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.

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.
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.

Hyperbolic Tapering off Antidepressants Limits Withdrawal

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New research by Jim van Os and Peter Groot finds that using hyperbolic tapering to discontinue antidepressants reduces withdrawal effects.

New Book Deconstructs Ideology of Cognitive Therapy

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CBT forwards a hyper-rational perspective of human suffering that complements a managerialist culture of efficiency and institutionalization in the Western world.

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.

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.

Antipsychotics Increase Risk of Dementia; New Research Illuminates Why

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In JAMA psychiatry, researchers outline new theories connecting antipsychotic use in people with schizophrenia and increased dementia risk.

Systemic Violence and the Mental Health Industrial Complex

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A recent paper, by Dr. Eric Greene, builds upon critiques of the biomedical model and illustrates how the mental health industrial complex overmedicates, stigmatizes,...
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.

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.

Recovery Rate Six Times Higher For Those Who Stop Antipsychotics Within Two Years

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People with "serious mental illness" who stop taking antipsychotics are more likely to recover, even when accounting for baseline severity.
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.
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.

Researchers Search for Subgroups Where Antidepressants Are More Effective

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The researchers theorized that this increased effectiveness was due not to “antidepressant” properties, but rather to the drug’s side effects, which include insomnia, drowsiness, and nausea.

The Conflicts That Result From Globalizing Euro-American Psychology in India

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Researchers examine the transformation of work, life, and identity in India as a result of Western corporate and psychological culture.

From EMPOWER to Exercise: What Actually Helps Older Adults Quit Benzos?

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Despite clear risks, benzos and z-drugs remain widely prescribed to the elderly. New research explores what helps—and what doesn’t—when trying to stop.
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.

Psychotherapy is Less Effective and Less Accessible for Those in Poverty

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A special issue explores the connection between poverty, mental health, and psychotherapy.

Benzodiazepines Linked to Suicide, Study Finds

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A new study finds that benzodiazepines—alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and diazepam (Valium)—are associated with an increased risk of suicidal events.
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.”

Robin Williams On Antidepressant at Time of Suicide

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Robin Williams had "therapeutic" levels of the tetra-cyclic antidepressant mirtazapine in his blood at the time of his suicide, according to the coroner's report...
Woman reflected and visible behind glass

“Ontological Insecurity” May Play A Role in Psychotic Experiences

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In a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, researchers tested how well “ontological insecurity” predicted psychotic-like experiences (PLEs). They found that...

Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo for About 85% of People

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Researchers can’t predict the 15% who benefit from antidepressants, and the other 85% are unnecessarily exposed to the harms of the drugs.
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.