Author Archive

How to Help When Adolescents Have Suicidal Thoughts

By drwong
March 14, 2021

The New York Times By Perri Klass, M.D. Feb. 6, 2021 Even when rates of suicidal ideation increase, there are ways to keep kids safe. With some evidence suggesting that more adolescents have been reporting suicidal thoughts during the pandemic, experts and parents are looking for ways to help. One issue is that the Centers...   read more


APA Condemns Pepper-Spraying, Handcuffing of 9-Year-Old Girl by Rochester Police

By drwong
February 3, 2021

American Psychiatric Association Feb. 3, 2021 APA today denounced the treatment by Rochester, N.Y., police officers of a 9-year-old girl who was pepper-sprayed, pushed into the snow, and handcuffed when they responded to a family disturbance. The girl is believed to have been experiencing a mental health crisis at the time. In a body-cam video released Sunday...   read more


‘I was just bawling in my PPE’: Surge fades, but anguish remains for healthcare workers

By drwong
February 3, 2021

Los Angeles Times By Soumya Karlamangla Feb. 3, 2021 Dr. Christine Choi balances the iPad in her hands and scans the callers on the screen. It is a family gathering, pandemic-style: People in the foreground have video-called others, who have video-called a few more. A collage of faces peer back at her. She asks them...   read more


APA, Pa. Psychiatric Society Announce Support for Rachel Levine, M.D., as Assistant Secretary of Health

By drwong
February 2, 2021

American Psychiatric Association Mon, Feb 1, 2021 APA and the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society today urged the Senate to move swiftly to confirm the appointment of Rachel Levine, M.D., as assistant secretary of health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).Since 2017, Levine served as the secretary of health for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In...   read more


APAPAC to Suspend Contributions to Lawmakers Who Refused to Certify Biden Election

By drwong
January 13, 2021

American Psychiatric Association Wed, Jan 13, 2021 The Board of Directors of APAPAC (APA’s political action committee) voted yesterday to suspend contributions to lawmakers in Congress who voted against certifying the election of Joe Biden.“In light of the insurrection that occurred on January 6 at the U.S. Capitol and the votes taken by some members...   read more


APA Condemns Violent Attack on U.S. Capitol, Warns of Long-Term Effects of Recurring Trauma

By drwong
January 8, 2021

American Psychiatric Association Thu, Jan 7, 2021 APA today condemned the violent action of a pro-Trump mob who on Wednesday stormed the halls of Capitol, forcing the evacuation of both chambers of Congress during the ceremonial reading of the electoral college votes for President-elect Joe Biden.“Yesterday’s violence and the rhetoric that incited it are seditious,” said APA...   read more


What Can Be Learned From Differing Rates of Suicide Among Groups

By drwong
January 8, 2021

The New York Times By Austin Frakt Dec. 30, 2020 White Americans have higher rates than most other racial and ethnic groups. U.S. suicide rates vary widely across racial and ethnic groups in ways that can upend expectations. The explanations may suggest avenues for prevention. Suicide in America has been rising for two decades, with rates for...   read more


How to find a therapist who is right for you

By drwong
December 31, 2020

Los Angeles Times By Ada Tseng Dec. 23, 2020 Finding a therapist who’s right for you, or your loved one, may not be easy. Mental health professionals are in especially high demand, as many struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, economic turmoil, political anxiety, racial reckonings and other traumas, disorders and heartbreaks. “People are suffering, and...   read more


Comedy show ‘Normalize Everything’ aims to de-stigmatize mental illness by joking about it

By drwong
December 31, 2020

Los Angeles Times By Ada Tseng Dec. 24, 2020 For a spirited hour and a half during a stand-up-comedy livestream on Saturday, to be the child of a parent with schizophrenia was the norm. Discussion topics included: Is it worse to grow up with a parent with schizophrenia or one with schizoaffective disorder, where you...   read more


What is therapy? A beginner’s guide to mental health

By drwong
December 31, 2020

Los Angeles Times By Jessica Roy Dec. 23, 2020 Considering what we’re living through, we’re all probably due for some therapy. If you’ve never done therapy before, the concept can seem a little daunting. Are you just sitting in a room (or, these days, on a video call) with a stranger, telling them your darkest...   read more