Police Have it Tough

According to a new study from the University of Buffalo, the stresses of police work increase officers’ risks for high blood pressure, insomnia, increased levels of destructive stress hormones, heart problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. Based on data from over 400 officers, the study specifically reported that officers over age 40 had a higher 10-year risk of a coronary event compared to average national standards. Seventy-two percent of female officers and 43 percent of male officers had elevated cholesterol levels. As a whole, police officers as a group had higher-than-average pulse rates and diastolic blood pressure.
You can read more on this at ScienceDaily.com.Sphere: Related Content
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Self-Hatred Bodes Ill for Gay Men

“Homonegativity,” or gay self-loathing, predicts a dim future for gay and bisexual men held captve by it, University of Minnesota researchers reported today.
In a study published in the Journal of Homosexuality, researchers surveyed 422 gay and bisexal men in the Midwest at an HIV prevention conference. The surveys gathered data on the men’s attitudes toward affectional and sexual orientation as well as a set of physical and mental health variables. As one might expect, the higher degree of “homonegativity,” the more frequent depression, isolation and poor sexual health occurred.
I say “as one might expect” because it is well-known that secrecy and shame serve as mental prisons where, in their dark, dank interiors, substance abuse, unprotected sex and lies proliferate. Oddly enough, just before reading this story today, I had been discussing the startling death of a colleague’s friend. Otherwise healthy and highly functioning, this young man fell ill on a Wednesday and died two days later. Something about a perforated bowel from an undisclosed anal sex practice, my friend recalled. Of course, this young man was deeply in the closet about his homosexuality and wouldn’t dream of telling any physician he willingly allowed some foreign object to penetrate his rectum. Ultimately, his secrecy, born of his internalized homophobia, killed him.
How many lives have we lost because of the shame and stigma tarnishing otherwise naturally-occurring variations of human sexual and affectional variations?Sphere: Related Content
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Weekly Psych News Roundup

Three Cheers for this Doctor
Dr. Raj Sherman, parliamentary assistant to Canadian Health Minister Ron Liepert, spoke publicly and boldly about his own suicide attempt at 16 years of age. He told his story as he announced that the government will invest $50 million over the next three years into children's mental health services. Read it online at the Edmonton Journal.Sphere: Related Content
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Updates on Yolanda's Law & Suzy's Law

Now that I've returned from hiatus, I want to give you the latest developments on two stories I'd covered on this blog during the summer months.

Earlier in the summer I had written about Yolanda's Law in Massachusetts. At the time, the legislation was just about to come up for a vote. You may recall that the law provides training for teachers, guidance counselors and nurses to better identify students with mental health issues and, consequently, help them receive the treatment they need. It was named after 16-year-old Yolanda Torres who suffered from bipolar disorder and ultimately committed suicide. I'm happy to report that last Thursday, August 21, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed Yolanda's Law into reality.

Back on July 22, I had written about Mike and Mary Gonzalez going to Washington, DC to beef up support for Suzy's Law. This controversial piece of legislation would create penalties for any individual who provides information via the Internet detailing how one can commit suicide and encouraging them to do so. Five years ago, Mike and Mary's 19-year-old daughter Suzy committed suicide with the encouragement and detailed planning provided by individuals on a pro-suicide website. Although the Gonzalezes state that Suzy's Law will not violate freedom of speech, critics continue to argue that such legislation perches our nation on a slippery slope of censorship. Now, as I return from hiatus, Suzy's Law has seven Congressional sponsors.Sphere: Related Content
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September 1: Back to Work

After being hiatus for most of August, I'm back and we have a lot of 5150 news to cover. Elections, mental health law developments, and new public policies are just the beginning.
Happy Labor Day and I'll see you here daily!
Photo:Geri-Jean BlanchardSphere: Related Content
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