Scottish Report: Poverty and Mental Health Strongly Linked
-People from Scotland's most deprived areas are more than three times as likely to be treated for mental illness than those in more affluent communities.
Does Substance Abuse Lead to Homelessness or Vice Versa?
-There seem to be no "causal" relationships between homelessness and substance abuse, argue three Australian researchers.
“The Second Brain in Our Gastrointestinal Systems”
-An excerpt from the book, The Good Gut: Taking Control of Your Weight, Your Mood and Your Long-Term Health.
When Thoughts and Actions Seem to Be Perilously Fused
-In Schizophrenia Bulletin, an anonymous writer describes becoming convinced that his thoughts and actions were dangerously fused together.
People Often “Hear Voices” While Reading
Many people "hear voices" of different kinds while reading -- what does this mean for research into auditory-verbal hallucinations?
Environmental Neurotoxins and Autism
-A discussion of some of the links that have been found between neurotoxins polluting the environment and higher risks of developing autistic symptoms.
A Review of Issues Surrounding Marijuana and Madness
-What does the balance of evidence say about the relationship between cannabis use and increased risk of psychotic reactions?
Using Psychodrama to Teach Psychotherapy
-Sharon Packer describes the therapeutic impacts of getting a patient to play multiple roles, presenting evidence to prove and disprove beliefs about himself and his experiences.
Psychology’s ‘Reproducibility Project’ Efforts Reporting In
-Nature News reports on the first wave of findings in the "crowd-sourced" effort to reproduce 100 of the most important studies in psychology.
Average Mental Health “Clinician” Earns Over $200k
-The average salary for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals is $216,000 per year, according to the Medscape Physician Compensation Report.
More Discussions of Whether Psychiatric Drugs Cause More Harm Than Good
-The debate on drug harms lands in the pages of the British Medical Journal and The Guardian.
“Does Artificial Food Coloring Contribute to ADHD in Children?”
-Scientific American reviews scientific understanding surrounding the apparent influences of common food colorings on hyperactivity in children.
“Breaking the Silence: How I Conquered Selective Mutism”
-Danica Cotov discusses her many and varied efforts to deal with selective mutism throughout her childhood and teen years.
What Do the OCTET Outpatient Committal Trials Really Tell Us?
-Two commentaries in The Lancet Psychiatry debate what the OCTET trials have shown about community treatment orders.
Lancet History of “Crank” Surgeries for Mental Diseases Includes Noteworthy Omission
-A history of "crank" psychosurgeries in The Lancet Psychiatry
Critics Attack Headline-making Marijuana-Psychosis Study
-James Coyne and others criticize a UK study for deliberately trying to be politically manipulative.
Negative Studies about Antidepressants (Still) Less Likely to Be Published
-Pharmaceutical companies and psychiatric researchers still "aren't telling you the whole truth" about treating anxiety.
Brain Injuries Change Lives — Some Find New Pathways, Some Don’t
-Two stories explore devastation and hope in response to brain injuries.
Veterans’ Mental “Wounds” Treated Differently in Courts
-An Australian legal researcher discusses the different ways in which courts have handled cases involving war veterans.
No Philosophy of Neuroscience?
-Neuroskeptic wonders why neuroscience has apparently never had any "big ideas" or schools of thought.
Relaxation Techniques for Depression and Anxiety in the Elderly
-Time magazine looks at the effects of a number of relaxation techniques on depression and anxiety in elderly people.
The Test Result that Gets You Locked Up Indefinitely
-People who've been arrested for sexual offences can end up indefinitely incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital, depending on their answers to a ten-question form.
The Ethical Challenges of Early Intervention in Psychosis
-Columbia University psychiatrist Paul Applebaum reviews the challenges of intervening early in psychosis before symptoms emerge, and of doing so in an ethically responsible manner.
Artistic Depictions of Madness Through History
-A historical article by MIA Blogger Andrew Scull in The Paris Review includes early artistic depictions of madness.
Neurobabble Proves to be Highly Persuasive
-Adding irrelevant information about neuroscience made psychological theories seem much more convincing to psychology students.
