Mental Health

Lacking connection can increase the risk for premature death to levels comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to a new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General.

The proposal has some medical providers talking about what legalized cannabis use might mean for the health, particularly the mental health, of Minnesotans. Dr. Sheila Specker, a psychiatrist and director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship at the University of Minnesota, joined MPR News Host Cathy Wurzer to talk about some doctors’ concerns and recommendations.

Finding proper mental health care can be difficult for many people — especially as the state grapples with a shortage of mental health providers. But as the state becomes more racially and ethnically diverse, finding therapists with cultural awareness is an added challenge for many people of color.

People are well aware of stress, but we aren’t always aware of stress that we’re holding in our bodies. Here are some signs that could clue you in.

“You are not alone” is a sentiment that has helped some Minnesotans cope with their mental health challenges in peer-to-peer support groups. MPR News host Angela Davis speaks with two Minnesotans who have been to support groups themselves about how they help and what new members can expect.

Sometimes a headbutt or excited tail wag could be exactly what we need. University of Minnesota veterinarian Dr. Jody Lulich talks about the power of animal companionship and his new memoir.

Justice White, 23, died after hanging himself in the same cell where another inmate died by suicide in 2017, according to the complaint.

St. Paul researchers are beginning to frame mass shootings through a newer lens called “deaths of despair” that looks at them as suicides. And it’s because of this that they warn against having armed guards in schools.

Experts think the upheaval and chaos of the pandemic that kept students out of school and away from each other — along with lack of one-on-one support — may be fueling some of the violent incidents involving Minnesota youth.

Experts say that many men and boys don’t talk openly about their struggles, and that makes it hard for them to seek help. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with two mental health professionals who work closely with men and boys.