No-Skip November: Don’t Miss These Articles

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The November issue was stuffed with clinical pearls, insights, and need-to-know info. As you pick up a plate at Thanksgiving, enjoy some of these articles.

A Role for Psychiatry in Understanding and Overcoming Vaccine Hesitancy

“I hope to inspire you to apply your understanding of the human psyche to the curious matter of people who are contracting a life-threatening infection because they are reluctant to heed the advice of their physicians and the public health community,” writes Steve Adelman, MD. Adelman talks about the “nocebo effect,” or the belief that some individuals have that an effective medical treatment will cause them harm. Placebos have the potential to cure, but nocebos can cause pain. Adelman recommends careful listening, psychosocial formulation, and precise communication to help patients and colleagues manage better in this challenging era of pseudo-information and reductionistic thinking.

Looking Out My Window

Psychiatric Times^TM Editor in Chief—John J. Miller, MD—asks us to imagine the human brain as a mansion. We may have favorite rooms in the mansion, but others may find them outdated and in need of repair.

“I try to have an open mind when speaking to a friend, neighbor, or colleague whose views are in opposition to mine, realizing their room and window are based on their unique experiences. Sometimes it is hard when the truth seems so obvious to me,” said Miller.

He invites you to explore some rooms in the mansion that you have not visited before, and promises to do the same.

Cognitive/Neuropsychological Functioning and Suicidal Behavior: A Review of Research and Implications for Clinical Practice

Jerrold Pollak, PhD, invites you to learn to identify 3 patient groups who are characterized by elevated rates of suicidal behavior and cooccurring cognitive/neuropsychological impairment in this month’s Continuing Medical Education article. By increasing your familiarity with the indications for psychological/neuropsychological testing of patients with suicidal behavior and suspected or known cognitive/neuropsychological impairment, Pollak hopes to help enhance your appreciation of a good working knowledge of neurocognitive status in assessment and treatment planning with suicidal patients.

Sorting Out Comorbidities

David N. Osser, MD, helps distinguish common challenging comorbidities that add to symptoms of bipolar disorder, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sleep issues, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder.

“Comorbidities in patients with bipolar disorder are the rule rather than the exception. Good clinical practice requires us to spend the time to complete a comprehensive evaluation to tease out the various comorbidities and then to treat each one appropriately,” said Osser.

Don’t miss all of these and more in the November issue!