Drug-related deaths are on the rise in the United States and have become a significant threat to public health in recent years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 107,000 people died from overdose in 2021. This number includes accidental deaths as well as suicidal overdose deaths, and ... Read More
The Science Behind the Overdose Dangers of Relapse, From an Expert
Drug overdose is now a leading cause of death in this country, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It is also a public health crisis that has left families in grief, decimated whole communities, and prompted an urgent nationwide search for solutions. Dr. Albert Castellon, M.D., has devoted much of his ... Read More
Meet Winner of 2024 Community Impact Award!
It’s Thursday morning, and Roz Pichardo has been managing lines of people who are either queuing up for clothes or distributing them. “I had a huge donation of clothes—so many—and because we have a very small space, I had to do a last-minute clothing drive,” Pichardo said, in a phone interview with FHE ... Read More
The Long Mental Health Arc of National Tragedies
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after someone witnesses or experiences a traumatic event. For example, a veteran who served in a combat zone may experience flashbacks due to their military experience. PTSD also develops after mass disasters, which are situations involving a critical number of victims. In ... Read More
No More Shame: Kara W.
Kara W. had her first drink at the age of 14. It was the summer of 2006: My mom had gone out of town, and my dad was home but not very present. We took his beer, my brother and my friends, and I got drunk for the first time. The second time that she got drunk, Kara drank to the point of blacking out and falling in a ... Read More
Social Media and Teen Mental Health: Thoughts from an Expert
In June 2024, the U.S. Surgeon General called on Congress to require health warning labels on social media platforms. Dr. Vivek Murthy said the mental health stakes would be high for teens (ages 13-17) if the government did not act quickly to protect these young consumers. And there was precedent for such warning ... Read More
Help for Complicated Grief, from an Expert
It is a universal human experience. Still, some grief is especially messy, distressing, and hard to move through. “Complicated grief” affects 7-10 percent of bereaved people, according to the National Institutes of Health. Grief can look very different between individuals, so there is no “right” way to grieve. ... Read More
Stress Reduction Made Simpler: A Checklist
Everyone gets stressed out sometimes. It's an unavoidable part of life. But prolonged periods of stress are unhealthy for your physical, mental and emotional well-being. Luckily, stress isn't permanent, and there are actions you can take to lower and control your stress levels. Wondering how to destress? You've come ... Read More