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More parents are concerned about internet addiction by their adolescent children than substance addiction, according to the results of a survey published in JAMA Network Open on Oct. 26. Parents of children aged 9 to 15 years see internet use as a double-edged sword. While it fosters a sense of family connectedness, it is also a concern due to the potential for negative consequences, such as cyberbullying and addiction, the study found. (Sudhakar, 11/1)

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has received millions of calls, texts and online messages since its launch in the summer of 2022, but a new study suggests that the mental health resource is far from reaching its full potential. People with severe psychological distress were more likely than others to have heard of 988 and to have used the lifeline, according to research published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open. But overall, only a quarter of people said they would be very likely turn to 988 in the future if they or a loved one were experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidality – and less than a third of people with severe psychological distress who had already tried the lifeline were very likely to use it again. (McPhillips, 10/31)

Amid revelations that an Army reservist was sent to a mental health hospital in New York against his will a few months before committing a mass shooting in Maine last week, clinicians Tuesday said an involuntary commitment can be a lifeline to treatment for a patient in danger of hurting themselves or other people. (Hilliard, 10/31)

The push to use psychedelics as treatment for veterans with PTSD is gaining momentum across the country — and the Bay Area is taking the lead. Studies show that MDMAs reduce PTSD symptoms and functional impairment. Advocates are working to secure FDA approval of its use in a bid to more effectively tackle the suicide epidemic among veterans. (Chen, 10/31)