Who wants to admit that they need to see a psychiatrist? There is often an inner sense of shame and disgrace when people seek psychiatric consultation, yet the pain of mental illness compels many people to seek help from family doctors or psychiatrists. Most people who suspect mental illness initially... Read more →

The power of stigmatization of the mentally ill is so strong that it keeps mental health low on the list of public priorities for spending. One of the barriers to treatment for the mentally ill is the inability to pay for it, and another is how to access it. Policy-making and funding decisions for mental... Read more →

There are many people with common neurotic anxiety disorders who continue to work despite their condition, depending on severity. However, people with more serious psychiatric disabilities such as schizophrenia or bipolar I disorder, often drop out of the workplace when their mental condition reaches... Read more →

Despite the fact that science is now easing back the curtain and revealing the neuroanatomical correlates of mental illness, some insurance companies still refuse to cover mental health in their basic policies. During our previous roundtable, I related my disappointment over the health insurance industry’s... Read more →

The tragedies of Columbine and similar incidents have led to impassioned calls for increased mental health services for children and adolescents. While there is little doubt that increases are needed and long overdue, this focus alone overlooks an important fact. Even when services are available, children... Read more →

Last night I decided to hide from the subfreezing temperatures outside by settling down with a warm cup of mint tea and my newly arrived health insurance policy. In a effort to make my task more tolerable, I decided that I would read it through a biopsychosocial lens. Most noticeable among the stacks... Read more →