Yearly Archives: 2023
Reconsidering Forced ‘Psychiatric Care’: A Conversation with Rob Wipond
From Psychiatry at the Margins/Awais Aftab: "I don’t hear nearly enough psychiatrists speaking out and showing genuine understanding and concern about how harmful and unhelpful involuntary 'treatment' can be," says journalist Rob Wipond.
VAMPIRE RACEHORSE by Erica Loberg
When I think about a
24-hour day
I know I am going to have ongoing
obsessional thoughts
coupled with
observations that constantly spring forth
in my mind
all throughout
the daylight.
It’s like...
Critical Psychiatry Textbook, Chapter 15: Withdrawal of Psychiatric Drugs
Peter Gøtzsche discusses withdrawal and how to taper off psychiatric drugs.
What the RADAR Trial Tells Us About Antipsychotic Reduction and Discontinuation
Although the trial showed that you are more likely to relapse if you stop or significantly reduce your antipsychotic medication, it did not show that relapse is inevitable.
Medicalized Meddling With Neurotransmitters Leaves Us in a Big Mess
From Dr. Gary Sharpe: Human biochemistry is an example of a "complex system," where exceedingly small interference in the system can create massive and unforeseeable changes.
Surviving Techno-Dystopia
From Mental Hellth: Malcolm Harris, a Silicon Valley native and author of Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World, discusses the mental health side of techno-capitalism.
Remembrances of Linda Andre, Leader in the Fight Against ECT
Psychiatric survivors and allies mourn ECT activist and author Linda Andre and vow to continue her legacy.
What Are Psychological Defenses?
From PsychAlive: "When children are faced with pain and anxiety in their developmental years, they develop defenses to cut off that pain," says psychologist and author Robert Firestone.
Embracing the Shadow—Charlie Morley on Lucid Dreaming as Therapy
On the Mad in America podcast, we hear about the potential of lucid dreaming therapy to aid those struggling with post-traumatic stress.
Report on Improving Mental Health Outcomes
The report is intended to be used to advocate for the elimination of unwanted psychiatric interventions and to promote humane, effective, voluntary approaches.
The Truth About Anti-Depressants With Robert Whitaker | The Homeless Romantic
From The Homeless Romantic Podcast: Journalist Robert Whitaker discusses the need to bridge the gap between the public perception of mental health and the evidence-based reality.
Awais Aftab Responds to the STAR*D Scandal . . . And Digs a New Hole...
The STAR*D scandal is about how psychiatry peddled a fabricated result to the public, and now Aftab, in his latest post, has added a whopper of his own to the STAR*D story.
Critical Psychiatry Textbook, Chapter 14: Psychotherapy and the Role of Psychologists
Peter Gøtzsche discusses how the textbooks barely mention the role of psychotherapy and therapists, instead focusing almost entirely on pharmacotherapy.
The Invisible Memories That Shape Our Lives
From PsychAlive/Lisa Firestone, PhD: Implicit memories are unconscious, bodily memories that, when triggered in the present, do not seem like they are coming from the past.
All the Lonely People: The Atomized Generation
From Erraticus: We must live each day in radical opposition to the world, keeping in mind that the economics of modern life are designed to atomize us.
The Strength in Sensitivity: Becoming a “Borderline” Psychotherapist
I'm a licensed psychotherapist in private practice. I'm also diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.
Giving Caregivers a Platform: Chandra, Mother of Sophia
This is the story of Chandra and her daughter Sophia (not their real names), who has been in the mental health system since the age of 10.
How Capitalism Is Helping Fuel Our Mental Health Crisis
From Psychology Today/Justin Garson, PhD: We need to better confront the economic and political structures that are making us sick, says psychotherapist and author Dr. James Davies.
Update on Retracting the Fraudulent STAR*D Results
Ed Pigott calls for retraction of 2006 STAR*D article in American Journal of Psychiatry.
Family Panel Discussion – Supporting a Child, Teen, or Young Person in Crisis
Supporting a Child, Teen, or Young Person in Crisis - Our guest panel, Ciara Fanlo, Morna Murray and Sami Timimi join host Amy Biancolli to share stories of crisis but also stories of healing and of hope.
A Therapist Grapples With Diagnosis Culture
From Mental Hellth: When seemingly everyone has a DSM disorder, how do we find out what's actually going on?
Book Review: A History of Fatigue from the Middle Ages to the Present
Fatigue has always been in the background, infiltrating everywhere, ruling our choices and life paths—and the pharmaceutical industry has taken advantage.
“Assisted” Outpatient Commitment Advocates Manufacture Consent Via Manipulation
From Truthout: There is a battle currently raging to convince the few states without involuntary outpatient commitment laws to give in.
Inside the Neuroscience Community: Peter Sterling Responds to Awais Aftab
Dr. Aftab objects to my "tirade against psychiatric neuroscience." What Dr. Aftab does not do is address any of my substantive conclusions.
Critical Psychiatry Textbook, Chapter 13: Forced Treatment
Peter Gøtzsche discusses the way psychiatry violates international ethics laws by engaging in forced treatment and other abuses.
