Tag: Pappas

Reading of the Week: ED Visits & Suicide Attempts – the New AJP Study; Also, Smoking Cessation, and Pappas on Her Genes & Her Olympic Drive

From the Editor

Are ED visits for suicide attempts becoming more frequent? What are the implications for care?

In the first selection from The American Journal of Psychiatry, Dr. Tanner J. Bommersbach (of the Mayo Clinic) and his co-authors attempt to answer these questions by considering US trends in ED visits for suicide attempts and intentional self-harm. Using national survey data collected over a 10-year period, they estimate that the absolute number of suicide attempts tripled to 5.3 million. “A significant national increase in emergency department visits for suicide attempts and intentional self-harm occurred from 2011 to 2020, as a proportion of total emergency department visits and as visits per capita.” We analyze this study.

In the second selection, Drs. Robert A. Kleinman (of the University of Toronto) and Brian S. Barnett (of the Cleveland Clinic) write about smoking cessation and mental illness in a Viewpoint just published in JAMA Psychiatry. They note societal progress – smoking rates are sharply down over the past five decades – yet many with mental illness still use tobacco. They argue that psychiatrists have a significant role to play in addressing this problem. “Patients who stop smoking can limit tobacco-related illness, avoid the distressing effects of nicotine withdrawal and craving, and live longer.”

Later this week, the Olympics conclude in Paris. In the third selection, former Olympian Alexi Pappas discusses her mother’s suicide and her own struggles with depression. In a deeply personal essay from The New York Times, she contemplates genes and destiny and healing. “My future – the universe where my fear lives – was never set in stone, and neither was my mom’s. I’m more than my genes, and I would not reroll the dice if given the option.”

There will be no Readings for the next two weeks.

DG

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Reading of the Week: More COVID, More Mental Health Problems? Also, e-Cigarette Use (CJP) and Pappas on Her Olympics & Her Depression (NYT)

From the Editor

Will there be a pandemic after the pandemic? Some have wondered about the mental health consequences of COVID-19 – speculating that, in the future, there will be significant mental health problems. In a recent JAMA paper, Simon et al. argued: “The magnitude of this [mental health] second wave is likely to overwhelm the already frayed mental health system, leading to access problems, particularly for the most vulnerable persons.” (That paper was discussed in a past Reading.)

In the first selection, we consider a new paper from Lancet Psychiatry. Kuan-Yu Pan (of Vrije Universiteit) and co-authors did a survey of people with psychiatric disorders, as well as people without. “We did not find evidence that there was a strong increase in symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in those with a higher burden of disorders. In fact, changes in scores from before to during the pandemic indicated increasing symptom levels in people without mental health disorders, whereas changes of symptom levels were minimal or even negative in individuals with the most severe and chronic mental health disorders.” Should we be reassured by the Pan et al. study?

Alcohol sanitizer and medical mask with copy space,Corona virus,Covid-19 prevention.Protection from physical health problems, but mental health?

In the second selection, we consider a research letter from Dr. Scott B. Patten (of the University of Calgary) and his co-authors. Drawing on survey data, they describe the pattern of use of e-cigarettes, noting that they were originally intended for harm reduction. “In 2017, 15.5% of e-cigarette users reported that they had never smoked, suggesting a de novo pattern of substance use. By 2019, this proportion had more than doubled to 36.7%.”

Finally, in the third selection, Olympian Alexi Pappas speaks about her mental health in a New York Times opinion video. The comments are very personal, and touch on her illness and recovery. “After the Olympics, I was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. And it nearly cost me my life. But it doesn’t have to be that way.”

Please note that there will be no Reading for the next two weeks. Enjoy the holidays. And if you are looking for a last-minute gift for, perhaps, Hanukkah or Christmas or a way to thank co-workers after a tough year, consider CAMH’s Pet Therapy Calendar, available for just $15 (with the promotion code). Proceeds go to a good cause: the CAMH Volunteer Resources Pet Therapy Program. The calendar is beautifully done, and features great dogs, including Toulouse (my BFF). Here’s the link: https://store-camh.myshopify.com/products/pvol-cal.

DG

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