#Psychiatry

Groundbreaking research into psychedelic compounds is shedding new light on how these substances might revolutionize the treatment of mental health disorders, promising innovative alternatives for people in Thailand and across the globe. A suite of recent studies explores the biological and psychological mechanisms by which psychedelics—including psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ayahuasca, and MDMA—modulate brain circuits, emotions, and cognition with potentially enduring therapeutic benefits. These advances herald a growing shift from anecdotal and early-phase examinations of psychedelics toward a more rigorous, mechanistic understanding crucial for clinical application.

A newly published review in JAMA Psychiatry has sparked controversy among mental health experts, raising concerns that it significantly underestimates the risks faced by long-term users of antidepressants when they attempt to discontinue their medication. The debate centers on the review’s focus on short-term, industry-funded studies and has important implications for millions worldwide, including a growing cohort of patients in Thailand who rely on antidepressant therapy.

Antidepressant withdrawal — the range of physical and psychological symptoms experienced when stopping or reducing dosage — has come under increased scrutiny as more people use these medications for extended periods. While previous medical guidelines, such as those from the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), described withdrawal as “brief and mild,” recent scrutiny has revealed a more complex picture, particularly for long-term users. The new JAMA Psychiatry review, authored in part by academics with ties to pharmaceutical companies, concludes that withdrawal symptoms from antidepressants are generally not clinically significant for most users, especially those on the medication for only eight to twelve weeks. Its analysis, based on eleven trials — the vast majority of which involved short-term use — found slightly more withdrawal symptoms in those stopping antidepressants than in placebo groups, but the authors attribute much of this to the “nocebo effect” (the power of negative expectations to trigger adverse symptoms) rather than to withdrawal itself.

A prominent psychiatrist has expressed deep remorse over his role in transforming the landscape of autism in America—a change that saw US autism rates leap from 1 in 2,000 children in the 1980s to approximately 1 in 31 today. The surge, he says, is largely attributable to expanded diagnostic criteria introduced in the 1990s and further broadened in the 2010s, with far-reaching consequences for families, public health policy, and social attitudes across the globe—including in Thailand.

In a pioneering new study, neuroscientists have traced the precise brain mechanisms that empower us to tell the difference between what we imagine and what we actually see—an ability fundamental to understanding our own experience and, when disrupted, central to psychiatric conditions like schizophrenia. The research, published this month in Neuron by a team at University College London (UCL), pinpoints the fusiform gyrus—a visual processing region of the brain—as a critical player in this reality-imagination divide, offering profound implications for mental health, technology, and our understanding of human perception (Neuroscience News).

A groundbreaking new philosophical analysis is challenging long-held psychiatric beliefs about delusion, urging the field to reconsider whether so-called “madness” is truly a sign of dysfunction or evidence of meaningful, adaptive strategy. The latest work, highlighted in a recent article on Mad in America and anchored in research from the European Journal of Analytic Philosophy, proposes that delusions may be better understood not as isolated symptoms of mental disorder, but as purposeful responses to overwhelming distress—responses that are systematically misunderstood, and unjustly marginalized, by conventional psychiatric practice (Madin America; European Journal of Analytic Philosophy).

Bipolar disorder, a complex mood disorder marked by dramatic oscillations between depression and mania, affects an estimated 40 million people worldwide. It is a condition that not only tests individuals’ emotional resilience but also challenges the medical community in its search for effective, personalized treatments. In a recent episode of NPR’s podcast Short Wave, a renowned psychiatry professor from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine—herself living with bipolar disorder—opened up about her diagnosis, daily management, and the latest advancements in treatment. Her dual role as scientist and patient offers a rare, deeply personal, and scientific insight into a condition that remains stigmatized and often misunderstood in many societies, including Thailand.

A landmark study published in Psychological Medicine has revealed that individuals suffering from major depressive disorder show signs of accelerated brain aging, offering new insights into the profound physical toll depression takes on the body. The research, which focused on a Japanese cohort, is one of the first to confirm that depression’s impact on brain structure extends beyond Western populations, emphasizing the global relevance of the findings and their implications for countries like Thailand.

A newly published study by University College London (UCL) researchers reveals that individuals who have taken antidepressants for more than two years are vastly more likely to suffer severe and long-lasting withdrawal symptoms when discontinuing the medication, compared to those prescribed antidepressants for less than six months. The findings, which come at a critical time as antidepressant prescriptions have soared worldwide, suggest that the duration of use is a key driver for withdrawal difficulty, potentially prompting a significant shift in how these medications are prescribed and managed both globally and in Thailand.

For many, the phrase “obsessive-compulsive disorder” (OCD) conjures up images of endless hand-washing, relentless checking of locked doors, or carefully lining up items in perfect order. But fresh research and expert voices now highlight unexpected symptoms often overlooked—not just by the public, but even by those who struggle with the disorder themselves. As understanding of OCD advances, mental health professionals urge a shift away from stereotypes, offering new hope for more accurate diagnosis and effective support, especially for Thai people whose experiences may take unique cultural forms (NYT).

Scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in unraveling the brain’s mechanics behind emotional connections, an advance that holds promise for understanding—and perhaps treating—conditions such as anxiety and trauma-related disorders. In a recent study published in Nature, researchers from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Tokyo have identified specific brain processes enabling the formation of complex emotional associations, challenging long-standing assumptions about how human and animal brains process emotionally charged experiences (Ars Technica).

A recent study published in the Journal of Positive Psychology has uncovered a striking link between optimism and the likelihood of responding positively to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a mainstay medication for major depressive disorder. The research suggests that individuals with a more optimistic outlook are not only better positioned to benefit from these antidepressants, but that increases in optimism during treatment also significantly raise the chances of recovery—a finding with important implications for the future of mental health care in Thailand and globally (PsyPost).

Recent research is challenging the long-held stereotypes of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), showing that the condition goes far beyond the familiar images of repetitive hand-washing or checking light switches. A recent feature in The New York Times presented the latest scientific understanding of the disorder, highlighting that many people with OCD actually experience a broad spectrum of symptoms—often unrecognized, even by those affected—ranging from persistent doubts about relationships to distressing intrusive thoughts and moral fixations (nytimes.com).

The assumption that mental disorders are largely inherited from our parents—a bedrock belief of biological psychiatry for decades—is now under serious scrutiny. According to a detailed new analysis published in May 2025, current research demonstrates that heritability explains far less about mental illness than previously assumed, prompting renewed calls for a broader understanding of the interplay between genes, environment, and psychology in shaping mental health (Madin America).

Why does this matter for Thai readers? In a country where mental health awareness is only now gaining national attention, public discourse often echoes global trends in medicine and psychiatry, including an emphasis on genetic causation. Many Thais, especially in urban areas, may be told that conditions like depression, anxiety, or schizophrenia run in families and are predominantly genetic. Understanding that mental disorders stem from more than just DNA could help counter stigma, inform policy, and inspire more comprehensive mental health support across the country.

Receiving the right psychiatric diagnosis can be life-changing, yet for many sufferers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), this clarity comes years after symptoms first appear. Recent revelations and mounting research highlight the widespread misdiagnosis of OCD as general anxiety disorder—a trend that has profound consequences for mental health treatment across the globe, including in Thailand.

The latest publicised case is recounted by a UK health reporter whose experiences echo the challenges many OCD patients face. For years, the journalist’s persistent, distressing intrusive thoughts were brushed aside as “just anxiety” by doctors and therapists. Only after seeking specialist help, and on the advice of an OCD-trained psychologist, did she receive an accurate diagnosis—a development that she described as “life-changing” (Daily Mail).

A new wave of research and personal testimony is drawing urgent attention to “high-functioning depression” — a form of depressive illness where sufferers maintain outward productivity while battling hidden internal distress. Unlike classic depression, which is often marked by withdrawal or inability to function, high-functioning depression stays masked beneath impressive academic, professional, or social achievement. The latest findings and expert recommendations, popularized in new media and books, reveal both the signs to watch for and actionable steps to escape this insidious cycle. This emerging understanding is vital for Thai society, where high performance and social harmony are deeply valued, increasing the risk that invisible suffering goes undetected.

A new review has shed light on why people living with obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs), chronic tic disorders (CTDs), and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience pronounced sleep disturbances—as well as how these intertwined problems could one day be better managed. The research, recently published in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry and summarised by several neuroscience outlets, finds that disruptions in a crucial brain circuit, the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) pathway, underpin both the psychiatric symptoms and the insomnia, delayed sleep onset, and other sleep issues reported in these populationsNeuroscience News.

A groundbreaking new study from the University of Michigan has found that a single dose of a novel psychedelic compound can produce weeks-long improvements in brain flexibility—a finding that could pave the way for innovative therapies targeting depression, PTSD, and neurodegenerative diseases. Using advanced research techniques on laboratory mice, scientists observed that the psychedelic 25CN-NBOH not only changed behavior in the short term but led to sustained cognitive enhancements, suggesting a fundamental shift in our understanding of how these substances might promote long-term brain health (Neuroscience News).

A wave of fresh research is prompting Thai psychiatrists and families to reconsider long-held assumptions about psychosis, as scientists explore the crucial differences between substance-induced and primary psychotic disorders. This emerging body of evidence, highlighted in a recent Medscape report, could help guide better diagnosis, tailored treatment, and more hopeful outcomes for patients across Thailand.

Psychosis, a condition marked by a loss of contact with reality—often via hallucinations or delusions—has long been categorized into those primarily caused by a psychiatric illness, like schizophrenia, and others triggered by substance use, such as methamphetamine (“ya ba”) or cannabis. Understanding whether symptoms are “primary” (intrinsic to psychiatric illness) or “substance-induced” (caused by drug or alcohol use) shapes every aspect of medical care, but until now, the true distinctions have often been blurred, fueling debates among clinicians and researchers worldwide.

The latest in-depth investigations by international psychiatrists and psychologists are prompting a global rethink over the widespread use and perceived efficacy of antidepressants, especially in the United States, where such medications have become almost ubiquitous for treating depression, anxiety, and insomnia. New findings sharply question the central assumptions about how these drugs work, their long-term benefits, and the risks they carry—a discussion that resonates far beyond America’s borders, including in Thailand, as local mental health practices continue to evolve.

A deeply personal story recently published in the Daily Mail, titled “I almost ended my life on antidepressants, ditching them saved me,” has struck a chord with readers who are questioning the impact of long-term antidepressant use and the consequences of withdrawal. This article arrives at a time of intensifying scientific scrutiny and public debate, as researchers worldwide uncover mounting evidence that discontinuing antidepressant medications can result in a complex and sometimes debilitating set of symptoms—findings that are directly relevant to an increasing number of Thai people prescribed these medicines for depression and anxiety.