News

Psychiatric treatment requires primary intervention and solid follow-up care, like diabetes, hypertension, and other medical conditions. More in this commentary by a resident in psychiatry.

This is the first in a series in which Dr Steve Moffic (and possibly other bloggers) revisits the blogs he has been writing for Psychiatric Times for the past several years.

Telehealth is here, and it’s here to stay. A telepsychiatrist gives a brief description of the setup from his home office.

Sleep-disordered breathing signs and symptoms overlap with mood, anxiety, and other psychiatric illnesses. In some cases, they may masquerade as these disorders, but SDB can also provoke and/or exacerbate other psychiatric conditions. Signs, risk factors, and clinical features in this Tipsheet.

In order to make positive changes in the field of psychiatry, it is important to appreciate and understand the current challenges and significant limitations of the present approach to psychiatric therapy.

It is important to note public misconceptions about the rare and frightening act of mass murder. This article sheds some light on what the author considers the 7 myths of mass murder.

In the eyes of many, the current societal approach to the treatment of psychiatric disorders cannot possibly be considered humane. More in this commentary.

Insurers appear to have plenty of leeway to continue-or even expand-the kind of anti-psychiatrist policies at the core of 2 lawsuits filed last year. Details here.

There is very little evidence for the efficacy of antidepressants in bipolar disorder, particularly for longer-term use. However, there are at least 9 alternatives to conventional antidepressants.

Narcolepsy, cataplexy: symptoms are broad and associated with a range of medical and psychiatric comorbidities. Here: diagnostic and treatment strategies and a look at the BOND study.

The transition to telepsychiatry is great, but the benefits, many. In this humorous piece, it becomes clear to this clinician that telepsychiatry can be a viable, valuable, and timely addition to the psychiatric profession, despite minor mishaps in the first week.

There is renewed interest and enthusiasm for the potential pathophysiological role of inflammation and immune dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia, with evidence for abnormalities in the blood, CSF, and CNS.

Psychosis is one of the key dimensions of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and psychotic depression. Clinicians are familiar with patients whose psychosis improves dramatically with antipsychotic treatment; however, these patients may be left with cognitive impairment, negative mood symptoms, or suicidal symptoms, as well as impaired work and social functioning.

If I could be edible, I would want to be a steamed vegetable dumpling, pure white like my doctor’s coat…

PsychiatricTimes welcomes two new Editorial Board members, congratulates editor-in-chief, James Knoll, and introduces a reader advisory panel.

If clinicians are to take anything from the Johannesburg debacle, it is that we must be even more mindful of distress and despair. Like Poe’s purloined letter, profound sorrow may lie in plain sight under one’s clinical gaze-but not yet “thought upon.”

The authors focus on the epidemiology of postpartum psychosis, its clinical presentation, etiology, treatment, and strategies to prevent its recurrence.

Alzheimer disease psychosis appears to be a distinct clinical entity. This article focuses on management strategies.

What do we know about the relative efficacy of current medication and therapy for OCD? This question answered and highlights of recent studies, future directions, and causes are summarized in this video.

A book that may help doctors, as well as their patients, better understand how they tick, literally, in our 24/7 society, and find a balance between difficult temporal demands and somatic and mental health.

The mental health community was given some much needed relief when the Obama Administration implemented the final rule be put in place from the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The new mandate will ensure that most health plans cover mental health and addiction services in the same way they treat other medical issues.

Apologies seem rare, as does asking for forgiveness, when it comes to Internet ethics and cyber-bullying. Given the “Wild West” nature of Internet communication-with no commonly accepted rules-what might be done? Is there a communication model that might work better? Yes there is, according to this psychiatrist.

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.

A look into longer-term clinical and psychosocial outcomes of depressive disorder in early adulthood, as well as clinical and demographic variables associated with recurrence and lack of remission.

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.

This article provides an overview of research concerning referral strategies for patients with substance use disorder and co-occurring disorders in the emergency department.

In the opinion of this psychiatrist, the point of the MOC test isn’t to measure competence, but to convey the impression that competence was measured. The point of the test is to say that a test was given-and nothing else. More in this commentary.

In this CME article, the focus is on the significance of metabolic changes that develop during antipsychotic treatment, as well as on strategies to incorporate metabolic monitoring into clinical practice.

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. . .

Here: a succinct review of some of the potential promises and pitfalls of DSM-5.