HealthDay (10/16, Mozes) reports that, according to a study published online Oct. 15 in the journal Psychiatric Services, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, “residents of major US metropolitan areas who need a psychiatrist are often likely to come up empty-handed, regardless of ability to pay.” After attempting “to get an appointment with 360 outpatient psychiatrists based in either Boston, Houston or Chicago,” researchers encountered “wrong numbers, unreturned phone calls, and full practices.”

Related Links:

— “Just Try Getting an Appointment With a Psychiatrist,” Alan Mozes, HealthDay, October 15, 2014.

HealthDay (10/16, Preidt) reports that, according to a study published online in the journal Clinical Psychological Science, adolescent “girls have more relationship-related stress than boys, which puts them at greater risk for depression.” After assessing “400 white and black American teens” for depression four times at intervals of approximately seven months, researchers found that “girls had more relationship-related stress (such as fights with parents or friends) than boys, which increased their risk for depression.”

Related Links:

— “Teen Girls May Face Greater Risk of Depression,” Robery Priedt, HealthDay, October 15, 2014.

Medwire News (10/16, Piper) reports that according to a 634-patient study published online Oct. 13 in the journal Bipolar Disorders, “experiencing verbal abuse in childhood has a lasting negative effect on the course of bipolar disorder [BD].” Researchers found that “verbal abuse in isolation was associated with an earlier onset of bipolar disorder and worse prognosis compared with no abuse.” What’s more, “the effect of verbal abuse on age of bipolar onset was related to its frequency, with patients reporting having experienced verbal abuse ‘occasionally’ or ‘frequently’ developing bipolar disorder earlier than those experiencing it ‘never’ or ‘rarely.’”

Related Links:

— “Verbal abuse worsens bipolar disease outcome,” Lucy Piper, MedWire, October 16, 2014.

In print and in its “Well” blog, the New York Times (10/14, D5, Brody) reports that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) “is often socially, emotionally and vocationally crippling.” But, when the condition is “properly treated, 60 percent to 85 percent of patients improve significantly and remain better for years, although booster sessions often are needed to maintain improvement.”

The most effective treatment technique is a form of cognitive behavior therapy called “exposure and response prevention…done once or twice a week for up to 30 hours total.” Patients with OCD may also suffer from anxiety and depression. Treatment is more effective if started sooner than later, and the condition will not go away on its own.

Related Links:

— “O.C.D., a Disorder That Cannot Be Ignored,” Jane E. Brody, New York Times, October 13, 2014.

HealthDay (10/14, Preidt) reports that according to a study presented Oct. 7 at the Eating Disorders Association of Canada’s annual meeting, “eating disorders can begin before puberty and may be linked with other mental health issues.”

After evaluating some 215 eight- to 12-year-old children, researchers found that “more than 15 percent of the kids made themselves vomit occasionally, and about 13 percent had bulimic-like behaviors.” Notably, “psychiatric problems were present in 36 percent of the children’s families, and many of the children had mental health issues such as anxiety and mood and attention disorders, the study found.”

Related Links:

— “Eating Disorders May Start in Elementary School,” Robert Preidt, HealthDay, October 13, 2014.