Mental health articles

Th ere are two basic models for treatment, harm reduction and abstinence. Both have their place. Sometimes a student may fi rst try to reduce harm by curbing drinking, only to discover later that complete abstinence is necessary. Harm Reduction Approaches Most college students are not initially interested in abstaining and so may hesitate to […]

Stressors by College Year Th ere are some stresses that tend to apply to all students. A recent informal survey at the University of Wisconsin seems consistent with many other university surveys in pointing to the following most frequently mentioned stressors (McGrath, 2005): 1. Academic concerns, high academic demands 2. Unrealistic expectations in a course […]

Medical Side Effects Medication we will confi ne ourselves here to briefl y commenting about the nonmedical clinician’s pivotal role in drug therapy. Th e main task is to determine when a medication consult is warranted, based on careful diagnostic assessment. Medications are indispensable for bipolar disorder, oft en necessary for major depressive episodes and […]

Assessment and Psychoeducation Good treatment is predicated on accurate assessment. Some clinicians favor formal depression and anxiety assessment instruments such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) (Beck, Rial, & Rickets, 1974) Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) (Beck, Epstein, Brown, & Steer, 1988) Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (U.S. DHHS, 1976) Public Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9) (Spitzer, Kroenke, & […]

Th e antipsychotic medicines are eff ective across the whole range of psychotic disorders, i.e., schizophrenia, aff ective psychosis, paranoia, and psychosis secondary to dementia or other medical problems. Th e development of the antipsychotics (also called neuroleptics or major tranquilizers) led to the deinstitutionalization of the severely psychiatrically ill in the 1960s and the […]