Mental Health in the News: October 27, 2022

By Dr. David Woo - October 27, 2022

Welcome to Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry’s Mental health in the News weekly update. Below are some current news events relating to mental health and mental health treatments.

Online Mental Health Support for Teens

Adolescence can be a difficult time in a young person’s life. In fact, half of behavioral and psychiatric disorders start to develop by the age of 14 and three-quarters by the age of 24. 

Although mental health awareness is improving, and more people are seeking mental health services, studies show that teens still feel discouraged by stigma when it comes to asking for help.

According to a recent study, stigma is one of the main deterrents when it comes to teenagers seeking professional mental health services. This study reveals that many teenagers don’t seek help because they feel embarrassed and are worried about how others will perceive them. Online therapy is a great option for teenagers because it is private, convenient, and accessible. Even teenagers who do not exhibit signs of a mental health disorder may benefit from talking to someone about topics like how to manage stress or bullying. Below is a list of the best online resources of 2022:

• Easy to use: LiveHealth Online
• Good for texting: Talkspace
• Covered by most insurance plans: Amwell
• Offers a variety of therapists: MDLive
• Most affordable: TeenCounseling

How Do You Know if Your Teen Needs Therapy?

It can be difficult to know if your teenager’s behaviors are just a normal part of adolescence or if they are signs of depression, anxiety, or another serious mental health disorder. So how do you know if your teen needs therapy? The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests finding a therapist for your teenager if they exhibit the following behaviors: 

• Loss of interest in things they used to enjoy
• Use of drugs and alcohol
• Extreme dieting or binge eating
• Self-harming 
• Sleeping more or less than is normal for them
• Self-isolating
• Hearing voices in their head
• Suicidal thoughts 

If your teen is in a crisis and is in need of immediate support you can text the Crisis Hotline at 741741 or call 911. 

To read the original news article, click here.

How Art Therapy Supports Mental Health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019 970 million people worldwide were living with a mental health disorder. While FDA-approved treatments for mental health conditions are proven to help relieve symptoms, complementary treatments like art therapy are becoming more popular in mental health settings, because they provide a holistic approach to mental healthcare. 

Art therapy is based on the philosophy that creative expression can help support mental well-being. Historically, cultures worldwide have recognized and accepted the role art has played in mental health.  

In a recent review by Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences, researchers analyzed different studies where mental health patients received art therapy. They found that art therapy, in conjunction with other treatments, improved mental health. While art therapy refers to a variety of techniques ranging from music to theater to dance movement, the review done by Datta Meghe Institute focused on the visual arts, such as painting, drawing, and photography. 

The idea behind art therapy is that art allows patients to express themselves when words fail them. Engaging in the artistic process requires patients to regulate expectations, exert themselves physically and mentally, and be disciplined enough to finish projects. In other words, art demands that patients practice a range of cognitive, physical, and emotional skills. The benefits of art therapy include self-expression, better regulation of emotions, a boost in self-esteem, and higher quality of life. Art therapy can be used with patients who have a wide range of diagnoses, like dementia, mood disorders, depression, or autism. 

While art therapy is widely accepted as a complementary treatment for mental health issues, more research is needed in order to determine the best therapeutic strategies and overall effectiveness of art therapy. 

To read the original news article, click here.

Dr. David Woo

Dr. Woo has been seeing patients in private practice since 2002, always with the goals of combining evidence-based medicine with psychodynamic psychotherapy and collaborating with other mental health professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for his patients. He has been certified to administer TMS at his practice since 2017. His greatest clinical interests include helping patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder.