humanity at the dawn of posthumanism

Reclaiming Humanity at the Dawn of Posthumanism: Conversation with Darcia Narvaez

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The postmodern zeitgeist of the past few decades encourages us to believe that we can endlessly reinvent ourselves untethered to our human biology. But the explosion of research on the microbiome reminds us that we are deeply embedded in an ecosystem that lives within us and around us, without which we cannot survive.

When International Psychiatric Aid Gets it Wrong: Street Children in Cairo

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Study questions how international psychiatric treatment of street children in Cairo could be reinforcing their marginality and vulnerability.

Growing Evidence for the Link Between ADHD Diagnosis and Age at School Admission

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Researchers detect a striking relationship between the month of school enrollment relative to peers and patterns of ADHD diagnoses in a large sample of elementary school students throughout the US.

Researchers Ask, ‘Why Do Antidepressants Stop Working?’

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An international group of researchers, including several with financial ties to manufacturers of antidepressants, explore possible explanations for why long-term users of antidepressants become chronically depressed.

Large Rigorous Study Debunks Popular Gene-Environment Theory of Depression

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A large and rigorous meta-analysis fails to find support for the gene-environment interaction theory of depression.

Belongingness Can Protect Against Impact of Trauma, Study Suggests

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A new study explores feelings of belongingness as a protective factor for childhood trauma and adult mental health outcomes.

Treated Infections in Childhood Linked with Later Mental Health Service Use

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Severe infections requiring hospitalizations increased the risk of hospital contacts due to mental disorders by 84% and the risk of psychotropic medication use by 42%.

Early Intervention Can Change the Trajectory of Foster Care Children

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Study highlights the importance of early interventions for institutionalized children.

Integrating Indigenous Healing Practices and Psychotherapy for Global Mental Health

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As the Global Mental Health Movement attempts to address cross-cultural mental health disparities, a new article encourages integrating traditional healing practices with psychotherapy.

Benzodiazepine Prescriptions in Older Adults Used in Rural and Low Income Areas

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Benzodiazepine prescription practices may be in response to an epidemic of distress, rather than being used to treat specific mental health diagnoses.

Prazosin Ineffective for Preventing Suicidal Thoughts — May Worsen Nightmares

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A new study found that prazosin was associated with increased insomnia and nightmares, and did not reduce suicidal thoughts.

Study Highlights Mental Health Consequences of Parent Emotion Suppression

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New research suggests that when parents model emotion suppression strategies in social interactions, their children’s approaches to social engagement may suffer.

Researchers Suggest Traumatic Experiences May Cause Psychotic Symptoms

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A new study in JAMA Psychiatry investigates the relationship between trauma and psychotic experiences.

Exploring the Role of Community Engagement in School Psychology

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New research emphasizes the impact of school connectedness and community engagement interventions on students' mental health.

Study Finds Deteriorating Mental Health Among Poor White Americans

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Researchers find evidence of low socio-economic status White Americans’ rising distress and declining well-being since the mid-1990s.

Study Explores Connections Between Diet and ‘Serious Mental Illnesses’

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Study finds that individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression have diets that are more inflammatory and higher in calories.

Outcomes of Childhood Bullying on Young Adults’ Wellbeing

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A qualitative study explores young adults’ childhood bullying experiences.

Why Precision Psychiatry is Not a Paradigm Shift

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A letter just published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests that “precision psychiatry” is not the paradigm shift it’s purported to be by the psychiatric establishment.

The Psychological Effects of the Zero-Tolerance Immigration Policy

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Journal releases a compilation of articles detailing how zero-tolerance policy may impact mental health.

Linking Screen Time, Smartphones, and Stress Among Young Adults

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New review ties increased screen time to increasing anxiety and depression among young adults throughout the United States.
twins

Bad-Science Warning: The “Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart” (MISTRA)

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The huge impact of the MISTRA, in addition to the harmful and regressive social and political policy implications that flow from it, necessitates a detailed analysis of the “science” behind the study’s major claims and conclusions. Here I offer a new critique of this famous and influential “separated twin study.”

Sociologists Interrogate Neurobiological Explanations in Criminology

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A discourse analysis conducted by sociologists finds problematic assumptions and practices in the field of neurocriminology.

Childhood Emotional Abuse Associated with Internal Eating Disorder Voice

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Many individuals diagnosed with eating disorders describe and internal ‘voice,’ which may be linked to experiences of childhood trauma and dissociation.

How Stigma and Social Factors Drive the Negative Health Outcomes Associated with Autism

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A new study explores the interplay between social stress and quality of life for individuals self-identified with high-functioning autism.

Correcting Misconceptions of Trauma-informed Care with Survivor Perspectives

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Trauma-informed approaches have the potential to promote recovery but must involve survivors and service-users to prevent the experience of retraumatization within psychiatric and mental health services.