The hottest Substack posts of Affective Medicine

And their main takeaways

Moral Foundations for OCD

117 implied HN points • 09 Feb 23
  1. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) thoughts and behaviors often center around themes like morality and fear of harm.
  2. Moral Foundations Theory suggests that our moral intuitions are based on pillars like care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and sanctity, which can be linked to OCD themes.
  3. OCD is not solely about extreme moral convictions but involves repeated erroneous activation in moral systems, leading to repetitive thought cycles.

Good Reasons for Bad Feelings

196 implied HN points • 04 Oct 22
  1. Psychiatry lacks focus on psychiatric physiology, leading to a gap in understanding brain function related to emotions and behavior.
  2. Negative emotions serve evolutionary purposes and understanding the origins of mood can help in comprehending depression and mania.
  3. Evolutionary explanations can shed light on mental illnesses like schizophrenia and autism, showcasing how extreme traits can persist despite their negative impacts.

From Paralysis to Fatigue: A History of Psychosomatic Illness in the Modern Era

255 implied HN points • 26 May 22
  1. Symptoms of psychosomatic illness have evolved over time, reflecting historical and social influences.
  2. Psychosomatic illness can be influenced by social contagion, with certain symptoms gaining popularity and others fading.
  3. The interplay between wild-type physical/psychiatric symptoms and memetic versions can complicate diagnoses and treatment in medicine.

My Brain, My Cartographer

39 implied HN points • 19 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychology Physiology Emotions
  1. Affect is a composite of many factors including valence and arousal
  2. The brain maps the body to process interoception and simulate different body states
  3. Feelings are mental representations of different body states, indicating the brain generates and simulates feelings

Why People Die by Suicide

1 HN point • 15 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Suicide Risk Factors Prevention Stigma
  1. Many factors contribute to suicide risk, including social isolation, perceived burdensomeness, and acquired ability to enact self-harm.
  2. There is a need for better theories of suicide that consider various risk factors like impulsivity, access to firearms, and chronic pain.
  3. Policies and interventions targeting factors like social media use, substance abuse, and firearm access could help mitigate suicide risk.
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Coming soon

0 implied HN points • 26 May 22
  1. The post is about a new psychiatry blog coming soon
  2. The blog will cover topics like psychiatry, affective neuroscience, nosology, and medicine
  3. Readers are encouraged to subscribe to the newsletter

Five Kinds of Panic

0 implied HN points • 21 Oct 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Anxiety Physiology
  1. Recognizing panic attacks can vary among individuals.
  2. Panic can be triggered by different mechanisms, such as suffocation alarms or internal signals.
  3. There are various types of panic, including external fear, separation distress, and physiological reactions.