By Karl Northwall, MD, DLFAPA
PSV Incoming President
Catawba Hospital
Catawba, VA 

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association was held from May 17-21 in Los Angeles. The theme was Lifestyle for Positive Mental and Physical Health. Our new president, Theresa Miskimen Rivera, MD, said: “We are living in unprecedented times. Our profession is being questioned in ways that, I believe, are unfathomable for most of us, from the efficacy of evidence-based care, such as the use of antidepressants, to the need to address health inequities, to the dismantling of public mental health federal organizations, among others.” She encouraged us to continue to be strong advocates for our patients and be at the table as leaders and experts in mental health. 

These are indeed unprecedented times. The social contract between the government and the people is being sorely tested. If the measure of a society is how they care for those who cannot care for themselves, we appear to be going backwards, where the survival of the fittest is now paramount. Science is increasingly devalued. Truth is mutable. Public trust in medicine is decreasing. A rising populist, anti-establishment sentiment offers the veneer of a progressive movement but is oriented to personal responsibility rather public health. An authoritarian government is waging war on scientific, academic and government institutions.

What are we to do in the face of this? We need to mobilize our grassroots efforts. We are greater together than individually. Communicate with our political leaders. Continue to advocate strongly for our patients. Continue to expand the science and evidence base of our profession. Contribute financially to our PAC’s. These times will not last forever, and we need to keep our priorities unwavering. We need to continue to communicate with those who have differing viewpoints from ours. Communicate with your leaders in the PSV. I certainly have my own strong opinions, but my job as your president is to advocate for the majority of our members. Let me know what you think.