Andrew Solomon, the author of “Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity,” wrote in a New York Times (12/8, Subscription Publication) op-ed that because of a section of US immigration law, some people – including a Canadian woman trying to take a cruise – have been prevented from entering the US because of their history of getting treatment for mental illness. Solomon finds this “regressive” and he says such border snares could keep people from getting appropriate mental healthcare. People with treatment pose fewer threats, he writes, urging President Obama “to speak out against” Section 212 of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act “to put to rest the idea that people with mental health conditions who pose no danger are unwelcome in our country.”

Related Links:

— “Shameful Profiling of the Mentally Ill, “Andrew Solomon, The New York Times, December 13, 2013.

For the October 2013 World Mental Health Day, the World Health Organization released a video created in collaboration with writer and illustrator Matthew Johnstone. The video visualizes depression as a big black dog and goes through the trials overcoming it. You can view the video on Youtube here:

From the video description:

“At its worst, depression can be a frightening, debilitating condition. Millions of people around the world live with depression. Many of these individuals and their families are afraid to talk about their struggles, and don’t know where to turn for help. However, depression is largely preventable and treatable. Recognizing depression and seeking help is the first and most critical towards recovery.”

Further information and news about World Mental Health Day can be found here: http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/en/

Medwire (11/21, McDermid) reports that, according to a study published online Nov. 13 in the American Journal of Psychiatry, a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, “the risk for violence after the release of prisoners with sexual or violent offenses is increased if they have untreated psychosis.” The study of “742 former prisoners with no psychosis, 94 with schizophrenia, 102 with drug-induced psychosis, and 29 with delusional disorder” revealed that “prisoners with untreated schizophrenia were a significant 3.43 times more likely than those without psychosis to commit a violent re-offense.”

Related Links:

— “Treatment key to averting psychosis violence after prison release, “Eleanor McDermid, Medwire News, November 21, 2013.

Medwire (11/20, Piper) reports that, according to a review published online Nov. 13 in the journal Bipolar Disorders, “patients with bipolar disorder [BD] are more likely to be successfully employed if they have good cognitive function and a more benign course of illness.” The review examined 22 studies involving 6,301 patients.

Related Links:

— “Cognition and illness course predict bipolar employment, “Lucy Piper, Medwire News, November 20, 2013.

Bloomberg News (11/22, Kitamura) reports John Denninger, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, “is leading a five-year study on how the ancient practices affect genes and brain activity in the chronically stressed.” The article notes the significance of the study, saying that while “hundreds of studies have been” done about the mental health benefits of yoga and meditation, “they have tended to rely on blunt tools like participant questionnaires, as well as heart rate and blood pressure monitoring.” The piece says that “only recently have neuro-imaging and genomics technology used in Denninger’s latest studies” given scientists the ability to “measure physiological changes in greater detail.” The government-funded study may push more doctors to look for alternative solutions to stress-induced conditions, including hypertension and depression.

Related Links:

— “Harvard Yoga Scientists Find Proof of Meditation Benefit, “Makiko Kitamura, Bloomberg News, November 21, 2013.