June, 2023
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
What Does Good Psychedelic Therapy Look Like?
The New York Times By Dana G. Smith June 3, 2023 As MDMA and psilocybin treatments become more mainstream, the therapy component has come under scrutiny. Here’s what’s common in many sessions — and what’s not. Psychedelic therapy is on its way to becoming a mainstream medical treatment in mental health care. In 2020 and 2022, residents of Oregon... read more
The Washington Post By Shirlene Obuobi, MD May 23, 2023 While medicine has become more diverse, its culture has remained hostile and dismissive toward women in the field When my co-resident went on maternity leave, my colleagues turned on her. Residents had gotten pregnant before, but always during more “convenient” times. In this case, my... read more
The Washington Post By Richard Sima May 18, 2023 Looking to improve your mental health? Pay attention to birds. Two studies published last year in Scientific Reports said that seeing or hearing birds could be good for our mental well-being. So give them a listen as you learn why they may help.Listen to the birdsongs... read more
The Washington Post By Elisabeth Rosenthal May 17, 2023 Millions of Americans in the past few years have run into this experience: filing a health-care insurance claim that once might have been paid immediately but instead is just as quickly denied. If the experience and the insurer’s explanation often seem arbitrary and absurd, that might... read more