If We Knew What We Know Now
I never questioned the adults around me or wondered if the medications were necessary. Of course they were necessary. A doctor said so.
Beverley Thomson–Antidepressed: Antidepressant Harm and Dependence
We talk with author Beverley Thomson about her latest book, entitled Antidepressed: A Breakthrough Examination of Epidemic Antidepressant Harm and Dependence.
Ken Burns’ “Hiding in Plain Sight…”: Candid Interviews, Canned Conclusions
I was hoping for more accurate representation of youth mental health challenges. What I saw instead was a glossy patchwork of mixed messages.
Condensing “Anatomy of an Epidemic” into a High-Level Summary Document
After reading "Anatomy of an Epidemic," I needed something that could be read quickly, summarizing the material at a high level, to share with the general public.
Antidepressants No Better Than Placebo for About 85% of People
Researchers can’t predict the 15% who benefit from antidepressants, and the other 85% are unnecessarily exposed to the harms of the drugs.
Trauma Survivors Speak Out Against Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Despite the majority of the individuals being sent to DBT having histories of severe childhood trauma, little about DBT treatment is “trauma-informed.”
Away From Psychiatrization: Towards Socio-Ecological Wellbeing in the Community
The modern notion of poor mental health and how to respond to it is an escalating series of biomedical interventions that don’t actually solve the underlying problem.
John Read and Jeffrey Masson – Biological Psychiatry and the Mass Murder of “Schizophrenics”
On the Mad in America podcast this week, we hear from the co-authors of a paper published in the journal Ethical Human Psychology and...
Loss, Grief, and Betrayal: Psychiatric Survivors Reflect on the Impact of New Serotonin Study
Loss, grief, and betrayal are felt deeply by many who have been affected by the myth of the chemical imbalance, especially now that it has been debunked.
Inside A Forensic Psychiatry Unit: Where I’ve Come From and Where I’m Going
I will begin with a story of my youth. Then I will explore what my life has looked like since my release from custody. Finally, I will offer my own perspective on the country’s problems with gun violence, articulated from my unique positionality.
How the Internet Helped Save My Mental Health
My experience has shown me that if you have enough pain in your life, you will look anywhere for the truth, even if this truth goes against what the medical system is telling you.
The Powerful Allure of Psychedelics in Today’s Disenchanted World
As a psychiatrist and psychedelic researcher in Melbourne, I’ve reached the conclusion that we are in for a wild ride with psychedelics over the next few years.
How Grief Became a Disorder and What This Means About Us: An Interview with...
MIA’s Zenobia Morrill interviews psychologist Kaori Wada about what the creation of Prolonged Grief Disorder reveals about our culture and the current status of psychology.
Psychiatry Textbooks Are Filled with Errors and Propaganda
The coming generations of healthcare professionals are being taught information that is incorrect, to the detriment of their patients.
Books Under Review: Summer 2022
Reviews of five recent books reflecting various perspectives on the mental health system.
Catherine’s Story: A Child Lost to Psychiatry
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.
Psychiatry’s Failure Crisis: Are You Moderately or Radically Enlightened?
The moderately enlightened acknowledge some of psychiatry’s failures but, in common with the unenlightened, desperately attempt to preserve the institution of psychiatry.
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.
The Transformative Potential of Psychosis
For some, myself included, the “psychosis” became a catalyst for greater connection to self, others, and a sense of purpose.
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, it’s the nature of the mind to have “parts." We’re born that way because they're all valuable.
The One That Was Away
I had read about such places in The Bell Jar, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. For more than a year, this place was my home.
July is Both Disability Pride Month and Mad Pride Month: Happy Bastille Day!
The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) supports both Disability Pride Month and Mad Pride Month: Both are July!”
Andrew Scull—Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness
Sociologist and author Andrew Scull discusses the history of psychiatry's "Desperate Remedies," from lobotomy and the asylum to the failures of today's drugs and the fads of ketamine and deep brain stimulation.
