News & Headlines

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The frightening reality of women’s concussions - a personal story
ESPN | Dec 4, 2020

t's a moment perhaps everyone who's played rugby — or any contact sport — has experienced; your head hitting the turf, or accidental head-to-head contact. For some, the contact doesn't cause any issues, maybe a bruise or a bit of short term pain. For me, it meant a concussion; throbbing headaches, nausea, 'fogginess', a struggle to concentrate and more. Just under three months after smacking the back of my head into the ground twice over six weeks playing rugby, I'm still struggling.

Football-Loving States Drop The Ball on Concussion: Study
U.S. News and World Report | Dec 4, 2020

States with strong football cultures have often fumbled measures to protect young players who've suffered concussions, researchers say.

How to talk to loved ones when you’re worried about their mental health
The Washington Post | Dec 2, 2020

The year 2020 has exacted a psychological toll on Americans. Levels of anxiety and depression have skyrocketed. Here are some ways to help those who are dealing with mental health issues.

Why I Lie About Being Disabled
HuffPost | Nov 30, 2020

“‘What do you do?’ the woman asked me. I hesitated. I thought, ‘I’m disabled,’ but instead, I told her, ‘I’m between jobs.’”

Football and dementia: heading must be banned until the age of 18
The Conversation | Nov 24, 2020

Alarm bells are ringing in sport about the risk of a group of chronic, neuro-degenerative diseases, commonly understood as dementia. There is an increasingly large body of evidence which has identified that small, repetitive collisions of the brain inside the skull cause this disease.

She Seemed Destined for Olympic Glory. Brain Injuries Ended That.
The New York Times | Nov 20, 2020

Ellie Furneaux looked like she was going to become Britain’s next star in the sledding sport skeleton. But a series of concussions took a heavy toll.

How a Former Social Worker Turned Her Traumatic Brain Injury into a Quest for Financial Literacy
Inc. | Nov 19, 2020

After a car accident in 2012 left Ruby Taylor with a brain injury, she was forced to retire as a school social worker and faced eviction from her condo. The parent of a former student was helping Taylor with some financial and legal advice and asked her if she had any investments to fall back on. She didn't, but that moment gave her an idea for a business: closing the racial wealth gap through financial literacy and education.

Dementia in football: PFA to create taskforce to examine issue of brain injury diseases
BBC | Nov 19, 2020

The Professional Footballers' Association is setting up a new taskforce to further examine the issue of brain injury diseases in football.

Army to review discharges for soldiers kicked out for suicide attempts and sexual assault trauma
The Washington Post | Nov 19, 2020

Thousands of traumatized veterans kicked out of the Army achieved a legal victory Wednesday after the Army agreed to review punitive discharges linked to mental health and sexual assault trauma, potentially unlocking care for those struggling in their post-military lives.

Pandemic disruptions create difficult challenges for people with cognitive issues
CBC | Nov 16, 2020

COVID-19 has upended the regular daily routines those with brain injuries rely on.

Whistleblower: VA failed to properly assess hundreds of veterans for traumatic brain injuries
CBS News | Nov 16, 2020

Army Sergeant Daniel Murphy suffered PTSD and symptoms of a TBI, but Dr. Frederic Sautter said Murphy was one of hundreds of Iraq and Afghanistan vets from 2009 to 2019 who were not properly assessed for a traumatic brain injury in New Orleans.

Meet the singer taking TikTok by storm by annoying his girlfriend in the most endearing way
CNN | Nov 16, 2020

Yuni, who goes by YX as an artist, began singing when he was 12 years old, says he now uses his music to release pent up emotions and as a "coping mechanism" for his anxiety and PTSD.

An Iraq War veteran fights for psychedelic medicines
Marc Gunther | Nov 10, 2020

Jonathan Lubecky says MDMA-assisted therapy helped him overcome PTSD. Now he wants to help others.

What this military spouse learned about resilience after her husband came home with a traumatic brain injury
NBC News | Nov 10, 2020

In honor of Veterans Day, Kimberly Bryant shares her story. “You grow through what you go through…Things happen in this life and you get to choose how you handle it,” she says

Why football needs a ‘global game approach’ to brain injury
CNN | Nov 10, 2020

July 30, 1966 was meant to be one of England's finest moments: the day it won the World Cup. But with five members of the starting XI that day having suffered dementia, new questions arise over brain injury in football.

FDA clears Apple Watch app that helps treat PTSD-related nightmares
Engadget | Nov 9, 2020

Your Apple Watch might be the key to addressing nightmare-related sleep issues. The FDA has approved the sale of NightWare, an Apple Watch app (with a corresponding iPhone element) that helps treat nightmares stemming from disorders like PTSD. 

‘Magic mushroom’ ingredient could work as mental health treatment
CNN | Nov 9, 2020

While magic mushrooms are known for their hallucinogenic effects, they may also have a role to play in the treatment of some mental health treatment.

Psychedelic mushrooms win a major electoral victory, paving the way for medical use
Fast Company | Nov 6, 2020

The drug in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, is on a path to medical use in Oregon and has been decriminalized in D.C. as cities and states begin to embrace its health benefits.

“I got more healing in 4 days than I did in 10 years of therapy”
Yahoo! News | Oct 28, 2020

“I just wanted to feel better,” Angie Peacock says, reflecting on her struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Traumatic experiences from her military service presented mental health challenges when Peacock returned home from war, leaving the veteran in a difficult — and dangerous — situation.

MindLabs raises £1.4 million for its new platfom, a 'Peloton for mental health'
TechCrunch | Oct 26, 2020

Ideally, mental wellness should be considered part of a healthy daily routine, like exercise. But even exercise is difficult to turn into a regular habit. Peloton addressed physical fitness by combining smart stationary bikes with live classes and community features to create an engaging experience. Now a new startup, MindLabs, is taking a similar approach to mental wellness.

Post-Stroke Rehab at Home May Work Best
U.S. News and World Report | Oct 26, 2020

Could telehealth help paralyzed stroke victims recover their motor skills faster than they would working directly with a physical therapist?

Concussions Are More Than a Bump on the Head. Here’s What Dancers Need to Know
Pointe Magazine | Oct 26, 2020

Your partner accidentally drops you during a lift. You collide head-on with another dancer in rehearsal. Or you're hit in the face while you're spotting a turn. Even if you didn't lose consciousness, you may have a concussion.

5 Common Myths About PTSD
Psychology Today | Oct 26, 2020

PTSD stigma is fueled by a misunderstanding of emotional trauma.

New Law Creates 988 Hotline For Mental Health Emergencies
NPR | Oct 21, 2020

President Trump has signed into law a bipartisan bill to create a three-digit number for mental health emergencies. The Federal Communications Commission had already picked 988 as the number for this hotline and aims to have it up and running by July 2022.

Concussion can accelerate ageing of the brain — research from the rugby pitch
The Conversation | Oct 16, 2020

By working closely with elite rugby union players, our research has now helped us to understand the impact of concussion on the brain as we get older.