Over the past decade, there has been a lively debate in Iceland regarding ADHD, concerns about over-diagnosis, and the widespread prescription of stimulant medication. Many health professionals and politicians assert that Iceland's statistics significantly exceed those of our Nordic neighbours and, indeed, the rest of Europe. Some even claim that Iceland has surpassed the USA in these areas.

Recently, we have been observing how transcranial magnetic stimulation, a non-pharmacological treatment method, is challenging the traditional dominance of medication in psychiatry. Today, I am talking about the practical aspects of this treatment method with Jonas Montvidas, a psychiatrist and enthusiast of this method.

Historically psychedelics and related substances (PARS) played a part in rituals of healing in several indigenous Southern, Central and Northern American cultures. In the mid-20th century, when few approved psychopharmacologic agents existed, some psychiatrists and psychologists started to experiment with the use of psychedelics.

Methylphenidate has been the first-line treatment for children and adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder for more than half a century. Yet, after numerous systematic reviews, three applications to get methylphenidate on the List of Essential Medicines and three rejections by the World Health Organization, the questions remain: does it work, and how do we know?

The clinical gaze and medical assessment have gradually been pushed aside in favor of manual-guided diagnostics - often performed by professional groups without medical training. When criterion-based questionnaires replace the physician’s diagnostic work, psychiatry loses its medical foundation. For psychiatry to provide quality healthcare, a restart is needed where medical competence, clinical judgment, and resource efficiency are the guiding principles, writes psychiatrist

Interview with Elvira Bramon, Professor of Neuroscience and Mental Health.

About 30% of people with depression do not respond to standard antidepressant trials, and there is a huge current need for more effective treatments. Depression remains a leading cause of global disability, and there have been few major advances for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Currently, there is no antidepressant nearly as effective as ECT, discovered around a century ago. One of the most important breakthroughs at the turn of the century was the demonstration of t

Since the discovery of chlorpromazine in the 1950s, antipsychotics have been a cornerstone in the treatment of schizophrenia and paranoid psychosis. Beyond psychotic conditions, several antipsychotics are also approved for affective disorders (e.g., flupentixol or quetiapine for depression; aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, or ziprasidone for treatment and prevention of mania), for delirium (haloperidol), and for persistent aggression associated with dementia

Undertreating ADHD can have significant and far-reaching effects on mental health, relationships, and overall quality of life. While treatment (including medication, therapy, and lifestyle modifications) is not a cure, it can significantly mitigate the symptoms and help individuals lead more productive, fulfilling lives. Addressing ADHD early and appropriately reduces the risk of developing many of these secondary issues, allowing adults with ADHD to be (...)

The ongoing ADHD debate is causing a lot of controversy and polarization, within the psychiatric field and in the public in general. Are we over diagnosing or underdiagnosing, or maybe both? And what are the consequences of doing so?

Throughout the history of psychiatry, the treatment of psychosis has undergone a series of transformations, with new concepts of this mental disorder and new treatment methods emerging. It seems that science is learning more every day about the effectiveness and safety of various treatment methods, but are treatment choices always determined by scientific evidence? Today, I am talking to Professor Vesta Steiblienė about the polarisation associated with the treatment of psycho

Interview with Professor Niels Bilenberg about diagnostic trends and systemic pressures

Interview with addiction psychiatrist Darius Jokūbonis.

Among the Nordic countries Iceland has the highest use of ADHD medication while waiting lists for diagnosis and treatment are getting longer. The minister of Health therefore appointed a committee in December 2023 to write a green paper on the situation by meeting relevant stakeholders, going through data and the literature. The objective was to identify 5-10 key findings to guide authorities regarding next possible steps.

How much evidence is enough to justify a treatment? The question sits at the fault line between science, ethics, and practice. Researchers seek methodological certainty; clinicians face patients whose needs seldom wait for consensus. Regulators demand proof before approval, while professional societies call for coherence before endorsement. Each perspective is valid, yet none alone determines when knowledge becomes action.

This article is based on a short lecture originally given in the Swedish Psychiatric Associations yearly meeting in Stockholm in March 2024. I have since given a similar lecture on other occasions. The article below is a summary of the main points of the lecture. My intention with the lecture was to bring into awareness and discuss some current international research important for understanding ADHD, research that is not often discussed in Sweden. Because of space limitations