Columbia Psychiatry

How can clinicians, families, and educators help young people safely navigate a digital world?

Join experts from our department next Wednesday as they discuss evidence-based strategies aimed at reducing risk. RSVP today: events.columbia.edu/go/hopeoverh...

We may finally know what really causes social anxiety – and how to reverse it | BBC Science Focus Magazine Social anxiety isn’t only psychological. New research is revealing its biological roots – and how to reset them

Recent research findings suggest that social anxiety can have biological roots. Dr. Franklin Schneier highlights how those with the disorder are often extremely aware of their internal physiological states. www.sciencefocus.com/wellbeing/we...

Join CHOSEN on February 19 for Beyond Abstinence: Measuring What Matters in Cannabis Use Disorder. In this webinar, Dr. Margaret Haney and Dr. Christina Brezing will share new developments in medication for and treatment of cannabis use disorder.

Join us March 4 for a timely conversation on how the digital world is shaping emotional well-being for youth and adolescents. Columbia experts will explore the risks and opportunities that technology presents for youth mental health.

RSVP today: events.columbia.edu/go/hopeoverh...

Clinicians: Join a FREE webinar on school avoidance assessment & treatment for youth on Feb 26 (12–1 PM ET)! Featuring experts Dr. Stephanie Rohrig and Dr. Anthony Puliafico.

CE credit available! Register today: nyph.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

The Case for Opening Your Windows Daily—Even in Winter Your house could use a good burping.

The German practice of lüften (airing out your home daily) has the potential to improve sleep, cut indoor pollutants, and boost mood, experts say. Dr. Laurence Chan notes it’s an ideal mindfulness break to help you stay present. time.com/7358285/open...

Why I’m Choosing Not to Take GLP-1s, Even Though Everyone Expects Me To I’m a candidate for the meds, but they’re not for me—at least for now.

Dr. Evelyn Attia told @self.com that individuals with a history of disordered eating or restrictive dieting should avoid GLP-1s like Ozempic.

"They can get themselves into a very dangerous set of behaviors,” she said. www.self.com/story/why-im...

Could Next-Generation Medicines Help Solve the Opioid Crisis? New medications are in the pipeline that could help people win their battles against addictive substances, including opioids

A wave of new treatments, including vaccines and brain stimulation, could transform how we approach substance use disorders.

Dr. Meg Haney told @sciam.bsky.social that our benchmarks for success also need to be reconsidered. www.scientificamerican.com/article/coul...

Cannabis use among teens tied to poor school performance A new study of more than 160,000 teens finds that even occasional cannabis use among 8th, 10th and 12th graders is tied to worse outcomes at school and more emotional distress.

NPR spoke with Dr. Ryan Sultan about his new study showing that even occasional cannabis use in teens is linked to lower GPAs and higher rates of anxiety and depression. www.npr.org/2025/12/26/n...

Dr. Ragy Girgis, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, will be participating in this upcoming panel discussion on AI & mental health on the 14th. Register today for free.

Research suggests acts of kindness can boost mood, lower stress, and strengthen social connection.

Kelli Harding, MD, MPH, discusses how giving benefits both body and mind: www.columbiadoctors.org/news/generos...

Goals First: Centering Inpatient Psychiatric Care on the Person, Not the Problem | Psychiatric Services PsychiatryOnline.org is the platform for all American Psychiatric Association Publishing journals, DSM, and bestselling textbooks, as well as APA Practice Guidelines, and continuing medical education.

A new frontline report by Dr. Omar F. Mirza proposes a shift in inpatient psychiatry: start treatment planning with what patients say they want, not just their diagnoses. Centering care on personal goals can help restore dignity, agency, and trust. psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/...

“Your body is in overdrive and you can’t turn it off.” Dr. Helen Blair Simpson spoke with @usatoday.com about how anxiety takes hold — and how CBT and first-line medications can bring relief. www.usatoday.com/story/life/2...

Tomorrow's Grand Rounds will feature Dr. Katherine E. Burdick, our new Vice Chair of Research, discussing neurocognition in #bipolar disorder.

Watch live via Zoom beginning at 11am ET: ColumbiaPsychiatry.org/Grand-Rounds

More Teens Are Taking Antidepressants. It Could Disrupt Their Sex Lives for Years.

Widely prescribed SSRIs may affect sexual development, raising concerns about long-term impacts.
Dr. Amir Levine underscores the potential issue, warning that “we are failing to ask something very important.” www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/m...

Thank you to Dr. Kathleen T. Brady, @medunivsc.bsky.social, who presented at our annual Hadar Lecture Grand Rounds on 11/12!

Watch the entire presentation, "Gender Difference in Substance Use Disorders: Findings From the MUSC Center of Excellence," on our YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P2k...

People Who Say They’re Experiencing AI Psychosis Beg the FTC for Help The Federal Trade Commission received 200 complaints mentioning ChatGPT between November 2022 and August 2025. Several attributed delusions, paranoia, and spiritual crises to the chatbot.

Dr. Ragy Girgis spoke with @wired.com about how “AI psychosis” stems not from chatbots themselves but from their ability to reinforce existing delusions in vulnerable individuals.
Read more: www.wired.com/story/ftc-co...

Tomorrow at Grand Rounds: Erin Schuman, PhD, @mpibrain.bsky.social, discusses how brain synapses get the proteins they need.

Watch it LIVE via Zoom beginning at 11am ET: ColumbiaPsychiatry.org/Grand-Rounds

Distinct alpha networks modulate different aspects of perceptual decision-making Fluctuations in alpha-band neural oscillations influence whether we perceive faint stimuli, but how these oscillations relate to different perceptual processes is not clear. This study shows that alph...

Check out our latest work led by @joeyzhou.bsky.social on alpha oscillatory networks in PLOS Biology!
➡️ journals.plos.org/plosbiology/...
Do ongoing alpha activity fluctuations influence perceptual sensitivity or criterion?

Beta-band frequency shifts signal decisions in human prefrontal cortex Beta-band synchronization has been found to be content-specific, particularly during decision-making. Recently, we showed a beta-band frequency shift in macaque prefrontal cortex to reflect categorica...

Another paper out! New research from our lab explores how beta-band activity signals decisions. We show that subtle shifts in beta-band *frequency* signal categorical decision outcomes — a neural signature that generalizes across tasks and species.
➡️ www.cell.com/iscience/ful...

New work from @paulbloom.bsky.social and our team
@auerbachlab.bsky.social
Momentary stress and social context among adolescents at risk for #suicide: An experience sampling study 📳
doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

Tomorrow’s Grand Rounds with Seth J. Schwartz, PhD (UT Austin), explores crisis migration and mental health.
Watch for free via Zoom.
🔗 ColumbiaPsychiatry.org/Grand-Rounds

Our 2nd electronic health record (EHR) review on pre-teen suicide risk is out @JAACAPOpen. This is a deep dive into 920 cases from our emergency department (ED) at @nyphospital including extensive provider notes to understand risk in this population.
doi.org/10.1016/j.ja...

Podcast: How Changing Your Mindset Builds Resilience Former New York Mets third baseman David Wright discusses the mental health impact of failure, resilience, and community with a psychologist from NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia.

In a special Health Matters episode from Citi Field, Mets legend David Wright and Dr. Anthony Puliafico share insights on resilience, community, and the power of a growth mindset—on and off the field. healthmatters.nyp.org/podcast-how-...

Tomorrow's Grand Rounds features Michael A. Yassa, PhD, discussing memory biomarkers in aging and Alzheimer’s.

Watch live via Zoom beginning at 11am ET: ColumbiaPsychiatry.org/Grand-Rounds

Are 'COVID kindergartners' ready for school? More than 3.6 million children born in 2020 amid the COVID-19 global pandemic are walking into elementary schools across the country this fall.

What lasting impact did the pandemic have on kids born in 2020?

Dr. Dani Dumitriu says early delays in “COVID babies” largely disappeared as children caught up—thanks to the brain’s resilience.
www.npr.org/2025/08/21/n...

Grand Rounds returns tomorrow with Dr. Ofer Yizhar, who will be discussing new tools to control neural circuits.

You can watch live beginning at 11am ET. Full details and Zoom link: ColumbiaPsychiatry.org/Grand-Rounds

Back-to-school means new routines—and sometimes procrastination. 📚

Dr. Puliafico spoke with NewYork-Presbyterian's Health Matters podcast about why kids (and adults) procrastinate and how to build healthier habits.

🎧 Listen: healthmatters.nyp.org/how-can-i-st...

Could You Have High-Functioning Depression? Many people may be depressed without knowing it because they’re able to keep up with daily activities. Our psychiatrist explains the signs of high-functioning depression and how to get relief.

“Doing fine” on the outside but struggling inside? You may be experiencing high-functioning depression.

Dr. Adrian Jacques Ambrose says symptoms like fatigue, irritability, and loss of joy are often overlooked. But left untreated, they can deepen. www.columbiadoctors.org/news/could-y...

A warmer, humid world where ticks thrive is increasing spread of Lyme and other diseases | CNN This year, people are seeking emergency care for tick bites in the highest level since 2017, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and reported cases of Lyme diseas...

Rising temps & humidity are helping ticks spread Lyme farther. Dr. Brian Fallon of Columbia’s Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center says symptoms range from rashes to heart/nerve issues, sometimes lasting years. Early tick removal is key. www.cnn.com/2025/08/05/h...