Harvard Mental Health Letter articles from March 2006

Harvard Mental Health Letter archives from March 2006

First aid for emotional trauma.
March 1, 2006... When and how must we act to prevent lasting damage? A great deal is known about first aid for physical wounds but much less -- despite advances since the mid-1980s -- about how to prevent the injuries that come from memories of traumatic...

Outpatient commitment.
March 1, 2006... The emptying of mental hospitals began a half-century ago with the hope that effective treatment would be available on the outside, and patients would be willing to accept it. But for many neither of those conditions has been met. Many...

The therapeutic alliance: Its effect on other relationships.
March 1, 2006... Even psychotherapy that is helpful in other ways can interfere with the patient's social support system -- the advice and comfort, encouragement and moral support of family, friends, and others. That suggestion comes from an article in the...

In Brief; Comparing the antidepressants.
March 1, 2006... A review suggests that the many antidepressant drugs introduced since the mid-1980s are all about equally effective. The survey covers 46 head-to-head comparisons between antidepressants. Most of the drugs included are selective serotonin...

In Brief; Exposing the myth of national character.(National Character Survey)
March 1, 2006... Americans are individualistic, aggressive, and competitive. Canadians are relaxed, self-effacing, and agreeable. The English cultivate stiff upper lips. Germans are efficient and hard-working. Italians are warm and excitable. Most people are...

In Brief; The risk of cocaine addiction.
March 1, 2006... Cocaine is highly addictive, and the addiction develops quickly. But how often, how quickly, and who is most susceptible? A survey shows that the risk of early addiction is not as high as some may think, but women and African Americans are...

Questions & Answers: Are antidepressants safe during pregnancy?
March 1, 2006... Q. Is it safe to take antidepressants during pregnancy? A. Since their introduction, antidepressants -- especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) -- were considered fairly safe for pregnant women, even during the first...