MindSite News
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Nonprofit, nonpartisan digital journalism dedicated to reporting on mental health in America.
For Qais Alemi, the study of refugee mental health is not an academic abstraction. It is the story of his father, an attorney in Afghanistan, forced to work fast food counters to make ends meet in the United States.
Afghan Refugee Trauma and Resilience: A Talk with Dr. Qais Alemi
Alemi says refugee trauma stems not only from war atrocities, but from cultural dislocation and the loss of language, status and identity,
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February 3, 2026 at 10:35 PM
For Qais Alemi, the study of refugee mental health is not an academic abstraction. It is the story of his father, an attorney in Afghanistan, forced to work fast food counters to make ends meet in the United States.
What started as a fundraiser for a sick cat that had been adopted and cared for by women at a Texas prison led to social media fame, $11,000 in donations, and a retaliatory stint in solitary confinement.
A Cat Named OJ and the Incarcerated Women Who Love Him
A viral inmate cat fundraiser for a sick stray named Orange Julius led to a stint in solitary confinement for a Texas prisoner.
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January 28, 2026 at 3:48 PM
What started as a fundraiser for a sick cat that had been adopted and cared for by women at a Texas prison led to social media fame, $11,000 in donations, and a retaliatory stint in solitary confinement.
“The use of therapy speak to justify, in essence, being non-committal socially, sort of withdrawing socially, or having the right to withdraw socially, I think, is really hurtful,” says Jamil Zaki, director of the Social Neuroscience Lab at Stanford University.
Is "Therapy Speak" Making Gen Z Lonelier?
Experts warn that therapy speak and social isolation are rising among Gen Z as "self-care" language is used more to avoid deep connections.
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January 20, 2026 at 10:35 PM
“The use of therapy speak to justify, in essence, being non-committal socially, sort of withdrawing socially, or having the right to withdraw socially, I think, is really hurtful,” says Jamil Zaki, director of the Social Neuroscience Lab at Stanford University.
Many teens, like me before reading this book, might not know a lot about BPD – a controversial diagnosis and a disorder that’s estimated to affect 1% of the population, more commonly among teens and young adults.
What I Learned From Reading Books About Youth Mental Illness – MindSite News
How books about teen mental illness help destigmatize and educate us.How books on teens with mental illness help destigmatize and educate us.
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January 13, 2026 at 10:35 PM
Many teens, like me before reading this book, might not know a lot about BPD – a controversial diagnosis and a disorder that’s estimated to affect 1% of the population, more commonly among teens and young adults.
The Trump Administration has abruptly frozen $10 billion in federal funding for social services, cash assistance for low-income families, and child care subsidies in five states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.
Federal Funding Freeze Hits Child Care and TANF in Five States
A $10 billion federal child care funding freeze targets five Democrat-led states, affecting hundreds of thousands of families.
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January 12, 2026 at 10:35 PM
The Trump Administration has abruptly frozen $10 billion in federal funding for social services, cash assistance for low-income families, and child care subsidies in five states: California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York.
There are two major factors that go into what we consider childhood adversity. It’s having your threat system overly activated... And it’s also being deprived of things that would normally occur if you weren’t forced to migrate, like going to school or having enough to eat.
How Immigrant Trauma and Separation Reshape the Young Brain
Dr. Martin Teicher explains how immigrant trauma and family separation act as toxic stressors, permanently rewiring a child's brain.
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January 9, 2026 at 3:48 PM
There are two major factors that go into what we consider childhood adversity. It’s having your threat system overly activated... And it’s also being deprived of things that would normally occur if you weren’t forced to migrate, like going to school or having enough to eat.
The Department of Homeland Security claims 70% of ICE arrests have been of “criminal illegal aliens,” but the evidence collected by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse does not support it. @syracuseu.bsky.social bit.ly/3LDrMmP
January 8, 2026 at 10:35 PM
The Department of Homeland Security claims 70% of ICE arrests have been of “criminal illegal aliens,” but the evidence collected by Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse does not support it. @syracuseu.bsky.social bit.ly/3LDrMmP
One of the nation’s largest behavioral health hospital chains continues to face legal scrutiny for alleged patient abuse and negligence.
Troubled Teen Industry Rocked by Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
One of the nation's largest behavioral health hospital chains faces charges of neglect and sexual and physical abuse.
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January 1, 2026 at 3:48 PM
One of the nation’s largest behavioral health hospital chains continues to face legal scrutiny for alleged patient abuse and negligence.
Philadelphia might be ground zero for a new and dangerous phase of the nation’s drug crisis as medetomidine. It's an extremely potent veterinary sedative, rapidly replaces xylazine in the city’s fentanyl supply. bit.ly/49bpof0
Medetomidine: The New Veterinary Sedative Ravaging Philadelphia
A potent veterinary sedative called medetomidine is replacing xylazine in the fentanyl supply, shifting the impact of the drug crisis.
mindsitenews.org
December 22, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Philadelphia might be ground zero for a new and dangerous phase of the nation’s drug crisis as medetomidine. It's an extremely potent veterinary sedative, rapidly replaces xylazine in the city’s fentanyl supply. bit.ly/49bpof0
Scientist Nabarun Dasgupta began analyzing data on overdose deaths after a dear friend died of a heroin overdose. He has since become one of the country’s most influential experts on how drug use spreads – and how lives might be saved.
Scientist Warns Against Rolling Back Harm Reduction
Scientist Nabarun Dasgupta warns that life-saving harm reduction for addiction is at risk as federal policies shift toward punitive measures.
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December 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Scientist Nabarun Dasgupta began analyzing data on overdose deaths after a dear friend died of a heroin overdose. He has since become one of the country’s most influential experts on how drug use spreads – and how lives might be saved.
“The Factory of Maladies” could not be more timely. A memoir by artist and writer Deborah Hartung’s account of her short but terrifying lock-up in a psychiatric ward in San Francisco, it serves as a bellwether of sorts.
'The Factory of Maladies': Seven Days In a Psych Ward
"The Factory of Maladies,” a memoir by Debbie Hartung, is a gripping account of being locked up in a San Francisco psychiatric ward.
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December 19, 2025 at 10:35 PM
“The Factory of Maladies” could not be more timely. A memoir by artist and writer Deborah Hartung’s account of her short but terrifying lock-up in a psychiatric ward in San Francisco, it serves as a bellwether of sorts.
As companies recognize the competitive advantage of hiring neurodiverse staff, experts advocate for moving beyond standard solutions to create tailored accommodations, sensory-friendly spaces, and a culture that harnesses the unique strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace.
Why Employers Must Embrace Neurodiversity in the Workplace – MindSite News
Experts advocate for moving beyond standard solutions to create a culture that harnesses the strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace.
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December 12, 2025 at 10:35 PM
As companies recognize the competitive advantage of hiring neurodiverse staff, experts advocate for moving beyond standard solutions to create tailored accommodations, sensory-friendly spaces, and a culture that harnesses the unique strengths of neurodiversity in the workplace.
The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has, since 2012, protected hundreds of thousands of people from deportation as policy makers try to carve out a path to citizenship. But now, as PBS reports, #ICE has started seizing #DACA recipients.
The Avalanche of Betrayals in US Immigration Enforcement
ICE human rights violations erode trust in democratic institutions and create trauma through abuse of vulnerable individuals.
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December 5, 2025 at 3:48 PM
While not an official condition, mental health clinicians say FOFO is used informally to describe how people avoid vital health screenings due to anxieties about what might be discovered. These include mammograms, Pap smears, STD tests, blood tests, and full-body skin cancer checks.
Is FOFO (Fear of Finding Out) Delaying Important Diagnoses?
FOFO, or the fear of finding out, is a non-clinical term used to describe the anxiety that leads many people to avoid vital health screenings.
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December 4, 2025 at 10:35 PM
While not an official condition, mental health clinicians say FOFO is used informally to describe how people avoid vital health screenings due to anxieties about what might be discovered. These include mammograms, Pap smears, STD tests, blood tests, and full-body skin cancer checks.
The suicide of 15-year-old Miles Phipps, who was relentlessly bullied and misgendered by peers and a teacher, tragically highlights the mental health crisis facing #trans youth amidst the rollback of protections in US schools.
A Mother Pleads for Kindness After Trans Bullying Leads to Suicide
The suicide of 15-year-old Miles Phipps, who was relentlessly bullied, highlights the mental health crisis facing trans youth.
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December 1, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The suicide of 15-year-old Miles Phipps, who was relentlessly bullied and misgendered by peers and a teacher, tragically highlights the mental health crisis facing #trans youth amidst the rollback of protections in US schools.
The state of Utah is hatching plans to move homeless people out of Salt Lake City and into a large-scale facility on the edge of town, where as many as 2/3 won’t be allowed to leave.
Utah’s controversial plan to involuntarily commit unhoused people
Utah has a troubling plan to involuntarily commit homeless and mentally ill people on the outskirts of Salt Lake City.
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November 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM
The state of Utah is hatching plans to move homeless people out of Salt Lake City and into a large-scale facility on the edge of town, where as many as 2/3 won’t be allowed to leave.
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (#ARFID) is far from just picky eating.
Sufferers don’t seem to be motivated by a desire to lose weight or alter their appearance. Rather, they’re averse to the actual food.
Sufferers don’t seem to be motivated by a desire to lose weight or alter their appearance. Rather, they’re averse to the actual food.
ARFID, The Growing Eating Disorder Affecting Children
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) sufferers seem to be averse food due to deep anxiety, sensory issues, or fear of choking.
bit.ly
November 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (#ARFID) is far from just picky eating.
Sufferers don’t seem to be motivated by a desire to lose weight or alter their appearance. Rather, they’re averse to the actual food.
Sufferers don’t seem to be motivated by a desire to lose weight or alter their appearance. Rather, they’re averse to the actual food.
Anxiety is on the rise in 2025, according to a recent survey by the American Psychiatric Association, which found that 43% of U.S. adults reported they felt more #anxious than the previous year.
Panic and the Zeitgeist: Why New Novels Focus on Anxiety Attacks
As national anxiety reaches new heights, two new novels with one-word titles, Pan and Cannon, capture the feeling of paralyzing fear, reflecting the widespread struggle with anxiety and panic attacks…
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November 19, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Anxiety is on the rise in 2025, according to a recent survey by the American Psychiatric Association, which found that 43% of U.S. adults reported they felt more #anxious than the previous year.
“In the military culture, it’s really easy to feel like if you have questions or dissent, you’re the only person who thinks that,” says veteran Brittany Ramos DeBarros, an About Face director who served in Afghanistan.
Some Ohio National Guards Reject Helping ICE, Consider Leaving
Harassing the homeless and assisting ICE is not what they signed up for, they say, and they will quit rather than do it.
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November 19, 2025 at 3:48 PM
“In the military culture, it’s really easy to feel like if you have questions or dissent, you’re the only person who thinks that,” says veteran Brittany Ramos DeBarros, an About Face director who served in Afghanistan.
The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez region, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, offers a stark example of the opportunities and challenges harm-reduction workers face along the border.
In Juárez, Border Militarization Makes Drug Use More Deadly
In Juárez, border militarization by both US and Mexican forces poses unique challenges for harm reduction around drug use.
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November 18, 2025 at 10:35 PM
The El Paso-Ciudad Juárez region, which includes parts of Texas and New Mexico and the Mexican state of Chihuahua, offers a stark example of the opportunities and challenges harm-reduction workers face along the border.
More than three years have passed since Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers with an AR-15 rifle and wounded 17 others, and Amy Franco is still struggling to find the person she was before the massacre. “It’s a mental, physical, and emotional battle,” she says.
Uvalde: The Price of a Mass Shooting
Three years after the Robb Elementary School massacre, the Uvalde community continues to grapple with deep trauma.
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November 14, 2025 at 3:48 PM
More than three years have passed since Salvador Ramos killed 19 children and two teachers with an AR-15 rifle and wounded 17 others, and Amy Franco is still struggling to find the person she was before the massacre. “It’s a mental, physical, and emotional battle,” she says.
Southern young people are less likely to see affirming content on social media. “There is a big community of people in the South who donʼt enjoy the inclusion of other people.... social media is kind of localized where you live, so you see that non-inclusive content.”
Hopelab Finds Southern Youth Need 'Bias-Free' Mental Health – MindSite News
Southern teens and young people are less likely to seek mental health information online, but it is still a lifeline.
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November 1, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Southern young people are less likely to see affirming content on social media. “There is a big community of people in the South who donʼt enjoy the inclusion of other people.... social media is kind of localized where you live, so you see that non-inclusive content.”
David recounted his boundless love for his wife Dena and how they “fell for each other hard” – something that “wasn’t mere ‘chemistry’; it was more akin to particle physics – a revelation of the subatomic properties of love. bit.ly/47yKpzo (@theatlantic.com)
Neuroscientist Credits Unconditional Love for Surviving Cancer
Diagnosed with terminal heart cancer and given 18 months to live, a neuroscientist credits the deep love of his wife for surviving cancer.
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October 31, 2025 at 9:35 PM
David recounted his boundless love for his wife Dena and how they “fell for each other hard” – something that “wasn’t mere ‘chemistry’; it was more akin to particle physics – a revelation of the subatomic properties of love. bit.ly/47yKpzo (@theatlantic.com)
'How Are We Today?' emphasizes evidence-based mental health strategies that viewers can try immediately. One episode on panic attacks features “awareness activities” like breathing exercises and journaling.
'How Are We Today' Brings Mental Health Conversations to Homes
Families and cartoon characters discuss mental health in How Are We Today?, a new PBS Kids show from Tyler Coe.
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October 28, 2025 at 9:35 PM
'How Are We Today?' emphasizes evidence-based mental health strategies that viewers can try immediately. One episode on panic attacks features “awareness activities” like breathing exercises and journaling.
❗93 million adults in the US are at high risk for serious vision loss, but only half visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months.
Why Regular Eye Care is Key for Our Mental (and Physical) Health
Dr. Alex Martin discusses the relationship between vision and mental health, noting that vision loss is connected to anxiety and depression.
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October 22, 2025 at 9:35 PM
❗93 million adults in the US are at high risk for serious vision loss, but only half visited an eye doctor in the past 12 months.