The Loman Family’s Lessons for the Young Psychiatrist
April 19th 2012After seeing Death of a Salesman on Broadway, I knew I had seen something extraordinary-but it was only after a few days’ separation from the performance when my mind cleared and my emotions settled that I realized 2 of the reasons that made me very appreciative to see this play as a young psychiatrist.
Definitive Study Rejects the Diagnosis of “Psychosis Risk” and Finds No Treatment Benefit
April 17th 2012An excellent study has killed two birds with one stone. It is a clear caution against the DSM-5 proposal for a psychosis risk syndrome and it should temper enthusiasm for rushing ahead with "ultra high risk" prevention programs.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Therapeutic Creativity
April 16th 2012After Lord Michel Eyquem de Montaigne suffered a traumatic brain injury and PTSD from a near fatal horseback riding accident, he retired from public life, secluded himself in one of the towers of his château, and devoted himself to writing.
DSM-5’s Bereavement Bind: Time for an Independent Review
April 6th 2012Opponents in the now well-worn, “Bereavement Exclusion” debate can probably agree on one thing: of all the proposed changes in the DSM-5, the move to eliminate the bereavement exclusion has ignited the most intense emotional reaction among the general public.
Does Evidence-Based Medicine Discourage Richer Assessment of Psychopathology and Treatment?
April 5th 2012The paradigm for modern psychiatry is evidence-based medicine (EBM)-it represents proven treatments for defined diagnoses. But there are major problems with this position, starting with the fact that while they are superior to placebo, evidence-based treatments too often are ineffective.
Introduction: Strategies for Treatment
April 3rd 2012When thinking about recent advances in psychopharmacology, we often point to new molecules with similar mechanisms of action but with better safety and tolerability profiles, or to molecules with novel mechanisms that effect positive change greater than that with existing treatments.