Recent posts

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


SDPS Member Richard Rappaport, MD Invited to Participate in Documentary

By drwong
September 2, 2019

Richard G. Rappaport, M.D. is a noted forensic psychiatrist in San Diego who was recently invited to Swansea, Wales, Great Britain to participate in the making of a documentary about serial killers. The documentary made by Monster Film.Net, will portray the life and history of 10 of the most notorious serial killers, only two of...   read more


APA Speaks Out Against Administration Effort to Replace Flores Settlement

By drwong
August 29, 2019

American Psychiatric Association August 23, 2019 APA is speaking out against the Trump administration’s attempt to nullify a longstanding legal settlement that limits the time that migrant children can be kept in detention.  The Department of Homeland Security today issued a rule that seeks to replace the Flores Settlement Agreement, the federal consent decree that has...   read more