A New Treatment Option for Major Depression
May 18th 2010Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is noninvasive focused brain stimulation that uses pulsed magnetic fields. The underlying mechanism depends on the principle of electromagnetic induction, the process (discovered by Faraday in 1839) by which electrical energy is converted into a magnetic field and vice versa.1
Ethical Aspects of Self-Disclosure in Psychotherapy
May 18th 2010The issue of self-disclosure in psychotherapy is one of complexity and some evolution.1-16 Most discussions about the practice refer to boundary questions because self-disclosure by the therapist to the patient is a boundary issue. Self-disclosure has, of course, a number of dimensions, including clinical, therapeutic, technical and-in some cases-legal or regulatory. Despite the rich and interesting clinical issues relating to self-disclosure (outlined in Gutheil and Brodsky1), the focus of this article is on the ethical aspects of self-disclosure.1,15,16 Of necessity, the discussion centers on the more exploratory forms of psychotherapy, such as dynamic therapy, rather than on behavioral therapies, co-counseling, substance abuse treatment, or pharmacological treatment.
Introduction: Ethical Dilemmas Old and New
May 18th 2010Bioethicists often debate whether the rapid pace of medical science truly generates new ethical questions or whether what appear to be novel dilemmas are really ancient conflicts presented in modern terms and contexts.1 The valuable essays in this Special Report offer support for each position and, more important, provide clinical wisdom for mental health professionals struggling with ethical issues both profound and prosaic in a variety of practice settings.
The Health Insurance Reform Bill and Psychiatry: A “Huge Step Forward”
May 13th 2010The health insurance reform bill Congress passed and President Obama signed has a number of small, psychiatric-targeted provisions, but their significance probably pales beside the first-time insuring of somewhere above 30 million Americans-some of whom will visit psychiatrists for the first time in their lives.
The Fort Hood Aftermath-Army Accountability Review and Psychiatrists
May 13th 2010While the Army considers what, if any, disciplinary actions to take against those who directed the medical training of MAJ Nidal Hasan-the accused Fort Hood shooter-one psychiatrist’s legal counsel faults the military for blaming a handful of officers for a broader institutional failing.
DSM5 on Substance-Related Disorders
May 13th 2010Included in this list of disorders is the recommendation that the category include substance use disorders and non-substance addictions such as gambling and Internet addiction. The category has tentatively been retitiled "Addiction and Related Disorders."
Delirium, Dementia, and Other Cognitive Disorders
May 13th 2010Included in this category is the recommendation that the category be divided into 3 broad syndromes: delirium, major neurocognitive disorder, and minor neurocognitive disorder. The Work Group is also exploring removing dementia, categorizing behavioral disturbances, and selecting specific domains and measures of severity of cognitive functional impairment.
Efficacy of Drugs in Bipolar Depression: What the Data Show
May 12th 2010This is the second installment of a new series in which clinically relevant research is briefly discussed and, perhaps more important, a few tips on how to read and interpret research studies are presented. Your feedback, suggestions, and questions are eagerly solicited at rajnish.mago@jefferson.edu.
The Psychologist Prescribing Bill Is Dead-Long Live Science in the Public Interest!
May 11th 2010Oregon’s Governor Kulongoski has vetoed a bill that would have allowed psychologists to practice clinical medicine without adequate training-otherwise known by the euphemism of “prescribing.” The Governor’s rationale was precisely the one opponents of the bill, such as I, had advocated.