Reflections on Psychiatry & Psychology

Brain zaps during SSRI/SNRI withdrawal remain poorly studied and often overlooked by psychiatry. Patients frequently learn about them online rather than from physicians. Researchers and clinicians call for better awareness, informed consent, and more research on antidepressant discontinuation effects.

A psychiatrist posed as a troubled teen to test AI therapy chatbots — and the results were alarming. Point Loma Clinic in San Diego explains why AI cannot safely replace licensed therapists, especially for vulnerable teens.

After 30+ years serving San Diego, Point Loma Shelter Island Drug and Point Loma Cabrillo Drug closed. Crime and PBM “clawbacks” strained the small, personal pharmacies. Owner Michael Saad sold to a chain after years of 12-hour days. Loyal patrons will miss the care.

Pharma has saved millions but is driven by profit. New drugs are priced high to recoup R&D costs; when patents expire, generics get cheaper. Companies often use tactics to extend profits beyond patent life.

A JAMA Psychiatry study found U.S. psychiatrists increasingly go cash-only (19% to 27%). Self-pay visits are longer and more frequent, suggesting higher value than brief insurance “med checks.”

In 2019, Elijah McClain died after EMTs injected him with 500 mg ketamine during a police arrest. The text argues ketamine is not a sedative but a dissociative anesthetic that inhibits GABA indirectly and can raise heart rate and blood pressure. In a stressful arrest, this may worsen agitation and cardiac strain. It concludes ketamine should not be used to “sedate” detainees.