Consider yourself cordially invited to a live, online (and totally free) course where we will explain why and how to use clozapine. Even though it’s far and away the most effective treatment for schizophrenia, a lot of mental health care providers have questions about it. We will try to answer them in this course. There…

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Hallucinations are very common. In fact, nearly 1 in 10 people will experience a hallucination during their lives. Hallucinations are also extremely common in psychosis, and in illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, borderline personality syndrome, and even major depression. Auditory hallucinations are the most common type of hallucination. And among auditory hallucinations, hearing voices…

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It’s a devastating fact: More than a million Americans could die from the novel coronavirus. But we can prevent this catastrophe through simple measures like sleeve sneezing, washing our hands and staying home when we’re sick. Problem is, nearly everyone goes to work when they’re sick. We need to fix that. Consider this scenario, which…

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Here is an interview with TV New Zealand’s Anna Burns-Francis about cannabis risks. My view is that cannabis should be as legal as cigarettes, and its risks as widely-publicized. Also… the people that will profit from legalization should not be the ones who determine which risks get publicized.   Transcript: Anna: New Zealand researchers recently…

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The difference between psychosis and schizophrenia Psychosis and schizophrenia are sometimes used interchangeably in ordinary language. And even though both terms are linguistic antiques (and need to be changed), “psychosis” and “schizophrenia” are medical terms with specific meanings. So let’s clarify them before talking about lab tests. Psychosis is a neurological symptom. It involves unusual…

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Now more than ever, the world needs scientists. We need science, and the technology that flows from it, to address pressing challenges in climate, energy, health, and human harmony. So I’m delighted every single time a student asks me how to get started in a career in the sciences.   Jennifer, for example, asks: Dear…

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SSRI Capsule

A subscriber to my YouTube channel 15-Minute Pharmacology recently asked if a common type of antidepressant medication can cause psychosis: “Can SSRI’s bring on a psychotic episode? My good friend has become acutely unwell and completely psychotic after being put on SSRIs twice.”   The SSRI Medications Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor or SSRI medications are…

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A Suicide Prevention Proposal Today is Suicide Prevention Awareness Day. As a psychiatric physician—and simply as someone who cares about other people—I join millions of other voices hoping to move our society closer to one that can better prevent suicide. Preventing suicide is easier said than done. It’s not an easy task for a front-line…

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Is such a thing even possible? A question came up recently: A psychiatrist had prescribed Zoloft (sertraline) to a patient with depression. Soon after starting the medicine, the patient developed muscle spasms, which fit the neurological definition of dystonia. Translating to English, “dystonia” means abnormal muscle tone. Most people recognize dystonia as a possible side…

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