Pierre Janet and the History of Psychological Treatments
In this piece for Holistic Elephants, Bernard Guerin discusses Pierre Janet's book Psychological Healing: A Historical and Clinical Study, which describes a variety of mental health...
To the Bone: The Trouble With Anorexia on Film
From The Atlantic: The new Netflix film To the Bone, which tells the story of a woman's struggle with anorexia, reflects our culture's morbid fascination and...
“The Curious Case of the Antidepressant, Anti-Anxiety Backyard Garden”
“My vegetable beds have even buoyed me through more acute stressors, such as my medical internship, my daughter’s departure for college, and a loved one’s cancer treatment,” writes Dr. Daphne Miller. Now neuroscientists are attempting to study the antidepressant effects of soil microbes in hopes of unlocking the secrets of a powerful mood enhancer.
The Autism Paradox
In this piece for Aeon, Bonnie Evans chronicles the history of the diagnosis of autism, from its establishment as a marker of dysfunction and impairment to the...
Power Causes Brain Damage
From The Atlantic: New research suggests that power may impair neural processes involved in feeling empathy and understanding others' perspectives. Recalling experiences of powerlessness can help...
A Veteran Wonders: How Will My PTSD Affect My Kids?
In this piece for The Atlantic, Brooke King reflects on how her trauma currently affects and may continue to affect her children, as well as...
George Monbiot on the Politics of Belonging
In this video for Verso Books, author George Monbiot explains how neoliberalism has destroyed our natural capacity for altruism. He proposes that we create a...
One in Four Resident Physicians Suffer from Depression
A new study in JAMA reveals that, on average, 25% of beginning physicians meet the diagnostic criteria for major depression. In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Thomas Schwenk, added: "Everybody asks me, because of some of my prior studies, should we have more intense work in diagnosing depression in students? Of course, the answer is 'yes,' but how do you go about that without further stigmatizing them, further labeling them, further singling them out to even greater stigma? It's not just an issue of, 'Let's make better diagnoses and let's provide better treatment'; it’s more complicated than that."
Our Obsession with Wealth and Youth is Making Us Insane
In this interview for Broadly, Lauren Greenfield speaks about her new documentary, "Generation Wealth," which takes a sobering look at our societal addiction to the...
A Nurse’s Response to the Power Threat Meaning Framework
In this piece for the Critical Mental Health Nurses' Network, Jonathan Gadsby speaks to the potential of the Power Threat Meaning Framework to transform the...
Mediterranean Diet Improves Mental Health, Study Finds
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish has repeatedly been found to improve mental health.
From Phrenology to Brain Scans: How Shaky Neuroscience has Influenced Courts
In “When Phrenology Was Used in Court,” Geoffrey S. Holtzman writes for Slate about the spurious use of brain science in legal cases. In the 1800’s the “science of phrenology” promised to reveal criminal psychological traits by measuring the skull and today defense teams still employ neurogenetic explanations for their client’s violent behavior.
Researchers Discuss the Strengths of Children who Face Adversity
Experiencing adversity may result in the development of unique strengths and abilities that are often overlooked.
The Connection Between Sleep, Exercise, Screen Time and Cognition in Childhood
Can current guidelines for sleep, exercise, and screen time in childhood be linked to positive cognitive outcomes?
How to Change Psychology to Address Racial Health Disparities
Psychology can only deal with racial health disparities effectively by incorporating critical race theory and intervening at a structural level.
Drop the Stigmatizing Term “Schizophrenia”
Dr. Brian Koehler is petitioning the American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization to drop the stigmatizing term "schizophrenia." Click here to sign the...
Finding Clarity Through Clutter
For the last three years, I have been working with people, labeled "hoarders," who have become overwhelmed by their possessions in their homes. This has been some of the most interesting, challenging and thought-provoking work I have ever done. It is also an area that, I think, highlights all of the issues that challenge us in helping people who feel overwhelmed, for whatever reason.
Different Forms of Childhood Adversity Related to Specific Psychosis Symptoms
In this month’s issue of Psychological Medicine, researchers from King’s College London found evidence for associations between different types of childhood adversity and specific symptoms associated with psychosis. As current categorical approaches to psychosis and schizophrenia diagnoses come under increasing scrutiny, this study adds support to sociological and psychological theories and treatments.
Blaming Climate Change Inaction on Psychological Barriers Misses the Point
Researchers argue that blaming climate change inaction on psychological barriers ignores the effects of neoliberal capitalism and social structures.
WSJ Hosts Debate on Depression Screening
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently issued a controversial recommendation that all adolescent and adult patients undergo depression screening in primary care. The...
Economic Deprivation and Social Fragmentation Drive Suicide Rates in US
Major study finds that economic deprivation and a lack of social capital are driving increasing rates of suicide in the U.S.
“I Was Afraid to Dismantle the Story About Depression”
In this interview for The Guardian, Johann Hari discusses his latest book, Lost Connections, which critiques bioreductionist models of depression and anxiety and emphasizes environmental influences...
Why do People Self-Harm? You Asked – Here’s the Answer
In this piece for The Guardian, Jay Watts explores the social and societal factors that often lead to self-harm and explains how psychiatric labeling can exacerbate self-harm.
"Self-harm...
New Data on the Adverse Effects of Meditation and Mindfulness
Study reports on the less-examined findings of difficult and painful meditation-related experiences.
German Psychologists Declare “the Drugs Don’t Work”
Jürgen Margraf and Silvia Schneider, both well-known psychologists at the University of Bochum in Germany, claim that psychotropic drugs are no solution to mental...