SPOTLIGHT -
March 12th 2024
Using Dune as an indicator of the future of psychiatry…
March 11th 2024
As we enter the second coming of psychedelics popularity, H. Steven Moffic, MD, looks ahead to their third coming. Will it be similar to that of Dune?
March 8th 2024
Science fiction or reality? Women’s rights take the center stage in today’s discussion, and in the new movie “Dune: Part Two.”
March 7th 2024
H. Steven Moffic, MD, views the Dune book and movies through a psychiatric lens.
March 4th 2024
Over the last century and even longer, we have taken a useful fossil fuel energy road that has also led to the problematic adverse effects of acute and long-term disasters. Is this reflected in current popular films like “Dune: Part Two”?
Psychiatry Comic: Ruffled Feathers
Almost everyone can benefit from psychotherapy at some point in their lives.
Making the Case for Community-Based Programs
A Spectrum Approach to Mood Disorders
Bravely enter territory that academia has largely neglected-the nebulous region between full bipolar disorder and major depression.
17 Books Your Colleagues Are Reading
"Everyday experiences made sacramental through magical language, depth of feeling, and wells of knowledge"–one of your peers used this description for a book he found inspiring. Can you think of more?
Ordinarily Well: The Case for Antidepressants
A searching interrogation of scientific findings reflected against experience with patients.
Game of Thrones: HCE
Game of Thrones is the first of 5 novels comprising A Tale of Ice and Fire, by George M.M. Martin. The series has captivated millions of fans worldwide. I’ve unexpectedly joined them.
A Heartfelt Memoir About Tay-Sachs
Unrelenting belief in the goodness of humankind while confronting an uncommon disease.
Complementary and Integrative Therapies for Mental Health and Aging
There is a paucity of information on complementary and integrative therapies, especially when they pertain to the topic of mental health and aging. But that's all changed.
Paul Simon Sings, Psychosocial Problems Ring
Our societal challenges beat through each note in Simon's newest album-with far-reaching implications for psychiatry.
Touched With Fire: Film and Social Media Address Stigma
Film can be a powerful vehicle for conversation and social change in the fight against psychiatric stigma.
Assessing Psychosis: A Clinician’s Guide
Methods of identifying and understanding the intricacies of psychosis in clinical settings.
Death and the Psychiatrist
Is a "good death" possible in the face of terminal illness?
Making a Murderer: The Punishment Is the Process
After serving 18 years for sexual assault and attempted murder, new DNA procedures led to Steven Avery's exoneration. Surely, he must be guilty of something.
13 Immutable Laws of Psychiatry?
Forty years later, we are still in the belly of the managed care beast.
Warning: This Movie May Have Psychiatric Side Effects
A man searches for the answers to what happened to him psychologically after a childhood of high achievement. But facts intersect with fiction in this documentary.
Amy: The Frenzy of Renown
A review of a compelling documentary on the spectacular rise and catastrophic fall of British singer Amy Winehouse, a star with an old voice in a young body.
Embarking on a Forensic Practice
There is a lot to think about when starting a private practice-and yet more to consider when embarking on a forensic psychiatry practice. A review of a classic book that written by a giant in the field.
The Evil Hours
A Q&A with David J. Morris, author of The Evil Hours, a moving biographical book based on a young veteran’s experience with PTSD.
Psychopharmacology: A Concise Overview for Students and Clinicians, 2nd Edition
Ronald Pies, MD reviews the second edition of Ansari and Osser’s overview of psychopharmacology.
The Prison Experiment and Abuses of Authority
Clinicians have some degree of power. We must curb abuse-whether under the guise of research, transference in psychotherapy, in prescribing medication, or when deciding on treatments.
The Truth About Marijuana
An interesting history, key myths, and the pros and cons of marijuana are explained in this book.
What Are You Reading This Summer of ‘15?
In the spirit of fun in the sun, we thought we would find out what some of your colleagues are reading this summer. Take inspiration, add to your reading list, and let us know what books you’re reading!
A Tour de Force of the History of Psychiatry
The author of this book tells the story of the evolution of psychiatry from a place of skepticism and distain to its more recent emergence as a modern neuroscience.
The New and Growing Phenomenon of Public Shaming
With the advent and expansion of social media, we are seeing an increase in the phenomenon of mass humiliation. In this Q&A, we learn what surprised the author of a book on public shaming.
So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed: A Gift for Patients and a Jewel for Psychiatrists
When our patients share their misdeeds with us, real or imagined, we can point them to examples of people who have experienced profound shame and managed to put their lives back together.
Still Alice
This film is a must-see for psychiatrists, not because it adds new information about the course of Alzheimer disease or its impact on families, but because it forces us to rethink issues that can affect our clinical practice.
American Sniper
Neither facile liberal censure nor rabid applause from the right speak to Eastwood’s purposes in this superbly crafted picture.
The American Sniper’s Psychiatrist
In most movies, psychiatrists are depicted in a negative light, which most certainly affects our public image. Was the psychiatrist in American Sniper portrayed positively or negatively?
Beyond Addiction
The authors of this book leave readers feeling empowered, knowing that they can be an important driver of change. It also reminds psychiatrists about some core components of the patient experience.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
When I ask friends and colleagues about this book, most of them have really enjoyed it and would love to discuss it with me if I let them . . . but I don’t want to. Here's why.