Mad in America

DECEMBER 21, 2024

From the safety of ones surroundings to access to proper nutrition, sleep, and social stability, the circumstances of life have a lasting biochemical effect on the brain. These areas of the brain impact how a person reacts to the world. Those with high ACE scores have brains physically different from those with low or no ACE scores.

Trauma and the brain 143

Trauma and the brain Construction Sleep and mental health Legal 143

Mad in America

MAY 2, 2024

Some neuroscientists argue that we should rather focus our efforts on the upstream social and structural factors, such as trauma and inequity , that create the conditions for mental health concerns to arise. A recent Neuroscience News article is titled “ Bipolar disorder can be detected with blood test. ”

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Trauma and the brain Neurotransmitters and mental health Genetics and mental health Biopsychosocial model 121

Mad in America

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Eugene Gendlin In a previous blog, I wrote about my experiences in psychedelic therapy, and the ways that the psychedelic-assisted therapy model by design perpetuates one of our cultures deepest wounds: feeling alone. Listening shows that the nature of human beings is nothing like socialized content. Midday) — Jena, April 24th 1884.

Trauma and the brain 127

Trauma and the brain Psychedelic therapy Aging and mental health Education 127

Mad in America

MAY 13, 2025

The way we think about mental distress today is based on a big mistakethat emotional pain comes from brain chemistry problems rather than from people’s experiences, social conditions, and how they make sense of things. I n the clean hallways of today’s mental health centers, a quiet change is taking shape.

Trauma and the brain 107

Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Childhood trauma Self-awareness 107

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 16, 2024

T he text that follows is the English translation of a speech I gave at The Danish Psychiatry Top Summit in 2024. A video of the speech, with English subtitles, is available here. The summit features professionals, politicians, and people with lived experiences. This year more than a thousand people attended. Every year, the summit has a theme.

Trauma and the brain 139

Trauma and the brain 139

Mad in America

JULY 29, 2024

In this blog, a therapist who works with children and young people expands on some of these worrying consequences, including the imposition of identities, the co-option of the neurodiversity movement for personal and professional gain, the restrictions on therapeutic work, and the silencing of dissenting views. In Part 1 and Part 2 , we—e.g.

Trauma and the brain 144

Trauma and the brain Construction Education Eating disorders 144

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 18, 2024

I can think of many examples throughout my early career where I saw many people admitted to psychiatric wards having suffered an adverse life event, recent or past trauma, only to leave with prescriptions for multiple drugs to treat their new presumed diagnoses.

Trauma and the brain 143

Trauma and the brain Sleep and mental health Personality disorders Self-awareness 143

ADDitude

JUNE 10, 2025

Living with ADHD means constantly unboxing and adapting to its little “gifts.” Our symptoms work like Russian nesting dolls, the outer shells consisting of one of the “big three” – inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity – and the shells within consisting of sub-behaviors that cause issues in different parts of our lives. I’m doing it!

Trauma and the brain 74

Trauma and the brain Education 74

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

According to Moncrieff, mainstream psychiatry’s theory of drug action is that psychiatric drugs work by healing some underlying brain abnormality, thus supporting the concept of biological psychiatry. C urrently, antidepressants are among the most commonly prescribed drugs for a wide range of diagnoses, not just depression and anxiety.

Trauma and the brain 134

Trauma and the brain Family dynamics Bipolar disorder Community support 134

Mad in America

MAY 12, 2025

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on our affiliate site, Mad in the UK. It was written by David Hansen, a crisis worker at a person-centred, survivor-led mental health crisis service. I have tasked myself with mapping out my understanding of how therapy and mental health relate to politics. Is therapy political?

Trauma and the brain 110

Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Pharmaceuticals Genetics and mental health 110

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 18, 2023

A fter years of work involving hundreds of people in dozens of countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) have released their joint production, Mental Health, Human Rights and Legislation: Guidance and Practice ( WHO/OHCHR , 2023, referred to as the Guidance.

Genetics and mental health 145

Genetics and mental health Biopsychosocial model Trauma and the brain Legal 145

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 28, 2024

Concurrently, many mental health professionals carry a burden of their own trauma and are not healthy individuals. Trauma fragments our being as we disconnect from our experiences, suppress our feelings and hide away our wounded parts. When trauma is healed, so do our bodies. When trauma is healed, so do our bodies.

Hospitality 94

Hospitality Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Construction 94

Center for Integrative Psychiatry

MAY 26, 2025

Grief is more than just sadness, its a profound emotional experience that can affect your entire body, including your brain. This is sometimes referred to as grief brain fog, and its a real, biological response to emotional trauma. Your brain is under stress during bereavement. Is Memory Loss from Grief Permanent?

Trauma and the brain 52

Trauma and the brain Healthcare 52

Mad in America

AUGUST 17, 2024

By Friday, the effects of K2 had turned his brain into a monster, a stark contrast to the gentle young man we knew. Told by his mother, Pamela, and his oldest brother, Joe, it’s also a story of resilience, loving commitment, and a push for change against a system riddled with discrimination and harms.

Hospitality 130

Hospitality Trauma and the brain Mental health advocacy Mental health policy 130

The London Psychiatry Centre

JANUARY 3, 2025

When first-line treatments havent worked, sufferers and their loved ones often begin to wonder about the science of it all, asking: how does mental health affect our brain (and vice versa)? Read on to learn more about how mental health affects the brain. Brain function is key to both physical health and mental health.

Neurotransmitters and mental health 52

Neurotransmitters and mental health Trauma and the brain Bipolar disorder 52

Mad in America

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

Editor’s Note: This blog is also being published on our affiliate site, Mad in the UK. T he one-size-fits-all autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, as configured in the Revised Fifth Edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM- 5-TR), is a clinical catastrophe. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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Autism spectrum Trauma and the brain Education Hospitality 136

Mad in America

AUGUST 10, 2024

I am typing this blog in the back of a taxi wending its way to the airport through the hilly landscape of Sardinia, my beautiful daughter sleeping in the seat beside me. I am typing this blog in the back of a taxi wending its way to the airport through the hilly landscape of Sardinia, my beautiful daughter sleeping in the seat beside me.

Sleep and mental health 123

Sleep and mental health Aging and mental health Trauma and the brain Social Services 123

Mad in America

FEBRUARY 18, 2025

I will always wonder whether I got worse because of me or because of damage to my brain? T his is all written to the best of my memory. I worked, I had a life. But then I languished on disability for twenty-six years. Dystonia, kidney failure, possibly the hypothyroidism was my lot for serving as a drug whore for psychiatry.

Trauma and the brain 129

Trauma and the brain Sleep and mental health Aging and mental health Legal 129

Roland Bal - Resolving Trauma and PTSD

DECEMBER 3, 2024

Self-defeat is a common symptom of Complex Trauma or PTSD. Unfortunately, these shutdown states and self-defeating thoughts are all too common with PTSD and Complex Trauma. A 15-30-minute mandatory daily walk, no matter what, can help clear a lot of brain fog. The Next Step Is Action! That gets your energy moving again.

Trauma and the brain 52

Trauma and the brain Self-awareness 52

Mad in America

OCTOBER 3, 2024

Recovering from protracted withdrawal was a huge challenge, and I had to approach it wisely, doing everything I could to survive the process and help my body and mind heal. In this article, I will outline what helped and what hindered my healing process. After moments of temporary improvement, sudden setbacks can occur.

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Trauma and the brain Breathing techniques 134

Center for Integrative Psychiatry

MAY 22, 2025

The emerging field of integrative psychiatry and gut health highlights how closely the digestive system and brain are connected. In a world where mental health care is evolving rapidly, integrative psychiatry has emerged as a thoughtful and comprehensive approach that looks beyond symptoms and medications. Lets break it down.

Nutrition and mood 52

Nutrition and mood Trauma and the brain Sleep and mental health Holistic mental health 52

Center for Integrative Psychiatry

MAY 17, 2025

Unlike generalized anxiety or depression, PTSD develops specifically as a result of psychological trauma. The most important is its origin: trauma. Another difference is how the brain processes trauma. Most people have heard of PTSD, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but not everyone understands what it really is.

Trauma and the brain 52

Trauma and the brain Sleep and mental health Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Anxiety disorders 52

Mad in America

DECEMBER 9, 2023

Science has a pretty good grasp of how the body and brain work, right? Psychologists help people who feel bad and doctors prescribe medicine for broken brains with a lack of one or another neurotransmitter. The brain may be controlled by neurotransmitters, but neurotransmitters are affected by the life you live.

Neurotransmitters and mental health 101

Neurotransmitters and mental health Poverty and mental health Trauma and the brain Pharmaceuticals 101

Now Psych

MAY 14, 2024

Defining Psychosis Psychosis is a condition that affects the brain, causing a person to experience symptoms such as hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking. It is characterized by symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, and disordered thinking. It can also occur after a woman gives birth ( postpartum psychosis ).

Bipolar disorder 52

Bipolar disorder Genetics and mental health Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Trauma and the brain 52

Mad in America

DECEMBER 10, 2024

Waking dreamsallowus to dream while awake, significantly enhancing self-awareness, creative problem-solving, andthe ability to findmeaning in life experiences. Indigenous culturesaround the worldrecognize and intentionally cultivate waking dreams for both personal and communitywell-being.

Sleep and mental health 103

Sleep and mental health Self-awareness Aging and mental health Trauma and the brain 103

Dr. Sagnik Mukherjee Blog

FEBRUARY 28, 2025

” It is a traumatic experience that can deeply affect brain development, emotional regulation, and overall mental health. ” It is a traumatic experience that can deeply affect brain development, emotional regulation, and overall mental health. ” But what if they dont?

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Resilience and coping Trauma and the brain Anxiety disorders 52

Mad in America

FEBRUARY 25, 2025

T he way psychiatry treats those who deviate from the norm is akin to the outdated and unhelpful way that industry used to understand the assembly linesomething that manufacturing started moving away from by the mid-20 th century. Good product was shipped. At the time, it was common for management to blame the operators. Or the machines.

Manufacturing 79

Manufacturing Trauma and the brain Construction 79

Dr. Sagnik Mukherjee Blog

OCTOBER 14, 2024

There are a few potential causes and shared symptoms that may explain why these two disorders often coexist: Biological Factors: Both bipolar and anxiety disorders are linked to imbalances in brain chemistry. Have you noticed them feeling anxious during their manic episodes or perhaps experiencing panic attacks while feeling down?

Bipolar disorder 52

Bipolar disorder Anxiety disorders Genetics and mental health Neurotransmitters and mental health 52

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Can we identify them before they start an antidepressant? With so much debate and discussion about “how many” (including the previous two essays in this series), it’s surprising that so little has been written about “why some and not others?” Yes, being on an antidepressant for a long time increases the risk of severe withdrawal when stopping.

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Bipolar disorder Trauma and the brain 103

Lightwork

DECEMBER 26, 2024

Introduction Research consistently shows that women experience anxiety disorders at nearly twice the rate of men. This stark difference isn’t just a statistical anomalyit reflects complex biological, social, and cultural factors that shape women’s mental health experiences.

Anxiety disorders 52

Anxiety disorders Resilience and coping Aging and mental health Sleep and mental health 52

Montana Psychiatry

JANUARY 25, 2025

Its not about willpower or effortits a medical condition that affects your brain chemistry, energy levels, and emotions. Heres why self-help might not be enough: Brain Chemistry : Depression often involves chemical imbalances in the brain that self-care alone cant correct. Its safe, effective, and doesnt require medication.

Sleep and mental health 40

Sleep and mental health Trauma and the brain 40

Montana Psychiatry

MAY 12, 2025

Compassionate Support Leads to Healing Brandy, the groups facilitator at Montana Psychiatry & Brain Health Center, made it clear from the beginning: this group was focused on learning practical skills to support mental health, not on diving into personal trauma. Group therapy felt intimidating. But that wasnt the case at all.

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Group therapy Dialectical Behavior Therapy Trauma and the brain 40

The London Psychiatry Centre

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Neuroscience has demonstrated that outrage can arouse the brains reward centres. Or maybe youve been feeling flat but you suspect that underneath that sensation is ongoing frustration, anger and irritability. If youre concerned about anger and mental health, youre not the only one. But what happens when you get angry too much?

Trauma and the brain 52

Trauma and the brain Construction 52

Mad in America

DECEMBER 3, 2024

What if smoking isn’t just about addiction or comfort, but about something deeper—something rooted in how trauma reshapes the brain? Research into Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has uncovered startling connections between trauma and long-term health behaviors. Trauma seems to have a way of impacting brain function.

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Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Childhood trauma 114

Mad in America

AUGUST 5, 2024

T his is the fourth and final part of our blog series on neurodiversity. T his is the fourth and final part of our blog series on neurodiversity. Editor’s Note: Mad in the UK and Mad in America are jointly publishing this four-part series on neurodiversity. The series is being archived here.

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Trauma and the brain Genetics and mental health Self-awareness Personality disorders 144

Department of Psychiatry News

JUNE 12, 2025

Cookies on this website We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click Accept all cookies well assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you wont see this message again. Daria Bukhman is an educator, health coach and wellbeing expert.

Genetics and mental health 91

Genetics and mental health Aging and mental health Trauma and the brain Sleep and mental health 91

Mad in America

JANUARY 18, 2025

Im not even a therapist. Im someone whos struggled with mental distress and the systems meant to help. If theres one thing Ive learned, its this: our approach to mental health often misses the forest for the trees. It focuses on individuals as though they exist in a vacuum, ignoring the environments and systems that shape their lives. Experience.

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Trauma and the brain Family dynamics Childhood trauma Education 124