Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST June is National Men’s Health Month, a good time to consider the unique mental health needs of men. In this edition of PsychPearls, Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD discusses mood disorders and the surprising symptoms that male patients may present.  In this conversation, Alpert also covers: 1. The etiology of major depressive disorder in men and women 2. Common comorbidities to depression among men 3. How to build a therapeutic alliance with men and encourage adherence 4. Effective pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions for men and women 5. Future directions for scientific research on mood disorders, including their connections to autoimmune, cardiac, and thyroid conditions.   Dr Alpert is the Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair in in the department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, and professor of psychiatry, neuroscience, and pediatrics at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine. 

PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST The initial wave of COVID-19 cases flooded New York City hospitals with patients who urgently needed medical attention. Despite the potential dangers, psychiatrists and other physicians rushed to their aid. There were examples of inspiring teamwork and mutual support everywhere. At the same time, many physicians found themselves in new and unfamiliar roles, sometimes without the necessary mental health resources to cope with what they were seeing and doing.   In this edition of Psych Pearls, hots Angela Coombs, MD, and Jennifer Sotsky, MD, talk to Kasey Grewe, MD, and Niesha Voigt, MD, about their experiences in the early days of the pandemic.  Many physicians have undergone traumatic experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. If you or anyone you know needs mental health resources, consider contacting the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national hotline (800-662-HELP) or the Physician Support Line (888-409-0141). Dr Grewe is an anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Fellow at University of California, Los Angeles Health. Dr Voigt is a PGY 3 resident and co-chair of the Psychiatry Residents Diversity Alliance at Columbia University Medical Center.  About the hosts: Dr Coombs is a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She serves as the medical director and team psychiatrist at ONTrackNY Washington Heights Community Service clinic. She completed her public psychiatry fellowship and adult psychiatry residency at Columbia University where she was a chief resident and co-organized the curriculum on racial/ethnic mental health disparities. In addition to her clinical work in the public sector, she also works in Columbia's psychiatric emergency room and has a private practice in Upper Manhattan. Dr Sotsky is a fellow in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a part time private practice. She was formerly a chief resident at Columbia’s psychiatry residency program. Before medical training, she received an MS in Narrative Medicine, an interdisciplinary field that studies illness through a humanities lens. She is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide and has interests in medical education, psychotherapy, and medical humanities.  Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Breakthrough Session podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry.

PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST Although lithium is a first-line treatment that ranks high on the list of patient’s favorites, it has fallen out of general use, particularly in the United States. When lithium works well, however, its benefits tend to last. It is among the top medications that prevent hospitalization. For the full transcript, see https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/dosing-tips-lithium-how-improve-tolerability About the hosts: Chris Aiken, MD, is the Mood Disorders Section Editor for Psychiatric Times, the Editor in Chief of The Carlat Psychiatry Report, and the Director of the Mood Treatment Center. He has written several books on mood disorders, most recently The Depression and Bipolar Workbook. He can be heard in the weekly Carlat Psychiatry Podcast with his cohost Kellie Newsome, PMH-NP. The author does not accept honoraria from pharmaceutical companies but receives royalties from PESI for The Depression and Bipolar Workbook and from W.W. Norton & Co. for Bipolar, Not So Much. Kellie L. Newsome, PMH-NP, is the cohost of the Carlat Psychiatry Podcast and is also a practicing Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in Winston Salem, NC, at the Mood Treatment Center. Raised in Tasmania, Australia, Kellie moved to the United States in 1998.

PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST During the first wave of COVID-19 cases in New York City, physicians of all kinds took on unfamiliar roles and, in many cases, potentially risked their lives to help their patients. In this edition of Psych Pearls, a quartet of doctors remember the early, uncertain days the pandemic. Hosts Angela Coombs, MD, and Jennifer Sotsky, MD, talk to Sara Nash, MD, MS, and David Chong, MD, about their personal experiences, how the challenges of the pandemic have evolved over time, what has kept them going throughout the year, and why preexisting social inequalities made the pandemic even deadlier in some communities.    Dr Nash is assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and program director of its fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine. Dr Chong is associate professor of medicine and program director of the Internal Medicine Training Program at Columbia University Medical Center.  About the hosts: Dr Coombs is a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She serves as the medical director and team psychiatrist at ONTrackNY Washington Heights Community Service clinic. She completed her public psychiatry fellowship and adult psychiatry residency at Columbia University where she was a chief resident and co-organized the curriculum on racial/ethnic mental health disparities. In addition to her clinical work in the public sector, she also works in Columbia's psychiatric emergency room and has a private practice in Upper Manhattan. Dr Sotsky is a fellow in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a part time private practice. She was formerly a chief resident at Columbia’s psychiatry residency program. Before medical training, she received an MS in Narrative Medicine, an interdisciplinary field that studies illness through a humanities lens. She is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide and has interests in medical education, psychotherapy, and medical humanities. Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Breakthrough Session podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry.

May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and moms around the world could probably use a break. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have done even more of the childcare and housework, while also, in many cases, keeping up with their careers. How has the pandemic affected their mental health—either by creating new problems or by exacerbating perennial concerns?     In this edition of Psych Pearls, Anita H. Clayton, MD, explores the wide and varied field of maternal mental health. Along with the effects of the pandemic, Clayton discusses pre-natal mental health care, new and emerging treatments for postpartum depression and psychosis, and how what she saw in a courtroom set her on a path to becoming a renowned expert on maternal wellness.     Dr Clayton is the David C. Wilson Professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia, with a secondary appointment as professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology. She is the author of Satisfaction: Women, Sex, and the Quest for Intimacy, published by Ballantine Books in 2007, and an editor of the 2005 Women’s Mental Health: A Comprehensive Textbook. She is also a program co-chair of the Annual Psychiatric TimesTM World CME Conference.   

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many patients were already waiting months to see a psychiatrist. In this edition of Psych Pearls, we speak to James Phelps, MD, about the roots of the crisis and what psychiatrists can do to meet the nation’s mental health needs, especially through new models of collaborate care.  Phelps also reviews his long career treating bipolar and other mood disorders. He discusses some of the most exciting recent discoveries, including research on inflammation and circadian rhythm disturbance, and mood bias. He also reviews recent research on digital therapeutics, which may offer powerful new options for treatment.   Dr Phelps is research editor at the Psychopharmacology Institute, medical director at PsychEducation.org, and adjunct faculty at Samaritan Mental Health in Corvallis, Oregon. He is the bipolar disorder section editor for Psychiatric TimesTM and the author of A Spectrum Approach to Mood Disorders for clinicians and Bipolar, Not So Much for patients and their families.

In this episode of PsychPearls and the Columbia University Breakthrough Session, hosts Angela Coombs, MD, and Jennifer Sotsky, MD, discuss the possibilities and promise of psilocybin in treating psychiatric disorders and in enhancing everyday experiences with David Hellerstein, MD. Landmark studies and new research about the use of hallucinogens includes potential to treat: Advanced stage cancer & death anxiety Treatment-resistent depression Eating disorders Posttraumatic stress disorder Substance use disorders Psilocybin (mushrooms) and other hallucinogens from plants and some animal life generate perceptual changes and hallucinations, altered physical sensations, strong emotional reactions, and even dissolution of self. The question is whether these are wild rides or trips and whether they can result in lasting changes in the patient. Over time, some of the brain connections may become disrupted and new circuits may become activated. Dr Hellerstein is a professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University and is conducting clinical trials of psilocybin. His books include Heal Your Brain: How the New Neuropsychiatry Can Help You Go from Better to Well (Johns Hopkins University Press). About the hosts: Dr Coombs is a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She serves as the medical director and team psychiatrist at ONTrackNY Washington Heights Community Service clinic. She completed her public psychiatry fellowship and adult psychiatry residency at Columbia University where she was a chief resident and co-organized the curriculum on racial/ethnic mental health disparities. In addition to her clinical work in the public sector, she also works in Columbia's psychiatric emergency room and has a private practice in Upper Manhattan. Dr Sotsky is a fellow in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a part time private practice. She was formerly a chief resident at Columbia’s psychiatry residency program. Before medical training, she received an MS in Narrative Medicine, an interdisciplinary field that studies illness through a humanities lens. She is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide and has interests in medical education, psychotherapy, and medical humanities. Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Breakthrough Session podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry. 

PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST In this installment of PsychPearls and the Columbia University Breakthrough Session, hosts Angela Coombs, MD, and Jennifer Sotsky, MD, discuss anxiety with Anne Marie Albano, PhD.  When does anxiety become a disorder? Anxiety as cultural phenomenon vs individual illness Self-care as a way to conquer anxiety Help-seeking as a sign of strength and self-knowledge Strategies to recognize anxiety The role of technology Dr Albano is professor of medical psychology (in Psychiatry) at Columbia University and director of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD). She is a clinical psychologist and board-certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology. In addition to serving as director of CUCARD, she also conducts research and trains residents, fellows, and psychology postdoctoral fellows and interns. Her research is focused on the development and testing of psychosocial treatments for anxiety and mood disorders, and in understanding the impact of these disorders on the developing youth. Dr Albano devotes her career to the study and treatment of anxiety and mood disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults. She is an expert diagnostician and cognitive-behavioral therapist. Dr. Albano co-developed a cognitive behavioral treatment program for adolescents with social phobia. She has published more than 90 articles and chapters and is the coauthor of several cognitive behavioral treatment manuals, including Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule (ADIS-IV) Child and Parent Interview Schedules. About the hosts: Dr Coombs is a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She serves as the medical director and team psychiatrist at ONTrackNY Washington Heights Community Service clinic. She completed her public psychiatry fellowship and adult psychiatry residency at Columbia University where she was a chief resident and co-organized the curriculum on racial/ethnic mental health disparities. In addition to her clinical work in the public sector, she also works in Columbia's psychiatric emergency room and has a private practice in Upper Manhattan. Dr Sotsky is a fellow in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a part time private practice. She was formerly a chief resident at Columbia’s psychiatry residency program. Before medical training, she received an MS in Narrative Medicine, an interdisciplinary field that studies illness through a humanities lens. She is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide and has interests in medical education, psychotherapy, and medical humanities. Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Breakthrough Session podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry.  

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder in which you cannot stop thinking about perceived defects or flaws in your appearance, flaws that are often minor or even invisible to others. This condition currently affects around 2-3% of the general population. In this edition of Psych Pearls, we speak to Katharine Phillips, MD, about how her pioneering research on BDD, she books on the topic, and options for treatment.    Dr Phillips is currently professor of psychiatry, DeWitt Wallace Senior Scholar, and Residency Research Director for the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is also an attending psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and adjunct professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

PSYCHPEARLS What is addiction, and how can psychiatrists best respond to the opioid (and other drug) epidemic? What have we done wrong about it in the medication and other effective treatments for addiction? What does addiction do to the brain?    Lloyd I Sederer, MD, a psychiatrist, public health expert, and writer provides key insights on what we can do to save more lives from overdose deaths.    Dr Sederer is adjunct professor at the Columbia University School of Public Health; director of Columbia Psychiatry Media; Chief Medical Officer of Bongo Media; and chair of The Advisory Board of Get Help. He has been chief medical officer of McLean Hospital; affiliated with Harvard; Mental Health Commissioner of New York City; and Chief Medical Officer of the New York State Office of Mental Health, the nation’s largest state mental health agency. The mission of Columbia Psychiatry is to find the causes of and cures for mental illness.   Dr Sederer’s most recent book is Ink Stained for Life: Coming of Age in the 1950s. A Bronx Tale. His website is at www.askdrlloyd.com. About the hosts: Dr Coombs is a board-certified psychiatrist and assistant professor in Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She serves as the medical director and team psychiatrist at ONTrackNY Washington Heights Community Service clinic. She completed her public psychiatry fellowship and adult psychiatry residency at Columbia University where she was a chief resident and co-organized the curriculum on racial/ethnic mental health disparities. In addition to her clinical work in the public sector, she also works in Columbia's psychiatric emergency room and has a private practice in Upper Manhattan. Dr Sotsky is a fellow in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a part time private practice. She was formerly a chief resident at Columbia’s psychiatry residency program. Before medical training, she received an MS in Narrative Medicine, an interdisciplinary field that studies illness through a humanities lens. She is co-author of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide and has interests in medical education, psychotherapy, and medical humanities. Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Breakthrough Session podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry.