The Other Big Drug Problem: Older People Taking Too Many Pills
FromĀ The Washington Post: In addition to the opioid crisis, America has one other prescription drug epidemicĀ ā older Americans are taking far too many unnecessary...
The Three Most Important Facts About Psychiatric Drugs
Psychologist and educator Michael Corrigan was a guest on my radio show and brought up some questions about how to communicate with people about psychiatric drugs. Specifically, he asked, āWhat are the three most important things for anyone to know about psychiatric drugs?ā Here is my answer.
Freud in the Scanner: A Revival of Interest in Introspection
FromĀ Aeon: For the past several decades, mainstream mental health professionals as well as the general public have dismissed Freud's ideas, turning instead to neuroscience...
New Research on Prenatal SSRI Exposure and Autism
Does maternal SSRI exposure increase the chances that a child will develop characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Halves the Risk of Repeated Suicide Attempts
A new study suggests that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) may halve the likelihood of re-attempting suicide, for those who have attempted in the past.
Study Examines the Difficulty of Withdrawing from Antidepressant Drugs
Correcting unnecessary long-term antidepressant use is difficult and met with apprehension by providers and service-users.
Mad Pride: Making a Truce With the Voices in Your Head
In this piece forĀ Vice, Tess McClure describes New Zealand's Mad Pride movement, a movement that seeks to destigmatize, normalize, and celebrate experiences of voice-hearing...
The Important Drugs Debate Question That Nobody’s Asking
In this piece forĀ Vice, Max Daly explores the impact of societal attitudes toward drug use and drug users on the drug policy debateĀ over prohibition...
Scientists Clarify Risks of Augmenting with Antipsychotic Medications for Depression
The researchers found that while antipsychotic drugs may be slightly more effective than alternative antidepressants, they come with a much higher side effect burden.
Anyone Can Be Trained to Hallucinate
FromĀ Flipboard: In a recent study on auditory hallucinations, all participantsĀ ā not just those who had been diagnosed with psychosisĀ ā experienced conditioned hallucinations. The study...
A Massachusetts Benzo Bill That Mandates Informed Consent
H. 3594 would require pharmacists to distribute pamphlets containing information on benzodiazepine misuse and abuse, risk of dependency and addiction, handling and addiction treatment resources. This would be a major legislative response to the prescribing patterns for these drugs today.
Drug May Lead to Early Death for People With Alzheimer’s
FromĀ The Washington Post: A recent study found that benzodiazepinesĀ are associated with a greater chance of early death for those with Alzheimer's.
"Researchers analyzed data on...
Study Challenges Assumption that Schizophrenia Impairs Cognitive Ability
Secondary factors may impair performance on cognitive tasks, making it difficult for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia to perform to the best of their ability.
Depathologize Shyness Now!
In this piece forĀ Medium, Jenny Karlsson makes the case for depathologizing shyness by removing "social anxiety disorder" from the DSM.
"Shyness, under the label of,...
Treating Depression Often Lies in a Gray Zone
FromĀ The Washington Post: Doctors often turn first to antidepressants when treating patients with depression. However, the evidence shows that alternative treatments such as therapy...
Children Diagnosed with ADHD Younger are More Likely to get Multiple Medications
New research demonstrates that children diagnosed with ADHD at younger ages are more likely than those diagnosed later to receive multiple medications within five years of their diagnosis.
Smartphone Based Interventions for Depressive Symptoms
New meta-analysis of smartphone based interventions demonstrates small-to-moderate effect.
Scientists Call for Increased Transparency in Research
Scientists at the Yale Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency (CRIT) published a new policy paper this month criticizing the current state of biomedical research and calling for improved transparency in research methods.
The Orwellian New Digital Abilify Will Subjugate Vulnerable People Across the US
The FDA approved the prescribing and sale of a new hi-tech compliance-monitoring āantipsychoticā drug this week. A new chapter in human darkness has descended ā one that is applauded by the alliance of control addicts that made it happen.
Patients on Antipsychotics at High Risk for Cardiovascular Issues, Study Finds
Antipsychotics present a known risk for major side effects. A new study suggests that certain antipsychotics may present a greater risk for cardiovascular disease than others.
Reading ‘Girl, Interrupted’ in the Psych Ward
In this piece forĀ Electric Lit,Ā Anne ThĆ©riault shares how the bookĀ Girl, InterruptedĀ helped her survive her 72-hour hold in a psychiatricĀ ward following a suicide attempt.
"The psychiatric...
The Issue of Over-Diagnosing in Psychiatry
FromĀ The Concordian: On October 30th, Dr. Joel Paris, a professor of psychiatry at McGill University, gave a lecture about the dangers and consequences of...
America’s Opioid Crisis Proves the Limits of Capitalism
In this piece forĀ RT,Ā Slavoj Žižek discusses the impact of capitalism on America's opioid crisis, exploring the factors that have driven people to use drugs...
FDA Approves Pill That Digitally Tracks if Patients Have Ingested it
The FDA has approved Abilify MyCite, a pill with a sensor that digitally tracks whether patients have taken their medication.
"The system works by sending...
Outcome Reporting Bias in Antipsychotic Medication Trials
A new study in the journal Translational Psychiatry, an influential journal in biological psychiatry published by Nature, challenges the state of the research on antipsychotic drugs.
