Smoking Pot Increases Risk of Developing Schizphrenia
British psychiatrist Stanley Zammit and his colleagues published a study in The Lancet that suggests a link between marijuana (”pot”) use and increased risk of developing psychotic illnesses like schizophrenia by up to 41%. While the marijuana debate has often focused on “medical uses”, this report suggests that new dangers of smoking pot or marijuana. The study was conducted at the University of Bristol and funded by the Department of Health. Read more
Boob Jobs and Increased Suicide Risk
I was disturbed to read about a recent article that suggests an unexpected link between women who received cosmetic breast implants and an increased suicide rate. This article looked at 6 clinical studies and found that women who got boob jobs had twice the suicide rate compared with the suicide rate of the general population. The article goes to conclude that more study is warranted specifically looking at this issue, and that cosmetic surgeons who suspect that their prospect breast augmentation patient may be suffering from a mental illness are encouraged to refer their patients for a full mental health consultation before surgery. (abstract follows) Read more
Constantly Talking About Your Problems with Friends May Make Things Worse
I found an interesting report in a current issue of Developmental Psychology that suggests a limitation of constantly talking about your problems with friends - at least if you are a teenager girl. Dr. Amanda Rose studied 813 children and teens for 6 months and saw that girls who spent a lot of time co-ruminating with peers (constantly talk about their problems with friends) are more likely to develop depression and anxiety than those who did not. While it makes sense to talk about problems, there are limitations especially when problems are continually talked about. Dr. Rose suggested that these results may also apply to adults. Read more