A Problem on College Campuses Everywhere

More than one in every six freshmen women are raped during their first year at college while too drunk or drugged to fend off their attacker, a new U.S. study reports. Incapacitated rape is a crime, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). If someone is incapacitated and can't give consent for any type of sexual activity (oral, vaginal or anal), it's rape, according to the DOJ. Freshmen are very likely to feel lonely and isolated during their first year away from home, which can increase the odds of risky substance abuse, one researcher said. Parents and educators need to better prepare teens for the social and emotional challenges of their freshman year.

Social Media

The more friends a teenager has on Facebook, the more stressed they are likely to be, which may increase their future risk for depression. This is according to a new study published in the journal "Psychoneuroendocrinology". Compared with teenagers who had fewer than 300 Facebook friends, those who had more than 300 friends on the social media site had higher cortisol levels. You could only imagine someone who has 1,000 or 2,000 friends on Facebook. In conclusion, the more friends you have online, the more prone you are to having stress, anxiety, or even depression. 

Breastfeeding and Eyesight

In a recent study, researchers may have found an interesting link between breastfeeding and eyesight. Breastfeeding may help protect premature infants from a common eye disease that can lead to blindness. Retinopathy is a condition where abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina, which increases the chance of detachment. The researchers analyzed over 2,200 infants comparing breastfeeding and formula feeding. Any amount of breastfeeding played a protective role in preventing this eye disease, but exclusive or mainly breastfeeding was associated with significant benefits in preventing this serious disease. The researchers say that these findings may be related to the antioxidant and immune system properties that is found in breast milk along with vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene.

New York City and Mental Health

On November 13th, the New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a report stating that 1 in 5 New Yorkers suffer from mental health problems. At least one in five adult New Yorkers suffer from depression, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, or other psychological disorders every year according to the report by Mayor Bill de Blasio. The Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene is going to release a plan called NYC Thrive, which is a plan to prevent and treat psychological disorders for the 8.4 million residents. The mayor did not comment on how much the NYC Thrive would cost or what/who it would involve. The plan is set to come out by the end of next month