Mad in America

From Gary Sharpe: Many of our institutions, from schools to hospitals, seem almost designed to constantly trigger our sense of threat.

From VICE: “Every single thing Tessa suggested were things that led to the development of my eating disorder," said an activist who posted screenshots of her interaction with the chat bot.

From Psychlings Podcast: The clinical psychologist and professor shares his views on why more psychologists should use exposure therapy.

From VICE: "A chat bot is no substitute for human empathy, and we believe this decision will cause irreparable harm to the eating disorders community," said the Helpline staff in a statement.

From Filter: Traditional treatment can pathologize normal behaviors of adolescence, thereby reinforcing stigma and existing low self-esteem.

From Daniel Mackler/Wild Truth: People who have been traumatized, especially children, often end up not hating the people who traumatized them but rather identifying with and defending them.

From The Epoch Times: As the number of people seeking ADHD diagnoses surges, some may face challenges in having their official diagnosis reversed if they come to regret it at a later stage.

From CT Insider: "It's hard to believe, but there are thousands of kids who are being put in solitary confinement or having their hands bound as punishment for misbehavior at school," said Murphy.

From FAIR: Writes Roxane Gay for the New York Times, "Was he making people uncomfortable? I’m sure he was. But his were the words of a man in pain. He did not physically harm anyone. And the consequence for causing discomfort isn’t death, unless, of course, it is.”

From The Irish Times: Our mental health services are designed to protect the privilege and interests of one profession at the expense of people’s mental health. There are better ways, and we all know it.

From The Independent: Former peer supporter Katy Stepanian said she was shocked to see such discrimination "for a peer worker role where the whole point...is to have lived experience."

From WIRED: There’s little evidence to prove how necessary or helpful many of the accepted norms in psychedelic-assisted therapy are—and some could even harm patients.

From Toronto Star: A growing number of people are choosing a “hyperbolic tapering” protocol, which takes into consideration how the drug actually works in the brain.

From Axios: It has been known since 2004 that antidepressants can increase suicidal behavior, but new research is clarifying when the threat is greatest.

From Daniel Mackler/Wild Truth: What makes psychosis confusing is that an eruption of infant trauma is expressing itself through the lens, the body, and the voice of someone who is now an adult.

From CounterPunch: While it is not taboo to report psychiatry’s poor treatment outcomes, it is taboo to blame these poor outcomes on psychiatry.

From Dr. Glenn Doyle: From our nervous system’s point of view, if it had to wait around for us to think about everything that happens to us or "choose" a response, we’d have been eaten by sabre tooth tigers eons ago.

From Witt-Doerring Psychiatry: Robert Whitaker and Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring discuss what is wrong with the way psychiatry is practiced today, why there are so many problems and why they haven't been fixed.

From Truthout: Sixty years after deinstitutionalization began, politicians and pundits across the political spectrum falsely declare it to be a failure — when in reality, the vision has yet to be funded or realized.

From NBC News: Since the pandemic, people are experiencing eating disorders at younger ages and in more serious condition, with both mental and physical symptoms appearing more urgent.

From The New Statesman: The 'controversial' NHS psychiatrist and professor discusses taking on the pharmaceutical firms, and how Covid made it “OK to cancel scientists."

From NBC News: Drugs like Ritalin are being given off-label to counteract the side effects of psychiatric prescriptions, a study suggests.

From Psyche: Through my own struggles and in teaching bibliotherapy to students, I know that books can help to heal minds and hearts.

From KERA News: "These children are being repeatedly raped in [DFPS's] care," said Judge Janis Jack. "They’re being drugged in your care if they complain. If their behavior is not up to snuff, they’re getting psychotropic drugs. And that is not safe."

From The Walrus: "People are suffering," said psych survivor and counselor Tracy Myers. "The idea that sticking them in a cell and giving them drugs is a solution for this is insanity."