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These homes keep L.A.'s most vulnerable from becoming homeless. Now they're closing

By drwong
November 14, 2019

Los Angeles Times By Doug Smith Nov 6, 2019               The news came in September: Long Beach Residential, a 49-bed home for adults who are mentally ill, was being sold. The residents of the converted apartment building, some of whom had lived there for decades, would have 60 days to...   read more


Exhibit explores Carlsbad artist's life with schizophrenia

By drwong
November 14, 2019

The San Diego Union Tribune By Pam Kragen Nov 3, 2019           On Nov. 3 at the Vista library, a 50-piece art exhibit will go on display. The watercolors and drawings by Dan Kasperick include still lifes, landscapes, fall leaves, scarecrows, snowmen, sailboats and more. But mixed in with colorful scenes...   read more


Lady Gaga's mother says singer was "Taunted, isolated" by depression

By drwong
November 1, 2019

Los Angeles Times By Christi Carras | Staff Writer | Oct 23, 2019 |10:27 AM Lady Gaga “went through a lot of difficult times,” says her mother.(Michele Crowe / CBS via Getty Images) Lady Gaga has been an outspoken celebrity advocate for mental health, inspiring fans with her journey from bullied child to award-winning global...   read more


Cannabinoids for Psychiatric Disorders? Evidence of Effectiveness is Lacking, Report Concludes

By drwong
October 31, 2019

American Psychiatric Association Tues, Oct 29, 2019       There is little evidence that the use of cannabinoids can improve symptoms of anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, or Tourette syndrome, according to a report in Lancet Psychiatry. “Cannabinoids are often advocated as a treatment for various mental disorders,” wrote Nicola Black,...   read more


Americans increasingly fear violence from people who are mentally ill. They shouldn't

By drwong
October 20, 2019

Los Angeles Times By Melissa Healy Oct 10, 2019         Political rhetoric that blames people with mental illness for spasms of mass violence appears to be seeping into the national psyche. Americans increasingly see people with schizophrenia or major depression as a threat not only to themselves but to others, new research reveals....   read more


Interventions to Prevent Psychosis

By drwong
October 6, 2019

The New York Times By Jane E. Brody Sept 2, 2019   An impending psychotic break can be identified and prevented if it is recognized early and appropriate steps are taken to head it off.           Tiffany Martinez was a 17-year-old college freshman when she began hearing voices, seeing shadowy figures and...   read more


When Depression Is Like a Cancer

By drwong
October 6, 2019

The New York Times By Jill Halper, M.D. Sept 26, 2019 Like cancer, depression is a chronic disease that may be cured. But for some patients, both diseases may ultimately prove fatal, even with state-of-the-art care and resources.     Depression is not cancer. It’s a completely different disease. Yet when I look back on...   read more


What Lies in Suicide's Wake

By drwong
September 27, 2019

The New York Times By Peggy Wehmeyer Sept 12, 2019   Along with everything else, I wasn’t prepared for the stigma of becoming a widow this way.           When I lost my husband in 2008, I learned that the shocking cause of his death wasn’t as rare as I had thought....   read more


How to Manage Your Mental Illness at Work

By drwong
September 13, 2019

The New York Times By Eric Ravenscraft Aug 29, 2019   If you suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD or another mental illness, here are some real-world tips to help you stay happy and healthy at work. I dropped my freshly cooked lunch all over the carpet. It wasn’t the reason I broke down just outside...   read more


Tri-City approves agreement for new behavioral health unit

By drwong
September 7, 2019

The San Diego Union Tribune By Paul Sisson Aug 29, 2019         Deal now requires approval from the County Board of Supervisors Tri-City Medical Center directors unanimously approved a preliminary agreement for a new 16-bed psychiatric unit Thursday night, agreeing in principle to participate in a new system of care focused on...   read more