Emotional Support Animals
A woman who suffered abuse as a child describes the mental health benefits of owning a dog, and an expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act discusses requirements for emotional support animals.
Lewy Body Dementia
The second most common form of dementia is virtually unknown to most people. However, Lewy body dementia affects 1.4 million Americans, with symptoms commonly misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease. Additional symptoms such as hallucinations and uncontrollable shaking make diagnosis and caregiving more difficult, and treatments for Alzheimer's or psychosis can …
Saving Talk Therapy for Mental Illness
Decades ago, psychiatric treatment meant talk therapy. Now it usually means drugs or cognitive behavioral therapy for an extremely short time. A noted clinical psychologist and author explains why patients are better served when talk therapy is an option for recovery.
Healthcare and the Homeless
Homeless Americans have a life expectancy of only around 50, and often use the ER for primary care at a huge cost. The lack of follow-up care for their illnesses and the mental health or substance abuse disorders common in this population add up to an enormous health burden. Experts discuss how doctors on the street can improve health for the homeless and …
Electroshock Therapy Today (2018)
Electroconvulsive therapy still has a stigma, with the reputation of being a painful, disturbing procedure that wipes out memories and, if movies are to be believed, even creates zombies. Experts explain the reality—that ECT is a quiet procedure that provokes a short brain seizure, releasing huge amounts of neurotransmitters to reset the brain in what is the …
Medical Notes: Week of March 25, 2018
A look at the top medical headlines for the week of March 25, 2018.
Medical Notes: Week of March 11, 2018
A new antibiotic found in soil, a link between bullying and mental health, and babies crawling on carpet and allergens.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Experts discuss symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder and how it may be treated, though few with the disorder agree to psychological treatment.
A Possible Treatment for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Researchers explain experiments on animals with a new treatment that could eliminate fetal alcohol syndrome, perhaps even after birth.
Social Anxiety in Children
An expert whose daughter was afflicted discusses social anxiety warning signs in children and how the disorder can be treated.
Police Response and the Mentally Ill
Police confrontations with mentally ill subjects can quickly turn tragic, as neither side may understand the other. Specially trained crisis intervention teams have spread around the country to prevent deaths, injuries, and unnecessary incarceration.
Children’s Mental Health Treatment
A recent study finds that about 35 percent of children receiving treatment for mental health issues are being treated only by a primary care physician. This is due in part to a shortage in pediatric mental health care providers as well as a stigma in consulting them. Experts discuss readiness of pediatricians to treat mental illness in children and …
