Mental Health Archive

As this year’s challenges and stressors have piled up, many people have found it increasingly difficult to find any joy in their lives. A good portion of our happiness is related to our own attitudes and actions, and the actions of others can show us how to find contentment, happiness — even joy— in the most difficult of times.

Gender fluidity refers to changes over time in gender identity and gender expression. For many people, gender identity and expression develop early and stay the same; for others, one or both may change. Understanding and supporting young people exploring gender is important to their emotional and physical well-being.

Research we're watching

According to a study published in the Aug. 4, 2020, issue of Neurology, the number of new cases of dementia in Europe and North America has dropped 13% every 10 years over the past 30 years. Researchers looked at data collected by the Alzheimer's Research Consortium, which included people over age 65 in Europe and the United States.

The actual number of adults with dementia has increased dramatically in recent years as life expectancy increases. The condition currently affects some 47 million people worldwide, and that number is expected to increase in coming decades.

The pandemic has made it especially hard for people with persistent depressive disorder.

Almost everyone goes through rough mental patches. You may feel down, sad, and lethargic. Most people bounce back with no problem, but if these feelings become more frequent and linger longer, you could have a mild, yet still serious form of depression called persistent depressive disorder (PDD), also known as dysthymia.

Older adults are especially vulnerable to PDD, and more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, says Dr. David Mischoulon, a psychiatrist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. "While the COVID pandemic affects everyone, older adults have experienced increased stressors like economic issues, prolonged isolation, and the threat of getting sick, all of which can trigger feelings of anxiety and depression beyond the norm."

This year has been extremely stressful for everyone, and that stress can lead to harmful habits. For those working to stay in recovery from an addiction, the challenge is even more profound. Those in this situation know that the more stressful things are, the more important it is to practice the healthy habits that sustain recovery.

In the journals

Researchers are close to finding early cancer with a blood test. They may soon do the same with Alzheimer's disease. A new blood test called p-tau217 has shown great promise in diagnosing people with the disease, according to findings published online July 28, 2020, by JAMA.

The test looks for a specific type of tau protein in the blood. In people with Alzheimer's, tau protein in the brain forms tangles. Accumulation of tau protein tangles along with beta-amyloid deposits is thought to play a key role in how the disease develops.

Here's how to cope when your usual traditions get uprooted.

The holiday season, like just about everything else this year, probably won't look the same as usual. Whether that means going to smaller gatherings without the usual relatives, quarantining when traveling, or staying home entirely, chances are something will be different this year thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. For many who look forward to a full table at Thanksgiving or a big party on New Year's Eve, these changes are unwelcome, and frankly a little depressing.

In response, people may experience emotions ranging from guilt to loneliness to a feeling of disconnected sadness, says Dr. Hilary Connery, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Intimate partner violence can occur between people of any gender or sexual orientation. Abuse can leave people feeling isolated, confused, or hopeless, and talking to a health professional is one way to get help in the form of medical treatment or access to appropriate services.