“Bernie Sanders Blocks Obama’s FDA Nominee for Big Pharma Ties”

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Yesterday, senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders announced that he will formally oppose Robert Califf’s nomination as FDA commissioner. “Dr. Califf’s extensive ties to...

“More Patients in Scotland Given Antidepressants”

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The BBC reports that the number of people in Scotland taking antidepressants has increased by 5% in the past year with most of the patients being women and those in the poorest parts of the country. “We are now looking at the flabbergasting statistic of more than one in seven people in Scotland being prescribed antidepressants this year,” Conservative health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said. “We urgently have to look at better alternatives than simply parking people on medication in the hope things don't get any worse, with no aspiration for complete recovery."

“Google’s Latest Hire Has a Creepy Plan to Track Your Mental Health”

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Google has hired the former director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Thomas Insel, with plans to create “a wearable sensor to measure mood, cognition and anxiety.” Gizmodo points out the problems with this idea:“One can easily imagine a message popping up on some poor desk jockey’s monitor: ‘You’re not in the right mood today. Please take a day of unpaid leave.’ Or, worse: ‘We’ve detected signs of mental instability, based on how you’ve been talking and sleeping. Please report to a doctor immediately.’”

Review Examines Causes and Consequences of Overdiagnosis in Primary Care

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A new review in BMJ investigates overdiagnosis in primary care settings, where the majority of mental health care is provided in the U.S.

Social Adversity and Crime Victimization Increase Risk of Psychotic Experiences Five Fold

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Researchers parse out factors within urbanicity that leads to risk for psychotic experiences.

Study Explores Meanings of Bipolar Disorder to Those Diagnosed

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The narratives about Bipolar Disorder promoted by drug companies may influence how those diagnosed understand themselves.

“Suicide, Mental Illness Risks Increase During Recessions”

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The latest economic recession led to a spike in diagnoses for mental illnesses, suicide attempts, and suicide, according to report out of the University...

“Maybe Companies Should Chill on Employee-Happiness Programs”

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Will Davies, author of The Happiness Industry, does a Q&A on the ways companies are misusing psychological research on happiness. “I think that one thing that often gets lost in lots of the discussions of happiness (especially in the business world) is the possibility that happy work may mean less work.”

Researchers Push for Transparency of Mental Health Outcome Data

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A new analysis of UK mental health data suggests the way organizations deliver mental health services can alter patient outcomes.

Green Space in Childhood May Protect Against Adult Mental Health Issues

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A new study suggests proximity to green space as a child is linked to lower rates of mental health issues in adulthood.

Corporations Want to Cure Depression in the Workplace

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The Ottawa Citizen has published two feature stories exploring a growing collaboration between scientists involved in the US National Institute of Mental Health-funded brain...

International Study Documents Widespread Distress in College Students

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An international study of college students reveals ubiquitous social and emotional challenges faced by young adults.

Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia? What About Black People?

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In many respects it is difficult to fault the report Understanding Psychosis and Schizophrenia, recently published by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP)[i]; indeed, as recent posts on Mad in America have observed, there is much to admire in it. Whilst not overtly attacking biomedical interpretations of psychosis, it rightly draws attention to the limitations and problems of this model, and points instead to the importance of contexts of adversity, oppression and abuse in understanding psychosis. But the report makes only scant, fleeting references to the role of cultural differences and the complex relationships that are apparent between such differences and individual experiences of psychosis.

VA Hospitals Perform Worst on Inpatient Psychiatric Care

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The results of the cross-sectional study show that U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) owned hospitals perform worst on most measures.

Reducing Overuse of Low-Value Treatments

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Researchers provide an action-planning framework to engage providers in the reduction of low-value healthcare.

Police Violence Victims at Increased Risk of Psychotic Symptoms

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Researchers examine links between police victimization and psychotic symptoms in a topical new study.

Review Finds Link Between Recession and Mental Health Issues

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A literature review published in BMC Public Health by researchers from Portugal and the Czech Republic summarizes results from 101 studies investigating the effect...

“Study Links Mobile Device Addiction to Depression and Anxiety”

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A study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior found that addictions to mobile devices are linked to anxiety and depression in college students....

International Study Examines Environmental Factors Associated with Psychosis

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Study finds the incidence of “psychosis” to vary by person and place, corresponding to factors such as race, ethnicity, age, and environment.

China Mills Talks Back to the Movement for Global Mental Health

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The Movement for Global Mental Health Newsletter has published a substantive interview with one of the movement's most prominent critics, China Mills, author of...

Targeting Hypocrisy Reduces Islamophobia and Collective Blame of Muslims

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Interventions calling attention to participants’ hypocrisy proved effective in reducing Islamophobia and collective blame of Muslims for individual acts of violence.

Debate Ensues Over Rights-Based Approach to Mental Health

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Debate ensues as scholars and policymakers discuss how to bring a rights-based approach to mental health policy.

Experts Concerned That Depression Screening Will Lead to Overdiagnosis

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Behind the U.S. task force recommendation to screen all children and adults for depression.

Opening Doors in the Borderlands: An Interview with Liberation Psychologist Mary Watkins

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MIA’s Micah Ingle interviews Mary Watkins about reorienting psychology toward liberation and social justice.

“Post-Katrina Stress Disorder: Climate Change and Mental Health”

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Writing for Truth-Out, hurricane Katrina survivor G. Maris Jones writes: “To adapt to a changing climate, survivors of these catastrophes - especially those in marginalized, low-income communities - need long-term physical and mental health services.” She adds a concurrent call to “assume our responsibility to make positive change through action on climate change.”