Review finds Sept. 11 revealed psychology's limits
The New York Times
The mental fallout from the Sept. 11 attacks has taught psychologists far more about their field's limitations than about their potential to shape and predict behavior, a wide-ranging review has found. The report found that experts greatly overestimated the number of people in New York who would suffer lasting emotional distress, and therapists rushed in to soothe victims using methods that later proved to be harmful to some. More

Depression higher in wealthy nations
Los Angeles Times
Some of the richest countries have the highest rates of depression, new research suggests. The World Health Organization estimates that depression affects 121 million people worldwide. In the 10 higher-income countries surveyed, an average of nearly 15 percent of the population had suffered from depression at least once in their lives. By contrast, people living in low- to middle-income countries reported an 11 percent likelihood of having had depression.More

1 in 3 nose job patients has a mental illness
HealthDay News via MedicineNet.com
A new study suggests that about one-third of people who want rhinoplasty also have symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder — a mental condition in which excessive concern about imagined or minor defects in appearance interferes with daily life. Based on their findings, researchers are suggesting that plastic surgeons should be aware of the prevalence of the disorder among their patients.More

Positive activities help to relieve depression
PsychCentral
Experts are proposing a new, lower cost method to treat depression — teaching people to practice positive activities. The naturopathic technique is an extension of decades of social psychology research. Researchers believe this new approach has the potential to benefit depressed individuals who don't respond to pharmacotherapy or are not able or willing to obtain treatment.More

Self-help strategy eases unexplained pain
MedPage Today (free registration required)
Self-directed cognitive behavioral therapy for neurologic symptoms that don't have a clear medical cause improves symptoms and physical functioning, researchers found. Patients felt their overall health improved from using a self-help manual, along with a few guidance sessions, with clinical global improvements, according to the results of a clinical trial. Although this overall health impact faded after the first three months, symptom and physical function improvements were significant at six months.More

Personality disorder criteria revised in new diagnosis manual
American Medical News
Draft criteria for identifying and diagnosing personality disorders in the fifth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" simplifies the number of conditions and allows for a greater variety of impairment levels. The Personality and Personality Disorders Work Group returned narcissistic personality disorder to the list of disorder types after removing it in an earlier draft. The group also simplified and streamlined the process of assessing personality disorders.More

SAMHSA awards more than $6.2 million to help colleges and universities prevent suicide
SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is awarding $6.2 million in grants to 21 colleges and universities to assist in their efforts to prevent suicide and enhance mental health services for students in crisis. The grants are designed to enhance services for students with mental and behavioral health problems, such as depression and substance abuse, which may put them at risk for suicide and suicide attempts. More

SAMHSA introduces new application process for block grants giving states greater flexibility in allocating resources to address behavioral health needs
SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announced a new application process for its major block grant programs — the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant and the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant. The change is designed to provide states greater flexibility to allocate resources for substance abuse and mental illness prevention, treatment and recovery services in their communities.More

New housing ordered for mentally ill in North Carolina
The Associated Press via Winston-Salem Journal
North Carolina must find homes for thousands of mentally ill people in communities and stop housing them in adult-care centers, where residents say their lives are regimented and boring, the U.S. Justice Department told the state. Keeping the mentally ill in adult-care homes violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, the department said.More

At Texas mental health centers, smaller cuts still sting
The Texas Tribune
The Texas Legislature has cut $15 billion out of its budget for the next two years, affecting virtually every state agency and almost all state services. Bluebonnet Trails, a mental health services provider, has lost more than a quarter of its funding. While it is not as much as it expected to lose, it will still be hard to make ends meet.More