Let’s avoid talk of ‘chemical imbalance’: it’s people in distress
The ‘chemical imbalance’ trope is appealing but dehumanising, and has heightened stigma towards people with mental illness
by Joseph E Davis
Psychiatry
Losing her, losing myself
My mother’s dementia ruptured her sense of self. Why did it also shake mine?
by Noga Arikha
What a psychiatric diagnosis means – and what it doesn’t mean
With stigma and misunderstanding surrounding mental health, it’s vital to know the benefits and limits of a formal diagnosis
by Awais Aftab
After many false starts, this might be the true age of anxiety
If anxiety is more common than ever, it’s also more treatable. But excessive nervousness wasn’t always taken so seriously
by Jason Schnittker
Mental illness and substance use: genes show a two-way street
Why are smoking, alcohol and cannabis use linked to mental illness? The answer is complex but valuable for mental health
by Jorien Treur
To understand borderline personality, imagine having no history
For people with an unfairly stigmatised mental health condition, and the rest of us, it’s vital to connect past with present
by Alexander Kriss
Should assisted death be available for intractable mental illness?
As a psychiatrist I am extremely wary of even the most careful provisions of assisted dying for people with mental illness
by Marie Nicolini
What working in emergency care taught me about suicide risk
Most who die by suicide were considered to be at low or no risk. We need a new framework for understanding the dangers
by Gavin Tucker
Are mental health patients entitled to see their medical notes?
From strep throat to cancer care, access to doctors’ notes has empowered patients. But is the same true in mental health?
by Charlotte Blease
In the deepest despair, electroconvulsive therapy offers hope
In the past, ECT could be violent and brutal. But today, it’s one of the best treatments for severe depression that we have
by Wendy Burn