The ongoing Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures to slow its spread are taking a serious mental toll on people around the world. In India, suicides among professionals are on the rise as the pandemic has forced companies to cut jobs, exacerbating what has been a growing problem for the country. Even before the … Continue reading Coronavirus lockdowns causing jump in suicides among middle-class workers in India
Former police chief stricken with COVID-19 kills himself to protect family from coronavirus
A retired police chief in the U.K., who became “paranoid and neurotic” while undergoing self-quarantine due to the Wuhan coronavirus, committed suicide to spare his family from infection. Fifty-eight-year-old James Connelly Webster was found dead April 1 in a garden chalet at his Crackington Haven home. The former assistant chief constable of Devon and Cornwall isolated himself … Continue reading Former police chief stricken with COVID-19 kills himself to protect family from coronavirus
Coronavirus pandemic creating “perfect storm” for huge global mental health crisis
Much of the conversation about the disadvantages of ongoing coronavirus lockdowns focuses on the economy, but there’s another factor that tends to get overlooked: its effect on people’s mental health. In fact, some say a mental health crisis could well be the next pandemic we have to deal with. Between the long bouts of social isolation, stress, … Continue reading Coronavirus pandemic creating “perfect storm” for huge global mental health crisis
The stigma around mental health is KILLING men: How to care for someone who is struggling with mental illness and addiction
According to Mental Health America, at least six million men in the U.S. are affected by depression annually. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports that compared to women, men died by suicide at a rate of 3.54 percent higher in 2017. In the same vein, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism notes that 62,000 men die due to alcohol-related … Continue reading The stigma around mental health is KILLING men: How to care for someone who is struggling with mental illness and addiction
Treatment with epilepsy drugs shown to increase risk in suicidal behavior in patients aged 15 to 24
According to a study published in The BMJ, treating epilepsy with a group of drugs known as gabapentinoids is linked to a dangerously increased risk in suicidal behavior in young patients. Gabapentinoids are also commonly used to treat nerve pain and anxiety disorders. This revelation is exceptionally worrying when you take into account the fact that prescriptions for … Continue reading Treatment with epilepsy drugs shown to increase risk in suicidal behavior in patients aged 15 to 24
Mental health issues linked to higher mortality rates in men than in women
Mental health issues affect tens of millions of Americans, and only half of those affected reach out for help. Mental illnesses, which include depression and anxiety disorders, and which can range from mild to severe, affect more women than men, with around 22.3 percent of women affected compared to only 15.1 percent of men. Young … Continue reading Mental health issues linked to higher mortality rates in men than in women
Epigenetic Marks on a Stress-Related Gene Linked to Suicide Risk
Many people consider suicide to be taboo, and it’s a subject that is often avoided. However, the more we understand the reasoning behind why some people are pressed to commit suicide, the better equipped we may be to offer support and guidance for treatment. Interestingly, certain lifestyles and various environmental factors might be able to … Continue reading Epigenetic Marks on a Stress-Related Gene Linked to Suicide Risk
Social media is actually ISOLATING teens: Doctor warns parents of serious risks associated with heavy smartphone use
Aside from negatively impacting the concentration of teenagers, “heavy smartphone use” is linked to “an increased rate of social isolation, depression, suicidal thoughts, and even suicide.” A decade after Steve Jobs, Apple’s co-founder, launched the first iPhone, 92 percent of teenagers own a smartphone. A double-edged sword, smartphones revolutionized communication but they also increased “the risk … Continue reading Social media is actually ISOLATING teens: Doctor warns parents of serious risks associated with heavy smartphone use
Tamiflu is not safe OR effective
Everyone who is deeply concerned about protecting children’s’ mental health should be banging on the doors of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to protest a commonly prescribed drug that routinely causes neuropsychiatric events in children. Since 2009, the FDA has on file 550 cases of hallucinations from a drug called Tamiflu (oseltamivir), which is … Continue reading Tamiflu is not safe OR effective
Suicide rates double with antidepressants; drugs being handed out like candy
The term "antidepressant" implies a pill that takes away depression. In fact, some people even refer to them as "happy pills." However, this could be the misnomer of the century, as a recent study shows that the drugs actually make people twice as likely to become suicidal and violent. Danish researchers carried out an assessment of 13 … Continue reading Suicide rates double with antidepressants; drugs being handed out like candy
Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD 