"When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. But upon discovering how these remarkable substances are improving the lives not only of the mentally ill but also of healthy people coming to...

Toxic thoughts, depression, anxiety--our mental mess is frequently aggravated by a chaotic world and sustained by an inability to manage our runaway thoughts. But we shouldn't settle into this mental mess as if it's just our new normal. There's hope and help available to us--and the road to healthier thoughts and peak happiness may actually be shorter than you think. Backed by clinical research and illustrated with compelling case studies, Dr. Caroline...

John Robison longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits had earned him the label "social deviant." No guidance came from his mother, who conversed with light fixtures, or his father, who spent evenings drun

"Was Andy Warhol a hoarder? Did Einstein have autism? In this surprising and inventive look at the evolution of mental health, respected journalist Claudia Kalb gives readers a glimpse into the lives of high-profile historic figures through the lens of modern psychology, weaving groundbreaking research into biographical narratives that are deeply embedded in our culture. From Marilyn Monroe's borderline personality disorder to Charles Darwin's anxiety,...

A bold, expert, and actionable map for the re-invention of America's broken mental health care system As director of the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Thomas Insel was giving a presentation when the father of a boy with schizophrenia yelled from the back of the room, Our house is on fire and you're telling me about the chemistry of the paint! What are you doing to put out the fire? Dr. Insel knew in his heart that the answer was not nearly...

It's time to reclaim your mental health. We can't deny it any longer: there is a Black mental health crisis in our world today. In addition, the effects of under-education, poverty, and systemic racism have greatly impacted African Americans' access to effective mental health treatment. It's time to take Black mental health seriously. It's time to heal our psychological distress, find community, and combat marginalization in order to thrive. So, how...

"From the centuries of torture of "lunatiks" at Bedlam Asylum to the infamous eugenics era to the follies of the anti-psychiatry movement to the current landscape in which too many families struggle alone to manage afflicted love ones, Powers limns our fears and myths about mental illness and the fractured public policies that have resulted. Braided with that history is the moving story of Powers's beloved son Kevin--spirited, endearing, and gifted--who...

1875. Elizabeth Todd Edwards reels from news that her younger sister Mary, former First Lady and widow of President Abraham Lincoln, has attempted suicide. The shocking act followed legal proceedings arranged by Mary's eldest and only surviving son that declared her legally insane. The Todd sisters-- maternal Elizabeth, peacemaker Frances, envious Ann, and much adored Emilie-- had always turned to one another in times of joy and heartache. But when...

Mental immunity is thе foundation оf emotional rеѕіlіеnсе. The same wау іn which a соld оr flu саn dеrаіl thе hеаlth оf someone whо іѕ аlrеаdу іll, a ѕmаll ѕеtbасk or trоublіng thоught саn do thе ѕаmе tо ѕоmеоnе whо іѕ nоt mеntаllу іmmunе. Good mеntаl immunity is еѕѕеntіаl tо living a full аnd productive lіfе. In these COVID-19 pandemic сrіѕеѕ, we nееd to tаkе gооd...