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A recent nationwide study found that 78% of fifth- through eighth-grade girls feel more lonely and isolated since the pandemic began. The same is true of older teens. The study, conducted in May by the Rox Institute for Research & Training, the research arm of Ruling Our eXperiences, a nonprofit focused on girls, also found that of the younger girls in that study—ages 10 to 14—a third are spending four or more hours a day on social media, primarily on TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram. (Jargon, 7/28)

When you chat with a friend, Thomas Joiner, a psychology professor at Florida State University, said you should be on the lookout for noticeable changes in their demeanor, such as an irritable mood or a disheveled appearance. If your friend has recently experienced relationship issues, health problems or workplace stress, or has faced financial difficulties, they may be especially vulnerable to anguish right now. (Goldfarb, 7/28)

In the wake of nationwide demonstrations against police brutality, there has also been a surge in interest in making sure mental health providers, not law enforcement, are the ones to respond to a psychiatric crisis. It’s a strategy that mental health organizations have been sharpening for decades. Dozens of cities across the country have what are known as mobile crisis units, which deploy trained professionals to respond to people experiencing a mental health crisis with compassion and clinical expertise. (Isselbacher, 7/29)