Bipolar Disorder and Goal-Setting
Researchers at the UCs Berkley and San Francisco, and the University of Miami, suggest in a paper in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy that bipolar...
Brain Scans Cannot Differentiate Between Mental Health Conditions
A new study analyzing over 21,000 participants found that differences in activation of brain regions in different psychological ādisordersā may have been overestimated, and confirms that there is still no brain scan capable of diagnosing a mental health concern.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: An Infographic on Bipolar Drugs
Bipolar drug therapy is a balancing act of benefits vs. harms. Odds of attributable benefit cluster in a 15-25% band, so 75%-85% donāt see substantial benefit. Stated differently, if five people take a bipolar drug, only one is likely to see substantial improvement due to it, but all five will have side effects.
“Special K” as Antidepressant: Short-term Gain; Long-term ?
Ketamine (known in social circles as "Special K") has been touted as a rapid-acting and "profound" treatment for depression. The Journal of Psychosocial Nursing...
Researchers Call for Reappraisal of Adverse Mental Effects of Antipsychotics, NIDS
In a study published yesterday, researchers from the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo bring attention to a condition known as neuroleptic-induced deficit syndrome (NIDS)...
Prenatal Valproate Exposure Linked with ADHD Diagnosis in Children
Children who were exposed to anti-seizure drug valproate in utero were 48% more likely to develop ADHD, according to a new study.
Mental Health, Inc.
FromĀ Kirkus Reviews: In his new bookĀ Mental Health, Inc., Art Levine reports on the dire state of the U.S. mental health system.
"The author delivers the...
Bipolar Disorder: Childhood Trauma Modulates Impact
FromĀ Psychiatry Advisor:Ā Childhood trauma modulates the effects of bipolar disorder on the amygdala and hippocampus; it is associated withĀ increased volumes of gray matter.
"'Childhood maltreatment has...
No New Prozacs: A Dry Pipeline for New Psychiatric Drugs
In 1988, the introduction of Prozac was hailed as a breakthrough in the treatment of depression. A quarter of a century later, the prospect of a similar breakthrough in psychiatric medications seems remote. On August 19, 2013, the New York Times ran an article called, āA Dry Pipeline for Psychiatric Drugs".
āDoctors Tell Sinead OāConnor: āYouāre Not Bipolarāā
Sinead says she was misdiagnosed after giving birth eight years ago and has suffered greatly from the psychiatric drugs she was prescribed. āThey are...
Existential Therapy Assists Patients Withdrawing From Psychiatric Drugs
Confronting existential anxiety through āBasal Exposure Therapyā shows promising results in people withdrawing from psychotropic drugs.
Valproate Linked to Decreased Brain Volume in Children Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
Researchers find that valproate decreases brain volume in a region associated with emotion processing across all participants.
Study Explores Connections Between Diet and āSerious Mental Illnessesā
Study finds that individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression have diets that are more inflammatory and higher in calories.
A Journey Into Madness and Back Again: Part 3
The idea of spending more time as a bureaucrat in the US Embassy in Iceland did not appeal to me. I longed for the freedom that academics have. While pursuing that dream I stumbled into the world of international media, āchemical imbalanceā, book publishing and a greedy professor of psychiatry which was a prelude to my second annus horribilis.
Study Explores Meanings of Bipolar Disorder to Those Diagnosed
The narratives about Bipolar Disorder promoted by drug companies may influence how those diagnosed understand themselves.
Study Finds High Risk for Suicide Following Psychiatric Hospitalization
Patients are at an increased risk for suicide during the three months immediately following discharge from an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
Antidepressants Associated with Increased Risk for Manic Symptoms
An analysis of medical records in the UK reveals that the use of certain antidepressants for depression is linked to a heightened risk for mania and bipolar disorder. The research, published this week in BMJ Open, found the strongest effect for serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the antidepressant venlafaxine.
I Wonder if There is Some Axis II Going on Here? Further Thoughts on...
This blog was prompted by an invitation to do a guest post on the site of one of my favorite bloggers, 1 Boring Old Man. This is my response to the notion that there are certain conditions - Schizophrenia among them - that correspond more directly to biomedical conditions
We Need to Encourage People to Make Advance Directives
In this pieceĀ forĀ STAT, Jennifer Adaeze Okwerekwu describes the value ofĀ psychiatric advance directives for those at risk of experiencing an emotional crisis.
"'Itās something that can...
In Memory of Julie Greene
With deep regret, Mad in America announces another loss in our contributor community. Julie C. Greene, writer and antipsychiatry advocate, lost her battle with kidney disease on November 29 at her home in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.Ā Julie had been an MIA blogger since 2014, including several pieces on the dangers of lithium.
Book Review: “Overmedicated and Undertreated”
A former pharma executive has broken ranks with the industry in a new book by reporting how multiple psychiatrists, schools, and his desperate hopes pressed him to allow higher and higher doses of antipsychotic medications. The result: his 15-year-old son's death from Seroquel.
People Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder at Increased Risk for Parkinson’s
Increased Parkinson's risk could be related to lithium, antipsychotic, and antiepileptic drug use.
Association Between ADHD and Bipolar Disorder
Researchers in London review the literature on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder (BD), finding that "comorbidity and family studies appear to...
The Shamanic View of Mental Illness
FromĀ UPLIFT: In the shamanic view, emotional distress and psychosis signal a spiritual awakening or emergence, not a pathology. Western cultures can learn a great...
In Chronic Patients, Antipsychotics Have Limited Efficacy in Reducing Symptoms
A large review and meta-analysis of 167 studies across 60 years dissects placebo-controlled randomized controlled trials of antipsychotic drugs.
