Monthly Archives: July 2022
Depression May Not Stem From a “Chemical Imbalance” After All â Suggesting the Problem...
From Salon: Scholars have argued for decades that depression has a social and political cause. A new study reinforces that view.
Books Under Review: Summer 2022
Reviews of five recent books reflecting various perspectives on the mental health system.
The U.K. Advises Coming off Antidepressants Very, Very Slowly
From Undark: Mounting evidence suggests that withdrawal effects may be both more common and more severe than previously thought.
Catherineâs Story: A Child Lost to PsychiatryÂ
A year ago today, our youngest child died, thanks to the adversarial actions and toxic treatments foisted on her by medical-model psychiatry. By telling her story, we hope to promote systemic change.
Response to Criticism of Our Serotonin Paper
Criticisms of the paper were contradictory. Some psychiatrists said that no one ever really believed the serotonin theory. Yet the public does believe it, and are very surprised to learn that it is a myth.
Am I Normal?: The 200-Year Search for Normal People (and Why They Donât Exist)
From The Guardian: A new book by Sarah Chaney is an examination of the 200-year-old history of the notion of "normal" and its power to alienate and oppress.
What Is ‘Schizophrenia’? Common Myths and Misconceptions
From The Mirror: Even though one in 100 adults in England lives with a 'schizophrenia diagnosis,' the condition continues to be surrounded by myths and misconceptions.
Psychiatryâs Failure Crisis: Are You Moderately or Radically Enlightened?
The moderately enlightened acknowledge some of psychiatryâs failures but, in common with the unenlightened, desperately attempt to preserve the institution of psychiatry.
New WHO QualityRights e-training: Advancing Mental Health, Eliminating Stigma, and Promoting Inclusion
QualityRights is WHOâs global initiative to improve the quality of care and promote the rights of people with mental health conditions or psychosocial disabilities.
Why I Wonât (Yet) Recommend 988 as a Crisis and Suicide Prevention Resource
From Medium/Vic Welle: Simply put, 988 is not trauma-informed, and the current rollout is carrying over the same harmful protocols and practices of the Lifeline it is replacing.
How to Take the News That Depression Has Not Been Shown to Be Caused...
From Joanna Moncrieff: So maybe thinking about depression as a brain disease is the wrong way to think about it. Maybe we need a different sort of framework.
Are Antidepressant Drugs Being Prescribed Too Widely? A Review of “Evidence-biased Antidepressant Prescription”
Depression was considered a condition that most spontaneously recovered from, until drug companies changed that narrative.
Weâre Historians of Disability. What We Just Found on eBay Horrified Us.
From Slate: We were disturbed to come across a slew of listings for private, highly personal, and revealing medical records from now-closed New York state psychiatric institutions.
A Decisive Blow to the Serotonin Hypothesis of Depression
From Psychology Today: An exhaustive new review debunks the âchemical imbalanceâ theory of depression, despite its persistence among physicians and the public.
Suicide Hotlines and the Impact of Non-Consensual Interventions
Those struggling with suicidal thoughts may stay silent instead of reaching out to suicide hotlines because they fear non-consensual intervention and the harmful impact of police involvement.
A Diagnosis and Its Damages: Orna Ophir’s “Schizophrenia: An Unfinished History”
Ophir is a psychoanalyst in private practice and also a historian, which proved to be a fascinating combination as far as her latest book was concerned.
“Trauma-Informed Care” Left Me More Traumatised Than Ever
From Psychiatry Is Driving Me Mad: Trauma-informed care isnât just about changing the question from âwhat's wrong with youâ to âwhat happened to youâ while keeping the same clinical structure.
THEY WHO CANNOT SAY by Bunny
I didnât realise I was leaving till I was already gone.
A strange face in the mirror.
Stupid creature.
And what good are you now to anyone?
Seeking...
Depression Likely Not Caused by a Chemical Imbalance in the Brain â New Study
From The Conversation: Until now, there has been no comprehensive review of the research on serotonin and depression that could enable firm conclusions about the chemical imbalance theory.
The Transformative Potential of Psychosis
For some, myself included, the âpsychosisâ became a catalyst for greater connection to self, others, and a sense of purpose.
The 988 Helpline Exists in an America Full of Broken SystemsâOf Course Itâs Flawed
From Refinery29: While 988 is well-intentioned, it can only do so much good when connected to broken criminal justice, healthcare, and mental healthcare systems.
The Corruption of Character in Medicine
From the Journal of Bioethical Inquiry: At 26, I finished medical school and decided to switch careers, because I had come to feel that medical training was turning me into a terrible human being.
Mass Shootings and the News Media: Catching Up to the Science of PACEs
From ACEs Too High: Over the last 25 years, the main development that has changed our understanding of violence is the CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences Study.
The Parts Within Us: An Interview with Richard Schwartz, Creator of Internal Family Systems
IFS is a different paradigm, which says that rather than being a sign of pathology, itâs the nature of the mind to have âparts." Weâre born that way because they're all valuable.
My Veterans Benefits Were Denied Because My Military Job âDid Not Existâ And The...
âSection 23a of your Form DD-214 lists your military occupational specialty as âEXP,â the letter from the VA said. âThat occupation does not exist....
