In a recent article I talked about magnetic fields stimulating the brain using a device call the ‘God Helmet’. I’m not going to open that can of worms again, but I did promise to delve into TMS and how it uses magnetic fields to stimulate the brain. TMS stands for transcranial magnetic stimulation – it […]
Our online activity generates a wealth of data that may help with predicting and preventing mental health challenges before they unravel. This summer, Google rolled out a depression assessment tool, the PHQ-9, to US-based mobile users. The PHQ-9 [you can read a study on it here] is a standardized set of questions that’s commonly used […]
A story submitted to the City of Brains Project by a woman in Toronto covers the complex, difficult journey of trying to get access to mental health help for OCD. It’s so frustrating that there are evidence-based treatments, very well-supported by research, but they’re not actually made available to people. As you can see in the story, […]
It’s very popular in OCD patient communities, and in mental health communities in general, to get stuck on labeling superficial symptoms. But it becomes just another way to practice the judging and categorizing and discriminating that can fuel so many compulsions. A more effective approach to support recovery from OCD is to understand (and eliminate) the compulsive […]
Serotonin is a beautifully named neurotransmitter that plays many important roles in our lives. There’s so much of it floating around in our bodies. Lots in our brains. Even more in our guts (along with that burrito you ate for lunch). But that serotonin might not be doing what you think it’s doing. Serotonin is […]
Biotech companies in the US and India are moving ahead with trials on reviving brain-dead people. Before I get into the interesting bits of this, I’ve gotta say, when I saw the press release with the Reanima Project logo, I was sure this was clever marketing for a new zombie video game. That looks like […]
When people are struggling the most, they often encounter a part of the healthcare system that can seem like it was designed in the medieval era: emergency room care for people with mental illnesses. As budgets for mental health services get cut year after year, with no preventative care or dedicated psychiatric treatment centers accessible, […]
