Theravive Home

A year ago, trying to get patients at Michigan Medicine to agree to telehealth for their mental health appointments was a challenge. The academic medical centre associated with the University of Michigan had only 26 video appointments in a six month period compared with 30 thousand in person visits. COVID-19 changed all that. [More]

Smartphones may or may not be evil - depending on whom you ask. Some studies show people spend too much time on their phones which negatively impacts their mental health. Others claim it's how people feel about their use more than the use itself. [More]

Researchers examined 190 young adults and followed them for ten years. They were directly tested on their response to alcohol vs. placebo beverage in initial testing sessions and then they returned five and ten years later to a laboratory in Chicago to undergo identical re-examination testing. “We flew people in from all over the country (and the world!) to come back for their returning sessions,” study author Andrea King told us. “We also conducted regular follow-up interviews semi-annually in that period. I am grateful the participants were so connected to the study, as 99% of those still living continued to participate over the decade.” [More]

Across the country, the New Year means some new laws take effect. These state laws affect how mental health treatment is covered, how schools tackle the issue with kids, and how to help patients in the future. [More]

Smartphone use is vilified for negatively impacting mental health but a study from Technology, Mind, and Behavior indicates smartphones are not be so bad after all. The authors suggest that screen time is not a predictor of negative mental health symptoms. Instead it’s worries about phone use that’s the problem. [More]

Anxiety is an emotion that is central to human experience which can also cause immense suffering for millions of children and adults when it goes awry. A new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience looked at the biological roots of anxiety. “Anxiety disorders are the most common family of mental illnesses, and they impose a staggered burden on global public health and the economy,” study author Alexander J. Shackman told us. [More]

COVID-19 has affected all communities in some way, economically, physically,and mentally. New data released by the HRC and PSB research found that “LGBTQ people are more likely to have experienced a cut in work hours, are more likely to feel that their personal finances are in worse shape and are more likely to be taking steps to actively prepare for the virus.” [More]

A new study published on the JAMA Network looked at the association of rurality with the availability of youth mental health facilities with suicide prevention services in the United States. “The study is about the availability of mental health services in rural communities,” lead author Janessa M. Graves told us. [More]

Teenagers who are unhappy with how they look have a significantly heightened risk of depression by adulthood. In a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, researchers found the increased risk of depression ranged from 50 per cent to 285 per cent, with boys being more likely to experience severe depression than their female peers. [More]

According to a study from the UK, pets are an important source of emotional support for many people during lockdown, reducing and improving people’s mental health. But not everyone recognizes the long-term commitment required with owning a pet. [More]