How could MDMA-assisted and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy help people with depression and PTSD?

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Anya Borissova and Philip Brooks consider a recent review exploring MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for trauma-related mental health difficulties.

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Psychological interventions effective for improving mental health and sleep following complex trauma

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In her debut blog, Delia Ciobotaru explores a network meta-analysis which finds that psychological treatments are effective in reducing PTSD symptoms experienced by people with complex trauma.

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MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD: moving towards post-traumatic growth?

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Aster Daniel summarises a recent study exploring post-traumatic growth after MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

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Psychological disorders associated with poor oral health

Authors reviewed studies that assessed oral health of people with severe mental illness.

26 studies were included in this review of the association between common psychological disorders and poor oral health. Dental decay and tooth loss were significantly higher in those with common psychological disorders

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Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing to treat PTSD in people with learning disabilities

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There is now evidence of the effectiveness of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing for the treatment of symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder.

In her debut blog, Rose Tomlins looks at a review of the evidence of this approach for people with learning disabilities.

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Mental disorders after critical illness: depression, PTSD and functional disability in survivors of intensive care

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The BRAIN-ICU prospective cohort study published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine looks at mental health outcomes and functional disabilities in a general ICU population. It explores the hypothesis that depressive symptoms after discharge are more often somatic (i.e. bodily complaints) than cognitive-affective (i.e. thought-related and mood-related complaints).

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Combining psychotherapy and antidepressants is best for common mental illnesses

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Patrick Kennedy-Williams summarises a recent meta-analysis, which finds that combined treatment with psychotherapy and antidepressants is more effective than treatment with antidepressants alone.

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And if we do nothing? A new systematic review explores natural PTSD remission rates

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Who naturally recovers from PTSD and why? A recent meta-regression analysis finds an overall natural remission rate for PTSD of 44%, with no increase in remission after longer observation periods.

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Critical illness and risk of psychiatric diagnosis

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Out in the woodland we are pleased that recent advances in medical care mean that more patients are surviving critical illnesses within intensive care units (ICU).  “But what does that have to do with the Mental Elf?” I hear you say. Well, we Mental Elves are wondering whether this advancement in medical technology and technique are actually putting people [read the full story…]

Approximately 1 in 6 children develop PTSD after trauma exposure

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How many children develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after a traumatic experience such as an assault, a car crash, war or disaster? William Yule, one of the godfathers of child traumatic stress research, once pointed out that rates reported in separate studies varied from 0 to 100%. So what is on average the rate [read the full story…]