Sierra Wong, MD

06/27/2025

My heart breaks learning of Mikayla's su***de! We have an EPIDEMIC of SU***DE and VIOLENCE. People, particularly young people, are DYING! Cruelty and lack of compassion is adding to the problem.

Mental illness, just like life, is an individualized experience. The suffering is invisible, and it can be challenging for someone to find the words to describe it. We must try to listen, be curious, and silence our own assumptions. The goal is to understand and have compassion, NOT to apply a label or judge.

Posting impulsively or irresponsibly is both arrogant and dangerous. It can create shame, hopelessness ... motivate su***de and violence. Inaccurate or individualized information can discourage someone from seeking needed help, or create false reassurance. We cannot see our own blindspots, so diagnosis with an online questionnaire or by an untrained individual is foolhardy.

We need to be humble and respectful of the complexity of the human psyche. As a psychiatrist who has worked with patients for over 30 years, I am constantly discovering my own ignorance! I know that I can never fully understand another person's experience, their feelings, their motivations, their choices, or their pain. But I believe we need to try!

01/13/2025

In a civil complaint unsealed today in Providence, Rhode Island, the Justice Department alleges that CVS Pharmacy Inc. and various subsidiaries (collectively, CVS) filled unlawful prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and sought reimbursement from federal healthcare progr...

04/26/2023

Seasonal patterns of mania can give that phrase “spring fever” a whole new meaning when living with bipolar disorder. Getty Images Seasonal Symptoms of

04/19/2023

A wave of physician retirements have been predicted in the coming years and more than 2 out of 5 physicians will reach 65 years of age in the next decade. What does it mean for medicine?

04/04/2023

Building a regular routine while keeping in mind my triggers for bipolar has allowed me to reduce anxiety, manage symptoms, and work toward long-term mood

03/05/2023

THIS LAW COULD SAVE LIVES
Donna's Law would allow someone to place their name (voluntarily and confidentially) on the Do-Not-Sell background check list to prevent themselves from purchasing a gun when they feel suicidal. 66 gun su***des occur every day in the US. Three out of five gun-related deaths are SU***DES! This is especially important because many su***des are impulsive acts, particularly for individuals with bipolar disorder. Feelings of hopelessness occur for everyone, but su***de is a permanent act that leaves behind ripples of pain. https://www.donnaslaw.com/

Su***de accounts for between 60-65% of all gun deaths annually in the U.S. Three states have passed legislation allowing people who fear they may become suicidal to place themselves on a "do not sell" list, to block their purchase of a gun.

07/14/2022

DOUBLE EMPATHY & AUTISM

Your weekly update from Spectrum, the leading source of news and expert opinion on autism research.

07/08/2022

A suit claims a prolonged preauthorization led to a patient's amputations. Did the insurer commit medical malpractice?

06/21/2022

Trauma can be healed in our spiritual nonverbal connection with nature and animals.

06/13/2022

The survey from The Trevor Project found 45% of LGBTQ youth had seriously considered attempting su***de in the past year

05/27/2022

In the wake of the recent school shooting, here are resources from experts on supporting your children and yourself after a gun violence tragedy. Learn more from Sandy Hook Promise.

05/19/2022

The number of overdose deaths is a 15 percent increase from the previous year. More than 1 million Americans have now died of drug overdoses in the 21st century, according to federal data released Wednesday.