by michaelhalassa | Apr 1, 2025 | Distributed neural systems, Executive Control, Predictive coding, Predictive systems, Psychosis and mania, Reinforcement learning, Reward-seeking systems, Uncategorized
Introduction: The iPhone Analogy Imagine your brain as an iPhone. In a healthy state, all your apps—email, maps, music, social media—run smoothly, even if they occasionally compete for resources. For example, your email app might want to check for new messages while...
by michaelhalassa | Mar 25, 2025 | ADHD medication and psychosis, Chronic stimulant use, Dopamine and psychosis, Stimulant side effects, Stimulant-induced psychosis
Chronic Stimulant Use and Psychosis: Mildred’s Story and the Science Behind the Link Mildred’s Story: A Surprising Onset of Psychosis Mildred, a middle-aged woman in her late 50s, had always been the picture of health—both physically and mentally. With no personal or...
by michaelhalassa | Mar 11, 2025 | Cobenfy, Schizophrenia treatment, Trospium, Xanomeline
The Story of Tim: A Turning Point Tim, a young man in his mid-20s, had been struggling with schizophrenia for years. Despite multiple antipsychotic trials, his symptoms remained poorly controlled. He experienced severe side effects—weight gain, sedation, and...
by michaelhalassa | Feb 11, 2025 | Schizophrenia
Jill’s Case: A Lesson in GABA Modulation Jill was a middle-aged woman with a longstanding diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. She had been maintained on an antipsychotic, but her regimen also included clonazepam. When placement issues arose, I attempted to taper...
by michaelhalassa | Dec 23, 2024 | Psychiatry
Psychiatric diagnosis is often an artful combination of science and intuition. As a psychiatric resident, I had only seen a handful of patients with a schizophrenia diagnosis, and therefore my intuition for what ‘negative symptoms’ are, was largely bookish—meaning, I...
