December 12, 2023
by Patricia Tomasi
A recently published study looked at benzodiazepine prescriptions for homeless veterans affairs service users with mental illness. “People experiencing homelessness are at high risk for substance use disorders, overdose, and death,” study author Dr. Katherine A. Koh told us. “Benzodiazepines are medications that are known to increase risk of overdose particularly when combined with other sedating medications.
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August 21, 2020
by Tina Arnoldi
According to a recent study, long-term use of antidepressants can create physical dependence and severe withdrawal symptoms for patients who want to stop their treatment. This is a concern for people who wish to stop their antidepressant use and the physicians who prescribe.
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October 18, 2019
by Tina Arnoldi
Researchers at the Brain Dynamics Laboratory in Chicago conducted a trial for the hormone pregnenolone with volunteers who have high scores on a loneliness scale. The hormone may benefit the lonely person who desires human connection yet also has an instinct for self-preservation.
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August 28, 2018
by Patricia Tomasi
One of the front line treatments for pregnant and postpartum women suffering from depression and anxiety is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But due to a lack of research on SSRIs in females, little is known about their effects across the maternal spectrum as well as on infants exposed to the drug through breast milk.
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August 1, 2018
by Tina Arnoldi
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder affecting about a third of the worldwide population. The need for insomnia treatment is expected to increase in years ahead among younger member of the population who have higher stress levels along with a growth in the number of people who have chronic illnesses requiring sedation.
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July 4, 2018
by Tina Arnoldi
The scientific community is taking a closer look at the use of psychedelics in treating depression along with other mental health disorders. Recent studies show promise for individuals where conventional treatment has failed.
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There is a shortage of psychiatrists available to treat individuals in the United States, and although this is not a new issue, there is recent data showing it to be at an all-time high and nearing crisis proportion.
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In August 2015 the Food and Drug Administration approved the first pill designed to treat lowered sexual desire in women. Depending on who is speaking, this decision is either revolutionary, a breakthrough to marvel at and sign of progress because it promotes the viewpoint that low sexual desire is a biological reality versus something existing solely in a woman’s head. Or it’s a mistake caused by the F.D.A collapsing from the pressure created by various lobby groups and a sad reflection of society’s penchant of viewing the aging process as something that needs to be fixed rather than accepted.
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Over the past few decades, a number of studies have evaluated how psychotherapy—from CBT to DBT to Psycho dynamic Therapy—works to change the brain. They have looked at which areas of the brain are affected during and after the therapy process, and how these changes lead to symptom reduction and overall improved functioning for clients.
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October 31, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
One thing that seems to be coming up in the news a lot is mental health. Whether it's a new mental health discovery, or it's something that has occurred that causes us to talk about the mental health care system in our country, there are a lot of questions out there about the mental health system and what can and/or should be done about it. But why does this keep happening?
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