drmichaelcummings

In this episode, we welcome back fan favorite Dr. Michael Cummings and ask questions sent in by listeners. Topics include Schizophrenia, Social Media Trends, and the SSRI controversy. We are thrilled to dedicate an episode that allows individuals to ask pointed questions and glean from Dr. Cummings' expertise. 

The underreporting of psychotic symptoms by patients in depression is a significant concern, frequently driven by the fear of consequences like hospitalization or the stigma of embarrassment. 

We'll discuss the history, the differential to consider when thinking of psychotic depression, mechanisms, and treatment. Notably, individuals with psychotic depression face a suicide rate double that of their non-psychotic counterparts. A recent cohort study by Paljärvi in 2023 revealed a stark contrast: deaths due to suicide were 2.6% in the psychotic depression cohort, compared to 1% in the non-psychotic group. Alarmingly, most suicides occurred within the first two years following diagnosis. People who suffer from psychotic depression often do not report their psychotic symptoms, leading to inadequate response to normal depression treatments. With 6-25% of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) exhibiting psychotic features, it is imperative to understand and address these unique challenges. Join us as we unravel the complexities of this underrecognized aspect of mental health.

I am thrilled to continue our podcast series on addiction, designed to meet the one-time, 8-hour training requirement introduced by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. This mandate applies to all practitioners registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and our series primarily focuses on the treatment and management of patients with substance use disorders.

Link to blog here. 

This week’s episode is on opioid use disorder and is the second in our series on addiction. We are once again joined by Dr. Michael Cummings.  Dr. Puder and Dr. Cummings discuss the history of opioids, the neurobiology of addiction, risk factors for opioid use disorder, and treatment options.

Link to blog here.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, we interview Dr. Michael Cummings, a psychiatrist, researcher, and associate professor at Loma Linda University. This podcast is the first of a series on addiction and the focus of this week’s episode is on alcohol use disorder. In this episode, Dr. Puder and Dr. Cummings dive into the history of alcohol use, vulnerabilities and mechanisms responsible for the development of alcohol use disorder and its related neurobiological circuits, and common pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and behavioral interventions and treatments for alcohol use disorder.

Link to blog here.

In this episode, Dr. Cummings joins the podcast to discuss and give tips on overcoming social anxiety disorder. Individuals with social anxiety disorder tend to avoid important events and activities, such as classes, meetings, or public speaking. The disorder is essentially the fear of rejection by a group one would like to be part of. This is different from shyness because of the intensity and pervasiveness of the symptoms.

Link to blog here.

In today’s episode of the podcast, Dr. Michael Cummings returns to discuss the use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics. LAIs are administered in intervals ranging from every 2 weeks to every 6 months, eliminating the need for daily oral antipsychotics and thereby improving adherence.

Link to blog here.

In today’s episode of the podcast, we are joined by Dr. Michael Cummings to discuss the most recent and popular diagnosis wave of individuals believing they may have autism, which has become a recent TikTok phenomenon.

Link to blog here.

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Michael Cummings to discuss a new study that explores the idea that depression may not be merely a chemical imbalance. This episode covers the origin of belief in the connection of depression with a chemical imbalance, the new study that has created questions surrounding the efficacy of antidepressants, and a holistic view on the treatment of depression. 

Link to Blog. 

In this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Dr. Cummings to discuss the benefits, progress, and fears related to electroconvulsive therapy. For years the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy has been debated, but we’ve learned that it still remains an essential part of psychiatric treatment in patients with severe mental health disorders.

Link to full blog here.

Violence and aggression are often used interchangeably, with subtle distinctions differentiating the two. Aggression is an umbrella term that encompasses violence and is defined as actions that lead to harm towards self, others, or objects, while violence is defined as actions that lead to harm, specifically toward other individuals (Newman, 2012). Aggression, according to the 3-factor approach initially detailed by investigators from the New York State Hospital system, is categorized into three types of assault: impulsive, predatory/organized, and psychotic. Impulsive aggression was the most common type at 54%, with predatory/organized type (29%) and psychotic type (17%) trailing behind (Quanbeck CD, 2007; Meyer et al., 2016). This episode aims to explore the management of agitation, aggression, and violence in the inpatient setting.

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Link to webinars here. 

In this episode we discuss, with Dr. Michael Cummings, a new book he co-authored with Steven M. Stahl on the management of treatment-resistant psychosis. An increasing number of individuals with psychotic illnesses deal with homelessness, repeated incarceration, and associated trauma. There is limited access to care for these individuals, leading to poor prognosis. This book provides prescribers with information regarding treatment of the most challenging, treatment-resistant, severely psychotic patients.

Link to Blog.

Link to Resource Library. 

Insomnia is a fairly common problem; it is likely that almost all individuals suffer from at least transient insomnia. In this episode, Michael Cummings, M.D., Shizuka Tomatsu, M.D., and Shilpa Krishnan, D.O. join the discussion on psychopharmacological treatments, lifestyle, and therapy recommendations for insomnia. 

Link to Blog.

Link to Resource Library.