Side Effects

Neuroscience

How Social Context Influences Brain Disorders

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on June 6, 2026

An important new book provides vital and exciting perspective on the interface between brain and culture.

An important new book provides vital and exciting perspective on the interface between brain and culture.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

"Unvaccinated Under God" and Risking Infection

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on May 19, 2026

A timely new book looks at U.S. vaccine hesitancy as a form of religious expression.

A timely new book looks at U.S. vaccine hesitancy as a form of religious expression.

Psychedelics

The Drugs Meant to Induce Madness, a Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on April 28, 2026

A fascinating new book looks at how experimentation with psychedelics changed the course of American psychiatry.

A fascinating new book looks at how experimentation with psychedelics changed the course of American psychiatry.

Politics

How the Battle for Affordable Care Became a Culture War

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on March 24, 2026

An engaging new book looks at three recent presidencies and their struggle to reform health care.

An engaging new book looks at three recent presidencies and their struggle to reform health care.

Happiness

A Review of ‘How to Be Less Miserable’

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on February 26, 2026

A new book discusses the science of unhappiness and how to suffer less.

A new book discusses the science of unhappiness and how to suffer less.

Psychiatry

Clinical Reasoning and the Debate Over Psychiatric Diagnosis

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on February 5, 2026

A new book urges a major rethink of checklist diagnoses in psychiatry.

A new book urges a major rethink of checklist diagnoses in psychiatry.

SSRIs

"Chemically Imbalanced": An Interview With Joanna Moncrieff

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on December 4, 2025

The author of “Chemically Imbalanced” discusses the persistent serotonin myth of mental illness.

The author of “Chemically Imbalanced” discusses the persistent serotonin myth of mental illness.

Psychopharmacology

New Report on Opioid Prescribing and Deprescribing

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on November 21, 2025

Opioids are still widely prescribed, but have limited effectiveness and are associated with serious harms. De-prescribing them is a rational response and process.

Opioids are still widely prescribed, but have limited effectiveness and are associated with serious harms. De-prescribing them is a rational response and process.

Grief

'Sorrow’s Long Road': A Book Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on September 16, 2025

A powerful new memoir about grief puts neuroscience and cultural analysis in a more-sensitive dialogue.

A powerful new memoir about grief puts neuroscience and cultural analysis in a more-sensitive dialogue.

Psychopharmacology

How to Taper: An Interview With Mark A. Horowitz

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on May 20, 2025

A leading authority on psychiatric drug withdrawal explains why stopping abruptly is ill-advised and why withdrawal symptoms and relapse are still frequently confused.

A leading authority on psychiatric drug withdrawal explains why stopping abruptly is ill-advised and why withdrawal symptoms and relapse are still frequently confused.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

Denial of Airborne Infection: A Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on April 30, 2025

“Is no one interested in understanding the dynamics of airborne infection?” Explore the compelling history of airborne pathogens and the latest study to confirm how they transmit.

“Is no one interested in understanding the dynamics of airborne infection?” Explore the compelling history of airborne pathogens and the latest study to confirm how they transmit.

Psychopharmacology

Diagnosis Cascade: A Book Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on March 17, 2025

“On paper, I had it all together. Behind my mind’s closed doors, I was completely broken apart.” An insightful new memoir on polypharmacy and its contributing causes.

“On paper, I had it all together. Behind my mind’s closed doors, I was completely broken apart.” An insightful new memoir on polypharmacy and its contributing causes.

Replication Crisis

Unreliable Biomedicine: A Book Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on February 28, 2025

A new book on biomedical research sounds the alarm on its replication crisis.

A new book on biomedical research sounds the alarm on its replication crisis.

SSRIs

“Chemically Imbalanced”: A Book Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on January 16, 2025

A new history of antidepressants challenges the evidence supporting their use.

A new history of antidepressants challenges the evidence supporting their use.

Coronavirus Disease 2019

COVID‑19 and Americans’ Mental Health

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on December 20, 2024

A large new study of COVID‑19 and Americans’ mental health finds a persistent crisis with many unanswered questions.

A large new study of COVID‑19 and Americans’ mental health finds a persistent crisis with many unanswered questions.

SSRIs

The Costs of Mistaking Antidepressant Withdrawal for Relapse

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on December 2, 2024

Recent gold-standard studies of antidepressant withdrawal flag misdiagnosis, confounding, and rushed tapering as ongoing concerns.

Recent gold-standard studies of antidepressant withdrawal flag misdiagnosis, confounding, and rushed tapering as ongoing concerns.

Chronic Pain

‘Small Rain’: A Book Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on October 24, 2024

A new novel invites us to reconsider where we put emphasis, how we think about attachment, and how we might live differently.

A new novel invites us to reconsider where we put emphasis, how we think about attachment, and how we might live differently.

SSRIs

Antidepressant Dysregulation: An Interview With David Healy

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on September 16, 2024

A new understanding of drug dysregulation syndrome and how it can be managed.

A new understanding of drug dysregulation syndrome and how it can be managed.

Trust

Inclusive Citizenship: A Film Review

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on July 29, 2024

An award-winning new documentary on the many benefits of social trust and civic engagement, including a stronger democracy.

An award-winning new documentary on the many benefits of social trust and civic engagement, including a stronger democracy.

Psychopharmacology

Long-Term Use of Benzodiazepines and Dementia Risk

Christopher Lane Ph.D. on July 19, 2024

A large new meta-study on benzodiazepine harms from long-term use finds evidence of volume loss of the hippocampus and amygdala.

A large new meta-study on benzodiazepine harms from long-term use finds evidence of volume loss of the hippocampus and amygdala.