RESEARCH NEWS
Summaries of research findings that tell of a scientific need to “rethink psychiatry.”
Ketamine Fails to Beat Active Placebo for Depression
Ketamine “may actually be ineffective for the short-term treatment of MDD.”
DSM-5 Faces Global Backlash: An International Call for Culturally Affirming and Decolonizing Mental Health...
Calls to decolonize mental health and replace the current DSM-5 diagnostic model gain momentum.
Social Mobility Causes Distress and So Does the Neoliberal Imperative to Pursue Wealth and...
Research finds that downward social mobility leads to distress but the pressure to move up in a neoliberal society also causes distress.
Recovery Orientation Faces Challenges in Forensic Psychiatry Settings
Psychiatric staff in Switzerland express concerns about loss of authority and power if implementing recovery orientation in forensic settings.
Do Not Prescribe Antidepressants for Mild to Moderate Depression or at First Visit
World Psychiatry article challenges conventional antidepressant prescription practices.
Australia’s Billion-Dollar Question: Why Is Mental Health Not Improving With Better Access?
Amid growing mental health crisis, research raises questions about the mass rollout of brief psychotherapies in Australia.
Study Highlights Lack of Evidence for Antidepressants in Treatment of Chronic Pain
A new Cochrane review details the lack of evidence for antidepressants in the treatment of chronic pain.
Personal Narratives Offer Insight into Mental Health Recovery for Diverse Communities
An in-depth analysis of personal narratives of mental health recovery aims to improve treatment for marginalized communities.
Therapist Trainings Needed on Disability to Counter Neoliberalism in Mental Healthcare
Disability scholar Joanne Hunt’s call for structural competence training around disability counters neoliberal ideologies in clinical training.
Hyperbolic Tapering off Antidepressants Limits Withdrawal
New research by Jim van Os and Peter Groot finds that using hyperbolic tapering to discontinue antidepressants reduces withdrawal effects.
Systemic Racism Exacerbates Psychosis Risk for People of Color in the US
New study highlights connection between racism and psychosis in the United States.
Amid Opioid Crisis, Doctors Turn to Antidepressants for Chronic Pain
Despite unproven efficacy, antidepressants are increasingly being put forward as an alternative to opioids for chronic pain patients.
The Decline of Independence and Its Toll on Kids’ Mental Health
Research highlights the need for more unsupervised play and activities to foster resilience and mental health in kids.
Internal Pharma Documents Reveal Strategies Used to Corrupt the Medical Field
A newly published review of internal documents finds that pharma uses many tactics to ensure profit without regard for health.
What Is the Risk of Permanent Sexual Dysfunction from Antidepressants?
Males taking antidepressants were at 100 times the risk of erectile dysfunction compared with the healthy population and more than three times the risk even after controlling for other variables.
Global Push for Human Rights in Mental Healthcare Gains Momentum
Scoping review highlights policy-level initiatives to promote voluntary care and human rights in mental healthcare.
Study Under Fire for Harmful Language Targeting Transgender and Non-Binary Individuals
Activists and researchers urge the adoption of alternative frameworks to better understand and support transgender experiences.
Despite Focus on “Inclusion,” Mental Health Peer Support Workers Face Marginalization
A recent study highlights the tensions and limitations of the dominant notions of "inclusion" within mental health peer support research.
Unpaid Labor Takes a Toll on Women’s Mental Health, Study Reveals
Systematic review uncovers the detrimental effects of unpaid work on employed women's mental health.
Breaking Blind: Antipsychotic Drug Efficacy May Be Overestimated
Only 4 of 188 antipsychotic trials assessed blinding, and in all 4 cases, the blind was broken, potentially leading to an overestimation of the drug effect.
Unveiling Brazil’s Rich Tradition in Participatory Mental Health Research
An international team of researchers uncovers the transformative potential of locally-driven participatory mental health research in the Global South.
How Historical Trauma and Racism Impact Mental Healthcare for Native American Communities
Deep-rooted distrust of healthcare systems is linked to past injustices and ongoing discrimination for Native populations.
Prioritizing Psychiatrized Individuals’ Knowledge and Agency in Mental Health Discourse
Scholar-activist Jasna Russo examines the consequences of psychiatrization on mental health discourse, individual agency, and epistemic injustice.
Questioning the Representativeness of Participants in Psychological Research
People with symptoms of personality disorders, anxiety, and depression are more likely to volunteer for psychological research.
Lithium in Drinking Water Linked to Autism
A new study in JAMA Pediatrics found a robust link between lithium levels in drinking water and autism diagnosis.
Institutional Barriers and Tokenism in Participatory Mental Health Research
Researchers identify key barriers to meaningful lived experience collaboration in mental health services research n the US.
How AI-based Programs Are Harming Homeless Populations
Unintended consequences arise as AI programs implemented without stakeholder input risk exacerbating homelessness issues.
Forced Opioid Tapering Leads to Worse Outcomes for Patients
Medically enforced opioid tapering can lead to an increased risk of mental and physical health issues.
When Good Intentions Go Awry: The Hidden Risks of School Mental Health Programs
Researchers point to overlooked dangers as school mental health programs exacerbate adolescent distress.
Lancet Psychiatry: We Are Undervaluing the Placebo Effect
A recent study of brain stimulation for depression found that the placebo group (sham treatment) showed more improvement than the group that received actual brain stimulation.
Stigma towards “Prosumers,” Psychologists with Lived Experience
Study explores the experiences of discrimination and stigma of prosumers,” psychologists with lived experiences of mental distress.
New Study Shows Music Therapy’s Positive Impact on ADHD Treatment
Music therapy found to be an effective tool in improving mental health and daily life functioning in young people with ADHD.
Implementation of Open Dialogue for Psychosis in Atlanta Shows Promise
Study finds Open Dialogue-inspired support intervention reduces symptoms and improves functioning.
Study Identifies Best Practices for Co-Designed Mental Health Interventions
Study identifies best practices for co-designing eMental Health interventions with practitioners and people with lived experience.
Alzheimer’s Drugs Cause Brain Shrinkage
Researchers discover a link between anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drugs and brain shrinkage.
Global Mental Health Agenda Fails to Address Psychoses in sub-Saharan Africa, Says New Report
Critical review finds lack of data hinders understanding and treatment of severe psychosocial disabilities, including psychoses and bipolar disorder, in sub-Saharan Africa.
Researcher Warns of Abuse and Coercion With ‘App-ification’ of Mental Health Services
Mental health apps may offer increased accessibility but unregulated private sector involvement could lead to abuse of power and coercion.
Prescribers Often Fail to Support Patients Discontinuing Antidepressants, Study Finds
Study reveals most patients are dissatisfied with prescribers' support when discontinuing antidepressants.
JAMA Psychiatry: We Must Look at the Harms of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy
Researchers warn of potential harms of psychedelic-assisted therapy as hype outstrips evidence.
Beyond the Brain: Psychological Humanities Needed to Understand the Human Condition
Authors draw on the works of Anton Chekhov to illustrate how the psychological humanities can shed light on the social and cultural factors in mental health.
Can A Cultural-Eco-Social Approach to Psychiatry Push Past Reductionism?
Leading psychiatrists propose a cultural-ecosocial systemic approach to counter biological reductionism in the field.
Gender Bias in Antidepressant Ads? 82% Target Women
Researchers raise concerns over the potential negative effects of direct-to-consumer antidepressant advertisements.
Alarming Overprescription Patterns for Older Adults on Antidepressants
New study finds polypharmacy for 73% of older adults on antidepressants, with 56% at risk of harmful drug interactions.
JAMA Psychiatry: No Evidence that Psychiatric Treatments Produce “Successful Outcomes”
In a viewpoint article in JAMA Psychiatry, researchers reveal that psychiatry is unable to demonstrate improving patient outcomes over time.
Global Survey Leads to New Recommendations for Deprescribing Psychiatric Drugs
Growing rates of long-term psychiatric drug prescriptions and documented issues with withdrawal demonstrate a need for safe deprescribing practices.
Breathwork May be Accessible Alternative for Anxiety Treatment
A new review suggests breathwork interventions may be a useful but under-researched non-drug alternative for anxiety treatment.
Mental Health Awareness Campaigns May Actually Lead to Increases in Mental Distress
More people may get help for conditions that would have been overlooked in the past, but mental health awareness may also exacerbate mental distress for others.
Researchers Warn of Major Threats to the Validity of Psychedelic Research
Warning of “history repeating,” researchers list ten problems with psychedelic research that make conclusions about efficacy and safety uncertain.
Mad Studies and Mad Pride on the Rise in Latin America
Mad Pride and Mad Studies are growing in Latin America, paving the way for new research agendas and cultural, political, and social frameworks.
Mental Health Care More System-Centered Than Person-Centered
A new qualitative study identifies how institutional interests in the mental health field dehumanize care for clients.
Common Air Pollutants Connected to Depression and Anxiety
As air pollution becomes increasingly common, researchers report an association between exposure to air pollutants and depression and anxiety.
Poverty and Childhood Maltreatment Impact Developing Brains in Complex Ways
A new meta-analysis from Columbia University's Developmental Affective Neuroscience Laboratory finds that early life adversity has complex effects on brain development.
Machine Learning Fails to Identify Depression Based on Neurobiology
“The fact that we cannot find meaningful (univariate or multivariate) neurobiological differences on the level of the individual for one of the most prevalent mental disorders should give us pause.”
–Lead researcher Nils R. Winter
News Organizations Spread Misconceptions About PTSD on Social Media
News media, especially portrayals of PTSD, are likely to exacerbate mental health stigma and perpetuate stereotypes.
Areas With Low Rates of Involuntary Commitments Do Not See More Adverse Events
A Norwegian study finds that areas that do not frequently utilize involuntary commitments on psychiatric patients do not show more patients harms.
Physical Activity Improves Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety
A review of studies finds that physical activity shows benefits across all populations for mental health and aids in the management of many chronic illnesses.
New Guidance on Antidepressant Withdrawal for Doctors in the UK
New guidance for primary care doctors in the UK on antidepressant discontinuation acknowledges severe and long-lasting withdrawal symptoms.
Critical Consciousness Helps Marginalized Youth Turn Mental Distress Toward Social Action
Psychological distress motivates racialized youth to engage in social action, developing critical consciousness and self-esteem.
Deteriorating Relationships and Family Bonds Drive Youth Mental Health Crisis
New data from Sapien Labs finds a generational decline in social and familial relationships linked to the youth mental health crisis.
Women’s Suicidal Acts in Sri Lanka Embedded in Cultural Meanings
Research with young women in Sri Lanka reveals how Western mental health models miss the cultural and contextual factors at play.
Running Therapy For Depression as Effective as Antidepressants Without the Health Risks
Participants taking antidepressants saw a deterioration in physical health, while those taking part in running therapy saw improvements.
Understanding the Neurobiology of Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction
Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction (PSSD) may be a common adverse effect of antidepressants. Researchers are now attempting to understand the neurobiology behind it.
Data Erasure of Native American Communities Conceals Mortality Rates and Social Inequity
Research on deaths of despair has excluded data on death rates of Native American and other minoritized communities contributing to underfunding and failures to address social inequity.
The Case of EMDR in Cambodia Shows Pitfalls of Mental Health Humanitarian Aid
A case study of EMDR in Cambodia reveals a few of the pitfalls of international mental health humanitarian aid in low and middle-income countries.
Lived Experience Affects Mental Health Professionals’ Approach
New research explores how lived experience shapes clinicians’ perceptions and approaches to understanding mental health.
Neighborhood Disadvantage Linked to Mental Health Issues Later in Life
Neighborhood based mental health interventions, job skills training, and psychosocial supports are necessary primary health measures.
Your Mental Health Information Is for Sale
Data brokers are selling massive lists of your psychiatric diagnoses, prescriptions, hospitalizations, and even lab results, all linked to identifiable contact information.
Psychology’s Reckoning with Racism and Mass Incarceration
The racist foundations of psychology and psychiatry contribute to the mass incarceration of Black people in the United States.
ECT Does Not Seem to Prevent Suicide
A new study finds that people who undergo electroconvulsive therapy or ECT still have a highly elevated suicide risk.
Stigma and Expected Retaliation Drive Suicide Among Military Sexual Trauma Survivors
A new study finds that for sexual trauma survivors in the military, self-stigma and anticipated enacted stigma for seeking help are associated with suicidal ideation.
Most Psychopharmacology Textbooks Have Financial Conflicts of Interest
Study finds that the pharmaceutical industry makes large payments to the authors of most psychopharmacology textbooks, raising concerns of bias.
Declining Youth Mental Health May Be Driven by Increased Abuse and Bullying
New data from Sapien Labs finds that young people today report more abuse and bullying than past generations.
Mental Health Peer Workers Support Recovery After Inpatient Hospitalization
Qualitative research from Australia highlights how mental health peer workers aid service users' recovery and provide connection.
How to do Inclusive Research When ‘Legal Capacity’ for Informed Consent is Questioned
Researchers describe a CRPD-compliant participatory research project with people with neurodegenerative disorders where the ‘legal capacity’ to give informed consent was questioned.
Governmental Climate Action Ignores Disability—Researchers Don’t Have To
People with disabilities are not considered in governmental climate action strategies. Can scientists fill the gaps left by legislation?
Becoming a Peer Support Worker can Improve Insight and Resilience, Study Finds
People with their own mental health challenges who became peer support workers showed increased recovery, especially if they engaged in frequent introspection.
Researchers Question the Foundational Assumptions of Neuropsychology
“A productive way forward may be to fundamentally rethink what a mind is and how a brain works,” the researchers write.
Psychodynamic Therapy Effective for Depressive Symptoms, Study Finds
A new meta-analysis of previous research finds short-term psychodynamic therapy to be an effective treatment for depressive symptoms. Adding antidepressants provided no added benefit.
CRPD Debates Highlight Historical Tensions Between Human Rights and Psychiatry
Spanish scholars use Foucault and Agamben to explore the history of debates over the CRPD and the human rights of people with psychosocial disabilities.
American College of Preventative Medicine Makes Recommendations for Addressing Adverse Childhood Experiences
The AJPM recommends against regular screening for Adverse Childhood Experiences until more effective interventions are identified.
Antidepressants Blunt Emotions and Cause Sexual Dysfunction
“It is possible that participants taking escitalopram experience greater sexual dysfunction due to experiencing less pleasure,” the researchers write.
Researchers Seek Standardized and Safe Antidepressant Tapering Protocol
A new study promotes the use of a standardized approach to antidepressant tapering.
Your ‘For You’ Page is Analyzing Your ‘Data Double,’ Tailoring Diagnostic Advertisements
Diagnostic advertisements on social media shape our understanding of ourselves and disability through digital surveillance.
Acts of Kindness Can Improve Our Mental Health and Social Connections
A new study finds that engaging in acts of kindness can improve our well-being by encouraging us to focus less on ourselves.
Recovery Rates from First Episode Psychosis Vary Depending on the Definition of “Recovery”
Clinical recovery from first episode psychosis may need to be redefined as many "healthy" subjects do not meet functional criteria.
Therapy Beats Drugs for Depression for Long-Term Outcomes
Combining drugs and therapy also did not lead to better depression outcomes than therapy alone.
Study Details How Listening to Music Alters Stress and Mood
New data from the COVID-19 lockdown suggests that we may be underestimating the power of music to affect mood and improve well-being.
Disability Justice Goes Beyond the Social Model
The social model of disability successfully turned the focus from biomedicine toward society. Is disability justice the next step?
With Psychiatry at a Crossroads, Scholars Review Alternatives
Nikolas and Diana Rose review possible alternatives to mainstream psychiatry that recognize the expertise of lived experience.
Brain Changes Linked to Early Socioeconomic Status May Persist in Adulthood
Researchers suggest that differences in socioeconomic status may leave a "neural imprint" that persists throughout the life course.
FDA Approves Another Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug
Lecanemab was approved without an advisory committee vote, just days after a congressional investigation found the FDA acted unethically to approve aducanumab.
UK Suicide Prevention Policies Prioritize Surveillance Over Social Change
UK policies fail to identify the social drivers of suicide and instead prioritize surveillance data and social control.
Common Mental Disorders Rising Again in the UK
After a slight reduction in 2020, symptoms of "common mental disorders," such as depression and anxiety, have been rising for decades.
Healthcare Failures Raise Alarms and Reduce Access for LGBTQ+ People
LGBTQ+ people face economic and cultural barriers to accessing affirmative mental healthcare.
The Faulty Reasoning That Turned ADHD Into a Disease
Leading ADHD researchers outline four mistakes that turned ADHD from a description of behavior into a medical disease.
What it Takes to Create Meaningful Inclusion in Mental Health Research
Lancet Psychiatry article lays out strategies for mental health researchers to meaningfully partner with individuals with lived experience.
Abortion Restrictions Increase Suicide Rates for Women
Research in JAMA Psychiatry finds suicide rates of women between the ages of 20-34 increased by 5.8% following abortion restrictions.
The Medicalization of Childhood Behaviors Does More Harm than Good
Through medicalization, the world is blaming children for their inattention and sadness when really, the world is to blame.
User-led Research on First-Person Narratives of Psychosis Highlights Breadth of Experiences
A new article highlights Psychosis Outside the Box, a user-led project on the range of lived experiences of psychosis.
Autistic Adults Display Greater Generosity to Strangers
Study finds people diagnosed with autism are more likely to make generous choices and are less susceptible to framing effects.
Researchers: ECT Study in Children Methodologically Flawed, Ethically Concerning
The original study's authors wrote that the side effects were acceptable, despite the fact that 68% of the children had memory loss and over a third experienced delirium.
Reducing Health Care Provider Stigma with Theater
Theater can help providers see common experiences for stigmatized populations, decreasing discriminatory beliefs.
Six Steps for Addressing Anti-Fat Bias in Therapy
Fatphobia and anti-fat bias can undermine the therapeutic relationship and reduce the safety and effectiveness of therapy.
Neoliberal Performance-based Wages Linked to Health Problems
The pay volatility of performance-based wages in gig work is linked to worse sleep quality, headaches, back pain, and stomach issues.
Questionable Research Practices Common in Randomized Controlled Trials
Study finds bias may be mitigated by female authorship, higher impact factors, registration of trials, and mention of reporting standards.
Antidepressants Plus Immune Response Terminate Pregnancies in Mice
Also, male mice born to mothers with an immune response exhibited “autistic-like” behaviors, scientists report.
Clinical Psychology Must Adapt to Help Humanity Face Existential Threats
Clinicians push for psychology to adopt an existential stance and meaningfully engage the myriad existential threats of our time.
Marginalization in BIPOC Neighborhoods Leads to Mental Health Crises
Structural racism, legacies of redlining, and a lack of childhood opportunities increase rates of mental health crisis calls in BIPOC neighborhoods.
How Trauma Theory is Oppressive in Occupied Palestine
In Palestine, trauma-informed care misses the mark. Liberation psychology is needed to address neo-colonialism.
Poverty Underlies Many Neurological and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents
Poverty leads to a reduced cortical surface area, which may be responsible for 9% of externalizing problems in adolescents.
Researchers Identify Factors to Predict Risk of Antidepressant Withdrawal
Paroxetine, SNRIs, and MAOIs were associated with the highest risk of withdrawal, as was long duration of use and whether the person experienced withdrawal in the past.
Neuropolitics: Understanding Politics Through Neuroscience is a Dangerous Affair
Understanding political decision-making from a purely neuroscientific perspective, or neuropolitics, can contribute to western ethnocentrism.
Bringing Emotional Safety to Inpatient Psychiatry
An article in Lancet Psychiatry argues that inpatient psychiatry should prioritize patients’ emotional safety over short-term risk management.
Stereotyping from Psychotherapists Means Worse Care for Refugees
New evidence suggests that the attitudes of psychotherapists can maintain mental health disparities for refugees.
Prominent Academic Journals Score Disturbingly Low on Measures of Transparency and Openness
The refusal by academic journals to adopt more transparent policies impedes scientific progress in health and medical research.
Animals Exposed to Antidepressants in Utero Are Worse at Taking Care of Their Own...
A new study in rats found that those exposed to antidepressants in utero had an impaired ability to nurture their own children in later life.
Creating Cultural Safety in Research with Indigenous Mental Health Consumers
Indigenous researchers in Australia outline four methodological considerations to conduct culturally safe research.
Adults Treated for ADHD Report Low Quality of Life
Adults receiving ADHD medications and therapy frequently experience adverse events that interfere with employment and daily life.
Stigma Continues to Increase for Schizophrenia Despite Deliberate Focus on the Brain
Anti-stigma campaigns focused on the brain are not improving attitudes toward those diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Study Highlights Benefits of Non-Medical Approaches to Voice Hearing
Research finds that a “Talking With Voices” approach to voice hearing can reduce distress and facilitate healing.
“Talking With Voices” Therapeutic Approach Shows Promise
The survivor-informed dialogic approach, "Talking with Voices," may signal a major shift in the treatment of voice-hearing and schizophrenia.
Anti-Discrimination Policies Reduce Binge Drinking for LGBTQ Youth
Study provides new evidence that state-level pro-LGBTQ policies are associated with lower odds of binge drinking among sexual minority youth.
Gradual Tapering Recommended for Antidepressant Discontinuation
A new literature review reinforces the need to “down-titrate” or taper antidepressants, especially drugs like Celexa and Paxil.
Social Belongingness Protects Against Anxiety and Depression for Ethnic Minorities
Meta-analysis suggests that social belongingness among ethnic minorities and migrants protects against psychological distress.
Ketamine for Depression Poses “Significant Risk to the Public”
Researchers: The evidence serves to “raise substantial questions about both safety and effectiveness of ketamine and esketamine for psychiatric disorders.”
Successful Therapy Requires Bond with Therapist, Makes Life More Meaningful
Clients finding more meaning in life is an important way that the therapeutic alliance effectively decreases psychological distress.
History of ADHD Research Reveals Our Flawed Thinking About Mental Disorders
Stephan Schleim examines the history of ADHD to demonstrate the limits of our biological understanding of mental disorders.
Sexual Violence in Adolescence Associated with Increased Risk of Suicide, Self-harm, and Psychological Distress
Women experience a disproportionate amount of sexual violence and associated adverse mental health outcomes.
Peer Review Unfairly Favors Famous Names, Study Finds
Submitting articles for peer review with a Nobel Prize laureate's name attached increases acceptance rates.
Voice-Hearers Unfairly Perceived as Unreliable Reporters of Their Own Experiences
Safe spaces where voice-hearers are accepted and believed may help decrease distress arising from experiences of epistemic injustice.
Higher Psychosis Rates in Transgender Population Likely Due to Minority Stress and Clinician Bias
The research on psychosis among transgender and gender non-conforming individuals highlights the impacts of discrimination and clinical bias.
Mindfulness as Effective as Lexapro for Anxiety
Evidenced-based mindfulness practices prove to be just as effective for anxiety symptoms as the popular SSRI escitalopram.
Drug Samples Increase Healthcare Costs and Compromise Patient Safety
Researchers present a compelling case against the pharmaceutical industry's practice of providing drug samples to providers.
Lithium Use Leads to Chronic Kidney Disease
New evidence suggests that lithium, commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, can increase the risk of chronic kidney disease.
Therapists Who “Don’t See Color” Mistreat Clients
A new study finds that colorblind therapists, who claim they "don't see color," are likely to pathologize minoritized clients.
Racism and Coercion in First Episode Psychosis Treatment Fuels Loneliness and Mistrust
A qualitative study of young Black men in psychosis treatment illustrates pervasive police involvement and lack of patient autonomy.
Anti-Government Beliefs Associated with Decreased Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Research finds a complex relationship between neoliberalism and well-being with anti-government beliefs associated with worse health outcomes.
Capitalism is Destroying our Collective Mental Health
In a new chapter, epidemiologists spell out the mounting evidence of the sickening effects of capitalism on mental health.
The Post-Lockdown Suicide Tsunami That Never Came
Data reveals that the suicide epidemic that was predicted to follow the COVID-19 lockdown never happened. Why not?
Facebook Negatively Impacted College Students’ Mental Health from the Start
Researchers track the impact of the launch and spread of Facebook in 2004 and find declining mental health in its wake.
Peer Interventions Show Promise for Recent Onset Psychosis
A study from Hong Kong finds peer-facilitated recovery groups outperform treatment as usual for psychosis.
Despite More Treatments for Depression, Prevalence Doesn’t Decrease—Why?
Perhaps depression treatments are not as effective as biased clinical trials lead us to believe, particularly for real-life patients.
Nursing Textbooks Treat Medicalization of Mental Health as Objective Fact
Nursing textbooks fail to present the contested nature of mental health issues, reinforcing medicalization as scientific fact.
Without Liberation Psychology, Therapy Reinforces the Status Quo
Liberation psychology, inspired by Martín-Baró, argues for a more politically engaged psychology to disrupt the status quo.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Linked to Suicide Attempt in Case Study
Researchers suggest that antidepressant withdrawal can be a possible precipitant of suicide.
ADHD Diagnosis Leads to Worse Quality of Life, Increased Self-Harm in Kids
When comparing kids with the same symptoms who were either diagnosed with ADHD or not, those who received the diagnosis had worse outcomes.
Recovery Language in Substance Use Treatment Experienced as Oppressive Without Input of Service Users
New research in rural settings suggests that the dominant recovery from substance addiction language can exclude and oppress service users.
The Harms of De-Pathologizing Some Mental Health Conditions
Critics have consistently pointed to the harms of pathologizing our mental health, but can de-pathologizing some conditions also do harm?
High Rates of Mental Health Concerns Demonstrate Lasting Impacts of Flint Water Crisis
Years after the water crisis, the people of Flint, Michigan, are left on their own with the psychological fallout.
Can Network and System Science Save the Psy-Disciplines?
The psy-disciplines can't advance as a science built on diagnosis and biological reductionism—can system science provide a way forward?
Pharma Execs Rarely Charged When Their Companies Break the Law
“The government has not exercised the full scope of its authority to prosecute corporate officials responsible for the illegal behavior of the drug and device companies they run.”
Peer Support Effective for Clinical and Personal Recovery
A recent meta-analysis of peer support interventions shows that they are effective for clinical and personal recovery from a variety of mental health issues.
Psychodynamic Therapy Beats DBT for Improved Reflective Functioning
In a study with patients diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, psychodynamic therapy proved superior to DBT.
Troubled Teen Industry Packages Abuse as Treatment
The study highlights how "troubled teens" are abused under the guise of “treatment” within therapeutic boarding schools.
Cash Payments to Families Lead to Long Term Improvements in Child Mental Health
For the US to address the mental health crisis, research suggests that policies must target poverty and inequality.
Lithium for Suicide Prevention Not Supported by Evidence
A new meta-analysis shows that the evidence does not support the claim that lithium prevents suicide.
California “CARE Court” Forces Unhoused People into Treatment
ACLU responds to “Care Court,” stressing that people deserve dignified care, not forced treatment.
Long Term Antidepressant Use Associated With Increased Morbidity and Mortality
A study finds that commonly prescribed antidepressants are associated with the development of diabetes, hypertension, and other diseases.
Antidiscrimination Litigation May Prevent Bullying for LGBT Youths
A quasi-experimental study found reduced rates of homophobic bullying in schools that faced anti-harassment and anti-discrimination litigation.
Mental Health Stigma Varies by Diagnosis, Driven By Fear and Misunderstanding
A new study finds varying levels of stigma for different mental health diagnoses. But, stigma is consistently driven by fearful attributions.
Health Risks to Babies When Antidepressants Used During Pregnancy
Babies born to mothers taking antidepressants during pregnancy were more than six times as likely to have neonatal withdrawal syndrome—including breathing problems, irritability/agitation, tremors, feeding problems, and seizures—than those born to mothers taking other types of drugs.
How Do We Define Recovery? An Exploration of Co-Option, Normalization, and Universalism Within Recovery...
Former service-user and researcher Diana Rose intertwines personal reflection and critical discourse analysis to shed light on dominant discourses within recovery literature.
Reducing Over-Prescription of Antipsychotic Drugs for Foster Youth
Policy changes in California reduced antipsychotic prescriptions for foster youth by 56.3%, but 82.5% of newly prescribed youth did not receive screening for metabolic harms, despite it being required by the policy.
Police Say They Are Willing to Help the “Mentally Ill”—But Still Seek to Avoid...
Police in Spain report more feelings of sympathy and willingness to help those with a mental health diagnosis, but still seek to avoid them, associate them with more danger, and endorse isolation and involuntary treatment.
Exercise Just as Good as Antidepressants for Moderate Depression
A new meta-analysis found exercise to be just as good as antidepressants for treating mild-to-moderate depression.
Social Support Reduces Thoughts of Suicide Among Black and Latinx New Yorkers
Suicide rates for Black and Latinx Americans have been increasing. A new study finds that having more social support decreased suicide ideation for Black and Latinx New York City residents.
Academics in the Global South, This Is Your Sign to Decolonize Psychology
“Radical alternatives that question the dominant paradigm on issues of power dynamics, exploitation and subordination, politics and inequalities are encouraged for interrogating the underlying assumptions of mainstream research in psychology,” writes psychologist Mvikeli Ncube.
Strategies to Enhance Deprescribing in Long-Term Care Facilities
Researchers conducted group forums with relevant stakeholders to discover strategies to enhance deprescribing practices in long-term care facilities.
Eliminating Copayments Doubles Psychologist Visits, Decreases Suicide in Young Adults
Abolishing co-payments doubles the amount of 18- to 21-year-olds receiving psychotherapy. This was also associated with a 25% reduction in suicide attempts.
No Evidence for Long-Term Safety or Efficacy of Mental Health Treatment in Children
"There is no convincing evidence that interventions for the most common childhood disorders are beneficial in the long term," the researchers write.
Some Therapists Are Better at Forming Alliances with Clients Than Others
Researchers find that some therapists are better at establishing a good alliance with their clients, which ultimately leads to better treatment outcomes.
Worsening Student-Teacher Relationships and Bullying Increase Suicidality for Adolescents after Hospitalization
Adolescents who are hospitalized are at increased risk of suicidal ideation and attempts. Worsening relationships with teachers and being victims of bullying increase the risk.
Decolonizing the Medical Model Approach to Trauma
A new article explores the gaps left by White, Western understandings of trauma, and offers alternative pathways to understanding and treating trauma.
Researchers Find No Brain Differences in Depression
In contrast, the social-environmental variables “social support” and “childhood maltreatment” were significantly linked with depression, and each predicted with greater than 70% accuracy.
Ethnic Identity Important for Recovery
A stronger and more developed ethnic identity is associated with a greater sense of personal recovery among young adults.
Lived Experience Protects Against Workplace Burnout for Community Mental Health Workers
A survey conducted at a community mental health organization in Australia suggests that lived experience of mental health problems buffers staff against burnout.
The Mainstream Psychiatric System in India Continues to Pathologize LGBTQIA+ People
"The mainstream Indian mental health community has been silent about the need to bring an LGBTQIA+ anti-discrimination law and a ban on conversion therapy."
Substance Use and Externalizing Behaviors Predict Suicide Attempts in Veterans, Not “Serious Mental Illness”
Externalizing behavior and substance use disorder increased risk of severe suicide attempts far more than "serious mental illness" diagnoses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder diagnoses.
Influential Neuroscientist Reviews Decades of Failure
Influential neuroscientist Raymond Dolan: "Psychiatry’s most fundamental characteristic is its ignorance, that it cannot successfully define the object of its attention, while its attempts to lay bare the etiology of its disorders have been a litany of failures."
Genetic Embryo Screening for Psychiatric Risk Not Supported by Evidence, Ethically Questionable
Genetic embryo screening tests are “being marketed with limited empirical data behind them and virtually no scientific or ethical discussion,” researchers write.
Effective Therapy for Youth of Color Requires Conversations about Racial Violence
Researchers give seven suggestions to clinicians for skillfully conversing about race in therapy as exposure to racial violence increases for youth.
Federal Initiatives Needed to Affirm Lived Experience in Academia
Ableism, stigma, and prejudice can be insurmountable barriers for psychosocially disabled people in academia, but the federal government could help fix this problem.
Believing Threatening Voices Is Associated with Distress in Voice Hearers
Disengaging from listening to and believing derogatory and threatening voices could reduce distress for voice hearers, according to the researchers.
Are Antidepressants Better Than Placebo for Some? Not So Fast, Researchers Caution
Researchers argue that the recent study finding antidepressants beat placebo for about 15% of people doesn’t account for study unblinding and includes only extremely short-term data.
Gendered Racial Microaggressions Increase Suicide Risk Threefold for Asian-American Women
Experiences of gendered racial microaggressions predicted a threefold increase in suicidal ideation for Asian-American women, while internalized racism in the form of self-negativity heightened this connection.
Reducing Involuntary Psychiatric Admissions in Norway
An interdisciplinary team in Norway, including individuals with lived experience, co-designed an approach to reduce coercive and forced psychiatric interventions.
Psychological Science Is Rooted in Racism
What Thomas Teo calls “white epistemology” at the heart of psychological science has led to the invalidating of other perspectives by psychological researchers.
No Better Outcomes After Testing for Antidepressant Drug-Gene Interactions
Receiving pharmacogenomic testing did reduce the amount of predicted drug-gene interactions—but it did not improve outcomes by the end of the study. Both groups were just as likely to recover from depression.
Mental Health Activists Hold Diverse and Varied Perspectives on Psychiatry
A survey of US and UK mental health activists and advocates finds a spectrum of views, from pro- to anti-psychiatry.
Moving From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Anger Can Help Us Confront Climate Change
Eco-anger may motivate people towards collective action on climate change, while eco-depression and eco-anxiety erode our wellbeing.
Majority of Psychologists Dissatisfied with DSM, Unaware of Alternatives
A new study reveals that psychologists’ attitudes toward DSM have largely remained negative over the past 40+ years.
Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo for About 85% of People
Researchers can’t predict the 15% who benefit from antidepressants, and the other 85% are unnecessarily exposed to the harms of the drugs.
State Sponsored Biomedical Psychiatry Impedes Movements of People with Psychosocial Disabilities
Chilean researchers highlight the harms of the biomedical model in groups led by people with psychosocial disabilities.
How Diagnostic Interviews Translate Situational Behavior Into Pathology
Study finds that, in diagnostic interviews, clinician interpretations of context-specific behaviors lead to personality disorder diagnoses.
Neoliberal Values Connected to Increased Stigma and Suicidal Ideation
Neoliberalism breeds an obsession with individual success and failure, fostering suicidal thoughts.
Nobody Knows What “Serious Mental Illness” Means
The lack of a single definition of "serious mental illness" negatively affects policy-making, research, and clinical practice.
Study Contradicts Diathesis-Stress Model of Psychosis
A new study found that as people experience more traumatic events, genetic risk becomes less important in explaining psychosis.
Social Defeat, Psychosis, and Suicidality Linked in Sexual Minority Youth
A cross-sectional study examines the associations between psychotic experiences and suicidal behaviors among sexual minority college students.
Young People Often Feel Invalidated by Mental Health Emergency Service Providers
A study highlights the experiences of young people during mental health emergency service encounters and presents an alternative approach.
Researchers Champion Human Rights Based Approach to Psychosocial Disability
Even as countries ratify the CRPD, many policies are still in direct opposition to the human rights standards for psychosocial disability.
Universal Mental Health Intervention in Schools Fails, Worsens Outcomes
The Climate Schools intervention, rolled out across 18 schools, had no effect on anxiety and depression, but worsened the primary outcome of “internalizing problems.”
How Do Science Journalists Choose Which Studies to Report?
A new study suggests that science journalists often rely on a narrow range of factors to evaluate studies for reporting, leading the public astray.
The Holocaust, Biological Psychiatry and a Shift Toward a More Humane Psychiatry Today
Understanding the legacy of Nazi murders of psychiatric patients is essential when building more humane services today.
Rejecting the Madness as “Darkness” Discourse
Feminist theorists highlight how racialized metaphors of madness bolster White claims of sanity and reinforce racism in mental health.
Does Widespread use of Psychotropic Medications Increase Traffic Accidents?
Research finds that psychotropic medications are associated with a small increase in traffic accident risk.
No Evidence Low Serotonin Causes Depression
After decades of public misperception, a major review finally lays the chemical imbalance theory of depression to rest.
Addressing Racism-Related Stress and Trauma in Psychotherapy
Researchers provide an antiracist and liberatory approach to psychotherapy for marginalized clients.
Are People with Psychosocial Disabilities Welcomed in Public Spaces?
Current infrastructure and biased attitudes deny equal access to people with psychosocial disabilities.
Psychologists Grapple with Limits to Reproductive Justice in the Wake of Dobbs Ruling
In the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, psychologists push for a reproductive justice framework that challenges systemic issues.
Universities Often Rely on Police for Emergency Mental Health Transfers, Despite Known Harms
Clinicians recognize the harmful impacts of police involvement in mental health transfers but continue to justify the practice.
Screening for Depression in Adolescents Does Not Prevent Hospitalizations or Suicide Attempts
Screening teenagers for depression doesn't lead to better results and may expose many to unnecessary treatments.
How Does Spiritual Voice Hearing Compare to Psychosis?
Researchers compared the experiences of people who understand their voice-hearing to be spiritual and those who experience psychosis.
For Queer and Gender Diverse Youth, Biomedical Model of Mental Health May Reduce Stigma...
Research on the lived experiences of queer and gender diverse youth explores how they make sense of their mental health distress.
Treatment Pathways for Psychosis Vary by Race
A new study explores ethnoracial disparities present in access to treatment in youth experiencing first-episode psychosis.
Exercise Associated with 25% Lower Risk for Depression, Researchers Say
A new meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry finds that the equivalent of just two and half hours of walking reduces the risk of depression by 25%.
Leadership Needed to Forward Culturally-Responsive Global Mental Health Policies
Support has grown for Global Mental Health over the past decade, but political tensions and the lack of a shared vision continue to get in the way of new policies.
How Young People Can Change the Power Dynamic in Climate Justice
Researchers look at a series of actionable leverage points youth can use to level the playing field at climate justice negotiations.
Pharma’s “Evergreening” Patent Tactics Mean High Costs and Low Benefits for Consumers
“Evergreening” practices, like slightly tweaking drugs, create large profits for companies with little innovation or benefit for patients.
Industry Sponsorship of “Cost Effectiveness Analyses” Produces Biased Results
New evidence shows how pharma affects “Cost-Effectiveness Analyses” to sell the public on their drugs.
Psychology’s “Winning Streak” Is a Failure of Science, Not Success
The scientific method depends on the revision and rejection of failed theories--somehow psychology researchers always find a positive result.
Researchers: Study of Schizophrenia Held Back by “Cult-Like” Belief System
Leading researchers complain that psychiatry refuses “to enter the moral era of medicine” and clings to an outdated view of schizophrenia.
Coercive Psychiatric Practice Goes Beyond Seclusion and Restraint
Mad activist and survivor-researcher Indigo Daya highlights the coercive practices that are often built into mental health care.
Doctors Renew Campaign Against Overdiagnosis and Overmedication
The editor of The BMJ supports a "campaign against too much medicine" but urges a focus on the harm caused rather than financial costs.
Less Than a Quarter of Those with Depression Respond to Treatment in Real Life
In a real-world setting, less than a quarter of patients diagnosed with depression improved with medication, hospitalization, and therapy.
Does Humanistic Psychology Support the Capitalist Status Quo?
A new paper argues that Buddhist psychology and psychoanalysis have more potential for social resistance than humanistic approaches.
Brazilian Psychiatric Survivors Struggle for Liberation Impeded by Medical Model
Fernando Freitas: “The Brazilian experience of psychiatric reform is an exemplar of the limits imposed by post-asylum psychiatry.”
Peer Workers Aid in Suicide Safety Planning in Emergency Care
Peer-based safety planning may be a feasible and acceptable service in Emergency Department care for patients experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Pharmaceutical Industry and FDA Use Mob Tactics to Silence Whistleblowers
Peter Gøtzsche argues that we should consider allowing whistleblowers to publish anonymously for their safety.
Psychiatric Drugs Do Not Improve Disease or Reduce Mortality
Nassir Ghaemi: “Most psychiatric medications are purely symptomatic, with no known or proven effect on the underlying disease. They are like 50 variations of aspirin, used for fever or headache, rather than drugs that treat the causes of fever or headache.”
Why Some Therapists Consistently See Better Results with LGBTQ Clients
Overall therapy outcomes for LGBTQ clients are comparable to their heterosexual peers but some therapists consistently see better results.
Can Secure Attachment Reduce Death Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsions?
Secure attachment can buffer against death anxiety in "psychologically robust" populations. Now researchers are testing the effect on OCD.
Social Interventions for “Serious Mental Illness” Show Promise But Face Resistance
A review of community-based social interventions for "severe mental illness" examines their effectiveness and barriers to implementation.
Antidepressant-Induced Serotonin Syndrome a Danger for the Elderly
Researchers found that 25% of elderly patients taking antidepressants had serotonin syndrome, which is potentially life-threatening.
Treating Grief with Addiction Drug Jeopardizes Social Connections
A new article critiques a movement in psychiatry to understand complicated grief as an addiction and treat it with naltrexone.
Encouraging Healthy Masculinities Can Protect Against Discrimination and Bullying
Psychologists point out that current cultural expectations for “being a real man” can lead to isolation, pain, and even hatred.
Racism, Poverty, Inequality: Social Ingredients for Psychosis, Depression & More
A new study of adult recipients of NY state mental health services reveals the disproportionate prevalence of low educational attainment, criminal-legal systems involvement, unemployment, and homelessness.
How Are White Parents Reckoning With Racism in the Wake of George Floyd?
A study of White mothers reveals how the ongoing racial reckoning in America is shaping parenting practices and racial socialization.
Industry Corruption in Systematic Review for Injectable Antipsychotics
Researchers highlight how systematic reviews are compromised by pharmaceutical industry ties by exposing a study of injectable antipsychotics.
Stimulants Don’t Improve Academic Performance in Kids with ADHD
“Efforts to improve learning in children with ADHD should focus on obtaining effective academic instruction rather than stimulant medication.”
The Insidious Impact of Structural Racism on the Intergenerational Transmission of Depression
The study explores how depression is passed down intergenerationally due to the compounding impact of historical trauma and structural racism.
US Gun Culture Connected to Elevated Youth Suicide Rates
Suicide rates have declined in other wealthy countries over the last decade but increased in the US alongside rates of gun ownership.
Undoing the Healthcare-to-Prison Pipeline with Abolitionist Practice
New work envisions the “positive project” of an abolitionist public healthcare system.
Gun Owners At Risk for Suicide Less Likely to Be Detected by Screening
Researchers suggest psychiatric screening tools may be missing indicators of suicidal behavior in gun owners.
Risk of Depression Spikes When Kids Take Ritalin
Risk of depression increased when children were taking methylphenidate for ADHD, but once they stopped taking the drug, depression risk dropped to normal levels.
Does Psychiatry’s Buzzword “Flourishing” Reflect the Real World?
The construct of “flourishing” may offer promising insights for mental health policy, but what is left out of its conceptualization?
Mainstream Psychology Slow to View Police Brutality as Systemic Racism
Researchers respond to the individualistic view of racism in police brutality through the lens of critical race theory.
Depression Stigma May Be Decreasing; Psychosis Stigma Increasing
Researchers found that in the US, stigma around depression may be decreasing, while stigma around psychosis and substance use disorder may be increasing.
A Blood Test for Suicide? Not When the Cases Overlap with Healthy Controls
Researchers claim to have found biomarkers that differentiate those who died by suicide from those who died from other causes. Does their data support such a finding?
Study Highlights Uptake of Voice Hearing Groups in Brazil
Brazilian researchers present the qualitative results of peer-led voice hearing groups that are integrated into standard psychiatric care.
Can Psychoanalysis Fight Capitalism?
A recent paper argues that psychoanalysis can aid left-wing political struggles as “preparatory work for revolution.”
How Unaddressed Cultural Differences Affect the Therapeutic Relationship
Unacknowledged cultural differences lead to patient ambivalence and mistrust in the therapeutic relationship.
Antidepressant Use in Pregnancy Linked to Poor Neonatal Outcomes
A new study finds risks of pre-term birth, low birth weight, and postnatal adaptation syndrome were increased by SSRI use during pregnancy.
How Concepts Like Trauma and Resilience Reinforce Neoliberalism in the Global South
How talk of “resilience” and “trauma” forces neoliberal narratives onto Global South communities.
Conflict of Interest Policies in Europe May Hide Pharma Influence
Researchers find that European payment reporting policies may be hiding conflicts of interest with the pharmaceutical industry.
Social Media Influencers Now Marketing Drugs to Niche Audiences for Big Pharma
Pharmaceutical companies have started to use social media for direct-to-consumer marketing.
Debunking the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart
The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart informs our current nature vs. nurture debate on intelligence, but the results are now in question.
Psychologists Issue Guidelines for Addressing Economic Marginalization
The American Psychological Association issues new guidelines for therapy with low-income people who face economic marginalization.
Pandemic Precarity Exposes Need for New Psychology of Work
A recent study on precarity during the pandemic highlights the need for a new psychology of work for our current historical moment.
Research Explores the Experience of Benzodiazepine Withdrawal
A new study reveals many benzodiazepine users are misinformed about the risks of withdrawal and experience devastating consequences.
Sense of Meaningfulness in Life Protects Against Mental Distress
A new study explores meaningfulness as a protective factor and crisis of meaning as worsening mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to Distinguish Antidepressant Withdrawal from Relapse
Mark Horowitz and David Taylor provide advice on how to tell the difference between antidepressant withdrawal and depression relapse.
Leaders in Psychosis Treatment Outline Future Directions for Youth Mental Health Services
Prominent researchers and leaders in early psychosis provide suggestions for the future of youth mental health services.
Capitalism and the Biomedical Model of Mental Health
Psychiatrist Joanna Moncrieff argues that we should abandon the medical model and focus instead on how the mental health system relates to capitalism.
A Network Approach to Mental Disorders Could Supplant the DSM
The network approach to mental disorders prioritizes treating interconnected symptoms rather than singular diagnoses.
Did Psychiatry Ever Endorse the Chemical Imbalance Theory of Depression?
With the chemical imbalance theory falling out of fashion, researchers examine the claim that psychiatry never truly endorsed it.
Antidepressants Do Not Improve Quality of Life
A new study found that taking antidepressants did not improve quality of life.
How Global Mental Health Guidelines Produce False Universality
Behind the scenes, Global Mental Health experts disagree on the universality and cross-cultural applicability of current approaches.
Can Humanistic Psychology Shift How We Measure Mental Health?
A new article examines progress related to increased inclusion of principles from Humanistic Psychology in mental health outcome measures.
Council of Europe Releases Report to Promote Voluntary Mental Health Treatment
The report identifies direct and indirect methods to reduce, prevent, and eliminate coercive practices in mental health treatment.
Patient Reports Reveal SSRI Antidepressants Often Lead to Emotional Blunting
According to patient reports, SSRI antidepressants most frequently lead to the subjective experience of emotional blunting.
Psychology “Incompatible with Hypothesis-Driven Theoretical Science”
Researchers point out how the field of psychology often manipulates studies to support theories rather than revising theories in light of new results.
Results of the Inpatient Alternative Soteria Model in Israel
The Soteria model could provide a humane alternative to traditional psychiatric inpatient settings.
How the Mind-Brain Problem Influences our View of Therapy and Psychiatry
Researchers describe neurodualism: the tendency to assume the brain affects the mind more than the mind affects the brain.
Psychiatric Drugs Increase Dementia Risk Threefold After COVID in 65+ Population
Hospitalized COVID patients over 65 were three times as likely to receive a dementia diagnosis if they took psychiatric drugs.
Human Rights Should be Central to Global Mental Health Approaches
Professionals from the United Nations and World Health Organization review the movement for rights-based approaches to global mental health.
Many Service Users Interested in Decreasing Antipsychotic Use with Professional Help
New research examines service user attitudes on discontinuing and reducing antipsychotic drugs.
How Concept Creep Can Lead to Global Psychiatrization
When concepts from psychiatry creep into our everyday language it transforms how we think about ourselves.
Psychiatrists Deliver the Lowest-Quality Healthcare of Any Medical Specialty
In response, the authors suggest that a solution is to stop measuring psychiatrists’ performance.
Suicidality is Inherently Cultural and Political
Contextualizing suicidality in cultural and social contexts is imperative to support individuals experiencing chronic suicidality.
Researchers Expose Big Pharma Funding of UK’s All-Party Parliamentary Groups
Big Pharma makes use of direct funding as well as patient groups to exert influence over governments.
Digital Pills Provide New Possibilities for Coercion but also Resistance
Critical psychologists outline the increased risk of coercion with digital pills while also exploring possibilities for new forms of activism.
Meta-analysis Finds Antidepressants Ineffective for Children and Adolescents
A new study seeking to clarify the efficacy of antidepressants for children and adolescents found “a very small effect size."
Dominance Orientation Predicts Anti-Environmental Beliefs as well as Racism, Sexism
Those who prefer systems where people dominate their ecosystem are more likely to support sexism, racism.
Police Killings and the Pseudoscience of “Excited Delirium”
Physicians for Human Rights released a report on excited delirium, a “scientifically meaningless” cause of death often cited in fatal police encounters.
Antipsychotics Often Prescribed Without Informed Consent
New research reveals that patients are often not given fully informed consent before being prescribed antipsychotics.
How Evidence Based Medicine Became an Illusion
Writing in BMJ, researchers argue that evidence-based medicine has become so corrupted that it has essentially become a contradiction in terms.
Nature: Brain Imaging Studies Are Most Likely False
Small MRI studies inflate effect sizes, leaving the brain imaging research literature cluttered with false positives.
How Social Norms Shape Our Perceptions
A philosopher lays out a theory of social norms and perception that can serve as a foundation for an ecological approach to psychology.
UK Finds Success with Peer Supported Open Dialogue Program
Implementation of a Peer Supported Open Dialogue program in the UK’s NHS finds improved wellbeing and quality of life for service users.
Democratizing Psychiatric Knowledge Production Through Lived Experience Leadership
A new column by Nev Jones on lived experience inclusion and leadership marks a step towards rebalancing disparities in psychiatric research.
Study Investigates Burdens Placed on Survivor Researchers
Survivor researchers in mental health studies can be reduced to their personal narratives and burdened by unfair expectations.
Antipsychotics Worsen Cognitive Functioning in First-Episode Psychosis
Withholding antipsychotics may be beneficial for memory, the researchers write.
A “Mass Possession” Event in Nicaragua Exposes Inadequacy of Western Mental Health Approaches
An anthropological account of a "mass demonic possession" in indigenous Nicaraguan culture exposes the limits of global mental health.
Racism Evident in Patient Health Records
Research finds that negative descriptors are more frequently used in health records when providers are referring to Black patients.
Pharmaceutical Industry Corruption Goes Beyond Conflicts of Interest
Researcher Sergio Sismondo outlines the different strategies that the pharmaceutical industry uses to dictate the terms of research.
Esketamine: Dangers and Lingering Questions
Researchers in France describe the poor clinical results they have observed so far using eskatamine for treatment-resistant depression.
Addressing Cultural Bias in the Treatment of Personality Disorders
Without consideration of cultural factors, personality disorder assessment remains inaccurate for migrant and ethnically marginalized groups.
Sexual Assault at Any Age Is a Risk Factor for Psychosis
Research finds no "critical period" for sexual abuse and mental health—sexual assault at any age can lead to psychosis symptoms.
How Psychiatry Perpetuates a Culture of Exclusion
The focus on risk in psychiatry overshadows healing and recovery, leading to a culture of exclusion.
Official Guidelines on Antidepressant Discontinuation Fail Practitioners and Patients
A review of clinical practice guidelines for antidepressant discontinuation from across the English-speaking world reveals major pitfalls.
Evidence Lacking for Mobile Mental Health Apps
A new study on mobile mental health apps finds there is a lack of convincing evidence to support their effectiveness.
Providing Housing is Essential to Treating Mental Health and Homelessness
Housing First programs may offer increased chances of recovery for people at the intersection of homelessness and mental illness.
Neoliberal Policies and the Declining Mental Health of Older Americans
Neoliberal privatization exacerbates ageism and leads to policies that impact the wellbeing and mental health of older adults in the US.
How Psychologists Can Engage in Civil Disobedience to Defend Ethical Principles
A new article in the American Psychologist argues in support of civil disobedience by psychologists.
Your Mindset Matters When You Meditate
Researchers find that trying to control your emotions when you meditate undermines its effectiveness. Mindful acceptance improves outcomes.
Can the Psychodynamic Manual Move Therapy Beyond the DSM?
Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual editor, Nancy McWilliams, explores how an alternative to the DSM could benefit psychotherapy.
How Providers Can Support Psychiatric Drug Discontinuation
Supportive patient-practitioner relationships are crucial to the successful discontinuation of psychiatric medication.
Ketamine No Better Than Placebo for Reducing Suicidal Ideation in Depression
Ketamine also had no effect on suicide attempts compared with placebo. One person who took ketamine in the study died by suicide.
The Need for Person-Centered Psychotherapy Training in Psychiatry
Psychiatrist John Markowitz argues for the necessity of a “back to the basics” person-centered supportive psychotherapy approach.
Bringing Patient-Centered Care to Psychiatry to Address Injustices
Mental health providers and policymakers could greatly improve inpatient psychiatric care by attending to patient-centered outcomes.
Inequalities Drive College Student Depression Internationally
Facing compiling stressors, college students with less social support and fewer financial resources show increases in depression symptoms.
Doing Justice to Madness in Philosophy
Nev Jones speaks on the politics of madness in the philosophy of psychiatry.
Read Rebuts Biased ECT Defenders
The Lancet Psychiatry publishes a back and forth between critics and defenders of ECT.
Stigma and Lack of Education Drive Public Support for Psychiatric Coercion
Public approval of psychiatric coercion increases with perceived dangerousness and decreases with increased familiarity with mental distress.
Financial Resources Promote Infant Brain Activity
A new study finds a link between unconditional cash transfers and infant brain activity and cognitive development.
Deaths of Despair on the Rise in the United States
A new article investigates why deaths of despair are increasing in the United States and not in other wealthy, industrialized nations.
Shifting Away from ECT and Antidepressants for Depression
Researchers argue that we need a paradigm shift away from the biomedical model of mental illness to one informed by political action and common sense.
Negative Antidepressant Trials Still Unlikely to Be Published
Antidepressant trials with negative results are still more likely than not to either be misleadingly spun as positive or unpublished.
Rising Social and Existential Uncertainty Linked to Mental Distress
A review of the research literature finds a positive association between uncertainty and mental distress such as depression and anxiety.
Debate Over Inclusive Practices in Mental Health Policy Making
Nev Jones and Kendall Atterbury argue that appeals to rationality and evidence will marginalize service users in mental health policy.
Did Pharma Companies Hide Failed ADHD Drug Studies From Regulators?
Researchers find more than half of drug trials missing from pharma applications to approve ADHD medication.
Major Review Finds Limited Effectiveness for Medication and Therapy
Most mental health treatments are marginally better than placebo; therapy for OCD seems to be the exception.
Study Discovers Extensive Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest in Medical Research
Public records reveal major discrepancies in medical researchers’ self-disclosures of financial conflicts of interest.
Psychiatry and Psychology Fail in Response to Farmer Suicides in India
Sudarshan Kottai calls out the field for failing to attend to the social and political factors leading to the deaths of Indian farmers.
Clinicians and Patients Often Disagree on Mental Health Outcomes
Researchers find discrepancies between clinician and patient reports on mental health outcomes after in-patient treatment for depression.
How Socioeconomic Class Affects Therapy
Researchers find that clients of lower socioeconomic status often feel estranged and alienated in psychotherapy, decreasing effectiveness.
Online Debates on Psychiatric Diagnosis Often Rely on Rhetoric Instead of Facts
A new research article examines the use of polemics and rhetorical concessions in the online debate about psychiatric diagnosis.
No Meaningful Brain Differences in Depression
Researchers find that neuroimaging results are unable to distinguish between the brains of depressed people and healthy controls.
De-Psychiatrization and the Promise of Open Dialogue
Language and meaning-based approaches to psychosocial support can counter the march of global psychiatrization.
Navigating the Meaning of Psychosis Important for Recovery
Interviews with people in treatment for first-episode psychosis reveal the importance of making meaning of new identities during recovery.
Why We Need a Neurodiverse Philosophy of Autistic Happiness
A neurotypical framework for the “good human life” dismisses the testimonies of autistic people.
SSRI Antidepressants Do Not Improve Depression After a Stroke
A study in JAMA Neurology finds that antidepressants do not reduce depression symptoms more than placebo in patients recovering from a stroke.
Significant Association Between Cannabis Use and Psychotic Disorders
Researchers find that nonmedical use of cannabis was significantly associated with a diagnosis of psychotic disorder.
How Psychotherapy Can Escape Neoliberalism and the Medical Model
Rethinking the activities and goals of psychotherapy may reveal new ways to offer support through human connection.
“Data Pollution” Hinders Psychiatric Research
In JAMA Psychiatry, researchers argue that many studies are corrupted by data pollution and that the field is unable to manage these issues.
Researchers Outline Coproduction Framework for Inpatient Mental Health
Social constructionism may provide a framework for the ethical implementation of coproduction in inpatient mental health settings.
Ketamine Withdrawal Has Severe Consequences
New research in the American Journal of Psychiatry describes a case of ketamine withdrawal that illuminates many of the issues with the drug.
New Review: Antidepressants Come with Minimal Benefits, Several Risks
A review of research on antidepressant efficacy finds that an unfavorable risk-to-benefit ratio.
Person-Centered Approach to Psychopathology Eschews Diagnosis
A critical review argues for embracing dynamic and complex relations theories in person-centered mental health treatment.
Family Physicians Must Change Antidepressant Prescribing Practices
A new article highlights the changes needed in primary care to reduce the overuse of antidepressants.
Common Statistical Method Conflates Withdrawal with Relapse
Researchers argue that common study methods for psychiatric drugs may inadvertently minimize withdrawal effects and inflate drug efficacy.
Overuse of Psychiatric Drugs is Worsening Public Mental Health, Doctor Argues
A new research article asserts that the overuse of psychiatric drugs may create neurobiological changes that hamper long-term mental health recovery.
What Helps Long-Term Users of Benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs Discontinue?
Current long-term users of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs identify barriers and facilitators for discontinuation.
Research Reveals the Psychological Impacts of Family Separation Policies
A qualitative study on the practice of family separation at the border shows how immigration policies impact public health.
Editors Explore the Nuances of Illicit Drug Use by Researchers and Academics
Researchers that use illicit drugs present papers on epistemic violence, problematic addiction models, and the lived experience of drug use.
Kenneth Kendler: “Implausible” That Psychiatric Diagnoses Even “Approximately True”
In JAMA Psychiatry, prominent psychiatrist Kenneth Kendler writes that psychiatric diagnoses are “working hypotheses, subject to change.”
Adverse Childhood Experiences Associated with Higher Anxiety in College Students
Researchers find that students who report ACEs are more likely to report higher anxiety and worse mental health.
What Role can the United Nations Play in Rights-Based Global Mental Health?
Scholars explore the role of the United Nations in shaping global mental health priorities.
Qualitative Evidence Supports the Ban on Conversion Therapy in Canada
Qualitative research offers insight into the detrimental impacts of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ and two-spirit individuals.
Why the FDA Approved Ineffective Drugs for Low Sexual Desire in Women
Researchers demonstrate how the pharmaceutical industry co-opted feminist messages to push ineffective drugs for low sexual desire in women.
Lithium No Better Than Placebo for Preventing Suicide Attempts
A trial in veterans who had survived a previous suicide attempt was stopped early because the drug was found to be no better than a placebo.
Neurobiological Explanations Can Foreclose Self-Understanding
Joseph Davis presents evidence that neurobiological explanatory models for mental health and suffering can prevent valuable self-exploration.
Medicalizing Grief May Threaten Our Ability to Mourn
New developments to establish grief specific diagnoses risk more than overdiagnosis and overprescription, altering how we construe mourning.
Medical Journals Often Publish Their Own Editors, Raising Ethical Questions
A new study of medical journals finds that the authors most frequently published by a journal are usually members of the editorial board.
New Study of Ayahuasca Users Shows Placebo Effect in Action
The ayahuasca study also demonstrates how psychiatry co-opts and misunderstands indigenous rituals.
Research Reveals Mental Health Professionals’ Participation in Rape Culture
Standard clinical practices often enforce anti-blackness, rape culture, and sanism, normalizing sexual violence and misogyny.
Cultural Trauma as a Driver of Health Disparities
The cultural trauma of marginalized groups blocks access to resources and causes deep psychological and physical injuries.
Newspapers Diminish Youth Climate Change Activists, Help Adults Avoid Action
Existential psychology offers a framework for understanding how anxiety and guilt about climate change play out in public narratives.
Esketamine Failed in Five of its Six Efficacy Trials
The remaining esketamine trial showed a statistically significant effect that did not meet clinical significance.
Philosophically Informed Approaches to Mental Health Can Limit Overdiagnosis of Children
A new article argues that a robust and philosophical approach to mental health can act against the pressure to diagnose children.
Indigenous Healing Poses a Challenge and Opportunity for Global Mental Health
Similarities in the therapeutic process may reconcile apparent differences between Global Mental Health and indigenous healing practices.
The Hypocrisy of Shared Decision Making Research that is Not Inclusive
While research on shared decision making in psychiatry has the potential to improve treatment there is a need for more inclusive practices.
“Grave Disability” and the Path Between Prison and Involuntary Psychiatric Care
Are more screenings for ‘grave disability’ and involuntary psychiatric treatment really a solution for US jails and prisons?
Researchers Push to End Placebo Run-in Periods in Antidepressant Studies
Meta-analysis finds that the placebo run-in methodology reduces the placebo effect and finds antidepressants to be less useful.
Addressing Indigenous Health Requires Respecting Land Rights
New work explores the impacts of settler colonialism and land rights on the health of American Indian and Alaskan Native Youth.
Experiences of Prejudice and Discrimination in Mental Healthcare
Researchers examine the many ways that people experience prejudice and discrimination in mental healthcare.
Patients and Providers Understand Psychosis Differently
A new review examines service-user and mental health professionals’ causal beliefs about psychosis and how those beliefs may affect treatment.
Withdrawal Symptoms Cloud Findings of Antidepressant “Relapse” Trial
Leading researchers point out that a new antidepressant study in NEJM failed to account for withdrawal symptoms, casting doubt on the results.
Epistemic Injustice in Clinical Mental Health Encounters
A new article evaluates claims of epistemic injustice in mental healthcare with people experiencing delusions and with young people.
Why We Need a ‘Syndemic’ Framework to Study Psychosis
Approaching psychosis as emerging from a syndemic of multiple adversities has important implications for health policy.
Essentialist Thinking May Drive Stigma Against People Diagnosed with Schizophrenia
Researchers find that both psychological and biological essentialism result in stigma against people diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Mental Health Literacy Does Not Reduce Stigma, Psychosocial Approaches More Promising
Psychosocial explanations of distress reduce stigma for people with mental disorders, whereas biogenetic explanations do not.
Researchers Claim That Women with PTSD Symptoms May be On Their Period
Based on a small study that included no women with PTSD, researchers suggest that women have worse PTSD symptoms at the start of menstruation--and that this might explain why they are more vulnerable to PTSD than men.
Global Capitalism is a Social Determinant of Health
A new article in Social Science & Medicine argues that global capitalism may be the greatest social determinant of health worldwide.
Meta-analysis of Psychotherapy in Children Finds Lackluster Long Term Results
Existing research on psychotherapy for depression finds that many therapies are not providing a long-term benefit for children.
Updates to Current Understandings of Psychosis and Schizophrenia
Drawing on research on epigenetics and structural determinants, researchers offer an updated and nuanced understanding of psychosis.
Researchers Provide Guidance for Reducing and Stopping Psychiatric Drugs
New guidance on how to taper and discontinue from psychiatric drugs from leading researchers Mark Horowitz and David Taylor.
The Underappreciated Role of Compassionate Nurses in Mental Healthcare
Qualitative research from Europe reveals the important role that empathic mental health nurses play for adults in suicidal crisis.
Evidence-Based Practices Are Often Required but Impractical in Financially Strained Community Mental Health Services
Researchers draw on Maslow's hierarchy of needs to explore why evidence-based services often make little sense in financially stepped community mental health settings.
Questioning the Underpinnings of Psychiatric Classification Systems
A new review of psychiatric nosology by Aftab and Ryznar highlights how diagnoses emerge from particular conceptual frameworks.
More Exercise and Less Screen Time Improves Teen Mental Health
A new international study explores the connections between adolescent wellbeing, physical activity, and screen time.
Alzheimer’s Drug Controversy Continues
What can we learn from the FDA’s controversial approval of aducanumab, the Alzheimer’s drug that failed its clinical trials?
Meta-Analysis Finds No Support for Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia
A new meta-analysis of data from individuals at high risk for schizophrenia finds no evidence for the dopamine hypothesis.
Political Conservatism Linked to Increased Bullying and Mental Health Concerns for LGBTQ+ Students
Research finds less teacher intervention for bullying and greater psychological distress for LGBTQ+ students in conservative districts.
Coercion and Dehumanization in Mental Healthcare
Researchers discuss how experiences with psychiatric coercion influence the patient/provider relationship and involuntary psychiatric care.
Screening for Depression in Primary Care Does Not Improve Outcomes
Research fails to show that screening primary care patients for depression leads to improvements in patient outcomes.
Climate Anxiety and Government Distrust Pervasive Among Young People Worldwide
Young people worldwide experience negative emotions over climate change and their government’s refusal to take steps to address the crisis.
Psychiatry Concerned it Will be ‘Marginalized’ in Push for Rights-Based Mental Health
A new report responds to psychiatrists who are concerned that their field will be 'marginalized' within the new WHO QualityRights initiative.
The Imposition of Western Psychology as Colonialism
New scholarship explores how eurocentric ideas inherent in western psychology reproduce colonialism and impact the Global South.
Has the Internet Led to a Rise in Mental Disorders?
Prominent researcher suggests that the internet led to new mental disorders and exacerbated others without increasing their total prevalence.
Manufacturer of Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Drugs Finds TD Emotionally Devastating
“Patients expressed feeling unaccepted by society or uncomfortable in their own skin… A few indicated that they would rather be dead than have tardive dyskinesia.”
Antipsychotics Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk
Long-term exposure to prolactin-increasing antipsychotics increases the odds of developing breast cancer.
Regulations Needed to Protect Privacy and Autonomy from Digitalized Psychiatric Tools
Researchers bring attention to the threats posed by neuromarketing and digital phenotyping in psychiatric systems worldwide.
New Rating Tool for Tapering Antidepressants and Antipsychotics
Researchers developed a rating scale to better assess service users’ experiences tapering antidepressant and/or antipsychotic medication.
Antidepressant Effects on Serotonin Plateau at the Minimum Recommended Dose
Brain imaging studies show little benefit to increasing antidepressant doses and support hyperbolic tapering for discontinuation.
Selective Reporting Inflates Effectiveness for Psychotherapy Depression Treatments
Researchers find that lack of pre-registration combined with selective data reporting bias the research literature on psychotherapy.
Psychosis Associated with Childhood and Health Care-Related Traumas
A new study finds that people with psychosis connect the onset of their symptoms with trauma in childhood and in treatment settings.
New Leaders in American Psychiatry Embrace Social Determinants Approach to Mental Illness
The editors of The Lancet highlight a shift in American psychiatry toward a more thorough appreciation of the social determinants approach.
Antipsychotics Increase Risk of Dementia; New Research Illuminates Why
In JAMA psychiatry, researchers outline new theories connecting antipsychotic use in people with schizophrenia and increased dementia risk.
A Zero Suicide Goal Requires a Reimagining of Inpatient Care
A new article suggests that the goal of Zero Suicide calls for a radical reimagining of inpatient care to ensure privacy and autonomy.
Incorporating Indigenous Medicine into Global Mental Health
International health researchers reflect on the role of traditional healing in addressing the global mental health treatment gap.
Conflicts of Interest in Medical Commentaries Undermine Credibility of Major Journals
Researchers note that clinical trial sponsors and authors of trial commentaries often have financial associations.
How Pharma Pushes New, Less Effective Drugs on the Market
Researchers lay out the tactics pharma companies use to push "lemons" through regulators and onto the market.
Conflicts of Interest Linked to “Unduly Favorable” Editorials
A new study looks at biased editorials in top medical journals and the conflicts of interest held by their authors.
Open Dialogue Approaches Involve Families in Mental Health Recovery
Collaboration between families, providers, and clients in treatment has been shown to be beneficial to the recovery process.
Mental Health Crisis Response Teams May Reduce Incarceration Risks
New research on police-mental health co-response teams suggests mental health workers can help reduce the short-term risk of incarceration.
Ethical Concerns Over Telehealth Screenings for Psychiatric Hospitalizations
Researchers and policymakers raise ethical issues with the use of remote mental health assessments during the pandemic.
How to Address the Undermining of Drug Regulators by Pharma
Researchers recommend a new drug approval pathway for increasing consistency from regulators and transparency from pharma companies.
Close Attention to the Experience of Schizophrenia Reveals Need for Social Treatments
A phenomenological approach to psychiatry and schizophrenia reveals that these experiences are fundamentally social and intersubjective.
Newborn Babies Go Through Antidepressant Withdrawal
A new study finds that newborn babies experience antidepressant withdrawal after birth if their mothers take SSRIs when pregnant.
For Sexual Minorities, Health Disparities Persist Late in Life
A new study finds that lesbian, gay, and bisexual elders often face disparities in health and reduced access to care.
Psychiatric Drugs may Reduce Social and Emotional Capacities
Research finds that social cognition and emotional processing abilities can be disrupted by psychiatric drugs.
Tapered Antipsychotic Withdrawal Mitigates Risk of Psychotic Symptoms
Research suggests that slowly tapering off an antipsychotic reduces the risk of withdrawal psychosis compared to abrupt discontinuation.
UK Psychologists see Psychosis as a Potentially Transformational Experience
Study finds that some UK psychologists shun a purely biological approach to understanding psychosis.
“Relapse” in Antidepressant Trials Likely Caused by Sudden Withdrawal
A new study investigates how antidepressant withdrawal effects often get confounded with depression relapse in clinical trials.
75% of Pharma Companies Fail Basic Transparency Measures
Researchers find that larger pharma companies tend to perform better on transparency inventories than smaller companies.
Toward Heterotopia? Service User Collaboration in Mental Health Research
Researchers explore the challenges and possibilities of collaborative research with service users in psychiatry and mental health.
Psychiatric Diagnoses a “Convenient Fiction,” Complex Systems Approach Needed
Psychologist Eiko Fried proposes studying mental disorders as systems, not syndromes.
Stigmatizing Language in Medical Records Impacts Patient Care
A new study explores physicians’ use of positive and negative language in medical records and the implications for patient care.
Sudden Antipsychotic Withdrawal—Not Low Dose—Leads to Relapse
A new article in Lancet Psychiatry debunks past studies claiming that those on low doses of antipsychotics are more likely to relapse.
Lead Exposure in Childhood Impacts Personality and Mental Health
A study of over 1.5 million people in Europe and the US links the development of less adaptive personalities with childhood lead exposure.
Philosophy Can Help Replace a Reductionist Model of Mental Health
A new article argues that enactive philosophy can help clarify and integrate the disconnected pieces of the biopsychosocial model.
Coping with Trauma Communally Reduces PTSD Risk
Results suggest that Black and Latina women who cope with trauma by engaging with their community experience less severe PTSD symptoms.
Psychedelic Research Leaves Out People of Color
Trials of psychedelic drugs are mostly white. This exclusion can lead to negative drug experiences for people of color.
BMJ: 20% of Health Research Is Fraudulent
Richard Smith argues that “the time may have come to stop assuming that research actually happened and is honestly reported, and assume that the research is fraudulent.”
Black Canadians More at Risk of Coercive Treatment
With coercive treatment on the increase in Canada, a study finds that Black Canadians are more likely to be forcibly treated than whites and non-Black minorities.
Collective Action a Remedy for Depression Among LGBT Individuals
Hong Kong researchers shed light on how collective action can promote better mental health for LGBT individuals in less democratic societies.
Psychedelic Research Has a Racist Past
Researchers investigate the history of abuse and exploitation of people of color and other marginalized groups during the first wave of Western psychedelic research in the US.
When it Comes to Medication, Providers Violate Values of Recovery-Oriented Practices
A new study finds that practitioners often ignore the principles of the recovery movement when it comes to the use of psychiatric drugs
Professionals and Service Users Struggle As Research Collaborators
A new article examines the power and relational dynamics in research co-produced by mental health professionals and service users.
Researchers Debate the FDA’s Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug Approval
A debate between advisory committee members and FDA officials reveals the controversy at the core of the FDA’s approval of Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab.
Why Do People Choose Medication-Free Mental Healthcare Treatment?
A mixed-method study explores service users’ accounts of why they chose to be treated in a medication-free treatment center in Norway.
Medical Debt Is a Significant Social Determinant of Health
Medical debt can lead to significant adverse mental health effects as well as financial and economic disadvantage.
Researchers Concerned About Whitewashing of Psychedelic-Assisted Mental Health Research
As psychedelic therapy trials approach FDA approval, researchers express the urgent need to ensure effectiveness and accessibility to communities of color.
Researchers Debate Benefits of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics
Researchers critique an analysis in Lancet Psychiatry that included poorly designed studies and was written by pharma-employed authors.
Critical Psychiatrists Argue for Decolonizing Medical Curricula in Psychiatry
Experts argue that critical thinking is needed to decolonize the medical curriculum and dismantle racism in psychiatry.
FDA’s “Accelerated Approval” Process Leaves Ineffective Drugs on the Market
A BMJ investigation found that almost half (112) of the drugs approved this way don't have evidence for benefit, but only 16 drugs have ever been withdrawn.
Psychology’s own Ethical Standards Demand Prison Abolition
New work takes a closer look at psychology's troubling relationship with the criminal justice system and outlines a path toward abolition.
Preventing Psychiatric Rehospitalization with Person-Centered Care
By listening to service users, researchers aim to prevent psychiatric rehospitalization and improve patient-centered approaches to recovery.
Study Examines Perspectives on Psychosis Recovery 20 Years Later
Interviews with service users 20 years after first-episode psychosis shed light on how to improve recovery-oriented mental health services.
Long Hours and Low Psychosocial Safety at Work Can Make You Depressed
Research finds that people who work long hours at stressful jobs are three times more likely to meet criteria for depression after one year.
Why not Diagnose Social Conditions Instead of Individual Symptoms?
A new analysis of mental health data in the UK finds that clinicians rarely use ICD codes related to social determinants.
How Does Professionalization Impact Lived Experience Work in Mental Health?
Researchers examine the benefits and drawbacks of the move toward professionalizing lived experience work in mental health settings.
Antipsychotic Adherence Research Overlooks Key Information
Researchers argue for a shift away from a focus on antipsychotic adherence toward understanding service users’ diverse patterns of use.
New Guidelines for Supervisors of Peer Support Workers
A new set of guidelines were developed to inform supervisors of peer support workers in mental health services.
New Study: The Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P) Model Is Flawed
The CHR-P model focuses on “attenuated psychosis” to predict “transition” to schizophrenia and ignores other factors. But new research shows that the model is a poor predictor.
Researchers Propose Study to Test Whether Antidepressants Impede Recovery
Evolutionary theorists suggest that antidepressants interfere with the adaptive function of depression and propose a test of this theory.
Reading Literary Fiction May Challenge us to see Others in More Nuanced Ways
Researchers find evidence that reading literary fiction can lead to improved abilities to imagine the psychological lives of others.
How Relational Approaches to Mental Health Implicate our Political Systems
Research in India and Zambia exposes individualistic approaches to mental health and highlights the power of relational conceptions.
Do People Diagnosed with Autism Have Enhanced Rationality?
Researchers examine the possibility of enhanced rationality and reduced cognitive biases in people diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Voice Hearing Adolescents Report Diverse Experiences
Qualitative accounts of voice hearing adolescents reveal a wide range of experiences with both comforting and distressing voices.