Author: Rachel Haake

A Tale of Two Ages: Duke Scientists Study Alignment between Chronological and Biological Age

Written by Ariana Pirzadeh, B.S. Edited by Sarah Banducci, Ph.D. and Rachel Haake, Ph.D. Age is just a number, or so the old adage goes, and a recent study may confirm it. In the United States, chronological age determines eligibility for social security, healthcare subsidies, and retirement. However, those who will actually be in need…

House Bill 17: Pilot Project to Treat Opioid Overdose

Written by Carol Gianessi, Ph.D. Edited Sarah Banducci, Ph.D., Ryan Bell, Ph.D., and Rachel Haake, Ph.D. June 9, 2021 Abstract Opioid overdose deaths have significantly increased over the past two decades in the United States and within North Carolina specifically [1]. For every opioid overdose death there are approximately 30 non-fatal overdoses, occasions that may…

The Power of Thought: Using cognitive fusion to understand Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Written by Ariana Pirzadeh, B.S. Edited by Sarah Banducci, Ph.D., Ryan Bell, Ph.D., and Rachel Haake, M.A. Thoughts can be powerful, but for some individuals they can become paralyzing and take an unhealthy amount of control over behavior. This phenomenon is known as cognitive fusion, one commonly observed symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Linking…

The Cost of COVID-19 in North Carolina: State Funding for Mental Health Services

Written by Rachel Haake, M.A. Edited by Sarah Banducci, Ph.D. and Ryan Bell, Ph.D. Since March of 2020, COVID-19 has ravaged the United States, both exposing and exacerbating pre-existing crises like the “Deaths of Despair” epidemic—the increasing rates of death by suicide and drug overdose among US adults. Sustained recovery from the pandemic will require…