Ross Douthat, in a column for the New York Times (5/19, Subscription Publication) wrote, “Over the last decade, the United States has become a less violent country in every way save one. As Americans commit fewer and fewer crimes against other people’s lives and property, they have become more likely to inflict fatal violence on themselves.” Noting that “more Americans now die of suicide than in car accidents, and gun suicides are almost twice as common as gun homicides,” Douthat claimed that “this trend is striking without necessarily being surprising. As the University of Virginia sociologist Brad Wilcox pointed out recently, there’s a strong link between suicide and weakened social ties,” which is “exactly what we’ve seen happen lately among the middle-aged male population, whose suicide rates have climbed the fastest: a retreat from family obligations, from civic and religious participation, and from full-time paying work.”

Related Links:

— “All the Lonely People, “Ross Douthat, The New York Times, May 18, 2013.

Bloomberg News (5/18, Gale) reported, “The drug ketamine relieved symptoms of hard-to-treat depression within a day of treatment, in the largest study yet of the drug’s potential use for depression.” In the study of “72 people whose depression hadn’t responded to at least two antidepressants, patients taking ketamine were twice as likely to report improvement than those on a placebo.” The researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York “will present the findings at the meeting of the American Psychiatric Association,” which started Saturday in San Francisco.

Related Links:

— “Club-Drug Ketamine Relieves Depression in Largest Patient Study, “Jason Gale, Bloomberg News, May 18, 2013.

The Washington Informer (5/16) reports that District of Columbia “Mayor Vincent C. Gray has extended his congratulations to DC Department of Health (DOH) Interim Director” Saul Levin, MD, MPA, “for being named the American Psychiatric Association’s new CEO and medical director.” According to the Informer, “Dr. Levin has led DOH since last July.” Levin will step down from DOH on July 12.

Psychiatric News (5/16) reports that Levin “will replace James H. Scully Jr., MD, who will step down when his contract is up later this year.” Psychiatric News adds that Dr. “Levin has served on several APA components including the Board of APA’s political action committee (APAPAC), the Scientific Program Committee, and as a consultant to the Finance and Budget Committee. He has also been a member of the APA delegation to the” American Medical Association. A pdf copy of APA’s press release announcing Dr. Levin’s appointment can be accessed here.

Related Links:

— “Saul Levin, M.D., Will Be Next APA Medical Director/CEO, Psychiatric News Alert, May 15, 2013.

The AP (5/15) reports, In “response to gun violence,” President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden plan to host a mental health conference “June 3 at the White House.” Presidential spokesman Jay “Carney said attendees will include mental health advocates, health care” professionals, “faith leaders, government officials, educators and people who have experienced mental health problems.”

The Washington Times (5/16, Boyer) reports, “Mr. Carney also said the President ordered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to initiate a ‘national conversation’ about mental health as part of the administration’s effort to reduce gun violence.”

Related Links:

— “Obama planning June 3 mental health conference, “Associated Press, Boston.com, May 15, 2013.

Medscape (5/16, Harrison) reports, “A 10-minute office visit is not long enough to accurately assess toddlers with early signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because they often display largely typical behaviors during such brief visits and the diagnosis is easy to miss,” according to a study presented at the 12th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research. After working with three groups of youngsters ranging in age from 15 to 33 months, researcher Terisa Gabrielsen, PhD, Center for Autism Research, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said, “Our findings indicated that within a brief 10-minute window…toddlers with early signs of ASD do show some atypical behaviors, but the vast majority of their behavior was rated as pretty typical.”