Study: Imagining trying on a swimsuit worsens mood
(CBS News) With swimsuit season around the corner, new research finds that for women merely thinking about trying on a bathing suit may negatively impact their emotional well-being.
Previous research has focused on media images and other external factors that may contribute to body dissatisfaction in women, but the authors behind this new study wanted to focus on the role clothes play in impacting mood since they're such a big part of daily life. They were looking for the role clothing plays in "self-objectification," a theory that contends a person may internalize an outside perspective to objectify one's self.
Abercrombie bikini tops: Threat to girls' mental health?
Israeli law bans ads featuring underweight models
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Study finds racial disparity for antidepressants
(CBS News) If you're Caucasian, you're more likely to get a prescription for antidepressants than your Hispanic and African-American counterparts, new research shows.
A study published in last month's International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine said that Caucasians were 1.52 times more likely to receive antidepressant medication over Hispanic and African-American patients also being treated for major depressive disorders.
Continue »Study: Depression blood test for teens effective
(CBS News) Researchers are hopeful that diagnosing depression may soon be as easy as diagnosing high cholesterol. A new study describes a blood test that that distinguished depression among teenagers.
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Antidepressant use soars, study says: Is depression overdiagnosed?
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Developed by a scientist at Northwestern School of Medicine in Chicago, the new blood test aims to replace the current method of diagnosing depression, which is asking patients to recall their symptoms. The researchers say the new test might be able to distinguish between certain types of depression, raising hope for more personalized treatments.
Continue »Study: Emergency dispatchers may suffer from PTSD
According to a study published in the March issue of the Journal of Traumatic Stress, even though emergency dispatchers didn't know the victims or were there when the event happened, they still could experience symptoms that lead to the psychological disorders.
Continue »Study: Memory problems likely after hospital stay
(CBS News) At one point or another, there's a good chance an older adult over 65 might wind up in the hospital. A new study suggests those adults could wind up with a new set of memory problems following their visit.
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The study tracked nearly 1,900 seniors for 12 years and found those who were hospitalized experienced double the decline in memory and cognitive skills, compared with adults the same age who weren't hospitalized.
Continue »Electroconvulsive therapy for severe depression?
(CBS News) Historical images of electric shock therapy can appear frightening -- the sight of a patient strapped to a table wearing a head strap that's certain to send volts of electricity shooting through their heads.
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But contrary to popular belief, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) hasn't gone away since the time of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," and is still used to treat mental health issues such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A new study says ECT could help severely depressed patients more than antidepressants and other treatment options.
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Synthetic marijuana sending more teens to hospital, study finds
K2, a brand of synthetic marijuana
(Credit: AP Photo/Kelley McCall, File)(CBS News) Synthetic marijuana is sending more kids and teens to the emergency room than ever before, according to the authors of a new study. Making matters even worse, emergency room doctors might not recognize the symptoms from these relatively new drugs, and may not realize some of these teens need immediate medical attention.
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Synthetic marijuana is a mix of plants and chemicals that's sometimes sold as "potpourri" under the brand names K2, Spice and Blaze. According to the study, published in the March 19 issue of Pediatrics, The American Association of Poison Control Centers received 4,500 calls involving problems from synthetic marijuana between 2010 to 2011.
Continue »Study: Moms of autistic kids earn 56% less money
(CBS News) When a child in the family has autism, parents and siblings often devote extra time and financial resources to ensure the best possible outcomes for the child's future. A new study puts a number on the financial toll the disorder takes on families each year.
On average, family earnings when a child has autism are 28 percent lower than those of a child without a health limitation, the study found - nearly $18,000 less money for the family per year.
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Autism risk for siblings unexpectedly high
"Our results suggest a significant economic burden for families of children with ASD, especially for mothers," study co-author Dr. Zuleyha Cidav, a postdoctoral mental health researcher at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, said in a university written statement.
Study: Mom's meth use changes child's behavior
Methamphetamine
(Credit: (CBS))(CBS/AP) Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug that wreaks havoc on the nervous system, causing brain changes that could cause anxiety, mood problems, and violent behavior.
PICTURES: Meth mouth: Inside look at icky problem (15 GRAPHIC IMAGES)
A new study says pregnant moms who use meth can pass some of these behavioral problems onto their kids.
Continue »Study: Suicide rates among army soldiers up
(CBS News) - A report published in Injury Prevention shows that suicide rates among U.S. Army personnel increased 80 percent between 2004 and 2008. Out of the 255 soldiers who had committed suicide between 2007 to 2008, 17 percent of the soldiers had previously been diagnosed with a mental health problem. Fifty percent had visited a health professional for a mental issue.
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