mental health were the focus of a recent APA Mental Health Equity Fireside Chat hosted by APA’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity and moderated by Division Chief and Deputy Medical Director Regina James, M.D ..read more

In November 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) instituted a new Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to monitor prescribing and dispensing of the drug, which is used to treat schizophrenia. The new REMS led to confusion for manufacturers, pharmacies, prescribers, and patients. Some clinicians stopped prescribing the already underutilized drug, and some pharmacies stopped dispensing it. This chaotic situation led the FDA to stop enforcing certain requirements of the REM for 90 days ..read more

Every psychiatrist will see a pregnant woman or other patient who is pregnant someday. When that person presents to your office, will you be ready? Many of us received little if any training on the subject, so the American Psychiatric Association’s Committee on Women’s Mental Health would like to help. Read on for five things every psychiatrist needs to know before a pregnant patient walks in your door ..read more

February is Black History Month, and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight and promote Black mental health wellness and resources available for individuals coping with mental illness. The Congressional Black Caucus’s report on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health stated it best—we need to Ring the Alarm regarding the crisis of Black youth suicide in America (1). I would venture to extend this alarm to include the crisis of suicide in Black America ..read more

Social media has clear benefits helping us stay connected and it has been especially valuable during the pandemic isolation and distancing. But there is also substantial evidence of the negative impacts of social media use, or overuse, especially among young people. And according to a recent APA poll, one in three Americans worried about its mental health impacts.   ..read more

As Black History Month draws to a close, psychiatrists and other behavioral health clinicians can learn about the mental health disparities facing the Black community in a series of free webinars from the American Psychiatric Association and Morehouse School of Medicine African American Behavioral Health - Center of Excellence.  ..read more

The phenomenon of high placebo response can be a “formidable challenge in clinical trials but a largely untapped resource in clinical practice,” authors Jeffrey R. Strawn, M.D., and colleagues write in a chapter in a new book from APA Publishing on prescribing mental health medication to youth. They argue the expectations of the effectiveness of treatments play a key role in the outcomes of mental health care for youth ..read more

March is Women’s History Month and we’re highlighting several women currently leading the organization:  APA President Vivian Pender, M.D., President-Elect Rebecca W. Brendel, M.D., J.D., and Assembly Speaker Mary Jo Fitz-Gerald, M.D., M.B.A. These leaders follow a distinguished line of women leaders at APA: Since 1985 there have been a total of 13 women presidents of the APA, including six of the last twelve presidents since 2010 ..read more

The start of the new year is a time many people look to begin or to renew efforts to improve well-being: in fact, one in four Americans is making a mental health New Year’s resolution this year. Several American Psychiatric Association (APA) courses, offered through SMI Adviser, cover ways to promote well-being among patients, whether though exercise, connecting with others, or positivity ..read more