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Ethiopia Somali Region Stigma Delayed Mental Health Care

MHD featured image for mental health stigma and care-seeking in Ethiopia's Somali Region.

A 2026 qualitative study from Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State found a harsh care-seeking pattern: mental illness was often recognized only when it looked like visible “madness,” was commonly explained through spiritual causes, and carried stigma severe enough to delay biomedical care.1 Research Highlights 16 interviews shaped the analysis: Warfa et al. interviewed health workers, service …

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Complex PTSD Therapy Helped Affect Regulation Most

A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials found no broad superiority for phase-based complex PTSD care across most outcomes. Affect dysregulation was the clearest exception, improving more when treatment was phase-based, multi-phase, and exposure-containing. Research Highlights Most therapy formats helped: across waitlist and treatment-as-usual comparisons, psychological interventions reduced PTSD symptoms (k = 9; …

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PTSD Social Function Therapy Improved Family Function in Older Veterans

MHD featured image for PTSD social-function group therapy in older veterans.

A 2026 pilot randomized trial involving 36 older U.S. veterans with PTSD symptoms found that a structured social-function group therapy produced stronger signals for romantic and family functioning than a support group, with condition-by-time effects of eta-squared = 0.072 and eta-squared = 0.112. The same trial did not show a specific advantage for friendships and …

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Whole-Family Domestic Violence Intervention: 83 Parent Interviews

MHD featured image for whole-family domestic violence and parenting intervention.

A 2026 qualitative study of the For Baby’s Sake domestic-violence program used 83 interviews with 39 parents and found a practical engagement pattern: parenting work gave some mothers and fathers a way into safety planning, violence acknowledgment, and emotional-regulation change.1 Research Highlights Longitudinal interviews showed the engagement route: researchers conducted 83 interviews with 39 parents, …

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Esketamine Can Trigger Trauma Re-Experiencing in PTSD

Photoreal illustration of a patient receiving nasal spray with overlay of trauma memory imagery, conveying esketamine + PTSD interaction.

A 2026 retrospective case series of 22 adults with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid PTSD found that trauma re-experiencing during intranasal esketamine disappeared over later sessions in 72.7% of patients, while 27.3% stopped esketamine because the flashbacks persisted.1 Research Highlights Flashbacks usually faded, but not always: In 16 of 22 patients (72.7%), esketamine-related trauma re-experiencing disappeared …

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1 mg Guanfacine for Self-Harm Thoughts in ADHD-PTSD-BPD Case

MHD featured image for 1 mg guanfacine and self-harm thoughts in complex ADHD, PTSD, BPD, and ASD comorbidity.

A 2026 case report linked 1 mg nightly guanfacine modified-release to first-ever cessation of intrusive deliberate self-harm thoughts in a 16-year-old with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits, borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The same case became more interesting after the patient stopped taking guanfacine and the self-harm …

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