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Fewer than half of all adolescents with major depressive episode (MDE) received mental health care in the US in 2022, with the odds of specialist treatment being even lower among marginalized groups, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS Mental Health by Su Chen Tan and colleagues at University of Tennessee, USA.

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We all feel anxious sometimes. But when does typical anxiousness become an anxiety disorder?

A new study published in PLOS One looked at the impact of loneliness on depression, mental health, and physical well-being. “Our study investigates how loneliness, measured as the subjective feeling of social disconnection, predicts poor mental and physical health outcomes,” study author Oluwasegun Akinyemi told us. “Specifically, we examined whether individuals who feel lonely more often are more likely to experience clinical depression, more frequent days of poor mental health, and more frequent days of poor physical health."

Decades of global surveys point to a single, consistent foundation of well-being: our relationships.

Historically, medical research has excluded women as too complex. But a new University of Melbourne study is investigating how the brain may drive alcohol misuse differently between the sexes.

Agency is everything

Get the latest from leading experts on how to transform your feelings with free tools, tips, insights, and more.

The new school year can be exciting, but also stressful. Kids may be feeling anxious. Parents may be juggling new responsibilities. Experts share tips on how to manage this season of change.

Structured interventions that encourage a good giggle, whether they are laughter yoga or clown visits, could have health benefits

In a pair of new studies, researchers found that older adults who challenge themselves to learn new things are less likely to experience loneliness or depression, even during times of major upheaval.

Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and disconnected? Discover how modern life hijacks your brain—and how understanding your own neurology can help you reclaim your mental health. From the author of Wi…

Sometimes we are just surviving, we are just getting up and doing what we need or have to do. It's not fair, but it does deserve recognition.

Take a Mental Health Minute with Marie Saavedra and learn about the benefits of gardening.

Want to help someone struggling? Find a simple way to lighten their load

It is well documented through Manic Minds that I am a Psychosis sufferer, it’s not something I shy away from and it is definitely not something I am ashamed of. There is no reason for me to be asha…

Listening is more than a communications skill, it is a capacity that awakens our awareness. And given our current times, this capacity is essential if we are to navigate the great divides that separate us from our inner life and others. As we learn to listen inwardly, we begin to understand and care for the fears and vulnerability that ask for our attention. And as we listen to others, that same intimacy emerges. In this two-part series we examine the blocks to listening and the practices that cultivate this essential domain of human potential. Our focus is both on the transformational power of listening in our personal lives, and also the necessity for deep listening if we are to bring healing to our wider society.

A Q&A with Leyna Vincent.

Get the latest from leading experts on how to transform your feelings with free tools, tips, insights, and more.

Vaile Wright, PhD, discusses the promises, limitations, and risks of AI in mental health.

Confiding in someone is crucial to your recovery.

The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — 988 — launched on this day exactly three years ago. People who call the line seeking support are connected to a local network of crisis centers and a trained crisis counselor. And while millions of people have contacted the line since its launch, a new study shows portions of the country still don't know about it. Short Wave host Emily Kwong speaks to Jonathan Purtle, one of the lead researchers of on this study, about the findings, how the hotline differs from 911 and what its existence signals to Americans. Want us to cover more mental health news? Tell us by emailing shortwave@npr.org! We'd love to know what you want to hear from us!Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

10 Body Safety Books Every Protective Parent Should Own and why books are the perfect tool to help you teach body safety.

It's July and I'm another year older.

Be a light in the darkness.

Improving access to mental health care means dissolving barriers to the help you deserve. Learn what mental health stigmas are and how to combat them.

New research traces depressive symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, and drug use across nearly two decades, linking them to socioeconomic status at age 15.

The healing power of complete strangers