Yearly Archives: 2017
Crazy Talk: The Dangerous Rhetoric of Mental Illness
In this piece forĀ Eidolon, Jessica Wright discusses the ways that labeling people as "crazy" and "mentally ill" has served to justify oppression throughout history....
Physical Activity Predicts Fewer Symptoms of Depression in Children
An article published in Pediatrics is the first to examine the relationship between physical activity and depression in middle childhood (years 6 to 10) longitudinally.
Direct-to-Consumer Pharmaceutical Advertising Linked to Dangerous Overtreatment
A new study links direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising to increased testosterone treatment, even when patients do not have a diagnosable condition.
Descartes was Wrong: a Person is a Person through Others
FromĀ Aeon: For the most part, the field of scientific psychology has adopted a Cartesian, individualistic understanding of the self. However, it is more likely...
The Best Medicine
Today I am not only medication-free but also thriving. While many people in my life are delighted by my transformation, most did not think it possible. How did I transition from being a chronic, "seriously mentally ill" psychiatric patient to a vibrant being?
Study Shows Link Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health
FromĀ Medical Xpress: A recent study conducted in the northwestern region of Ghana, Africa shows elevated levels of mental distress among heads of households in...
Trump’s Pick to Oversee Big Pharma has Ties to Opioid Industry
FromĀ The Intercept: Newly released documents show that Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's nominee to lead the FDA, has received almost $45,000 in speaking fees...
Christopher: A Transformational Journey from Psychiatric Hospital To Working In Peer Support
Christopher describes his transformational journey starting with a very difficult childhood which led him to be treated for many years with various psychiatric medications. After successfully withdrawing, he now works a Program Manager for Heart & Soul inc in California, an organisation which offers a variety of mental health recovery-oriented and wellness support opportunities.
Economic Stress as a Driver of Global Depression and Suicide
FromĀ Truthout: According to the World Health Organization, poverty and unemployment are leading causes of depression and suicide. Still, recommended solutions for depression tend to...
Depression: Let’s Talk About how we Address Mental Health
From the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: United Nations Special Rapporteur Dainius PÅ«rasĀ calls for our global community to rethink...
Researchers Make a Case for a āTheory of Nothingā in Psychology
What meaning do psychological constructs really hold, and how are they operationalized and statistically modeled within psychology research?
Unusual Beliefs and Mental Well-Being
Whoās deluded? Whoās possessed with unusual beliefs? And whose beliefs, if expressed and put into practice publicly, actually cause the greatest harm? Who gets to decide what is abnormal or normal, and based upon what kind of evidence, really?
Dear Boston Globe, Part VI: Congratulations. Bad Things Happen.
Yes, people are dying, but not typically in the manner you so salaciously describe in every blood-lusting Globe article you write. They're entering the system when theyāre younger, getting stuck in that service, and then dying early (or transferring to nursing homes), unseen by the public eye.
From One Parent to Another
In the couple of years since my daughter Rebecka and I published our book, I have received many emails, Facebook messages and phone calls from despairing parents. They want to know, how did you get through it? What do you suggest? What else can we try?
TV Documentary Funded by Doctor with Industry Ties
FromĀ STAT: A new documentary, "The Painful Truth," chronicles the plight of several patients struggling to find treatment for their chronic pain, suggesting that physicians...
Fighting the fog of Mental Illness
In this special report for theĀ Journal Sentinel, Meg Kissinger tells the story of Amanda Farrell, a woman labeled severely mentally ill who eventually recovered...
Lawmakers Override Bevin’s Veto of Mental Health Law
FromĀ The Courier-Journal: Last week, Kentucky's General Assembly voted to overturn Governor Matt Bevin's veto of Tim's Law, a mental health law that allows a...
3 Transition Obstacles as Mentally Ill and Transgender
In this piece for Everyday Feminism, Sam Dylan Finch discusses the oppression and obstacles he has experienced as a trans person in the mental...
Femme Fatales, ‘Female Psychopaths,’ and Narrative ‘Science’
In this piece for Repeater Books, Tristam Vivian Adams discusses the ways sociopaths and psychopaths are portrayed in the media, and the ways we...
Touches Early in Life may Make an Impact on Newborns’ Brains
FromĀ Science News:Ā A recent study found that early tactile experiences are associated with important differences in infants' brain responses and and patterns.
Article āĀ
Danish Study Finds Better 10-year Outcomes in Patients Off Antipsychotics
Study finds that 74% of patients with a psychotic disorder off antipsychotics at end of 10 years are in remission.
United Nations Statement Criticizes Medicalization of Depression on World Health Day
"There is a need of a shift in investments in mental health, from focusing on 'chemical imbalances' to focusing on 'power imbalances' and inequalities"
When Modern Medicine Made Me More Autistic
I think future research will reveal that autism is more complicated than neurodiversity advocates would like to admit. Environmental factors affecting our microbiomes can very clearly influence the extent to which peopleās behaviors correspond with the current diagnostic criteria for autism.
Mental Illness Isn’t the Only Reason for Suicide
FromĀ The Age:Ā Most public discussion and media portrayals of suicide assume that suicide is solely the result of mental illness such as depression and anxiety....
An Experimental Approach to Psychosocial Interventions
In this message from the Director of the NIMH, Dr. Joshua Gordon announces an increased focus on psychosocial interventions for treating mental health conditions.
"From...
