At first, I thought John Mack’s recent lengthy rant (in two parts, no less) about a pharma company not providing cupcakes to patients was a joke… Something along the lines of sarcasm or parody, I wasn’t sure. But after reading the post (and the original post), I think Mack is serious.
I’m sorry, but maybe […]

I really thought we were long since past Internet 101, but I guess it’s time for a refresher course…
1. Anonymity online is rarely 100% (unless you take extraordinary measures and never mention a personal thing about your life, your history, your experiences, or your memories).
2. What you say online will likely follow you for the rest […]

A study covered by Reuters points out one of the biggest risk factors for psychological problems among mothers: lack of emotional support. Certainly this could be filed in the “obvious” category, but at least there are some new numbers to back it up.

Women who reported feeling a lack of emotional support (they had no one […]

It usually doesn’t make any headlines when someone hangs themselves or otherwise finds a way to end their lives. Dozens of people everyday find a way to do so.
But The New York Times today tells the heart-wrenching story of a 25-year-old Mexican immigrant mother who hung not only herself, but her four daughters as well. […]

According to our friends over at PubMed, a review study was done to examine the efficacy of antidepressants in teens and children suffering from depression. The results of this review are fairly astounding:

In general, nine depressed youth must be treated with an antidepressant to obtain one clinical response above that achieved with placebo. To date, […]

There is a growing belief that certain somatic problem like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are inherantly tied to mental health problems; in the case of IBS, certain anxiety disorders. The CBC is reporting on research that has shown psychological treatments like psychotherapy and hypnosis are effective at reducing IBS symptoms. The article has an interesting […]

The Philadelphia Inquirer carried an article on the trend of assessing for mental health problems in very young children, with the thought that earlier detection could lead to earlier treatment. The article mentions how problems like autism and ADHD can even be prevented with certain behavioral treatments at the early age. The most interesting part […]

It is a common misperception that men are more aggressive in general than women. In fact, both sexes are equally aggressive, but it is displayed differently. Men often act out with physical aggression, whereas women more often use “relational aggression”, which is attempts to damage social relationships and status (e.g. spreading rumors).
Research out of […]

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a unique treatment used to treat a very small minority (less than 1%) of patients with epilepsy and depression. The treatment involves a small battery-operated device that delivers intermittent, rhythmic pulses to the vagus nerve, a nerve that reaches a half dozen areas of the brain that are thought […]

Some researchers are questioning the long-held belief that while heightened self-esteem is a worthy goal, its significance and value may be overrated. This article doesn’t really provide any strong arguments for or against this view, just offering the two sides of the story. At the end, I’m left wondering, “So? Should I worry about my […]

It’s mid-May, so it must be time for the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, or as we like to call them, the “little APA” (because it has one-third the membership of the American Psychological Association). And with its annual meeting comes the annual flurry of press releases sent to us to alert us […]

Have you ever noticed a great of the junk mail you receive has some relevance to your life? For instance, I don’t receive any knitting catalogs because I don’t knit. But I do receive a lot of computer and technology equipment catalogs. And the last time we purchased a home, within a week of closing […]