Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
Researchers are testing several treatment approaches for obsessive‑compulsive disorder (OCD). These include traditional psychotherapies, ketamine (a fast-acting medicine), and psychedelic-assisted therapies (where a mind‑altering drug is given together with psychological support). Some early reports and small studies suggest benefits, but the strongest proof so far is for depression and addiction, not OCD. Many psychedelic and ketamine studies are small or early‑stage and need larger, careful trials. What patients and clinicians should know is this: no psychedelic medicine is officially approved yet. How the drug is given, the safety checks, and the therapy before and after a drug session matter a lot. Research also has limits: many trials have few participants, people of color are often left out, and the growing business around these drugs raises extra scientific and ethical questions.
Researchers reviewed many outcome studies and meta-analyses of psychodynamic therapy, which is a type of talking therapy that explores feelings, relationships, and past experiences. They found that psychodynamic therapy often works better than doing nothing (for example being on a waitlist, getting only usual care, or a placebo) for depression,…
