Scott Alexander examines the Hearing Voices Movement, discussing its benefits and limitations in treating psychosis while emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to mental health care. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the Hearing Voices Movement, which advocates for treating hallucinations and delusions as normal rather than medicalized. He argues that while the movement has some positive aspects, such as providing community support for people with mild psychosis, it shouldn't be seen as a replacement for medical treatment in severe cases. The post explores the complexities of mental health advocacy, the role of community in treatment, and the importance of balancing different approaches to mental health care. Shorter summary

Scott explores how acetylcholine-related cognitive enhancers might work by increasing sensory precision and learning rate, while speculating on potential tradeoffs and acknowledging the highly speculative nature of these ideas. Longer summary

This post explores the mechanisms and potential tradeoffs of cognitive enhancers, focusing on acetylcholine-related substances like piracetam and nicotine. Scott discusses the role of acetylcholine in the brain's predictive coding model, where it's thought to increase sensory precision and learning rate. He speculates on how this might explain the cognitive-enhancing effects of these drugs, but also considers potential downsides like disrupted intuitive understanding or increased risk of psychotic-like thinking. The post ends by acknowledging the highly speculative nature of these ideas and noting some contradictory evidence. Shorter summary

The post examines the theory of treating schizophrenia's prodrome stage, exploring how early intervention might prevent full-blown schizophrenia and discussing the biological mechanisms behind the disease's progression. Longer summary

This post discusses the concept of treating the prodrome of schizophrenia, an early stage where symptoms are just beginning to develop. The author explores the theory that early intervention can prevent full-blown schizophrenia, comparing it to early detection in other medical conditions. The post delves into the 'Duration of Untreated Psychosis' (DUP) model, which suggests that psychosis can be toxic to the brain. The author initially expresses skepticism about this model but later becomes more open to it after learning about the biology of schizophrenia. The post then explains a theory of how schizophrenia develops through aberrant prediction errors and how this process might lead to both positive and negative symptoms. It concludes with a first-person account of schizophrenia that illustrates these concepts. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander critiques standard psychiatric responses to psychotic patients and proposes more honest, nuanced alternatives based on individual patient circumstances. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses his experience at the Michigan Psychiatric Society conference, focusing on how psychiatrists should respond to psychotic patients who ask if they are believed. He critiques a prestigious psychiatrist's standard response as condescending and potentially enraging to patients. Scott then explores alternative responses he'd like to give, emphasizing honesty and acknowledging the patient's perspective. He also addresses the common question 'Do you think I'm crazy?', suggesting that the standard answers aren't always helpful and proposing more nuanced responses based on the patient's situation and personality. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander examines evidence on marijuana legalization's effects on usage, health, and drug war costs, finding uncertainties too large for firm conclusions but suggesting traffic accidents may be the key factor. Longer summary

Scott Alexander examines the evidence around marijuana legalization, looking at its effects on usage rates, health impacts, and costs of the drug war. He finds that decriminalization and medical marijuana don't seem to increase youth usage much, but full legalization might increase adult use by 25-50%. Health effects are unclear but may include IQ declines and slightly increased psychosis risk. The costs of the drug war are significant in terms of arrests and spending, but relatively few people are in prison solely for marijuana. Scott attempts a utilitarian analysis comparing costs and benefits of legalization, but finds the uncertainties too large to draw firm conclusions. He suggests the most important factor may be how legalization affects traffic accidents. Shorter summary