https://medicalxpress.com/psychiatry-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in Psychiatry Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that influences how people communicate and process information. A significant proportion of autistic children do not speak or speak only a few words. Many find it difficult to communicate face to face, especially when interaction is fast-moving or dependent on interpreting bodily cues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-social-media-valued-community-spaces.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:20:01 EDT news710671974 In recent decades, the social and legal perception of people with mental disorders who commit crimes has changed. Initially, people with mental disorders were considered dangerous. However, since the late 20th century, the paradigm has shifted at both social and legal levels, with people experiencing mental disorders often considered victims themselves, despite having committed intentional crimes. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-hidden-violence-family-members-main.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 21:00:01 EDT news710695802 The first study exploring women's experiences of peer support following a termination for medical reasons (TFMR) highlights the profound isolation, misunderstanding and stigma women experience and the importance of peer support. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-importance-peer-termination-pregnancy-medical.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 15:20:22 EDT news710683562 Antipsychotics are used to treat schizophrenia, along with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder. However, these medications can be associated with hyponatremia, a serious reduction in blood sodium levels. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-hyponatremia-differ-generation-antipsychotics.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:20:01 EDT news710678881 Major societal events such as the Brexit referendum and COVID-19 lockdowns have contributed to a lasting deterioration in mental health in the U.K., a study led by University College London (UCL) researchers finds. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-political-upheaval-pandemic-uk-mental.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:40:19 EDT news710675042 An individual's personality, especially how strongly they react to uncertainty, may help indicate how vulnerable they are to prolonged mental distress during a major crisis, according to a new USC-led study. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-personality-reveal-link-neuroticism-pandemic.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:20:11 EDT news710678761 Researchers from the Department of Cell Biology, Genetics and Physiology at the University of Malaga have led an international scientific team studying how a traumatic brain injury caused by a severe blow to the head affects the brain's long-term response to subsequent stressful situations. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-traumatic-brain-injury-subsequent-response.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:20:30 EDT news710670566 Short-form video platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts use an effective tactic to maximize the time their users spend on the platforms: They feed one video after another into an algorithmically generated feed. As you scroll, new content loads automatically. This creates an endless loop of ever-changing content with no discernible end. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-endless-video-users-adhd-struggling.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:40:20 EDT news710670457 More than 1.5 million Australians live with diabetes—a relentless, demanding condition with day-to-day challenges that can affect their emotional well-being. Yet people living with diabetes demonstrate remarkable strengths, resilience and adaptability every day. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-wrong-strong-exploring-personal-strengths.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:20:34 EDT news710661062 Shared family factors, such as genes and upbringing, are likely to explain a large part of the link between high screen use and mental health problems in young people. This is according to a new study from Karolinska Institutet published in Nature Human Behaviour. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-twin-screen-link-mental-health.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 05:00:20 EDT news710611502 A gene primarily active in fat and muscles could make a person more susceptible to anorexia nervosa, a deadly eating disorder with one of the highest mortality rates of any psychiatric disease. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-fat-gene-emerges-contributor-anorexia.html Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:00:01 EDT news710588222 A few years ago, 30 special forces veterans suffering for years with the psychiatric consequences of multiple traumatic brain injuries—including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety—traveled to Mexico to undergo a little-known psychedelic therapy called ibogaine. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-year-ibogaine-veterans-relief-ptsd.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 13:00:04 EDT news710595856 Naltrexone and fluoxetine demonstrated similar results in the treatment of people with compulsive sexual behavior disorder in a new study from Karolinska Institutet. Published in BMJ Mental Health, the study found no clear differences between the medications after eight weeks of treatment, although symptom patterns changed differently over time. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-medications-results-compulsive-sexual-behavior.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:40:18 EDT news710594840 A new study led by University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers finds that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a significantly higher risk of developing dementia or mild cognitive impairment later in life. The research, published today in JAMA Psychiatry, also found that people who carry a higher genetic risk for ADHD face a greater chance of cognitive decline even without a documented diagnosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-health-link-adhd-fourfold-higher.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 11:00:07 EDT news710519701 In a nationally representative study on psilocybin use and mental health treatment, researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have found that among people with depression, those who use psilocybin pursue mental health care at rates similar to those of nonusers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-contrary-psilocybin-users-depression-treatment.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 10:40:02 EDT news710583001 A new Curtin University study has found almost half of people who experience a concussion still have problems a year later, while also revealing which factors put patients most at risk of long-term symptoms. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-mental-health-disorders-factors-term.html Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:20:05 EDT news710575261 In the first weeks after the Oct. 7 attack, distress was widespread. But for many, the psychological consequences of the war did not unfold separately from another growing source of pressure: money. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-war-wallet-mental-health.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 18:20:10 EDT news710518681 A study by the University of Oulu has found that women who entered menopause earlier than usual reported more symptoms of anxiety and depression than women of the same age who had not yet entered menopause. The work is published in the journal Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-early-onset-menopause-linked-symptoms.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:20:07 EDT news710516461 Childhood abuse leaves a scar on the brain, a new neuroimaging study led by UCLA psychologists has shown. The researchers found associations between the severity of different maltreatment exposures and cortical thickness, surface area and subcortical volume based on MRI images of individuals. The effect was more pronounced in young women than in men or in children. The study is the largest of its kind to examine the neurobiological legacy of childhood maltreatment across a diverse, global sample of people. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-childhood-abuse-scar-brain.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 13:20:10 EDT news710507582 Low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. For people with chronic low back pain (cLBP) lasting more than 12 weeks, a sudden pain flare triggered by movement can often worsen the condition. Pain signals originate in the brain, but scientists still don't fully understand the specific neural circuitry that sparks this movement-based pain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-chronic-pain-personal.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:14 EDT news710504461 When technology designers work on mental health issues that people tend to conceal or struggle to describe, they often end up with elegant solutions that can make problems worse, according to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-mental-health-apps-problem.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:01 EDT news710503622 Antidepressant use continues to rise. In England, 96 million antidepressant prescription items were dispensed to an estimated 9.1 million patients in 2025–2026. These medicines are prescribed for depression and other conditions, including anxiety and some forms of pain. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-antidepressants.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:40:13 EDT news710502242 A focus on how we engage with social media—not just how long we spend on it—is key to analyzing the impact on mental health, a new study warns. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-focus-social-media-engagement-screen.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:00:15 EDT news710425921 New research co-authored by Justin Anker, Ph.D., of the University of Minnesota Medical School is the largest survey of mental health among actively licensed lawyers to date and provides the first large-scale measurement of work-related burnout in the legal profession. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-large-scale-burnout-legal-reveals.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:40:15 EDT news710424483 A review led by Bournemouth University researchers has highlighted the extent to which people seeking help for alcohol problems may also be struggling with a second, hidden problem with food and eating. Despite this evidence that many people experience both conditions at the same time, support for eating disorders and alcohol recovery is provided separately in health care systems. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-health-link-alcohol-problems-disorders.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 14:00:06 EDT news710423401 Boys and young men who report greater symptoms of muscle dysmorphia may also be more likely to experience a range of sexual difficulties, according to a new study examining the intersection of body image and sexual health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-muscle-dysmorphia-symptoms-linked-sexual.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:20:01 EDT news710422381 A UC Riverside–led study of mental health stigma in Japan has found a striking gap between the need for treatment and people's willingness to seek it, with high levels of social distancing toward people with mental illness serving as a potential barrier. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-mental-health-stigma-japan-deter.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:40:11 EDT news710421841 Even when we are not speaking aloud, we often talk to ourselves in our heads, using language to guide our thoughts and actions. This is known as "inner speech" and is involved in cognitive functions such as attention and self-control. However, studying how inner speech develops is challenging, particularly in young children, who may not yet be able to clearly describe what is happening in their minds. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-reveals-children-speech.html Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:00:09 EDT news710408522 The way digital technologies are currently built and governed creates real risks to health worldwide, alongside genuine benefits, according to a new three-paper series authored by 13 global experts and published in The Lancet. The authors call for coordinated governance of digital systems, with the health and online safety of children and young people made an immediate global policy priority. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-digital-media-health-warrant-global.html Sun, 04 Oct 2026 18:30:01 EDT news710093242 Sibling aggression takes many forms, like hitting, shoving, threatening or calling names. Although sibling aggression is widespread and can shape people for years, it hasn't been studied well by psychological researchers. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-sibling-aggression-common-dismissed.html Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:40:01 EDT news710163961