Yearly Archives: 2019
How Non-Industrial Cultures View ‘Mental Illness’
From Big Think: Other societies are not so frightened by the prospect of madness or even certified psychosis, and are much more likely to see it as a special ability to be nurtured.
Service-Users Who Found CBT Unhelpful Offer Their Perspectives
Counseling clients in the UK who found CBT unhelpful were interviewed about their experiences.
A ‘Blueprint’ for Genetic Determinism
Robert Plomin's Blueprint: How DNA Makes Us Who We Are was seen as a "declaration of victory of nature over nurture." Plomin has a 40-year track record of unfulfilled gene discovery claims and predictions, and there is every reason to believe that his new polygenic score claims and predictions are merely a continuation of this trend.
‘We’re the Workaholics of the World’
From The Atlantic: Where traditional religion once lent people meaning, community, and self-actualization, work has stepped in to fill the void.
Effective Therapists’ Skills May be Rooted in Personal Histories
Systematic review differentiates the qualities of effective therapists from those that are less effective and finds that successful therapists’ professional skills are connected to their personal lives.
I WON by Atara Schimmel
i attended your funeral today
in fact i was
the
one
yes, won
that organized it
How Do We Test the Effects of Long-Term Exposure to Antipsychotics?
A new attempt to study the neurological effects of long-term exposure to antipsychotics uses healthy volunteers on minimal doses for 15 days.
How Healthcare Foundations Destroy Grassroots Advocates
We advocates are often told we're the key to progress in mental healthcare. Yet foundations continue to minimize our role and to damage us and our organizations every day. Here is how they do it, and what they need to do if we are ever to make real progress.
‘I’m Gonna Die in Here’: 19-Year-Old ‘Mentally Ill’ Woman in Jail for Spitting
From Phoenix New Times: "This incident exposes systemic problems within Arizona jails and prisons in which people are dehumanized, abused, and treated unjustly," said a spokesperson for the ACLU of Arizona.
Health Agencies Muzzled After Trump’s Remarks on Mass Shootings
From The Washington Post: "To say that scientists and experts who know the data and facts best are not allowed to speak — that’s very concerning," said University of Pennsylvania professor Dominic Sisti.
We Have Ruined Childhood
From The New York Times: Children today are more depressed than they were during the Great Depression and more anxious than they were at the height of the Cold War.
A Psychiatrist Tries Antipsychotics: Seroquel
From Fugitive Psychiatrist: "I can’t believe I have patients walking around on 800mg of this stuff. There’s no way in good conscience I could dose this BID (sic) unless a patient consented to 20 hours of sleep a day."
School-Based Mindfulness Leads to Stress Reduction, Study Finds
Researchers find improvements in stress-related outcomes among middle school students exposed to a school-based mindfulness training program.
For-Profit Psych Hospital Corp. US HealthVest Brings Peril to 3 States
From The Seattle Times: No private mental-health care operator in Washington state in recent years has pushed to expand as rapidly or racked up as many serious violations as quickly.
System Change Webinars: Promoting Radical Change
Starting on September 17, Mad in America will be offering a series of monthly webinars how to make changes in real-world programs that reflect the progressive reform agendas that embody a "green" revolution in mental health care. Enroll now!
Explaining Depression Biologically Increases Prognostic Pessimism
Psychoeducation that explains depression in biological terms increases prognostic pessimism, perceived stability of depression, and openness to psychiatric medication.
Recovery Is Resiliency
Recovery is not a bridge we cross and never return to. Rather, it is more like crossing a stream we ford by side-stepping on different stones. Not all of the stones are as sturdy as some of the others. Yes, we slip at times, only to regain our footing and forge ahead.
Elisabeth: Ayahuasca Psychosis and Spiritual Awakening
After taking the psychedelic drug ayahuasca, Elisabeth went into an extended altered state diagnosed as psychotic. Her terrifying ordeal ignited a spiritual initiation that eventually brought gifts of awakening, insight, and compassion.
Psychiatrist Offers Ecological Model for Psychotherapy
Insights from phenomenological philosophy can assist in understanding psychotherapy and psychopathology as ecological rather than individualistic.
Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal in Spain
My study, in which I slowly withdrew people from prescribed antipsychotics and antidepressants, found that it is possible to decrease both spending on psychiatric drugs and patients' chronic exposure to them. In general, the drug-reduction process was well-tolerated and well-accepted among those treated.
Experiences of Bullying May Explain “Paranoia” in Sexual Minorities
Bullying leads to a feeling that people plan to harm you, which can be misconstrued as “paranoia” and considered a “psychotic symptom.”
The Many Battles of a Benzo Injury: Jean’s Story
Jean was never warned about Librium's potential to cause physical dependence or the subsequent withdrawal effects that can result from its long-term use, nor was she counseled on an exit plan. So when she decided to taper off the drug, her withdrawal symptoms were so severe that her life and health quickly spiraled out of control.
Are You Coming to the Drug Lunch?
From Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry: In 2009, the Royal College of Physicians recommended banning the ever-present drug company sales-talks. Ten years on, this still looks unlikely.
Q&A: My Child Is Self-Harming. How Can I Help?
I walked in on my teenaged daughter cutting her upper leg with a razor. I have also noticed multiple cuts and what look like cigarette burns on her wrists and torso. She’s always made excuses about them, but now I realize she has been self-harming for a while. She swears she isn’t suicidal. What’s this all about, and what can I do?
Researchers Propose Mindfulness for Treatment of Bipolar Disorder
Researchers from Hong Kong test mindfulness interventions for people diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.
