Yearly Archives: 2019
Gender Affirming Interventions Reduce Mental Health Issues, Study Suggests
Transgender individuals who underwent gender-affirming surgeries demonstrated significant reductions in mental health concerns.
The Revolt Against Psychiatry: A Book Review
The focus of Bonnie Burstow’s new book, The Revolt Against Psychiatry, “is not the problems that psychiatry presents but the attempt to counter them.” Burstow asks, “What pressures might we bring to bear to loosen the grip of psychiatry? We habitually seem to be losing the battle; so how do we turn the situation around?”
How to Integrate Culture into Mental Health Care
Researchers explore how culturally responsive services can create greater equity in mental health care.
Got a Gene for That? The Latest from the Chronicles of Gene Worshiping
Among the latest examples of profiteering from the gene fad, there is now an app to determine your personal level of gayness, and researchers claim to have finally found real biomarkers to diagnose schizophrenia through a simple hair sample! Make no mistake: this is about the religion of scientism, not about science.
UN Calls for Human Rights-Based Approach to Suicide Prevention
From Psychiatry Advisor: "A focus on locating problems and solutions within individuals obscures the need to address the structural factors that make lives unliveable," said the special rapporteur on the right to health.
Psychiatry in Need of “Fundamental Rethinking”
Prominent researchers in psychiatry urge the field to move away from a rigid biological focus toward social and psychological perspectives to meet the needs of today’s world.
A 60,000-Year-Old Cure for Depression
From BBC: It seems indigenous Australians have much to teach us about developing greater awareness and reciprocity with our planet for our physical and emotional survival – if we only take the time to listen.
Textbooks Provide Misleading Information on the Neurobiology of ADHD
When it comes to ADHD, some researchers suggest that medical textbooks provide inaccurate and misleading information.
Here We Go Again: RESPONSE Act Pushes Forced Treatment of the “Mentally Ill” As...
In the name of preventing mass shootings, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) introduced a bill that calls for "enhanced mental health services," including involuntary treatment and long-acting antipsychotic injections. It also calls for increased collaboration between mental health and law enforcement authorities, and promotes online monitoring of American students.
More States Requiring Mental Health Education by Law
From TODAY: "Often, it's like the elephant in a room. It's something that they feel like, 'Oh, it's only me,'" said one teacher. "Letting them know that they're not alone...is so important."
Reanalyses of Depression, Chronic Pain Drug Trials Aim to Unearth New Data
From Science: An initiative called Restoring Invisible and Abandoned Trials or RIAT recently awarded two grants to researchers reanalyzing the STAR*D and gabapentin clinical trials.
Holistic Approaches: A Proven Treatment for Psychotropic Drug Withdrawal
Published in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Mind Body Medicine, this case series is the first of its kind to document the methodology employed in the successful discontinuation of a range of psychotropic medications, with holistic support interventions providing long-term mood support.
Much Madness: A Survivor’s Guide to Extreme States for Young Adults
From Hive Mutual Support Network: A new collection of personal stories shares what eight people who experienced psychosis or extreme states in their youth found helpful in their journies.
Collective Action Can Lead to Empowerment and Strengthened Relationships
Individuals who participate in efforts of collective action report changes in personality, behavior, and worldview.
Responding to Workplace Mistreatment and Bullying
When people have "paranoia" or "persecutory voices," often with a bit of curiosity I discover people in their lives who actually are out to get them. Real bullies, real persecutors. And then the work becomes work that all survivors — diagnosed with psychosis or not — have to do to regain safety, trust, and empowerment.
It’s Time for Psychology to Lead, Not Follow
From Psychology Today: Mind depends on brain and cannot exist apart from it. But knowledge of brain is not knowledge of mental life. They are different levels of analysis requiring different concepts and methods.
Fluoxetine Not Helpful for Children with Autism
A clinical trial finds Prozac no better than placebo for improving repetitive behaviors.
From Moses to Jesus to Prozac: A Theory on “Chemical Imbalances” and Faith
How are psychiatry and religion similar? Both systems utilize parent-like caretakers who alluringly promise easy solutions to life’s difficult realities. Both involve firm belief in a force that’s powerful and fate-controlling, yet completely undetectable (God or an inborn ‘chemical imbalance’).
Relapse in Antipsychotic Drug Trials is Poorly Defined
There is a lack of consensus in the definition of ‘relapse’ across randomized controlled trials of antipsychotic maintenance treatment for schizophrenia and psychosis.
Bernie Sanders Wants to Alleviate Senior Loneliness
From Jacobin: Senior isolation is correlated not just to a decline in mental wellbeing but also physical wellbeing: lonely people are 50 percent more likely to die prematurely than those with healthy social connections.
Researchers Challenge Evidence for Antidepressants in Youth
Researchers shed light on the precarious nature of evidence from efficacy trials of antidepressant medication to treat symptoms of major depressive disorder in children and adolescents.
Power Threat Meaning Framework and Tapering Strips in Brasil
On October 29 to 31, the National School of Public Health (ENSP / FIOCRUZ) in Rio de Janeiro will hold its 3rd International Seminar on psychiatric drugs. UK Clinical Psychologist Lucy Johnstone will discuss the Power Threat Meaning Framework and Peter Groot will discuss his work in the Netherlands on tapering strips.
It is Time for Global Mental Health to Acknowledge Sociostructural Determinants of Distress
Researchers call for action to address social challenges and inequalities that obstruct mental health and well-being globally.
It is January 20th by Jessica Lowell Mason
The doctor is calling.
She says to you,
without saying,
tell me what I want
to hear,
verify the hastiness
of all my generalizations,
the quick imprecise
diagnoses
and the bias-based
confirmations,
In Defense of Healthy Pride
How are we to differentiate the sort of healthy pride that accompanies hard-won, noble pursuits and is emotional sustenance for a person's self-esteem, and toxic pride, aimed at winning admiration from others as proof of one's superiority, possibly evoking the desire to use aggression and exploitation to attain power and dominance?
