Mental Health: U.S. vs. U.K. Mental Health, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthSeptember 3, 2013The huge cultural overlap between the U.S. and U.K. covers many elements of life in the countries, but healthcare is one area with a historical divide. The U.K., like Canada, has what is disparagingly referred to as “socialized healthcare,” whereas the U.S. system is privatized, turning the requirement for good health into an opportunity for…
Mental Health in America After Aurora and Newtown: Has Anything Changed? Mental Health, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthSeptember 1, 2013When a mentally deranged gunman opened fire on a theater full of unsuspecting movie goers in Aurora, Colo., on July 20, 2012, killing 12 and wounding 70, it shocked and saddened the entire nation. A vigorous debate about the merits of more restrictive gun control laws soon followed, as Americans tried to make sense of…
Sportswriter Martin Manley Blogs About His Own Suicide News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 30, 2013At precisely 5 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2013, at the far southeast corner of the Overland Police Station parking lot, Kansas City sportswriter Martin Manley called 911 to report a suicide and then committed one by gunshot. Manley was not depressed, not sick, not lonely; he had not recently suffered the loss of a loved…
Mike Tyson Tells Matt Lauer: ‘I Won’t Survive If I Don’t Get Help’ Alcoholism, Featured, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 30, 2013Heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson has survived a world of scrutiny as his post-championship career included imprisonment for rape, a face tattoo and other out-of-control behavior. But he told NBC “Today Show” host Matt Lauer and millions of viewers Thursday that his relapse from sobriety and internal demons may kill him.
Family History, Childhood Trauma Increase Suicide Risk for Men Trauma & PTSDBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 29, 2013Researchers and mental health professionals have known for a long time that men and boys have elevated chances of dying from suicide, even though they make suicide attempts far less often than women and girls. Researchers and doctors have also identified many of the risk factors that increase the likelihood of suicide. According to the…
Swedish Study Re-Affirms Link Between Mental Illness, Shortened Lifespan Mental Health, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 29, 2013In July 2013, the results of a massive 41-year Swedish study on epilepsy were published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet. Among its more notable findings, this multi-generational research project uncovered a clear connection between mental illness in epileptic patients and premature death.
Here’s Hoping Lamar Odom’s Story Becomes One of Inspiration AddictionBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 28, 2013NBA star and husband of Khloe Kardashian, Lamar Odom is reportedly struggling with a drug addiction that is putting his marriage in jeopardy and threatening to put an end to his career. His drug of choice is said to be crack cocaine, and the last two years have seen him spiraling deeper into his addiction.…
U.S. Moves to Scale Back Mandatory Drug Sentences Addiction, News and ResearchBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 27, 2013In a speech before the American Bar Association on Aug. 12, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder revealed a plan for reform of the federal court system that could dramatically affect the way that drug crimes are prosecuted. Looking to rein in mandatory sentencing guidelines, which have frequently forced judges to impose steep prison terms on…
Mind Games: Fatty Diet Actually Decreases Dopamine Levels HealthBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 26, 2013Overconsumption of high-fat foods dampens the dopamine-induced reward sensation, leading to compensatory consumption of even more high-fat foods.
The Skinny on Cocaine: Why Drug Causes Weight Loss May Surprise You Drug Addiction, FeaturedBy Promises Behavioral HealthAugust 26, 2013There is a widespread assumption that cocaine use suppresses one’s appetite and thereby contributes to weight loss, and that during withdrawal, the “rebound” from this effect leads to rapid weight gain. However, new research from the University of Cambridge has provided evidence against this assumption, and while the overall effect is essentially the same, the…
