Where is the Outrage About Suicide?

Peter ForsterMajor Depression, Policy

A wonderful editorial in JAMA Psychiatry highlights the overwhelming evidence that stigma is continuing to drive underfunding for treatment and prevention of suicide deaths. Suicide and “accidental” overdose deaths are an epidemic in this country. Since 1999, the rate of suicide deaths increased by 28.2%, and this probably underestimates the increase because there is evidence that coroners are categorizing more and …

Depression Screening Recommended

Peter ForsterBest Practices, Major Depression, Policy, Testing

Although it seems like nothing more than common sense, we were very pleased to see that the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which is the major organization responsible for guidelines for public health interventions in the United States, added depression screening for adults, in particular for pregnant women and women who recently given birth, to its short list of …

Self Injury is the 8th Leading Cause of Death

Peter ForsterMajor Depression

Self injury (including suicide) is the 8th leading cause of death in this country. It is time to do something about it. An article just published online in the prestigious journal JAMA Psychiatry makes us drawn case that our fascination with trying to come up with clear answers to questions that may ultimately be impossible to answer (what a person’s …