Benzodiazepines Continue to be Prescribed Without Psychotherapy to Older Adults
Researchers call for shift toward proven alternatives like psychotherapy in face of continued evidence of safety risks of benzodiazepines.
Same-sex Marriage Laws Linked to Drop in Teen Suicide Attempts
From MinnPost: Laws legalizing same-sex marriage are associated with a significant drop in teen suicide attempts. In states that legalized same-sex marriage before June 2015, when...
Intelligence: a History
From Aeon: The idea of intelligence - specifically, the primacy of reason and rationality - has been used to justify privilege and domination throughout more than...
Interpersonal Therapy May Prevent Postpartum Depression
Interpersonal therapy reduces the risk of postpartum depression in mothers on public assistance during first 6 months after giving birth.
Study Finds No Correlation between Personality at 14 and 77
This result calls into question popular notions about the correlations between personality and later-life achievement and health outcomes.
Testimonial Injustice and Borderline Personality Disorder
From The Huffington Post UK: The diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder frequently serves to invalidate the trauma of women who have experienced abuse.
"‘BPD’ is so...
Patient Race Associated with Varied Psychiatric Treatment Experiences
Findings point to association between race and the mental health care experiences of African-American and White veterans.
Ban on Mentally ill People Buying Guns Wasn’t Evidence Based
From The Washington Post: Republicans are moving to reverse a ban instituted by the Obama administration that prevented certain people from buying guns based on...
Study Links Working Long Hours With Poorer Mental Health
From MinnPost: A recent study found that working more than 39 hours per week can lead to significant mental health risks.
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Sharp Rise in Older Americans’ use of Multiple Psychiatric Drugs
From the New York Times: The number of U.S. older adults prescribed at least three psychiatric drugs more than doubled between 2004 and 2013, even...
New Medications Fail to Show Efficacy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Three phase III clinical trials assessing the efficacy of Lundbeck’s investigational drug idalopirdine for Alzheimer’s disease have failed
Youngest Children in Class More Likely to get ‘ADHD’ Drugs
The researchers suggest that developmental immaturity is mislabelled as a mental disorder and unnecessarily treated with stimulant medication
Quitting Smoking May Help with Depression
A new study suggests that smoking cessation is related to depressive symptom improvement, but that depression may also make it harder to quit.
“94 Psychiatric Patients in South Africa Died of Negligence, Report Finds”
The New York Times reports on the findings of a South African government investigation that determined that "94 psychiatric patients died of negligence last year after being...
Physicians Underestimate Harms and Overestimate Benefits of Treatment
A new study analyzed over 13,000 doctors and found that physicians had a poor understanding of risks and benefits in every field, including psychopharmaceutical prescription, to CT scans, and cancer screening.
What Shyamalan’s ‘Split’ Gets Wrong About ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder’
Mental health advocates warn that the film stigmatizes dissociative identity disorder and may directly impact those living with it. "You are going to upset and...
Children with ‘ADHD’ Commonly Prescribed Antipsychotics
Despite little evidence for benefit, and substantial risk of harm, antipsychotics are commonly prescribed to children diagnosed with ADHD
Preventing Suicide in the UK – a Policy and Practice Divide
The Place of Calm’s innovative Peer Support Approach means suicidal people can stay up to 24 hours in a safe place in the community and receive practical and emotional support from trained professionals who have their own lived experience of mental health challenges. Evidence suggests that it saves lives and is cost effective. Yet its funding is now due to be cut.
Researcher Acknowledges His Mistakes in Understanding Schizophrenia
Sir Robin Murray, a professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience in London, states that he ignored social factors that contribute to ‘schizophrenia’ for too long. He also reports that he neglected the negative effects antipsychotic medication has on the brain.
Many Patient Advocacy Organizations Are Funded By Industry
New research investigates the financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) of patient advocacy organizations (PAOs) in the United States.
Antidepressant Use May Increase Risk of Hip Fractures in Older Adults
Study finds antidepressant use is linked to increase in hip fractures in community-dwelling older adults with and without Alzheimer’s disease.
BPS Releases Review of Alternatives to Antipsychotics
BPS releases report encouraging behavioral interventions for people with dementia, rather than antipsychotics
Acute Respiratory Failure More Likely in COPD Patients Prescribed Antipsychotics
Researchers recommend that healthcare professionals be vigilant regarding the signs of respiratory failure among patients with COPD who are receiving antipsychotics, especially during the initial treatment phase.
Lay Health Worker Intervention Effective at Decreasing Symptoms
Compared with standard care, results of a lay health worker intervention in Zimbabwe suggest that this is effective for reduction of common mental health symptoms
Treating Metabolic Conditions May Resolve Some Depressive Symptoms
New research suggests that treatable metabolic abnormalities underlie some treatment-resistant cases of depression—and treating the metabolic condition has the possibility of dramatically reducing depressive symptoms
