Research on social connections and aging finds that older people with a large, active social network are more likely to retain their cognitive functioning, and less lilely to develop dementia.
Statistically, men are more likely than women to become addicts, but women with addiction problems find it harder to quit, and are more likely to relapse after treatment.
Medical marijuana may be a viable alternative treatment option for patients with certain conditions who do not respond to other available medications, but there are definite psychiatric risks involved in its use.
Adolescent girls who have several meals per week with their families may have a reduced risk of developing an eating disorder.
Researchers have formulated an index of risk factors that may help lower the likelihood of developing dementia in older age.
Many teenagers post information about risky behavior in their online social networking profiles, but a study found that nearly half responded to an intervention aimed at getting them to make their profiles safer by altering or removing such information.
Hearing voices is a common symptom of schizophrenia. While some patients find relief with antipsychotic drugs, other techinques under investigation include electrical stimulation, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, and meditation.
Researchers examining patients with spinal cord injuries found that those with the most severe physical impairments also had better overall states of mental health.
Studies of borderline personality disorder show success treating the condition with various types of therapy, while another study found that many of the more serious symptoms went away over time.
Several types of psychosocial therapy for bipolar disorder have had success when used in conjunction with medications, but full recovery is still a lengthy and difficult process.