Recent posts
The Collateral Damage of A.D.H.D. Drug Shortages
The New York Times By Christina Caron Aug. 15, 2023 As a new school year begins, parents and doctors find medication shortages are leading to declines in learning and self-esteem. In the spring, Riana Shaw Robinson learned that her 11-year-old son, Madison, had sprinted out of class to chase a squirrel through his school’s courtyard... read more
The New York Times By Christina Jewett and Ellen Gabler March 13, 2023 Nearly a year after a sweeping opioid settlement imposed new requirements on the companies that provide medications to pharmacies, patients across the United States are having difficulty obtaining drugs to treat many conditions, including anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and addiction. The... read more
APA Speaks Out Against Supreme Court Ruling on Affirmative Action in Higher Education
American Psychiatric Association June 29, 2023 In a statement today, APA said that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina will “undermine the ability of colleges, universities, and medical schools to build a workforce of health care professionals that can effectively... read more
The Washington Post By Luis Velarde July 14, 2023 Here’s how social media, the focus of a surgeon general’s advisory in May, is affecting minds and contributing to a mental health crisis in young people Social media has redefined human connection, especially if you’re part of the millennial or Gen Z generation. It is so... read more
The New York Times By Annie Sneed June 13, 2022 Here’s what the evidence says about what works (and what doesn’t). St. John’s wort “promotes a positive mood.” Valerian root reduces “levels of anxiety and stress.” Lavender oil is “calming for body and mind.” If you are among the tens of millions of people in... read more
How to Talk to Someone With Alzheimer’s
The New York Times By Catherine Pearson June 23, 2023 The family of the celebrity zookeeper Jack Hanna is speaking publicly about the difficulties communicating with him now that he has Alzheimer’s. Experts say that such interactions take patience and sensitivity. The family of Jack Hanna, the celebrity zookeeper and media personality, has opened up... read more
When Does Anxiety Become a Problem?
The New York Times By Christina Caron June 23, 2023 The president of the American Psychiatric Association answers questions about a new recommendation to screen all adults under 65 for anxiety. How much anxiety is too much? On Tuesday, a panel of influential medical experts recommended for the first time that doctors screen all adult... read more
The Washington Post By Sydney Page June 22, 2023 “I was like, ‘I have this beautiful life ahead of me, and I can’t just let that go to waste,’” said Chris Kam, who made a 30-day challenge for himself Chris Kam remembers his first panic attack with unsettling clarity. “It felt like my head was... read more
The Moral Crisis of America’s Doctors
The New York Times By Eyal Press June 15, 2023 The corporatization of health care has changed the practice of medicine, causing many physicians to feel alienated from their work. Some years ago, a psychiatrist named Wendy Dean read an article about a physician who died by suicide. Such deaths were distressingly common, she discovered.... read more
The New York Times By Dana G. Smith Nov. 19, 2022 Everyone has bouts of distraction and forgetfulness. Here’s when psychiatrists diagnose it as something clinical. Do you: Cut the tags out of your clothes? Relive (and regret) past conversations? Have episodes of burnout and fatigue? Zone out while someone is talking? Become hyper-focused while... read more