Violence Induced by Depression, or by Antidepressants?
-Correspondence in The Lancet Psychiatry suggests that a study linking depression to acts of violence should have examined antidepressant medications as possible causes.
Mental Health Providers with “Understanding of Aboriginal Approaches” Wanted
-"Aboriginal youth are nine times more likely to be depressed and three times more likely to think about suicide compared to non-aboriginal youth."
Emotional Triggers, Safe Spaces, PTSD and Politically Correct Language
-Emphasis on language "political correctness" on many college and university campuses may have less to do with politics than with how we process trauma.
Former NEJM Editors Attack Journal’s “Flawed” and “Rambling” Conflict-of-interest Articles
-Three former editors of the New England Journal of Medicine criticize the NEJM for its recent publication of a series of articles downplaying conflicts of interest.
“A Preliminary Taxonomy of the Voices Inside Your Head”
-BPS Research Digest reports on growing efforts to understand the voices that virtually everyone hears in their heads.
An Honor Code for Medical Trials is a Fragile Thing
-Carl Elliott reflects on the scandals at UMinn, and explains why he worries that medical and psychiatric research at other universities and institutions may be just as unethical.
How Much Do Average People Know About the Risks of Screening?
-Despite an "epidemic" of "expanding disease definitions that medicalize more people," most Australians have no idea that overdiagnosis is a problem.
“The Case for Publicly Funded Therapy”
-An article in Canada's Globe and Mail makes the case for expanding public funding of mental health services beyond psychiatrists.
“What Does fMRI Measure?”
-An accessible explanation of what fMRI brain scan devices actually measure.
More Responses to NEJM Conflict-of-interest Articles
-"For the most prominent journal of American medicine to offer so much precious real estate for arguments that are half-baked and tendentious is amazing."
Too Many Parents Don’t “Understand Their Role” in Getting Children Diagnosed
-"Temper, Anxiety, Homework Trouble Are Medical Issues? Many Parents Don’t Realize It," stated a University of Michigan press release and survey report.
“Why People Take Antipsychotics For Depression”
-Buzzfeed looks at the history -- and present -- of how antipsychotic drugs became a common treatment for depression, despite their apparent lack of effectiveness.
“What Can ‘Lived Experience’ Teach Neuroscientists?”
-Neuroskeptic critiques the premise of a journal article that declared that "neuroscientists who research mental health problems ought to listen to the views of people who have experienced those conditions."
Many Psychiatrists Wouldn’t Disclose a Mental Illness
-In a Canadian survey, 42% of psychiatrists said that if they developed a mental disorder, they would not disclose it to family or friends.
Lawsuit Launched to Force All US Schools to Adopt “Trauma-informed” Practices
-"The civic lawsuit demands that Comptom schools incorporate proven practices that address trauma..."
Drug Companies Start Petition to Persuade Dictionaries
-Two drug companies launched a petition to convince popular dictionaries to include "Major Depressive Disorder."
Lancet Editor Proclaims Half of All Scientific Studies are False
Collective Evolution discusses a recent commentary by the editor of The Lancet stating that "much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue."
“You Think I’m Mad? – The Truth about Psychosomatic Illness”
-A neurologist reflects on psychiatric disorders that fall under the general category of "psychosomatic illnesses" such as spontaneous blindness, seizures and paralysis.
Parachute Respite Centers
-Stateline investigates new respite centers in New York City, where people in psychological crises can find an alternative to checking into a hospital.
Woman’s Serious Fall Leads to Bipolar Diagnosis, Mathematical Genius
-A Colorado rancher was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder after a serious head injury, but actually had developed emotional blunting, synesthesia and high-level math skills.
NEJM Hosts Online Poll on Conflicts of Interest in Medicine
-An NEJM "Reader Poll" shows nearly 80% of respondents trusting that scientific reviews can be responsibly written by people taking money from pharmaceutical companies, but not who work with patient-advocacy groups.
Towards a Better Understanding of Flawed Science
-Vox suggests it may be time for society to come to terms with how mistake prone and biased science is.
New Zealand Politicians: Many People Who Harass Us are Mentally Ill
-Many New Zealand members of parliament believe that a majority of the people who contact them with "inappropriate" communications are mentally ill.
“Why Is It So Easy for States to Execute the Mentally Ill?”
-The Intercept discusses the vagueness of the concept of "competency" and why people on death row who are deemed to be mentally ill get little sympathy.
“Positive Psychiatry: Its Time Has Come”
-Should psychiatrists become more proactively involved in defining and supporting the development of mental health and well-being?
