Special Reports

The most common emergency presentations to emergency departments are identified.

Evidence suggests that physical activity aids in alleviating mild to moderate symptoms of depression in patients and may promote clinically significant antidepressant effects.

For many patients, the most painful part of bipolar disorder is the loss of control over their own mind.

In psychiatry, 2 patients with the same condition are never the same.

The high co-occurrence of chronic pain and PTSD and their possible entanglement underline the importance of conducting assessment for both conditions.

Pain may not often be considered within the realm of psychiatry; however, chronic pain's relationships with sleep disorders and PTSD make it an issue psychiatrists can—and should—address.

Sleep disturbance and chronic pain work together to cause misery for patients, with one exacerbating the other. Here: Tips to address both and bring peace to patients.

While incarceration is the definitive “treatment” for some, psychopathy exists on a spectrum like any other mental disorder; more recent research suggests the condition is capable of responding to treatment.

Defense attorneys have concerns regarding their client’s competency in about 8% to 15% of felony prosecutions. That is where psychiatrists come in.

Practical tips for helping patients and simultaneously avoiding legal battles.

Strategies to remain calm under pressure; to be clear and concise; and to know what is expected in courtroom battles.

In case you missed it, this series features reports about sexting, paraphilias, adolescent sexual health, and more.

The next several years will present challenges and opportunities for psycho-oncology to improve care for patients.

There are myriad nuanced clinical approaches to cancer treatment, and psychosocial factors are no less complex.

An added component of cancer treatment is discovering what is most meaningful in the patient’s life and using that to buoy them during difficult moments. That, in a nutshell, is the psychiatrist's role.

Despite advances in clinical care for patients with cancer, distress and depression continue to haunt patients. These fast facts will help you better understand and care for patients with cancer.

While only a minority of patients with cancer may have diagnosable PTSD, subthreshold symptoms in some patients may be debilitationg enough that clinicians should be aware of the phenomenon.

Patients with schizophrenia often have worse outcomes than their peers without the diagnosis. How you can support your patient in ensuring a better cancer prognosis?

The articles in Part I of this Special Report discuss PTSD in cancer, special issues for patients with schizophrenia and cancer, and distress management.

Distress and depression are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with cancer, including reduced quality of life, longer rehabilitation time, poor adherence to treatment, and worse survival.

Despite the vast research conducted to better understand biological mechanisms underlying psychosis, people with psychotic disorders continue to suffer.

Those of us who have a diagnosis of a psychotic disorder are, above all, human beings. We are more than the disorder.

Psychotic disorders are potentially serious and enduring and have been seriously neglected in health systems worldwide. The good news is that better medium-term outcomes are now achievable.

Drs Zuardi and Crippa discuss the current stage of scientific evidence that supports the use of cannabidiol in schizophrenia, anxiety, and Parkinson disease. 

While it may be challenging to differentiate between OCD and other anxiety disorders, using a multi-informant assessment and understanding the content of a patient’s fears is a fundamental start to outlining an effective treatment plan.

Familiarity with self-disorders is an indispensable tool in diagnosing a patient suspected for developing schizophrenia. Such knowledge improves communication with the patient and may serve as a starting point for therapeutic intervention.

Living with a mental illness is all too often accompanied by poverty and social disadvantage, which contribute to shortened life spans and reduced quality of life. However, there approaches for addressing many of the preventable causes of poor health and mortality in this patient population.

Policy initiatives can improve both physical and mental health care quality and outcomes for those with serious mental illnesses.