Vol 30 No 12

This case study of a 21-year-old woman-referred by a relative because of long-standing severe interpersonal, academic, and occupational impairment-illustrates the importance of screening patients with brief episodes of depression for mixed features.

Catatonia-a syndrome of disturbed motor, mood, and systemic signs (eg, rigidity, immobility, mutism, staring, posturing, waxy flexibility, echopraxia, echolalia, and stereotypies)-has led to the clarification of its appropriate treatment.

Do children with manic symptoms continue to experience mania? How common are suicidal ideation and attempts in bipolar youth? How severe is bipolar depression in children and adolescents? Answers to these and other questions from recent studies here. . .

A range of psychiatrists are remembered-from pioneers in psychoanalysis to trance studies; from psychopharmacology to reality therapy; from the normality of homosexuality to the psychopathology of “brain fag” syndrome; from flowers to film; from childhood to old age; from everyday clinicians to courageous challengers of the status quo; and from student to expert.

A documentary film review that compels one to wonder if Szasz’s alleged suicide should be seen as a courageous adherence to the principles by which he lived or a symptom of a pathological avoidance of helplessness. Dr Szasz might reply that either way, it was his choice.