Editor’s Note

For the past two years, I have been able to focus my legal practice almost exclusively on mental health issues. This has naturally drawn my attention to news and organizations that may be beneficial to my clients and practice. Following are several reports from WGN News Medical Watch that I found particularly interesting.

May 27, 2025: “Columbia University researchers report a concerning decline in mental health among mothers in the US. Subsequently they discovered physical health suffering as a result of mental challenges. Doctors reached their conclusion after studying nearly 200,000 mothers with children from newborns to age 17. Just 26 percent of mothers surveyed reported excellent mental health in 2023. That’s down nearly 10 percent in just seven years. The declines were seen in every socioeconomic group. A mother’s unstable mental health can impact her child’s growth and development.”

July 1, 2025: “The youngest students in a grade have the greatest risk for mental health challenges. A study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology found children born in October, November or December are statistically more likely to have a mental health diagnosis than their classmates born earlier in the year. Those diagnoses include ADHD, delayed language development, academic and motor skills, anxiety and depression. The findings apply to both boys and girls regardless of whether they were born full term or prematurely.”

July 16, 2025: “Food insecurity impacts the brain. People who stress about when and where their next meal will come from also suffer from anxiety and depression. A study at Newcastle University reveals a direct connection between food insecurity and diminished mental health. The effects are almost immediate. For study participants, food insecurity led to anxiety and depression, but when food sources improved, so too, did mental health—within weeks. Researchers suggest solving food insecurity could have a direct effect on improvements in mental health.”

August 13, 2025: “Binge gamers are more likely to suffer with depression, anxiety and poor sleep. A study in the journal PLOS One reveals the role gaming plays in social, academic and mental health outcomes. Researchers also found boys are more likely than girls to engage in binge gaming. Binge gamers play video games for more than five hours at a time. It’s become an emerging issue among children and adolescents with internet gaming now the most popular activity among young people. Doctors say it carries consequences for health and behavior. Gamers report more stress, loneliness, poor sleep quality and limited social engagement compared to their peers.”

The study was conducted in Hong Kong, surveying 2,592 children and adolescents. http://plos.io/4moOETZ.

September 9, 2025: “Prescribing exercise for depression. Doctors say it should be the first treatment. University of Ottawa psychiatrists say mental health experts should tailor an exercise plan for patients immediately to address symptoms of depression. They urge treating doctors to stop relying on medication and talk therapy alone to enhance mental health. Instead, exercise should be part of every treatment plan for patients with depression. Research has shown clearly physical activity improves mood and relieves depressive symptoms. And study authors say to ignore exercise’s role in mental healthcare is negligent.”

October 29, 2025: “Cannabis use could negatively impact health. McGill University researchers found when teenagers begin and continue using cannabis regularly, they are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and physical health problems compared to non-users. Mental and physical health problems are common in adults who started cannabis use by age 15. Teenagers are at a critical stage of brain growth, making them more susceptible to the effects of cannabis, which impairs attention and cognition.”

October 30, 2025: “Moving your feet could help boost thoughts in your brain. Dancing alleviates symptoms of depression according to University of Eastern Finland doctors. While prior studies have shown physical exercise relieves some depression symptoms, dance specifically complements depression and anxiety treatments. Dancing reduces the secretion of stress hormones while increasing dopamine, associated with pleasure. When people dance, they also have a better sense of self expression and emotion.”