Is there Any Value In Psychiatric Diagnosis?
The medical model of diagnosis has become a dominant idea in the field of mental health, but it hasn't always been this way. As...
Is Psychiatry “Salvageable”?
A reader in the commentary here asked me if I think “psychiatry is salvageable.” This is a timely question that requires careful consideration.
First, I’ll...
Mad Pride and Spiritual Community: Thoughts on The Spiritual Gift of Madness
Let our Mad Pride movement be grounded in humility and kindness for each other in our diversity of life experiences, a recognition that social movements need good communicators and organizers more than charismatic leaders and messianic visions, and that the beautiful language we use to describe ourselves is only as powerful as the grounded actions we take to back up our words.
Start with a Solid Foundation
How are we going to do this? That’s the question we asked ourselves when a few likeminded bureaucrats sat down and said, our current...
My “Head in a Bucket” Metaphor
“How could I not have known?” This question has been asked of me, as a psychiatrist, with regard to prescribing psychiatric drugs. All those...
IOM report concludes that the FDA is not doing its job
Two weeks ago, I headlined my blog with this question: Is the FDA violating its own mandate to approve safe drugs? Four days later,...
Recovery through Learning Creatura, a Language of Life
There is a language underneath our familiar verbal language. Ordinarily it is called nonverbal communication. It is also called body language. I came to...
Crazy Mother Proposes New Diagnostic Category
My son is dead. He hanged himself at 17 but meh… whatever… that’s yesterday’s news and I’m totally over it now.
I don’t long for...
On Recovering from Psychiatric Labels and Psychotropic Medications: An ‘Occupy APA’ Manifesto
To Readers: I've decided to sway, briefly, from my traditional story-telling style on this blog in order to post my short speech from this...
The Pond, Learning and Humility
What an amazing ride I’ve had in the past few days on the tsunami of commentary from my previous post. While it’s been fun (dare...
At the Door of the Sausage Factory
Robert Whitaker’s book, Anatomy of an Epidemic, has provoked all manner of responses. Some outraged, dismissive, but many supportive and relieved to hear the...
Anti-Authoritarians and Schizophrenia: Do Rebels Who Defy Treatment Do Better?
Preface: Failing in my efforts to get this article published for the general public, apparently only here can I talk about a “cool subculture...
Are Some Psychiatrists Addicted to Deference?
One of the subtle but underlying factors that keep the great divide active between psychiatry's medical model of human emotional suffering, and the alternative...
Call Me “The Doctor”
I seem to have generated unexpected ire with my biographical information. This deserves more than just a few lines in the reply section. When...
Take a ride on the Mood Elevator
These are not happy times for the embattled drug maker AstraZeneca. The patent for Seroquel has expired; the company’s profits have plummeted; and its...
Economic Determinism and Medicaid
Ok, I’ll admit to trying an academic title to talk about bureaucratic history. What a combination!
But I think it adds up to something. We...
Rethinking Madness: A Book Review
“Rethinking Madness: Towards a Paradigm Shift In Our Understanding and Treatment of Psychosis” by Paris Williams, Ph.D., describes how our current mental health system...
Pandora’s Box
This morning I remind myself to point my eyes forward. I tend to want to re-do the past and try to make bad things...
10 Reasons Survivors Might Know More Medicine Than Psychiatrists
We've been discussing a potential role for psychiatrists on this site, and I wanted some of the doctors to understand why many mental health...
National Peer Certification
Health disparities between the seriously persistent mentally ill (SPMI) population and general population exist which are alarming (MHA, 2008). A report issued by the...
Is the FDA violating its own mandate to approve safe drugs?
Is the Food and Drug Administration violating its own mandate to approve safe drugs? That was the question that Donald Light, co-author of The...
Jung’s First Dream, The Mad God Dionysus and a Madness Sanctuary called Diabasis
With a loud piercing cry, the bare chested Native American warrior hurled his tomahawk at John Weir Perry with full force. John told me...
It’s Not Going To Get Better Soon
I’ve been thinking a lot about George Saslow since I came south to take a timeout and think. I miss him. A lot. Dr....
Why I don’t do “med checks”
I don't do "med checks". What do I do?
The Pipeline
I’m overwhelmed by the complicated multi-issue medical reform legislation being batted about. I feel hopeless that any such massive reform bill can survive the...
