View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

Health & Fitness

Psychofarm Podcast

PsychoFarm Podcast is a deep dive into the intersection of psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and the evolving understanding of mental health. Hosted by 2 psychiatrists, the podcast explores complex topics such as diagnosing mood and personality disorders, the role of medications in treatment, and the challenges of psychiatric training. Each episode breaks down the clinical insights and philosophical debates surrounding mental health care, providing both practitioners and curious listeners with thoughtful analysis, expert opinions, and practical advice.

psychofarm.substack.com

Latest Episodes:

Sleep Medications Treatment Tier List: Best Insomnia Medications Ranked Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, the hosts rank the behavioral and medication strategies they use for sleep problems in psychiatric practice, starting with strict wake times, CBT-I, sleep hygiene, exercise, and treating the underlying disorder. They compare doxepin, trazodone, mirtazapine, hydroxyzine, melatonin, gabapentin, benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, antipsychotics, and other options, with attention to sleep onset, sleep maintenance, side effects, dependence, sleep architecture, and comorbid conditions. The conversation also covers caffeine and stimulant timing, alcohol and cannabis, primary sleep disorders, and why diagnosis should guide insomnia treatment before medication choice.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Mood Stabilizers for Bipolar Disorder: Lithium, Lamotrigine, Depakote & More Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder can be confusing because lithium, lamotrigine, Depakote, carbamazepine, and oxcarbazepine have very different strengths, risks, and clinical roles. In this episode, two psychiatrists break down how they think about maintenance treatment, lithium dosing and monitoring, common side effects, lab levels, toxicity counseling, and medication interactions. They also compare Depakote for mania, lamotrigine for bipolar depression, carbamazepine’s interaction burden, and the potential role of oxcarbazepine. Along the way, they discuss combination treatment, diagnostic uncertainty, pregnancy and fertility considerations, rash counseling, and why effective bipolar care requires focusing on long-term episode prevention rather than the symptom of the day.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Dr. Jim Phelps’ Bipolar Treatment Tier List: Lessons from 30+ Years in Psychiatry Jul 23, 2026

Show notes

Bipolar disorder treatment is put to the test in this clinically grounded tier list with psychiatrist Jim Phelps. He and Dr. Malzberg rank low-dose lithium, lamotrigine, social rhythm therapy, dark therapy, dawn simulators, antidepressants, carbamazepine, supplements, ketogenic diet, mood tracking, and group psychoeducation. Along the way, they discuss why sleep and circadian rhythm belong in the mood stabilizer conversation, how antidepressants may worsen cycling or mixed states, and why the long-term goal is not simply treating the mood of the day. The episode also explores practical adherence, bipolar comorbidity, passive sleep tracking, and underused nonmedication approaches.

Dr. Phelps’ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@psycheducation

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Anxiety Medications Tier List: The Best and Worst Treatments for GAD Jul 14, 2026

Show notes

Anxiety medications tier list: two psychiatrists rank the treatments they actually use for generalized anxiety disorder… and the ones they avoid. The discussion covers first-line SSRIs, why buspirone may be underrated, when benzodiazepines can help or harm, and how to think about mirtazapine, hydroxyzine, propranolol, gabapentin, pregabalin, quetiapine, and bupropion. Just as important, the episode argues that “anxiety” is not a diagnosis: re-diagnosis, mindfulness, CBT and ACT principles, exercise, reducing caffeine or stimulants, and understanding avoidance may matter more than adding another prescription. The result is a practical, opinionated guide to anxiety treatment that combines evidence, clinical experience, side effects, dependence risk, and long-term recovery.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Psychodynamic Technique and Therapeutic Intervention: Mirroring, Clarification, Confrontation, Interpretation Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Psychodynamic therapy interventions are the focus of this episode, organized through a practical levels framework for clinicians. Dr. Fu and Dr. Greg break down empathic mirroring as a way to keep the patient’s narrative moving, clarification as a tool for deepening detail, confrontation as a gentle way to point out patterns or discrepancies, and interpretation as the rare intervention that should come only after enough groundwork. Along the way, they connect these skills to diagnostic interviewing, medication management, forensic psychiatry, therapeutic alliance, and the difference between helping a patient talk more and pushing too quickly toward insight.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

ECT Treatment: When to Refer, Who It Helps, and What Actually Happens with Dr. MaryEllen Eller Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

Unfortunately no Dr. Fu today, but Dr. Malzberg speaks with the wonderful psychiatrist Dr. Mary Ellen Eller, who walks through what modern electroconvulsive therapy actually looks like and when clinicians should consider it. The episode covers ECT history, stigma, seizure monitoring, memory concerns, side effects, and the real-world logistics patients face during a treatment course. It also explores where ECT fits in the algorithm for severe depression, depression with psychosis, catatonia, bipolar mania. The result is a grounded, clinician-friendly guide to a misunderstood treatment.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Suicide Risk Assessment: Acute vs Chronic Risk, Formulation, and Suicidal Ideation Types Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Suicide risk assessment is often taught like a checklist, but this episode argues that the real work is formulation. We talk about why history is only the starting point, how acute and chronic risk differ, and why suicidal ideation can mean very different things depending on context. We cover stress-related suicidality, intoxication, baseline recurrent thoughts, mood and psychotic disorders, OCD intrusive thoughts, hospitalization decisions, red flags, countertransference, and documentation. The result is a practical psychiatry conversation for clinicians and trainees who want to think more clearly about suicide risk without pretending they can predict the future.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Antidepressant Tier List: Psychiatrists Rank Depression Medications for MDD May 19, 2026

Show notes

Psychiatrists rank antidepressants for major depressive disorder, including SSRIs like sertraline, escitalopram, fluoxetine, and paroxetine; SNRIs like venlafaxine and duloxetine; and atypical options like bupropion and mirtazapine. They also cover lithium, low-dose aripiprazole, trazodone, esketamine, stimulants, benzodiazepines, TCAs, and MAOIs, with emphasis on diagnosis, side effects, withdrawal, weight gain, sexual dysfunction, anxiety, insomnia, and why “which antidepressant is best” depends on the patient.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Mindfulness in Psychiatry: How to Teach It as a Clinical Treatment Skill May 05, 2026

Show notes

Mindfulness in psychiatry is the focus of this episode, with Doctors Malzberg and Fu treating it as a practical clinical skill rather than vague wellness advice. They define mindfulness as deliberate attention to the present moment without judgment, then connect it to DBT, MBCT, ACT, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, and trauma-informed care. The conversation also covers when mindfulness should be modified, why it is not always a standalone treatment, and how clinicians can teach it through short, scheduled practice, DBT “what skills,” grounding techniques, and careful follow-up.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Psychiatric Technique for Diagnostic Interviewing and Therapy: 6 Mantras Every Clinician Should Know Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Psychotherapeutic techniques are the subject of this episode, as the conversation lays out six memorable therapy mantras for better diagnosis, formulation, and treatment. Rather than focusing on abstract theory, the discussion shows how clinicians can stay close to patient material, clarify vague symptom language, notice countertransference, rewind key moments, and make links that improve both psychotherapy and medication management. It’s a practical lesson in interviewing: ask simpler questions, tolerate not knowing too quickly, observe contradictions, and avoid getting lost in content when the process is where the diagnostic data actually lives.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit psychofarm.substack.com

Related Podcasts