Conscious or Unconscious? Can someone be medically conscious but considered legally unconscious? What an interesting conundrum! According to the Oxford Dictionary, “unconsciousness is the state of being unconscious or the state of being uninformed or…
How can brain damage be used to create reasonable doubt? In 1990, a 40-year-old schoolteacher suddenly began using prostitutes and making inappropriate advances to his stepdaughter. The courts ordered him to go to Sexaholics Anonymous…
Did you Know? Anxiety disorders develop from risk factors such as genetics, brain chemistry life events and personality. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. Approximately 40 million adults age…
A strange occurrence at a Massachusetts hospital Articles by Forensic Magazine and New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Between 2012 to 2016, fourteen patients showed up at a Massachusetts hospital with a strange problem. All…
This month we have a guest author. Thank you to Eleanor Ruth for providing this newsletter/blog post for us! Psychosis is a condition that distorts attunement with reality. Throughout the years, there have been many…
Benzodiazepines, or “Benzos” are a class of drug that commonly pop up in the criminal cases that we review. These sedative “Downers” are commonly prescribed for a variety of maladies; knowledge about the side effects…
The legal nurse advised the attorney that the best way to communicate with John was to be calm and matter of fact. She told the attorney that a warm and friendly approach would be likely…
The following is a fictional case study about a client who is arrested and has been diagnosed with a personality disorder. As you read the case, think about what the diagnosis might be and the…
The American Psychiatric Association organizes personality disorders by clusters. Cluster A is a category that describes individuals who are withdrawn and may engage in odd or eccentric behavior. The diagnoses include: Paranoid Personality Disorder An…
The American Psychiatric Association (2013) defines a personality disorder as an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the expectations of an individual’s culture. The personality traits are pervasive and inflexible.…
Individuals with FASD have difficulty with assessment, judgment, and reasoning, and often repeat the same mistakes multiple times because of their disabilities. They also do not understand the consequences of their actions. These behavioral impairments…
The most serious and most common cause of mental retardation in the U.S. is fetal alcohol syndrome. The effects of FASD depend on the timing and frequency of alcohol consumption during the pregnancy. Some of…
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