Research News

Summaries of research findings that tell of a scientific need to "rethink psychiatry."

Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms Linked to Life-Altering Consequences, New Study Shows

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A new study reveals that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants can last years, disrupting lives and relationships.
A cutout of a head as if made of blue paper. The head is full of pills.

Researchers: “We Do Not Suggest” Antipsychotics for Depression

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Augmenting with antipsychotics was no better at reducing suicide than adding antidepressants, but led to increased risk of death from other causes.

Open Dialogue Approach Reduces Future Need for Mental Health Services

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The Open Dialogue psychiatric treatment approach is associated with reduced utilization of mental and general health services for Danish youth.
Illustration of person with hand to their head, which is dissolving into squares

Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS): Why Don’t We Know More About It?

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Persistent antidepressant withdrawal is a debilitating experience, but little research exists about its prevalence and treatment.
Illustration of a person cringing while surrounded by ghostly figures

Exposure to Antidepressants in the Womb Makes for Sad, Scared Adolescents

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SSRI exposure in utero “alters the offspring’s brain structure,” causing a hyperactive amygdala and fear circuits, leading to anxiety and depression.
An elderly man takes a pill

Elderly Patients Who Stop Antipsychotics Have Better Outcomes

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Older adults are often prescribed antipsychotics off-label for behavioral control in the hospital. But there’s no evidence for antipsychotics helping, and a great deal of evidence of harm.
Closeup of pills in hand, a magnifying glass

Psychiatric Drugs “A Crude Form of Chemical Restraint”

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Mental health nursing has a key role to play in helping people discontinue the drugs, writes Timothy Wand.
Miniature people - The worker at work with medicine pills

Antidepressant Trials Last Eight Weeks, So Why Do We Take Them for Years?

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The studies are of short duration and are riddled with methodological issues like unblinding and failure to assess withdrawal.
A person, out of focus, holding a pill bottle in focus

Half of Those Who Take Antidepressants Are Labeled “Treatment Resistant”

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Millions of people are trying multiple antidepressant drugs without success, and psychiatry labels them “treatment resistant.”

Antidepressants in Dementia Patients Increase Risk of Death and Fractures

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A large-scale study reveals that antidepressant use is linked to faster cognitive decline in dementia patients, raising concerns about their widespread prescription.

New Study Links Antidepressants to Increased Risk of Diabetes

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Using genetic analysis, a new study finds that antidepressants—not depression—are responsible for a significant rise in type 2 diabetes risk.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation No Better Than Placebo for Treatment-Resistant Depression

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A new study in JAMA Psychiatry found that transcranial magnetic stimulation was no better than placebo for treatment-resistant depression.
Diagnosis: Placebo Effect

More Evidence That Antidepressants Work Via Placebo Effect

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Antidepressants were more effective for depressed patients who were more “optimistic.” Still, only 30% responded to SSRIs.
Vector of a sick sad patient man in depression drowning in medications sitting inside a bottle.

Antidepressant Withdrawal Is Common and Debilitating

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Those using antidepressants long-term were more likely to experience withdrawal and to have severe withdrawal symptoms.

Lithium Doubles Risk of Thyroid and Kidney Dysfunction

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Serum lithium levels lower than those considered therapeutic still conveyed increased risk.

Are Antidepressants Weakening Women’s Bones?

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A study spanning two decades finds that antidepressant use is associated with a 44% increase in osteoporosis risk and a 62% higher chance of fractures.

Study Deems Support, Not Drugs, Best for Youth at Risk of Psychosis

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Research by five U.K. universities across multiple sites for up to two years divided 288 young adults (14-35 years) deemed at risk for psychosis...

Deadly Prescriptions: New Study Links Antipsychotics to Life-Threatening Risks in Dementia Patients

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With pharmaceutical companies pushing antipsychotics for off-label use, dementia patients are being put at risk for devastating health consequences. Research suggests safer alternatives exist—but why aren’t they being prioritized?

When Healing Looks Like Justice: An Interview with Harvard Psychologist Joseph Gone

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MIA’s Ayurdhi Dhar interviews Joseph Gone about how a history of dispossession, conquest, and colonization shapes mental health outcomes in Native American communities.

Randomized Controlled Trial Confirms That Antipsychotics Damage the Brain

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A new study published in JAMA Psychiatry connects antipsychotics with damage to the brain in multiple areas.
Close up of Pills spilling out of pill bottle on blue background. with copy space. Medicine concept .

Animal Study: SSRI Neurotoxic in Pregnancy

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Researchers: Fetal exposure to vilazodone hampers neurodevelopment and leads to "long-lasting neurodevelopmental impairments."

Peer-Support Groups Were Right, Guidelines Were Wrong: Dr. Mark Horowitz on Tapering Off Antidepressants

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In an interview with MIA, Dr. Horowitz discusses his recent article on why tapering off antidepressants can take months or even years.

Therapy Beats Drugs for Depression for Long-Term Outcomes

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Combining drugs and therapy also did not lead to better depression outcomes than therapy alone.

Study Finds Hearing Voices Groups Improve Social and Emotional Wellbeing

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Hearing Voices Network self-help groups are an important resource for coping with voice hearing, study finds.

New Study Casts Doubt on Efficacy of Ketamine for Depression

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A new study, published this month in the Journal of Affective Disorders, investigated the effectiveness of weekly intravenous ketamine injections as a treatment for...