Local psychologist agrees social media apps are not appropriate for 13-year-olds
Many social media giants currently allow 13-year-olds to join, but these apps can be harmful. Dr. David Nathan, a child/adolescent psychologist with Allina Health, compared social media use to that of alcohol and tobacco.
Music therapy program in Woodbury geared toward neurodivergent children
This winter a program for children with special needs is getting a lot of credit for helping them develop new skills. Organizers have welcomed children as young as three years old, and as old as 16 years old, from in and around Woodbury.
US veterans in suicidal crisis now eligible for free emergency care at any facility
Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system for the new policy, which includes inpatient care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days.
Calls, texts and chats pouring into new 988 mental health helpline
The 988 mental health helpline has quickly expanded its reach in the six months since it launched — with over 2 million calls, texts and chat messages pouring in.
Study: Children who habitually check social media may experience major brain changes
Researchers said habitual social media checking in teens is impacting their brain development at a time when they're already going through "significant structural and functional reorganization."
TikTok boosts posts about eating disorders, suicide, report says
The findings come from the Center for Countering Digital Hate, which created TikTok accounts for fictitious young people living in the U.S., Britain, Canada and Australia.
Wife caring for husband with dementia gives advice to caregivers
One devoted caregiver has come up with four main pieces of advice for people caring for others diagnosed with dementia.
Having a strong sense of purpose in life may help you live longer, study suggests
The study found an association across race/ethnicity and gender, but women may benefit slightly more from the health-protective benefits of having a sense of purpose.
Personalized Christmas trees remember, honor lives lost to addiction and suicide
It is a touching holiday tribute marked by grief and sadness inside a north metro drug treatment center – a trio of brightly decorated Christmas trees filled with personalized ornaments of those lost to overdose and suicide.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson opens up about mental health: ‘You gotta ask for help’
"As guys, we have a tendency to not ask for help. Ego gets in the way, and we start stuffing things deep down in our guts, which is not a good thing," Johnson said.
Utah man jumps into icy river to save woman attempting suicide
“I told her ‘I don’t know who you are, but I’m here and I love you, and I’m going to help you,’” Dane Entze said.
Binge eating disorder looks different in the brains of boys and girls, study finds
The study findings may help future efforts to better understand the origins of eating disorders and how they differ between sexes, researchers said.
After weeks delay, mentally ill inmate in Scott County to get transfer to psychiatric facility
A mentally ill man, wrongfully jailed in Scott County, is finally scheduled to be transferred to a state-run Community Behavioral Health Hospital weeks after he should have been moved because of his condition.
Synthetic 'magic mushroom' drug may ease depression in hard-to-treat patients, study says
A single dose of psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound found in “magic mushrooms,” was found to help some people who previously had gotten little relief from standard antidepressants.
Forcing a smile might put you in a better mood, research suggests
The new research, led by a scientist at Stanford, may tell us “something fundamentally important” about how human emotions work.
Seeing, listening to birds can improve mental health, study finds
In addition to helping people, scientists say they are also advocating for the protection of the environment and wildlife.
Study: Pandemic may have altered personality, making young adults more neurotic, less agreeable
The research found that the pandemic made U.S. adults under 30 "moodier and more prone to stress, less cooperative and trusting, and less restrained and responsible."
Families who eat meals together are often less stressed, survey finds
Overall, the respondents of the American Heart Association survey reported eating alone about half of the time due to difficulties aligning schedules.
How petting dogs could improve your attention span and motivation
Researchers concluded that the brain stimulation felt by regularly petting a dog could translate to improved cognitive function down the road.



















