RESEARCH NEWS

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

An archive of research reports on psychiatric drugs can also be found here. 

Conceptual image of human brain in colorful splashes

A Call for Critical Approaches to Cognitive Psychology

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Richard Prather asks fellow researchers in cognitive psychology to incorporate critical models and approaches into their practices.
Medical students sitting and talking at the university

Human Rights Education can Shift Medical Students’ Perspectives on Psychiatry

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A new study explores how training and education centered on human rights facilitates increased awareness and advocacy for change to psychiatry in medical students.
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Why Does Research Focus on Treating Depression Rather Than Preventing It?

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Why Does Research Focus on Treating Depression Rather Than Preventing It?
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No Difference in Antidepressant Effectiveness After Genetic Testing

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Genetic testing may help reduce the length of time people experience the harmful effects of antidepressant drugs, but it is not helpful for predicting efficacy.

What Psychosis Researchers can Learn from the Compassionate Approach to Psychedelic Experiences

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Despite their similarities, psychedelic experiences are often met with care and compassion, while psychosis is treated with coercion.
flowering globe

Mad Studies Needed to Decolonize Global Mental Health

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Peter Beresford and Diana Rose explore the influence of Mad Studies, survivor movements, and experiential knowledge in global mental health discourse.
Young woman talking with psychologist about her problems

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Effective for LGBTQ Individuals with Trauma Histories

In a new clinical trial, researchers found psychodynamic psychotherapy to be a promising treatment for the reduction of PTSD symptoms in LGBTQ individuals.
Virtualization of the Mind

Digital Phenotyping in Mental Health is Radically Transforming our Pursuit of Self-Knowledge

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By using data from digital devices to diagnose and treat mental illness, digital phenotyping could fundamentally change how we understand ourselves.
Doctor holding a card with text ketamine

Ketamine Fails to Beat Active Placebo for Depression

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Ketamine “may actually be ineffective for the short-term treatment of MDD.”
A blackboard with ''DSM-5'' written on it in the hands of a doctor on a white background

DSM-5 Faces Global Backlash: An International Call for Culturally Affirming and Decolonizing Mental Health...

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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...

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Research finds that downward social mobility leads to distress but the pressure to move up in a neoliberal society also causes distress.
Doctor shows information: forensic psychiatry

Recovery Orientation Faces Challenges in Forensic Psychiatry Settings

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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

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World Psychiatry article challenges conventional antidepressant prescription practices.

Australia’s Billion-Dollar Question: Why Is Mental Health Not Improving With Better Access?

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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

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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

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An in-depth analysis of personal narratives of mental health recovery aims to improve treatment for marginalized communities.
orso level photo of three Black and disabled folx (a non-binary person holding a cane, a woman in a power wheelchair, and a woman on a folding chair) raising their fists on the sidewalk in front of a white wall. (Credit: Disabled and Here.)

Therapist Trainings Needed on Disability to Counter Neoliberalism in Mental Healthcare

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Disability scholar Joanne Hunt’s call for structural competence training around disability counters neoliberal ideologies in clinical training.

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.

Systemic Racism Exacerbates Psychosis Risk for People of Color in the US

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New study highlights connection between racism and psychosis in the United States.

Amid Opioid Crisis, Doctors Turn to Antidepressants for Chronic Pain

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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

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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

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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?

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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.
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Global Push for Human Rights in Mental Healthcare Gains Momentum

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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

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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

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Systematic review uncovers the detrimental effects of unpaid work on employed women's mental health.

Breaking Blind: Antipsychotic Drug Efficacy May Be Overestimated

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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

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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

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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

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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

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People with symptoms of personality disorders, anxiety, and depression are more likely to volunteer for psychological research.

Lithium in Drinking Water Linked to Autism

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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

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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

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Unintended consequences arise as AI programs implemented without stakeholder input risk exacerbating homelessness issues.

Forced Opioid Tapering Leads to Worse Outcomes for Patients

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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

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Researchers point to overlooked dangers as school mental health programs exacerbate adolescent distress.

Lancet Psychiatry: We Are Undervaluing the Placebo Effect

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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

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Music therapy found to be an effective tool in improving mental health and daily life functioning in young people with ADHD.
Young female psychotherapist giving advice to one of patients during session while sitting in front of group of people with problems

Implementation of Open Dialogue for Psychosis in Atlanta Shows Promise

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Study finds Open Dialogue-inspired support intervention reduces symptoms and improves functioning.

Study Identifies Best Practices for Co-Designed Mental Health Interventions

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Study identifies best practices for co-designing eMental Health interventions with practitioners and people with lived experience.

Alzheimer’s Drugs Cause Brain Shrinkage

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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

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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

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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

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Study reveals most patients are dissatisfied with prescribers' support when discontinuing antidepressants.

JAMA Psychiatry: We Must Look at the Harms of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

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Researchers warn of potential harms of psychedelic-assisted therapy as hype outstrips evidence.

Beyond the Brain: Psychological Humanities Needed to Understand the Human Condition

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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?

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Leading psychiatrists propose a cultural-ecosocial systemic approach to counter biological reductionism in the field.

Gender Bias in Antidepressant Ads? 82% Target Women

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Researchers raise concerns over the potential negative effects of direct-to-consumer antidepressant advertisements.