Recent posts

In Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal, some see a ‘wake-up call’ for sports that neglect mental health

By drwong
June 6, 2021

The Washington Post By Liz Clarke June 1, 2021 Although she has withdrawn from the French Open, tennis star Naomi Osaka this week scored a victory that athletes and advocates say will have an enduring impact by putting athletes’ mental health in the global spotlight — and sending a warning shot to the sports industry...   read more


Court Ruling in Wit v. UBH Should be Upheld, Urges American Psychiatric Association

By drwong
June 6, 2021

American Psychiatric Association Thu May 20, 2021 Managed care organizations must use medical necessity criteria and assessment tools developed by nonprofit mental health and substance use disorder specialty organizations when making coverage-related determinations.That’s what APA and seven other medical organizations told the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a friend-of-the-court brief filed yesterday...   read more


Prince Harry talks about mental health, ‘genetic pain’ and living ‘in a zoo’

By drwong
June 6, 2021

The Washington Post By Karla Adam May 14, 2021 LONDON — Prince Harry talked about inherited suffering and compared his former royal life to a mixture of being on "The Truman Show" and living "in a zoo," in his first interview since his bombshell broadcast with Oprah Winfrey in March. In a 90-minute recording with...   read more


Eating Disorders in Teens Have ‘Exploded’ in the Pandemic

By drwong
May 6, 2021

The New York Times By Lisa Damour April 28, 2021 Here’s what parents need to know. As a psychologist who cares for adolescents I am well aware of the prevalence of eating disorders among teenagers. Even still, I am stunned by how much worse the situation has become in the pandemic. According to the psychologist...   read more


Sleeping Too Little in Middle Age May Increase Dementia Risk, Study Finds

By drwong
May 6, 2021

The New York Times By Pam Belluck April 20, 2021 The research, tracking thousands of people from age 50 on, suggests those who sleep six hours or less a night are more likely to develop dementia in their late 70s. Could getting too little sleep increase your chances of developing dementia? For years, researchers have...   read more


Opinion: As a psychiatrist, I have seen how the current emergency response system fails my patients

By drwong
May 4, 2021

The San Diego Union-Tribune By Eric Rafla-Yuan April 19, 2021 Rafla-Yuan, M.D., is a psychiatrist and legislative director of the San Diego Psychiatric Society. He lives in Point Loma. Fifty years ago, if you fell and broke your leg or had a heart attack, there likely weren’t ambulances around. Instead, someone called 911 and the...   read more


Have you experienced challenges providing behavioral health services?

By drwong
April 14, 2021

California Medical Association April 13, 2021 Over the next five years, the California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) Division of Plan Surveys will be conducting investigations of all full-service commercial health plans regulated by DMHC to assess barriers and challenges practitioners experience in providing behavioral health services. The investigations will also seek to identify...   read more


Meet the introverts who are dreading a return to normal

By drwong
April 14, 2021

The Washington Post By Roxanne Roberts April 10, 2021 Everybody can’t wait to return to normal. Except for half the population dreading the return to normal. During a sad, tragic year, it was introverts who found a silver lining. There was more time alone, more peace and less of the personal and professional pressures they...   read more


How to Spot Depression in Young Children

By drwong
April 14, 2021

The New York Times By Perri Klass, M.D. April 1, 2021 We tend to think of childhood as a time of innocence and joy, but as many as 2 to 3 percent of children from ages 6 to 12 can have serious depression. When parents bring their children in for medical care these days, there...   read more


How Meghan Markle Has Already Changed the Way We Talk About Suicide

By drwong
April 14, 2021

The New York Times By Stacey Freedenthal March 9, 2021 Meghan’s decision to speak openly about her suicidal thoughts challenges a culture of secrecy that has stopped many people from seeking or offering help. To many people, suicide is unspeakable. Even mental health professionals sometimes do verbal gymnastics to avoid saying the word. That’s why Meghan Markle’s decision...   read more