Field: Psychology

A new study suggests that the causes of these disorders are hidden in "dark genes," which may account for the enigma of their development.

The brain appears to remember immune responses, and memories can trigger them to happen again.

A psychological treatment for chronic back pain left two-thirds of study participants with little-to-no pain after just one month.

An IBS treatment app that facilitates cognitive behavior therapy helped trial participants manage symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Results from the first phase 3 trial of using MDMA for PTSD along with talk therapy found the drug to be effective.

A small study has provided evidence of psilocybin for depression working as well as a popular SSRI.

New research shows that having an attitude of gratitude is key to healthy relationships, and it can virally impact society.

NYU’s Center for Psychedelic Medicine will serve as the nexus for the school’s psychedelic research, as well as provide training to budding researchers.

A new, small study in Australia suggests that oral ketamine treatment may help treat suicidal thoughts.

A pacesetting institution, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is opening a psychedelic research center focusing on MDMA and trauma.

Some experiment designs need to deceive. These former magicians have some advice.

If we can better understand the evolution of our moral compass, psychologists believe we can begin working toward a society built on empathy over judgement.

Science is finally proving that the act of apologizing can save and strengthen a relationship that’s been damaged by conflict.

Philosophers have been making the claim that free will is an illusion for hundreds of years. What does modern neuroscience have to say about it?

The Field Trip app aims to help people get some of the benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy outside the confines of a clinic.

The pandemic has therapists' couches off limits. A new study finds that remote therapy may be as effective for depression as face-to-face, so I gave it a try.

The benefits of MDMA therapy as a PTSD treatment appear to last for at least a year, according to a newly published paper.

An app created by a sex therapist is helping couples learn how to have better sex by exploring their own desires and discovering their partner’s.

You’ve heard about “ego death” on magic mushrooms. New research suggests psilocybin curbs part of the brain that may tie in to ego.

If you’ve been having strange dreams and poor sleep during lockdown, you’re not alone. The anxiety-inducing pandemic, less activity, and more screen-time have many more people struggling with insomnia than usual.

Thanks to brain implants, scientists have the first direct evidence of “offline replay” in humans, a process thought to be key to memory consolidation.

Digital phenotyping uses our smartphones to detect anything from Parkinson's disease to mental health disorders.

Drugs don’t just affect the user; they shape relationships too. And a pair of bioethicists thinks we should consider them for relationship enhancement.

At a growing number of “dementia villages,” staff members use reminiscence therapy to help seniors return to a time when they felt happy and safe.

Commonly known as a party drug, ketamine’s powerful effects on the brain have led doctors to further explore its medical potential. Now, the animal anesthetic is providing relief and hope for people with severe depression.

LSD, also known as acid, is a synthetic chemical that causes hallucinations, synesthesia, and sometimes, distress - the dreaded “bad trip.”

A Canadian researcher’s reconsolidation therapy is helping people overcome PTSD by allowing them to edit painful memories to be less emotionally impactful.

MDMA, also known as Molly or Ecstasy, is a synthetic psychoactive drug. MDMA effects include enhanced pleasure and a heightened sense of touch and sound.

In a judgement-free setting, improv requires the mind to focus on the present, providing natural anxiety relief for performers.

Ibogaine, an African psychedelic drug which comes from the iboga plant, is used for both religious rites and drug addiction treatment.

Can robots control us? Probably not, but they can influence our actions, as this recent study on human-robot interaction by Carnegie Mellon shows.

Johns Hopkins is throwing its considerable clout behind the fast-growing field of psychedelic research, pouring $17 million into a research center to study the hallucinogenic drugs.

Wolves are not often thought of as therapy animals, but Wolf Connections is changing that perception while helping young people in the process.

With the right intervention at the right time, a trauma can be recorded in the memory as non-traumatic and in many cases the devastating effects of PTSD in children refugees can be avoided.

The immersive world of VR may have therapeutic benefits for people combating phobias, anxiety, and PTSD.

Rethinking Autism: Interview with NeuroTribes Author Steve Silberman

Daivergent is a new startup that hires people with autism to train artificial intelligence - and helps them start independent careers.

Can practicing intellectual humility make us smarter and happier? Science says yes.

Hero Pups is an organization providing support dogs for military veterans and first responders. Now, prison inmates are helping train them - with great results.

Freethink followed Andre T. Mitchell, the founder of Man Up!, and his violence interrupter team for a day in...

CBT is a promising way to reduce violence, so why has it been so hard to scale?

Are things really worse than ever, or are we missing the bigger picture?

When we encounter ideas we don’t like, we often shut them down. Professor John Inazu explains why that’s a bad thing and what we can do to fix it.

Charlie Sykes, a conservative radio host and author of "How the Right Lost Its Mind", explains the dangers of...

Insights on working through conflict with Harvard's top negotiation expert.

After studying a team of canvassers, two researchers found that a single conversation can have a significant and...

From how to make good habits (and keep them) to a crisis at the NIH, it's a new edition of our week in ideas.