News from the Department

Muslim adults in the U.S. were twice as likely to report a history of suicide attempt compared with individuals from other faith traditions, according to results of a survey in a research letter published in JAMA Psychiatry. Rania Awaad, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

As the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA has eased, the extent of devastation caused during this period by the opioid epidemic is no longer obscured. Bolstering efforts to identify cohesive, evidence-based strategies for curtailing the opioid crisis, the Stanford–Lancet Commission on the North American Opioid Crisis was convened in February, 2020. Led by Keith Humphreys, it will investigate the causes and chart a course to curb not only fatalities but also disabilities and comorbidities associated with addiction, as well as wider impacts on affected communities.

Teens in the Palo Alto area now have access to a groundbreaking walk-in mental health clinic, allcove — which is run by Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services in collaboration with multiple agencies, including Stanford’s Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing — reimagines how mental health issues in the community are addressed through an approach of early intervention. Steven Adelsheim, clinical professor and Associate Chair for Community Engagement, is quoted.

Learning techniques to build resilience lowers the stress and anxiety of raising a child with autism, Stanford research found. Grace Gengoux, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and the study's senior author, provides comment.

The coronavirus pandemic and the continued spread of illegal fentanyl took a devastating toll on drug users, experts said, as the government reported a staggering increase in fatalities. Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

While COVID-19 may feel under control, many people are feeling mentally off - chronically exhausted, burned out, anxious, quick to anger, and depressed. One treatment offers hope, but it's not without controversy. Alan Schatzberg and Nolan Williams provide comment a recent study that was published online by the American Journal of Psychiatry.

In this article on sleep deprivation, two sleep experts discuss signs you're not getting enough sleep and how to sleep better. Philippe Mourrain, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted.

Smartphones have become essential, but fixation with all they have to offer -- apps for social media, streaming, games and more -- can be a slippery slope. If you're finding it hard to look up from your phone these days, this article offers 12 ways to start moving in the right direction. Smita Das, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Phone interviews conducted among nearly 3,000 American college students between 2007 and 2015 revealed that roughly one in 20 had "internet gaming disorder," a clinical condition defined by the compulsive use of electronics, both online and offline. Maurice Ohayon, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this coverage.

Elementary schoolchildren who took mindfulness training two times a week for two years slept an average of 74 extra minutes a night, a new study found. That boost in total sleep time included an additional 24 minutes of rapid eye movement (REM), the dream stage of sleep when memories are consolidated and stored. Ruth O'Hara, Christina Chick, and Victor Carrion are quoted in the article about the study.

Supporting the research careers of medical doctors conducting biomedical investigation has long been a priority of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The Career Award for Medical Scientists (CAMS) focuses on the transition of physician-scientists from postdocs/fellows into an independent research position. This program hopes to address the shortage of physicians entering the research workforce. Congratulations to Neir Eshel, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, CAMS recipient!

Munchausen by Proxy is a widely misunderstood form of child abuse that can cause lifelong mental health issues and trauma for survivors. Mary Sanders, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, was interviewed in this New Day NW segment to spread awareness on the sometimes controversial topic.

Children who learned techniques such as deep breathing and yoga slept longer and better, even though the curriculum didn’t instruct them in improving sleep, a Stanford study has found. Ruth O'Hara, Christina Chick, and Victor Carrion and other members of the study team are featured in this piece.

Surfside search and rescue: Experts weigh in on mental health concerns as rescue efforts continue. Ripal Shah, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Bipolar disorder is most often diagnosed in the later teen years or young adulthood, affecting some 4 percent of people at some point in their lives. Symptoms in children may initially be mistaken for other conditions, and young people may suffer serious distress for years. Terence Ketter, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, emeritus, is quoted.

While some companies, such as Twitter and DropBox, have said that employees may work remotely forever, others are planning a return to the office this summer or fall. For those making the switch from fully remote to in-person or hybrid work, the key to a successful re-entry is staying true to the spirit of the word "transition," experts say. Victor Carrión, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Last Friday, the first two allcove centers - in San José and Palo Alto - began offering services supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people. The opening of these first two centers is the culmination of many years of work to bring integrated mental health resources to local youth. Several members of the team at allcove, including the Youth Advisory Group and staff, and the Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, are featured in this piece.

Physicians experience burnout more than most workers, but the problem isn't inherent to the medical profession, according to a study conducted by Mickey Trockel, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and colleagues. The study compared physicians' self-compassion with those of people in other professions and pointed to the causes of physician burnout.

Rania Awaad, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and director of the Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab, and other mental health professionals are working alongside some faith leaders and activists to bring nuance and compassion to conversations, raise awareness in Muslim communities about suicide prevention and mental health, and provide religiously and culturally sensitive guidance.

During COVID-19, many people experienced additional worries about getting the virus, the health of themselves and of loved ones, job security, physical distancing, and grief. An estimated 4/10 Americans reported symptoms of anxiety or depression. So what can you do to care for your mental health? What are some ways to improve mental wellbeing? Watch as Debra Kaysen, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, explains in this week’s episode of Viral Facts - brought to you by the Stanford Center for Health Education and its Digital Medic initiative.

Jonathan Updike, resident in psychiatry, writes about his dream for Wyoming to invest in building a medical school, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security ACT (CARES Act) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds being awarded to the state.

Faculty, staff members, residents and students were recently honored for their contributions to Stanford Medicine, including Yasmin Owusu, Sally Huang, and Janelle Ruiz in psychiatry and behavioral sciences - congratulations, all!

Stanford bioengineer, neuroscientist, and practicing psychiatrist, Karl Deisseroth, is a pioneer in developing game-changing technologies that enable scientists to probe the brain's circuitry in a methodical search for the roots of behavior. This post covers his new book, "Projections: A Story of Human Emotions." - a work of literature that weaves together fictionalized stories, historical imagination, science, and personal experience to explore universal themes in human behavior.

Debate has raged about whether digital addiction is a real affliction or something akin to a strong habit. As the evidence has accumulated, however, doctors and psychiatrists are increasingly confident classifying our digital devices as addictive, not unlike cigarettes or gambling. This June, a team of economists from Harvard, Stanford, and New York universities released a white paper entitled, simply, “Digital Addiction” that used economic methods, such as small payments, to analyze people’s “digital self-control problems.” Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this coverage.

Like exercise and nutrition, sleep is central to good health. And yet, so many of us don’t get enough high-quality sleep. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is interviewed in this Mt Sinai 'Road to Resilience' podcast.

A survey of patients with insomnia who participated in two phase 3 trials investigating daridorexant reported that “improved daytime functioning” was the most important treatment outcome for their condition. The study was one of several abstracts on the oral sleep therapy daridorexant (Idorsia Pharmaceuticals) that were presented during the virtual SLEEP 2021 meeting. Emmanuel Mignot, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment in this article about the study.

Having CHD or caring for someone with CHD is a long and hard journey. It is ok to not be okay sometimes. You are not alone and there is support when you need it. In this podcast episode, Katie Sears Edwards and Lauren Mikula-Schneider, discuss adjustments that many CHD patients are experiencing and share their recommendations for when to get help, how to ask, what to ask for and what are the best ways to maintain good mental health.

A new CDC study finds that people who provide unpaid care for their children or adult loved ones are twice as likely as noncaregivers to have experienced depression or anxiety, or thoughts of suicide. Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

This article covers a unique case of substance use disorder in the United States that was relieved by deep brain stimulation. Robert Malenka, Pritzker professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Even if you enjoy work, focusing on it all day can be mentally exhausting and straight-up stressful. Taking breaks in the form of rejuvenating afternoon habits—even teensy ones—can help. David Spiegel, the Jack, Samuel and Lulu Willson Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Researchers and doctors say they know how to curb harm caused by addiction and the spread of dangerous drugs. But lawmakers are reluctant to allow needle exchanges and access to safer narcotics. Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is interviewed.

P. Herbert Leiderman, MD, professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine, who was well known for his early research on mother-infant bonding, died April 1. He was 97.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a disorienting kind of emergency. Covid-19 is a disease that attacks the lungs, but it has also worsened mental health while causing a drastic reduction in patients seeking care for depression, self-harm, eating disorders and anxiety. Karl Deisseroth, D.H. Chen Professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is interviewed in this article.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine congratulates the recipient of the 2021 Trainee Investigator Award and the three individuals who received the honorable mention designation - including Christina Chick, postdoctoral research fellow in psychiatry and behavioral sciences. They were recognized during the AASM annual membership meeting, which was held as a webcast on Monday, June 14.

With the pandemic’s added stressors, some people's sleep and mindfulness practices aren't working anymore. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment on potential effective sleep aids.

Shaul Druckmann, assistant professor of neurobiology and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, has been named to receive a 2021 McKnight Foundation Scholar Award for his research into how the brain computes using activity distributed across populations and brain areas.

Just because things are reopening doesn’t mean we’re all mentally ready. On this episode of "How To!" Debra Kaysen, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides advice to help reframe risk and find coping strategies to get back out there.