Harvard Mental Health Letter: June 2008

Several types of psychosocial therapy for bipolar disorder have had success when used in conjunction with medications, but full recovery is still a lengthy and difficult process.

Research on treatments for panic disorder has found that the combination of medication and therapy, or therapy on its own, is more likely to achieve results than medication alone.

People with alcohol dependency are more likely to be smokers, and should be encouraged to try to quit smoking as well. Quitting both habits increases the chances of maintaining sobriety.

Adolescent girls who have several meals per week with their families may have a reduced risk of developing an eating disorder.

A study of young men who were given stimulant medication as children found no increase in the likelihood of their use of alcohol, tobacco, or drugs later in life.

According to a study conducted in 2005, Americans were more likely to seek medical treatment for mental health issues than for any other reason.

From a public health perspective, the presence of a firearm in the home dramatically increases the risk of an occupant being killed or committing suicide.