IN THE NEWS: NAMI FRANKLIN COUNTY

• Family said Colorado suspect had 'mental illness.' Experts say that's rarely the cause of mass shootings. March 25, 2021
  The 21-year-old suspect arrested in the rampage, the second in a week, was almost immediately described by family members as paranoid and antisocial. But researchers and advocates say the rush to cast blame on a mental illness is misplaced. "People are searching for explanations for behavior they don't understand. It's easy to put a label […]
• Racism and mental health March 23, 2021
  In light of the recent attacks against the Asian American community and the rise in hate crimes around the country, psychiatrist Dr. Sue Varma joins "CBS This Morning" to discuss the toll that hate crimes take on our mental health, how the model minority myth is hurtful, how young people are impacted and give tips […]
• Prince William Police Launch New Mental Health Response Program March 17, 2021
  Angela Kimball, NAMI National Director of Advocacy and Public Policy said these types of response units are becoming more common across the country. The Prince William County Police Department is launching a new program to bridge the gap in crisis management. The police department now has a small team of what they call "co-responders" — […]
• Smoking Makes a Comeback in the Pandemic March 16, 2021
  During a recent panel discussion, smoking cessation and addiction experts raised concerns about the uptick in tobacco use and emphasized the urgent need to reverse it. "Researchers noticed this changed also for alcohol and other substances, and have suggested that stress and anxiety that resulted from the pandemic may be factors that are driving up […]
• New Data on Worldwide Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 March 15, 2021
  A new survey that assessed the mental health impact of COVID-19 across the globe shows high rates of trauma and clinical mood disorders related to the pandemic. The survey was conducted in eight English-speaking countries and included 49,000 adults. It showed that 57% of respondents experienced some COVID-19-related adversity or trauma. Roughly one quarter showed […]
• How the pandemic has changed our bodies March 13, 2021
  Whether or not you’ve been lucky enough to dodge the coronavirus for the last year, the global pandemic still could be taking a toll on your body, from your brain to your skin. Your body may be suffering effects big or small from the many ways the pandemic has changed our lives — whether it’s […]
• Cigarette sales increased during pandemic as fewer smokers sought help quitting March 12, 2021
  The number of people seeking help to quit smoking plummeted 27% last year as the public grappled with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report says. Experts said fewer people sought help to quit smoking last year as more Americans struggled with mental health and addiction during the pandemic. About 2 in 5 Americans […]
• How the pandemic changed health care, one year later March 10, 2021
  The pandemic exacerbated mental health and substance use challenges for many people. Dawn Brown, NAMI director of HelpLine Services, said the amount of calls over the last year ebbed and flowed, but that at the height of the pandemic, calls shot up as much as 75 percent. Calls about anxiety and depression replaced schizophrenia and […]
• What Meghan's openness about suicidal thoughts can teach us March 9, 2021
  The feelings Meghan described — shame, fear, hopelessness — are familiar to many who've experienced suicidal thoughts. But hearing her share so openly the mental anguish she experienced is meaningful to people who've contemplated suicide, said Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO. Meghan's admission opens the floor to viewers who've had suicidal thoughts to discuss those […]
• Duchess Meghan revealing her mental health struggles could help others, expert says March 9, 2021
  Meghan's revelation that she struggled with mental health, spoken in front of a global TV audience of tens of millions, could have a tangible impact on other people facing their own mental health battles, according to Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO. "When a remarkable, famous person says, 'I'm getting help,' it raises the definite possibility […]
• Dr. Duckworth on Meghan Markle Speaking Openly about her Mental Health Concerns March 8, 2021
  For a live on-camera interview, Dr. Duckworth, NAMI CMO discusses the impact of Meghan speaking openly about mental health and suicide ideation. He discusses overcoming barriers to mental health care such as shame regardless of your situation or privilege. Mental health issues are part of the human condition and by Meghan sharing her experiences it […]
• Meghan's candor on race and mental health hits home for Black women, experts say March 8, 2021
  The candor Meghan Markle displayed while discussing suicidal ideation during her interview with Oprah Winfrey helped open the door for conversations about race and mental health, experts say. A combination of celebrity platform and the universal trauma of a pandemic have likely contributed to the impact of Meghan’s interview statements, said Dr. Christine Crawford, NAMI […]
• Should you see a therapist? Ask yourself these 7 questions March 5, 2021
  COVID-19 has tested us in many ways. Here’s how to determine if talking with a professional might help. There’s little doubt that a lot of people are struggling to cope right now. And it's not hard to see why. People are facing a lot of challenges: anxiety about getting sick, losing loved ones, grief over […]
• Attacks against Asian Americans are on the rise. Here's what you can do March 5, 2021
  For many in the AAPI community, just leaving home requires a new routine and a mental shift that prioritizes survival. It's coupled with a subtle fear, wondering if they or a loved one will become the next victim. While Covid-19 may be raising the xenophobic flames right now, racism against Asian Americans is not new. […]
• People with OCD talk about how the fears around COVID-19 have set them back in their battle to beat the mental illness February 27, 2021
  Amid the mental health crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, people with OCD are experiencing unique difficulties. The pandemic has led to 4 in 10 adults in the U.S. reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression, an increase from the one in ten adults, according to Kaiser Family Foundation research. Dr. Ken Duckworth, NAMI CMO, told […]
• 2020 devastated US mental health — healing must be a priority February 23, 2021
  Opinion piece by Daniel Gillison, NAMI CEO and Andy Keller, president and CEO of Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute focused on access to care and how people suffering from inadequately treated mental health issues disproportionately drive excess medical costs. The crisis is now of such magnitude that a failure by legislators and policy makers to […]