ROC Weekly News Bites

Teva Launches Nasal Spray to Treat Overdoses, 1,320 Therapists Are Worried About Mental Health in America, and a Rise in Gambling Addiction Emerges

Here is a recap of some of the top industry-related news stories of the week:

Accused of Complicity in Opioid Crisis, Teva Launches Nasal Spray to Treat Overdoses

Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva has launched the first generic version of a nasal spray used to treat opioid overdose.

Teva has been accused, along with other major pharmaceutical companies, of stoking the opioid epidemic by engaging in misleading marketing of opioid drugs and downplaying the risks of addiction. Drugmakers and distributors are facing thousands of legal claims by state and local authorities over the crisis.

In September, Teva reached an agreement with the attorney general of Louisiana to pay $15 million to settle the state’s opioid-related claims and to provide an additional donation of medicines that aid in opioid addiction and recovery, valued at $3 million.

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Why 1,320 Therapists Are Worried About Mental Health in America Right Now

Therapists around the country are finding themselves on the front lines of a mental health crisis. Social workers, psychologists, and counselors from every state say they can’t keep up with an unrelenting demand for their services, and many must turn away patients who are desperate for support.

“I regularly wished aloud for a mental health version of Dr. Fauci to give daily briefings,” said Lakeasha Sullivan, a clinical psychologist in Atlanta. “I tried to normalize the wide range of intense emotions people felt; some thought they were truly going crazy.”

A survey conducted by the New York Times and Psychology Today offers insights into what frontline mental health workers around the country are hearing from their clients. Mental health providers in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico were surveyed.

While there were moments of optimism about telemedicine and reduced stigma around therapy, the responses painted a mostly grim picture of a growing crisis, which several therapists described as a “second pandemic” of mental health problems.

Here are some findings from the survey:

• Demand has surged.

• Waiting lists are long.

• Medication needs have increased.

• Children’s mental health issues are intensifying.

• Couples are struggling.

• Therapists are being pushed to their limits.

• More people of color are seeking support.

• The benefits of telemedicine are mixed.

• The outlook for 2022 remains bleak.

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‘An Invisible Addiction.’ Amid Pandemic, a Rise in Gambling Addiction Emerges.

Unlike more visible addictions, problem gambling is fairly easy to hide, yet affects about 2 million Americans annually.

A recent survey from the National Council on Problem Gambling showed that the risk has doubled since 2018. The survey of 2,000 people nationwide focused on attitudes and experiences of gambling both online and at casinos.

Increases in gambling addiction have been fueled by major growth in legalized sports betting and by the pandemic, said Keith Whyte, executive director of the National Council on Problem Gambling.

Including sports betting, the nearly 1,000 commercial casinos in the U.S. have raked in more than $44.15 billion in 2021, a new record, according to the American Gaming Association.

It also is a behavior that is often ignored. The American Psychiatric Association notes that just 1 in 10 people with a gambling disorder typically seeks treatment.

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