Psych

The US artist, whose swirly, colorful, instantly recognizable designs became hugely commercially successful, died on MondayPeter Max, whose colorful, psychedelic pop art expressed the optimism of the “flower power” movement of the 1960s and graced everything from postage stamps to a cruise ship, has died at 88.Max died on Monday, his son, Adam Max, said in a written statement on Wednesday. No cause was given. Continue reading...

• The Food and Drug Administration is seeking public input on the potential for supervised therapeutic use of psychedelic drugs. • Current federal laws classify hallucinogens like psilocybin and MDMA as Schedule I drugs, meaning they are legally defined as having no accepted medical use. • This classification creates bureaucratic red tape that makes medical research into these treatments slow and difficult for scientists.

University’s move is part of trend that critics within academia say will lead to further staff cuts and the loss of ‘everything that makes the job worth doing’An Australian university has swapped in-person classes with an AI chatbot, online quizzes and optional online tutorials in two subjects as institutions give the technology more teaching responsibilities.Macquarie University’s “Virtual Peer” is part of each week’s learning in two mandatory Psychology units, programmed to ask students questions and guide them through scenario-based exercises. Continue reading...

Australian government announces 24 expeditioners based at research station on Macquarie Island will be evacuated over possible ‘prolonged psychological stress’A dolphin has died from H5 bird flu in South Australia, marking the second native mammal species known to have contracted the virus.It comes as the federal government announced it would withdraw researchers from the subantarctic Macquarie Island research station due to the “psychosocial risk” of witnessing potential mass seal deaths from H5N1 during the upcoming seal breeding season. Continue reading...

One more day of testimony expected as closing arguments set for Thursday and jury likely begins deliberations FridayOne more day of rebuttal testimony was expected this week in the trial against Lindsay Clancy, followed by closing statements likely on Thursday.The jury, which will likely begin deliberations on Friday, will decide whether the Massachusetts mother was experiencing postpartum psychosis when she killed her three children in January 2023.In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Dr Kirk Heilbrun says he believes Clancy took children’s lives so they wouldn’t ‘suffer’ after she killed herselfWith just days to go before the murder trial for Lindsay Clancy concludes, a forensic psychologist called by the prosecution testified on Monday that he did not believe she was experiencing acute psychosis when she killed her three children.Kirk Heilbrun, who reportedly performed psychiatric tests on Clancy in April, told the court that he questioned her claims that a hallucinated voice commanded her to commit the act, and that he believed she took their lives so they wouldn’t “suffer” after she killed herself. Continue reading...

Clancy’s live-streamed trial has become fodder for amateur sleuths to push viral conspiracy theories that threaten to undermine efforts to de-stigmatize illness, experts sayMeghan Cliffel was riding the subway in New York City in December 2015 when she became convinced the entire city belonged to a cult that was plotting to kill her and her two daughters. When she got back to her Manhattan apartment she believed the talking heads on the television were speaking to her directly, threatening her, and that the refrigerator was emitting poisonous gas. Her husband, she feared, was part of the cult too.“I punch him in the face trying to get to the kids,” Cliffel recalled, “Then I’m ultimately trying to get to the roof of our building because I believe if I get up there and show I’m willing to jump, that that’ll show my loyalty to the cult and hopefully stop this whole thing.” Continue reading...

Exclusive: Clinical assessments concluded Rudakubana could not be safely managed in prison, sources sayThe Southport killer Axel Rudakubana has been moved to a psychiatric hospital from a prison after an assessment by psychologists, the Guardian can disclose.He was transferred to Broadmoor high security hospital from the category A prison Belmarsh earlier this week after it was concluded that he cannot be managed safely in a prison environment, sources confirmed. Continue reading...

• NASA released a timelapse video showing the Psyche spacecraft's perspective as it zoomed past Mars in May 2026. • While the mission did not expect major new discoveries due to Mars' extensive history of study, the spacecraft provided a unique vantage point for data collection. • This flyby serves as a complementary addition to existing Mars science, utilizing Psyche's specific trajectory and instrumentation.

• NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a Mars flyby, utilizing the planet's gravity to gain momentum for its journey toward a metal-rich asteroid. • During the maneuver, the probe tested its onboard scientific instruments, capturing high-resolution imagery and data of the Red Planet. • This flyby serves as a critical technical milestone, ensuring the spacecraft's systems are fully operational before it reaches its primary target.

• NASA's Psyche spacecraft successfully completed a flyby of Mars, capturing a significant trove of data and a time-lapse video of the encounter. • Mission scientists used the flyby to calibrate instruments under dynamic conditions and study the physics of planetary magnetism. • This calibration phase is a critical step in ensuring the spacecraft's systems are fully operational before it reaches its primary target.

• Public health officials have issued an alert regarding a multistate rise in cyclosporiasis, a parasitic gastrointestinal illness, with over 450 reported cases across 18 states. • Michigan is the most heavily impacted region, accounting for more than 300 of the total cases, though officials warn the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting. • The report also highlights critical medical developments, including safety monitoring for psychedelic therapies by a Yale psychiatrist and new FDA approvals for gene, cell, and nephrology therapies.

• The FDA has placed psilocybin and an MDMA-like drug on an accelerated 1-to-2 month approval track, potentially making psilocybin the first FDA-approved psychedelic therapy. • This fast-track process follows a Trump executive order and the use of priority review vouchers, with full approval possible by late 2026. • The shift is supported by evolving psychiatric science, highlighted by the Chicago VA Hospital recently enrolling its first veterans in a psilocybin-assisted therapy program for PTSD.

Legal team of alleged gunman, 28, reverses position on ‘extreme emotional disturbance’ defense after one dayIn a stunning reversal, Luigi Mangione’s legal team said on Thursday they would no longer pursue a psychiatric defense in his upcoming state trial over the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.Just one day earlier, Mangione’s lawyers told Judge Gregory Carro they would pursue a defense claiming the 28-year-old was suffering an “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of Thompson’s killing on 4 December 2024. Continue reading...

Girl told mother she thought about killing people ‘all the time’, inquest into Biddy Porter’s death hears The mother of a child killer did not understand mental health and consulted a naturopathic herbalist about concerns for her teenage daughter, an inquest has been told.Two weeks after the 14-year-old confessed to her mother she thought about killing people “all the time”, the girl killed 10-year-old Biddy Porter at a property in rural New South Wales. Continue reading...

Medications that target depression, anxiety and poor sleep could help treat pain without opioids’ addictive propertiesA range of other medications could serve as alternatives to powerful opioids for pain relief in emergency departments, according to a new study.The review paper examined non-opioid medications available in the emergency department at San Francisco general hospital and examined existing medical literature to figure out which ones might provide pain relief. Continue reading...

• Former President Trump signed an executive order in April titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness” to fast-track research and drug approvals for psychedelic-assisted therapy. • The order aims to increase clinical trial participation and explore innovative research models to treat serious mental health conditions. • This federal push provides a new path for psychedelic research in Missouri, where state lawmakers have failed for several years to pass similar legislation.

• Missouri State Rep. Dave Griffith is advocating for psychedelic-assisted therapy to treat veterans suffering from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. • The initiative follows an April executive order signed by Donald Trump titled “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” which aims to speed up drug approvals and clinical trial participation. • The order directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to allocate at least $50 million to support state governments developing programs for psychedelic drugs.

Registration form informs patients that if they do not wish AI to be used, they will need their referring doctor to refer them to a different service providerGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Melbourne psychiatrist has refused new patients unless they agree to allow her to use an AI scribe to transcribe the conversations in their sessions.AI-driven note taking tools are becoming popular within the medical industry – with two in five general practitioners now using such scribes, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Continue reading...

Hope that sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy could help soldiers fight longer by helping them process traumaAs the war on drugs approaches its end, a new doctrine could soon take hold: psychedelic drugs for active-duty soldiers suffering from PTSD.In two studies funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), 186 service personnel with PTSD will likely next year undergo multiple sessions of MDMA-assisted therapy. Continue reading...

Executive order to speed access to psychedelic treatments likely to have limited legal impact despite high-profile pushThe Trump administration issued an executive order earlier this month to accelerate access to psychedelic medication for people with “serious mental illnesses,” but experts say the order is more likely to make a difference symbolically than legally.“Policymakers and the medical field have long struggled to address the burden of suicide and serious mental illness rates in America,” the order reads, noting that some people do not respond to available treatments. Continue reading...

Order to speed hallucinogen research hailed as ‘threshold moment’ but concerns remain over access and protectionsThe scene seemed so far-fetched you could be forgiven for thinking you might be hallucinating.On the weekend in which psychonauts celebrate “Bicycle Day” – the anniversary of the first LSD trip – Donald Trump was in the Oval Office double-checking that he was correctly pronouncing the name of a lesser-known psychedelic, ibogaine, as he signed a landmark executive order to accelerate research into hallucinogens, and to increase access. Continue reading...

Use of the illicit drug has plummeted in recent years among gen Zers, compared with their parents’ generationEver since cocaine first emerged as a popular party drug via the shores of Miami in the early 1970s, use of the stimulant has been inextricably entwined with the very essence of capitalist excess and what it is to be American: brash, bombastic and brazen.The wide-scale use of cocaine in the US has left a trail of destruction in its wake, largely thanks to the illegal nature of the trade and the resultant US government policy of a “war on drugs”. Continue reading...

• President Trump has moved to fast-track psychedelic research as part of his administration's policy agenda, marking a significant shift in federal drug policy priorities. • Former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema has publicly applauded the initiative as a "bold step forward" in medical research on Fox & Friends Weekend. • The accelerated psychedelic research program represents an innovative approach to mental health treatment and scientific advancement under the Trump administration.

• The FDA announced it will issue national priority vouchers for three psychedelic drugs next week, marking the first time the agency has fast-tracked any psychedelics for review under Trump's executive order on mental health reform. • The vouchers can compress FDA review timelines from several months to just weeks, according to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, if the drugs align with national priorities. • Trump's order directs $50 million in federal funding to states developing psychedelic treatment programs and establishes a federal-state partnership for technical assistance and data sharing.

• President issues executive order on April 18, 2026, to speed medical treatments for serious mental illness using psychedelic drugs including ibogaine compounds. • Order highlights clinical studies showing potential for patients with persistent conditions unresponsive to standard therapies. • Directs federal agencies to prioritize research, approvals, and access to innovative mental health interventions nationwide.

President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaineDonald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, a drug that US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Continue reading...

Detainees tell of abuse at sprawling Texas facility whose giant generators gobble energy and fuel climate crisisDust was everywhere, covering people’s blankets and clogging their airways inside Camp East Montana, the huge tent facility for immigration detention in west Texas, said D, a young Venezuelan man who was held there.The air conditioning blasted constantly, keeping the living areas inside tents the length of two football fields at what felt like near-freezing temperatures despite the balmy weather outside, and rain leaked through the tarps, so people awoke on wet mattresses, he recalled. Continue reading...