Trintellix looks like a natural fit for anxiety disorders, with a serotonergic mechanism that overlaps with buspirone (5HT1a agonism). But things are not always as they seem in psychiatry. In this second installment of our anxiety series we delve into the failure of Trintellix in generalized anxiety disorder, and uncover...

Is Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) an anxious temperament, a symptom of another disorder, or a valid disorder on its own? In Part One of our November series on anxiety, we trace the history of GAD from Sigmund Freud to DSM-5.  With over two dozen choices, it isn't easy to pick...

Informed consent is a foundation for good clinical practice and can provide legal protection. But informed consent is more than defensive medicine. It is a vehicle for framing good care. How often do people use the consent process? In this episode we go through the steps of good informed consent...

Prescription apps are here, and in this interview Dr. John Torous will help you get ready for them. From a list of 250,000 health apps, we highlight the top 7, including video games that treat ADHD, medication reminders, and digital guides for CBT, mindfulness, and insomnia. Dr. Torous led the development...

Vyleesi was just released for low sex drive in women, but it hasn't received a warm welcome. Kellie Newsome goes undercover to explore some bold marketing techniques for these kinds of drugs. After getting lost in the politics and business of low sex drive, she interviews sex therapist and Foreplay host Laurie...

With concerns about both safety and efficacy surrounding antidepressant use in children and adolescents, we are always looking for safe, effective treatments for our patients. Transcranial Stimulation (TMS) has been around for many years, and its use in youth is expanding. In this episode, we examine the evidence of efficacy...

Nassir Ghaemi takes issue with some of psychiatry's cherished notions in this expert interview. From the practical to the philosophical, he considers symptomatic treatments, preventative medicine, and whether medications are best given in divided doses or once-a-day.Date Published: 9/30/19Duration: 12 minutes 17 secondsRelated Articles: "Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on Antidepressants in Bipolar Disorder," The Carlat...

When a popular antidepressant combination is discredited, what do we do with it? Dr. Aiken sorts through the possibilities for mirtazapine (Remeron) augmentation, and pulls up a few more myths about this medicine.Date Published: 9/23/19Duration: 9 minutes 11 secondsArticle Referenced: "Mirtazapine Augmentation: Running Low on Rocket Fuel," The Carlat Psychiatry...

Why does the top-selling psychiatric textbook base its recommendations on the lowest grade of medical evidence? Psychiatric practice is often mislead by expert opinion, practice trends, and neurotransmitter theories. In the case of paroxetine (Paxil), venlafaxine (Effexor), and mirtazapine (Remeron), this misinformation has created some popular myths that don't hold...

School refusal is a common problem, affecting up to 5% of schoolchildren. This episode takes a look at the limited research on the subject and goes over work done by experts at the Yale Child Center to put together some useful advice on how to address this problem in your...