Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and 5-methoxy-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) have shown promising effects in the treatment of certain mental health conditions. Enthusiastic claims about their therapeutic potential have led to overly optimistic reactions in the media and the public, subsequently resulting in increased use outside of clinical contexts and a heightened rate of psychedelic-related complications. As psychedelics exhibit low toxicity and hardly any habit-forming potential, the typical risks and harms of these substances are often overlooked by mental health professionals and under-assessed in psychedelic research. Similar to the medical history of other psychoactive substances introduced as medicines such as opioids, cocaine, and benzodiazepines, awareness for psychedelic-related complications has emerged with delay. Psychedelics are characterized by a wide range of acute effects on the human psyche and by a particular temporal dynamic in which these effects unfold, including acute, subacute, and long-term effects. Knowledge of how psychedelic effects unfold is not only essential for their use in therapy but also for the understanding and management of risks and complications.Here we provide an overview of complications that may be associated with the use of classic psychedelics, drawing on historical and current classification approaches and using the typical temporal dynamics of drug effects as a guiding thread. We will also discuss to what extent psychedelic-related disorders can be causally and specifically attributed to psychedelic use. Finally, considerations regarding the placement of psychedelic-related disorders within nosological-diagnostic classification systems will be discussed. The increasing interest in using psychedelics within the framework of psychotherapy and the rise of non-medical use underscore the need for a more nuanced classification of psychedelic-related risks and harms. The suggested classification can be used as a comprehensive starting point for the assessment of psychedelic-related complications, contributing to maximizing benefits and minimizing risks of these substances in research, therapy, and beyond.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved in recent years. Image generating chatbots enjoy great popularity. But they bear the risk of maintaining or enhancing preexisting stereotypes and stigma against severe mental illnesses. The objective of the study is to investigate how AI-generated imagery on psychiatric diseases and institutions are perceived compared to (non-psychiatric) medical ones. Using the chatbots Designer, DALL-E 3 and Midjourney V6 we created images associated with psychiatric and medical contexts (disease, institution, incident). Participants (N = 239, 75.31% women) rated images generated by one of the chatbots upon a self-assessment manikin (SAM) rating, an adjective and emotion rating. Furthermore, participants were asked to title the images. Images containing psychiatric scenes were perceived as more negative and more arousing than other medical scenes (all p < .001). Further, they were often rated as having less control over the situation. Fear and anger were more often elicited by psychiatric than medical scenes. Psychiatric images were rated as more threatening and scarier (all p ≤ .001). In sum, the perception of AI-generated images of psychiatric terms was aligned with pre-existing stigmatizing attitudes. This is the first study to systematically investigate affective perception and potential stigmatizing effects of AI-generated images in a psychiatric context. It raises important discussion about user information, usage guidelines and stricter regulations for generative AI.
This study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of the posttraumatic search for meaning and inner transformation experiences of psychologically traumatised individuals by examining their coping strategies and recovery from the existential vacuum through a phenomenological approach. It is known that trauma creates not only a psychological but also an existential crisis in individuals and triggers a search for meaning; however, studies on how this process is reflected in the subjective experiences of individuals are limited. The study was conducted with a qualitative phenomenological design, and in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 volunteer individuals who had experienced psychological trauma in the past and who had experienced psychological trauma at least 1 year ago, selected through snowball sampling. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview form and analysed using Colaizzi's method. COREQ guidelines were adhered to throughout the research process. Four main themes and twelve sub-themes were obtained from the in-depth interviews. "(1)In the Shadow of Identity: Existential Alienation, (2) In the Depths of the Void: Interrogation of Meaning, (3) Mental Exploration and Journey to Inner Light, and (4) Strength and Rebirth: Post-Traumatic Growth". The participants stated that they found themselves alienated and meaningless after the trauma; however, by facing this emptiness, they discovered their inner resources, built new meanings, and transformed the trauma into an opportunity for growth. The findings revealed that post-traumatic recovery is not only about symptomatic improvement; individuals can liberate themselves, take responsibility, and give their lives a unique meaning. The study suggests that developing meaning-focused and existentialist-based therapeutic approaches for mental health professionals can contribute to individuals' recovery and personal transformation. The study suggests that developing meaning-focused and existential-based therapeutic approaches for mental health professionals can contribute to individuals' recovery and personal transformation.
The role of psychological factors in the development and course of Long Covid (LC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) remains a subject of controversial debate. We argue that psychologizing LC and ME/CFS carries significant risks: it leads to potentially harmful therapies, invalidates the patients' experience of illness, hinders effective interventions such as pacing, diverts focus from necessary physical diagnostics and treatment, disadvantages patients in medical assessments, and places a considerable additional burden on the families of affected children or other relatives. We show that many of the arguments presented for a psychological contribution are nonspecific or insufficiently supported by empirical evidence. Our essay therefore advocates for extreme caution in attributing psychological factors to these conditions, in the interest of a specific, evidence-based, and patient-centered psychiatry and psychotherapy. Nach wie vor wird kontrovers über die Rolle psychischer Faktoren bei der Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung von Long Covid (LC) und Myalgischer Enzephalomyelitis /Chronisches Fatigue-Syndrome (ME/CFS) debattiert. Wir argumentieren, dass eine Psychologisierung von LC und ME/CFS erhebliche Risiken birgt: Sie führt zu potentiell schädlichen Therapien, invalidiert das Krankheitserleben der Betroffenen, erschwert wirksame Maßnahmen wie Pacing, lenkt den Fokus weg von notwendiger körperlicher Diagnostik und Therapie, benachteiligt die Betroffenen in der Begutachtung und belastet die Familien von betroffenen Kindern oder andere Angehörigen in erheblichem Maße zusätzlich. Wir zeigen, dass viele der angeführten Argumente für eine psychische Mitverursachung unspezifisch oder empirisch unzureichend begründet sind. Unser Essay plädiert daher für größte Zurückhaltung bei der Zuschreibung psychischer Faktoren im Interesse einer spezifischen, evidenzbasierten und patient*innenorientierten Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie.
I argue that the current proliferation of generative artificial intelligence (AI) represents a new stage in a longer historical process of distancing humans from their unique individual psyches and of reducing participation and cultural diversity in music. The argument consists of six parts: (1) reiterating the uniqueness of individual psyches, which are often obscured by cultural norms, but are in the fact a vital source of cultural variation, and require for their proliferation that humans commune with their own psyches and enter into meaningful interaction with others; (2) presenting the presentational/participatory axes of music-making and music ontology, and arguing that the underlying psychology of music is participatory; (3) introducing a new rhetorical device, PECULIAR, which like WEIRD points at presentational forms of music-making as the outlier rather than the norm; (4) describing in brief the historical process through which music-making became less participatory, initially through elitist institutions and later through trade and commerce, and how mass media endangers musical diversity; (5) considering how generative AI technologies detach humans from their individual psyches and lead to the loss of cultural diversity; (6) arguing that AI will accelerate the reduction in musical participation and diversity, and suggesting ways for researchers to investigate the effects of these new technologies on cultures and minds. Finally, I suggest we should be mindful of the substantial social and spiritual benefits of musical participation, and find creative ways to encourage it.
Background: Congenital heart defects (CHD) are prevalent, affecting 1% of live births globally. Despite improved survival rates, adults with CHD face increased risks of psychological distress and neurocognitive deficits. The P-BAHn study (P-BAHn = "Psyche Bei Angeborenen Herzfehlern", Psyche for congenital heart defects) evaluates the mental health status and psychosocial challenges of German children and adolescents with CHD, focusing on retrospectively assessed COVID-19-related burden and patient-/parent-rated experiences with psychological, psychotherapeutic, or psychiatric treatment (PST). Methods: A cross-sectional, online-based survey was conducted using the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects (NRCHD). The final dataset comprised 1567 respondent-level records from 1310 families, including 992 parent reports and 575 self-reports from children/adolescents aged 6 to <18 years. The survey assessed mental health, emotional well-being, psychosocial status, demographics, medical history, and psychological treatment. Data were analyzed descriptively using chi-square tests and t-tests for exploratory unadjusted group comparisons. In addition, exploratory multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for selected key outcomes. Results: School-related stress was common in young CHD patients (45.3%) and was associated with older age and female sex (51.5% female vs. 35.6% male) in adjusted analyses. Overall, 17.0% of patients reported having a mental illness, most commonly anxiety (6.8%), eating disorders (5.6%), and depression (4.7%); neither sex nor CHD severity was significantly associated with self-reported mental illness in adjusted analyses. Less good/poor self-rated health was associated with older age and complex CHD in both patient and parent reports. Retrospectively assessed pandemic-related changes were perceived as quite or extremely stressful by 23.9% of patients. High COVID-19-related burden was associated with female sex, whereas CHD severity was not significant after adjustment. Among patients with previous or current PST, patient- and parent-rated treatment benefit varied by patient sex and CHD complexity. Previous/current PST was reported by 25.9% of patients and 23.8% of parents and was associated with older age in both respondent groups and with complex CHD in parent reports. Among patients with previous/current PST, 56.4% reported high perceived support. Conclusions: The P-BAHn study highlights the need for targeted psychosocial support for children and adolescents with CHD, including female patients, those with complex conditions, and patients reporting school- or crisis-related burden. Retrospectively reported pandemic-related burden underscores the importance of integrating crisis-sensitive strategies into psychosocial care frameworks. Longitudinal studies are essential to understand mental health trajectories and to evaluate the sustained patient- and parent-perceived benefit as well as clinical effectiveness of PST use. Enhancing support services and refining intervention models will improve the well-being and quality of life for young CHD patients.
"'Civilized' Sexual Morality and Modern Nervous Illness," "Totem and Taboo," "Thoughts for the Times on War and Death," "Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego," "The Future of an Illusion," "Civilization and its Discontents"-from his earliest cases to the end of his life, Freud reached from psyche to society. He is joined in these dual interests by the generation of founding sociologists, Emile Durkheim, Georg Simmel, Max Weber, and W. E. B. Du Bois, all of whom were born within twelve years of Freud, all of whose writings reach from society to psyche. This paper describes the psychosocio-sociopsychic ideas of these writers and situates Freud among them.
We present a genome assembly from a male specimen of Diacrisia sannio (Clouded Buff; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Erebidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 722.98 megabases and 724.10 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.86%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. Most of haplotype 2 (99.89%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.58 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are associated with substantial clinical and economic burden and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Although wound healing remains a core endpoint, recent consensus work identifies HRQoL as an essential outcome in DFU studies. This study describes wound healing, patient-reported outcomes, function, and safety in adults with DFU treated with silicone superabsorbent polymer (SAP) dressings. This exploratory prospective, multicenter, nonrandomized cohort study reports the DFU subgroup from a broader single-arm investigation conducted at eight specialist centers in Poland. Adults with superficial, noninfected DFUs received silicone SAP dressings for up to 6 weeks with standard offloading. Prespecified patient-reported outcome measures were the Patient Benefit Index for wounds (PBI-W) and the Wound Quality of Life questionnaire (Wound-QoL-17). Additional endpoints included wound area reduction (centralized digital planimetry), complete epithelialization, accelerometry-based activity, offloading adherence, and safety. Twenty-eight participants were included (75.0% male; mean age, 63.4 years), with a median wound duration of 166 days. By the final visit, 21 (77.8%) achieved at least 20% wound area reduction before cleansing/debridement and 24 (85.7%) after cleansing/debridement; 6 (22.2%) achieved complete epithelialization. Mean global Wound-QoL improved from 2.4 ± 0.6 to 1.5 ± 1.0 (mean change, -1.0 ± 0.8; P < 0.001), with greatest improvements in psyche and everyday-life domains. Mean PBI-W increased from 2.44 ± 0.94 to 2.94 ± 0.87 (mean change, 0.45 ± 1.10; P = 0.043). Activity intensity remained stable, offloading adherence exceeded 95%, and no device-related adverse events were reported. In this prospective DFU cohort, use of silicone SAP dressings within a structured care setting was associated with improvements in wound area reduction and wound-related quality of life over 6 weeks. These results highlight the feasibility of integrating patient-reported outcomes in DFU studies and provide a clinically relevant platform for future comparative and health-economic evaluations. Diabetic foot ulcers are open wounds on the foot that can last for months and can affect far more than the skin. They can make walking harder, limit daily activities, increase anxiety, and require repeated clinic visits and dressing changes. Because of this, it is important to measure not only whether a wound becomes smaller, but also whether people feel and function better during treatment. We followed 28 adults with diabetic foot ulcers who were treated with 2 silicone dressings designed to absorb wound fluid and protect the surrounding skin. Patients were observed for up to 6 weeks and were also asked to complete questionnaires about quality of life and perceived treatment benefit. Most wounds improved during follow-up. Around 78% to 86% of patients achieved at least a 20% reduction in wound area, depending on whether the wound was measured before or after cleansing and debridement, and about 1 in 5 ulcers healed completely. Patients also reported meaningful improvements in wound-related quality of life, especially in emotional well-being and everyday life. Perceived treatment benefit also improved. Physical activity remained broadly stable, patients followed offloading recommendations closely, and no dressing-related safety concerns were identified. These findings suggest that silicone superabsorbent polymer dressings may support both wound improvement and patient well-being. Future studies should test these results against comparator dressings and should also measure costs and resource use so that the full value of treatment can be evaluated.
This paper presents a series of two experimental studies that test the influence of character depth on narrative reception processes specified by affective disposition theory (ADT). Consistent with prior media psychology research, character depth is conceptualized as "the extent to which a character's exposition evokes a detailed and multi-faceted mental conception of a character's psyche, behavior, and experience" (Frazer et al., 2026, p. 4). In the pilot study (N = 217), we propose and verify a novel experimental manipulation of character depth independent from character morality. In the pre-registered experimental main study (N = 471), we manipulate character depth alongside character moral behavior across a five-act narrative, investigating effects on ADT's three subprocesses: disposition formation, anticipatory responses, and outcome evaluation. We both (1) conceptually replicate recent empirical work testing ADT's three subprocesses and (2) present evidence that character depth plays an important role in narrative reception processes. We find that individuating a character in text can influence perceived character depth in a manner that ripples throughout narrative reception. Perceiving a character to have greater depth results in more positive dispositions, and these initial positive dispositions continue to influence disposition updating as the narrative unfolds, as well as evaluations of the story ending.
We present a genome assembly from a female specimen of Zerynthia rumina (Spanish Festoon; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Papilionidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 852.84 megabases and 775.60 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.64%) is scaffolded into 31 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.26 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
We present a genome assembly from a male Cupido osiris (Osiris Blue; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Lycaenidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 481.43 megabases and 479.83 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (98.72%) is scaffolded into 24 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.36 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
We present a genome assembly from a male specimen of Euphydryas desfontainii (Spanish Fritillary; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 755.68 megabases and 751.57 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.77%) is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 16.56 kilobases. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 14 303 protein-coding genes. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
Anton Boisen (1876-1965) was a pioneering figure in the psychology of religion and pastoral psychology, yet scholars have largely overlooked his most important theoretical contributions. His unique corpus emerged from his own experience of psychosis in 1920 and his subsequent incarceration in the psychiatric system. I argued in an earlier article that Boisen was a prophet, ahead of his time, and that the scholarly consensus is only beginning to catch up to him. In this article, after summarizing four aspects of Boisen's prophetic vision, I concentrate on what is likely his most significant and most overlooked theoretical contribution: the hermeneutical treatment of psychosis. During his 1920 episode, Boisen sensed that his visions were attempting to describe the conflicts within his own psyche and point toward a cure. With this intuition, he was independently replicating certain ideas of both Sigmund Freud and C. G. Jung. In fact, Boisen's visions have at their core a Jungian mandala, the "Family of Four," which is notable because his visions preceded his encounter with Jung's work. While Boisen intuited the significance of his own visions, he was never able to fully interpret their meaning. The article ends with an interpretation of Boisen's visions, as a case study in the hermeneutical treatment of psychosis.
We present a genome assembly from an individual female Cupido alcetas (Provençal Short-tailed Blue; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Lycaenidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 493.02 megabases and 410.99 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.32%) is scaffolded into 26 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W, Z 1, and Z 2 sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.31 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
Existential distress is commonly experienced by people with cancer, yet there are limited treatment options. The therapeutic potential for psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) utilising psilocybin for this cohort is underexplored, with emerging literature showing clinical improvements in wellbeing. In Australia there is limited knowledge on healthcare professionals' (HCPs') attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of the use of PAT for existential distress in people with cancer, and their opinions on components of delivery. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the attitudes of 11 HCPs across specialties, largely from cancer treatment centres such as Chris O'Brien Lifehouse and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. The interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four key themes were identified: (1) A spectrum of knowing: The varied space of PAT knowledges, (2) Conceptualising and thinking through PAT in practice, (3) Navigating nuances territory: The complexity of providing and engaging with PAT, (4) Visualising potential future for PAT. Findings from the themes include that despite HCPs remaining interested in the potential of PAT, there are clear barriers being faced, knowledge gaps, and a desire for more research. HCPs also indicated a preference for PAT to be delivered in multidisciplinary teams, and for modes of delivery to be culturally sensitive and ethically rigorous. While some positioned this treatment as a last resort, others noted that there is a need for another 'tool' in the treatment of existential distress in cancer. As evidence for PAT grows, expanded clinical and qualitative research will be needed to develop delivery models that are ethically sound, culturally sensitive and informed by clinical evidence, as well as traditional knowledges While small in sample size, this present study offers preliminary insights into how HCPs perceive the potential role of PAT in cancer populations, specifically for existential distress. Thus, this study contributes to a growing qualitative evidence base to understand implementation pathways for PAT in oncology settings, and the complexity of managing the need for another tool with existing barriers, limitations, and knowledge bases.
We present a genome assembly from a female specimen of Hipparchia syriaca (Eastern Rock Grayling; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Nymphalidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 393.56 megabases and 365.79 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.87%) is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the W and Z sex chromosomes. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.47 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
We present a genome assembly from a male specimen of Muschampia proto (Sage Skipper; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Hesperiidae). The assembly contains two haplotypes with total lengths of 542.52 megabases and 541.58 megabases. Most of haplotype 1 (99.67%) is scaffolded into 30 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. Haplotype 2 was assembled to scaffold level. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled, with a length of 15.37 kilobases. This work is part of Project Psyche, a collaborative programme generating genomes for European butterflies and moths.
Contemporary psychotherapy lacks an integrative framework that systematically connects behavior, cognition, emotion, experience, and being. The Dimensional Model of the Psyche addresses this gap by conceptualizing mental life as unfolding through five nested psychological dimensions- action, thought, emotion, experience, and being- within a descriptive, meta-theoretical framework governed by five operational principles that regulate the transitions between them. The present article introduces the full theoretical formulation of the model, articulating its conceptual foundations and dynamic principles. Clinical illustrations demonstrate how the model clarifies therapeutic processes and guides intervention. The Dimensional Model articulates a structured psychological continuum composed of qualitatively distinct yet dynamically co-present dimensions, offering an organizing language that bridges theory, clinical practice, and research.