Giovanni Fava (psychiatrist)

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Giovanni Andrea Fava (born 10 June 1952 in Valdagno) [1] is an Italian psychiatrist and former professor of clinical psychology at the University of Bologna. He is also a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

Contents

Education and career

Fava received his medical degree from the University of Padova in 1977, where he went on to complete his residency in psychiatry in 1981. After working for several years in the US (Albuquerque and Buffalo, N.Y.), he returned to Italy in 1988, becoming Associate Professor of Psychosomatic Medicine in the Department of Psychology of the University of Bologna, while keeping his ties with the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has been a professor of clinical psychology at the University of Bologna since 1997 and a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University at Buffalo's School of Medicine since 1999. [1] From 1992 to 2022, he was the editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed medical journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics . [2]

Research

Fava has authored more than 500 scientific papers and performed research in several fields. His main areas of interest have been diagnosis and treatment of affective disorders and psychosomatic medicine. Fava is known for researching the adverse effects of antidepressant drugs, such as their potential to trigger a relapse among depressed patients. [3] In a 1994 editorial, he argued that many of his fellow psychiatrists were too hesitant to question whether a given psychiatric treatment was more harmful than it was helpful. [4] He has also studied hypochondriasis and how it can be treated, [5] and the frequency with which patients with medical illnesses become demoralized about their condition. [6]

He has also developed well-being therapy, a therapy aimed at preventing patients recovering from depression from relapsing. [7] [8] [9] It has been described as a method to promote psychological resilience. [10]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Giovanni Andrea Fava Curriculum Vitae". University of Bologna Website. Archived from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  2. ↑ Karger, Gabriella (5 July 2022). "Farewell to Prof. Giovanni A. Fava after 30 Years and Welcome to the New Editors". Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 91 (4): 217. doi: 10.1159/000525872 . Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Schwartz, Casey (15 June 2011). "Do Antidepressants Make You Sad?". The Daily Beast . Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  4. ↑ Whitaker, Robert (2011). Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America. Broadway Books. p. 159. ISBN   9780307452429.
  5. ↑ Norman, Matthew (6 June 2000). "Diary of a hypochondriac". The Guardian . Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  6. ↑ Arehart-Treichel, Joan (3 June 2005). "Demoralization Frequent Companion Of Serious Medical Illness". Psychiatric News. 40 (11): 10–33. doi:10.1176/pn.40.11.00400010.
  7. ↑ Rosensweig, Jeffrey; Liu, Betty (2011). Age Smart: Discovering the Fountain of Youth at Midlife and Beyond. Prentice Hall Professional. pp. 98–99. ISBN   9780132703161.
  8. ↑ Fava, GA (1999). "Well-Being Therapy: Conceptual and Technical Issues". Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 68: 171–179. doi:10.1159/000012329. PMID   10396007.
  9. ↑ Fava, GA; Rafanelli, C; Cazzaro, M; Conti, S; Grandi, S (1998). "Well-being therapy: a novel psychotherapeutic approach for residual symptoms of affective disorders". Psychol Med. 28: 475–480. doi:10.1017/s0033291797006363. PMID   9572104.
  10. ↑ Ryff, Carol D; Singer, Burton (2008). "10: Thriving in the Face of Challenge: The Integrative Science of Resiliency". In Kessel, Frank; Rosenfield, Patricia; Anderson, Norman (eds.). Expanding the Boundaries of Health and Social Science: Case Studies in Interdisciplinary Innovation. Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780190295905.
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