A political mandate was established in Norway in 2015 to allow medication free treatment for people with severe mental illness such as psychoses. I have conducted research on patients’ motivations- and experiences as well as health professionals’ experiences and reflections on the subject. In addition I was challenged to extend the field via the trial lecture I was given to address how treatment of psychoses is affected in a time of polarization and scepticism toward scienti

More than 400 randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) of antipsychotic efficacy have been conducted, finding generally moderate effect sizes of antipsychotic drugs compared to placebo. For comparison, RCTs of various general medicine drugs, used on their respective indications, demonstrate similar effect sizes. Nevertheless, claims about limited efficacy of antipsychotics have been put forward. Pertinent questions remain: are the effect sizes clinically meaningful and ge

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?