Month: June 2026

Reading of the Week: Help-seeking & Gambling – the New CMAJ Study; Also, Women With Schizophrenia, and Dr. Campo on Patients & Faith

June 18, 2026 / / 0 Comments

From the Editor

Can Argentina repeat? Could England end its six-decade drought? Roughly five billion people will watch this year’s World Cup. The tournament can be understood in different ways: a great sporting event, a giant party, and, yes, a huge draw for gamblers. In Ontario – and across North America – recent laws have dramatically expanded gambling options. How have such changes affected problem gambling and the need for help? 

In a new CMAJ study, Ryan Forrest (of the University of Toronto) and his co-authors attempt to answer that question. They drew on Ontario data to quantify the increase in help-seeking following the launch of a government-operated online gambling platform in January 2015 and the subsequent expansion of private online gambling. They analyzed almost 750 000 contacts to a helpline over 13 years, finding that the mean monthly rate of gambling-related contacts nearly doubled. “The rapid expansion and privatization of online gambling, including single-event sports betting, in Ontario were respectively associated with marked increases in gambling-related helpline contacts, specifically among adolescent boys and young men.” We consider the paper and its implications.

In the second selection, from JAMA Psychiatry, Laura M. Rowland (of the University of Maryland) and Dr. Ellen E. Lee (of the University of California San Diego) write about schizophrenia and women. “The lack of focused health research on women in general is well recognized, and mental health research remains no exception. Surprisingly, there is also a lack of mental health research on older people with schizophrenia with less than 5% of scientific publications on schizophrenia dedicated to this older group.”

Finally, in the third selection, Dr. John V. Campo (of Johns Hopkins University) discusses faith and psychiatry. In a personal essay for The Washington Post, he notes his own religious experience and declining health. “Taking our patients seriously requires physicians to explore issues of ultimate concern, suggesting that a spiritual history should be an expected component of any comprehensive clinical evaluation.”

DG

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Reading of the Week: Trauma & Schizophrenia – the New AJP Study; Also, AI Chatbot & US Teens, and Gunther on the Blessings & Curses of Meds

June 11, 2026 / / 0 Comments

From the Editor

Can a parent’s trauma influence the development of mental illness in his or her child? Research suggests an intergenerational link for several disorders, including PTSD. But what about schizophrenia? Complicating such research: the complexity of genetics, environment, and trauma – and the limits of data.

In a new American Journal of Psychiatry paper, published last week, Iaroslav Youssim (of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and his co-authors attempt to answer these questions by looking at parental exposure to the Holocaust – years before conception – and the associated risk of schizophrenia in their children. They drew data from 92 000 births in West Jerusalem between 1964 and 1976. “Offspring of mothers who were older than age 5 when Nazi persecutions began showed over a twofold increase in schizophrenia risk, underscoring the potential impact of trauma and its timing during the preconception period in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.” We consider the study and its implications.

How often do adolescents and young adults use AI chatbots for mental health? In the second selection, from JAMA Pediatrics, Ryan K. McBain (of RAND) and his co-authors report on a US survey. They find that one in five youth use AI chatbots for mental health advice. “AI chatbots are already embedded in many youths’ mental health information ecosystem, underscoring the need for parents and clinicians to proactively discuss chatbot use to promote safety, appropriate expectations, and linkages to evidence-based care.”

And in the third selection, Sarah M. Gunther discusses medications and her journey in Psychiatric Services. In her personal essay, she describes trying different meds over time and the problems that they caused. She finally lands on the right combination. “I tell this story so that others won’t give up, and so doctors can see that the medications that they prescribe can make an illness worse.”

DG

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Reading of the Week: Pediatric Self-Injury – the New JAMA Peds Study; Also, Lithium as King, and High-Risk Human-AI Engagement

June 4, 2026 /

From the Editor

Recently, I saw an adolescent who described using self-harm as a way to cope. She discussed learning different techniques through social media. “At first, I thought it was strange.”

Presentations of self-injury appear to be becoming more common. How often are healthcare visits for it? How commonly do youth report self-injury? Have these numbers changed over time? In a new study published in JAMA Pediatrics, Dr. Natasha Saunders (of the University of Toronto) and her co-authors attempt to address these questions by drawing on 42 studies with a combined population of 234 million individuals across a dozen nations over a 25-year period. They conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, finding an average 3.5% relative annual increase. “These findings highlight a consistent rise in health care encounters and self-reported self-injury among children and youth, particularly female individuals, over the past 2 decades.” We consider the study and its implications.

In the second selection from The British Journal of Psychiatry, Dr. Gurubhaskar Shivakumar (of The University of Sydney) and his co-authors write about lithium. They note its declining use and the problems with its safety. Yet they argue that lithium remains the “king” of bipolar disorder treatment. “Ever since its discovery, lithium continues to command authority having repeatedly reclaimed its throne.” 

Finally, in the third selection, Dr. Lena Palaniyappan (of McGill University) and his co-authors discuss high-risk human-AI relationships in a paper for The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. They offer a framework and constructive suggestions – both highly relevant in the age of AI chatbots. “Risk for problematic AI engagement cuts across diagnostic categories, rooted in distress, isolation, and cognitive style.”

DG

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