AA Still Best to Beat Problem Drinking, Review Finds

WEDNESDAY, March 11, 2020 -- For people who want to stop drinking, the world's oldest alcohol support group is still the best way, a new review concludes.

In an analysis of 27 studies, researchers found that Alcoholics Anonymous was typically more effective than behavioral therapies when it came to helping people remain abstinent. AA also appeared as good as those therapies in reducing excessive drinking, and the consequences of it.

Is the 'Gratitude Movement' Overrated? Study Finds It Has Limits

TUESDAY, March 17, 2020 -- Can a self-help strategy built on daily expressions of gratitude keep depression and anxiety at bay? Don't count on it, researchers say.

That's the takeaway from a review of 27 studies involving nearly 3,700 participants. Each study focused on the impact of so-called "gratitude interventions" -- such as "Three Good Things," in which people reflect on three things that went well that day, or a "gratitude visit," in which a person writes a thank you letter and reads it aloud.

Number of Americans Headed to ER for Suicidal Thoughts, Self-Harm Keeps Rising

THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2020 -- Men and women are flooding America's emergency rooms because of suicidal thoughts and injuries caused by harming themselves, federal health officials reported Thursday.

In fact, these types of emergency room visits shot up 25.5% from 2017 to 2018, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Schizophrenia Meds Safe Long-Term, Study Finds

TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2020 -- Good news for people with schizophrenia: Long-term antipsychotic-drug treatment does not increase the risk of heart disease. And taking the drugs is associated with a lower risk of death, according to a new study.

The average life expectancy of people with schizophrenia is 10 to 20 years less than in the general population. There has long been concern that one reason is long-term use of antipsychotic drugs to ease symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations.

AI May Help Guide Patients to Most Effective Antidepressant

MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2020 -- Choosing the right antidepressant for someone who is depressed can be hit or miss. But a new study shows that artificial intelligence (AI) technology may be able to help.

Researchers input information from electrical signals in the brain into a computer program that learns as it goes. Based on brain activity, the AI technology helped predict whether or not an antidepressant will help treat a particular person's depression.