Blindsided by Benzos: Had I Known
Doctors are not disclosing the harrowing truth that discontinuing these medications can plunge patients into relentless mental and physical torment.
Exposure to Antidepressants in the Womb Makes for Sad, Scared Adolescents
SSRI exposure in utero “alters the offspring’s brain structure,” causing a hyperactive amygdala and fear circuits, leading to anxiety and depression.
Mapping Identity Through Moonlight: A Narrative Therapy Reflection
Healing didn’t mean fixing the chaos or wrapping it in a bow, it meant refusing to be erased or silenced by it.
“Life Unworthy of Life”: Historical Amnesia, Ausmerzen and the Rhetoric Surrounding Autism
The idea that human value can be reduced to economic contribution is not merely reductive—it is deeply dangerous.
Life in the Hospital Before Deinstitutionalization
Accounts of deinstitutionalization fail to describe recovery, peer support, or what it was actually like to be in the state hospitals.
Fighting Forced Treatment in Court: A Victory to Be Celebrated
It is very difficult to get off a mental health commitment. The counties fight tooth and nail to keep people in the system.
Spotify is Scrambling to Remove Dozens of Podcasts Promoting Online Prescription Drug Sales
From CNN: "If you search “Adderall” on Spotify’s podcast page, you’ll find health podcasts about ADHD, shows about addiction recovery and comedy podcasts where...
The Poetics and Politics of Our Mental Health Metaphors: An Interview with Laurence Kirmayer
Ayurdhi Dhar interviews influential cultural psychiatrist Laurence Kirmayer on how metaphors, histories, and social structures contour our experiences of suffering and healing.
Family Traditions and the Inheritance of “Madness”
Families are not merely a source of comfort and support but also a breeding ground for dysfunction, unhealed trauma, and emotional neglect.
Court Gives Approval of Settlement Providing Better Mental Health Care for Iowa Children
from KCRG.org: On Friday, a federal court gave its approval of a settlement agreement in a lawsuit against the Iowa Department of Health and...
What Does Consent Mean in Practice? A Lived Experience Perspective
Every time I agreed to 'treatment’, I was told that it was necessary to save my life. I was sold a bunch of lies.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS): Why Don’t We Know More About It?
Persistent antidepressant withdrawal is a debilitating experience, but little research exists about its prevalence and treatment.
Mad in Portugal
Mad in Portugal's readers can find blogs, book reviews, and first-person testimonials from voices less present in mainstream narratives.
Heritability Explains Less About Mental Disorders Than You Think
The focus on diseased brains and genes obscures the significance of social and environmental influences.
Usage of Depression Pills in Children and Young People Must Stop
Our citizens would be far better off if we removed all the psychotropic drugs from the market, as doctors are unable to handle them.
We Can’t Help People With Trauma If We Can’t Say Trauma
Although the medical care Cary received was excellent, no one mentioned “trauma” or counseled us on how it might manifest emotionally.
The Wound That Speaks
In my case, writing was the beginning of healing. It pulled me out of the abyss and gave me structure, voice, and purpose. It gave me a sense of authorship over a life hijacked by memory.
Beyond the Pill Paradigm: Reclaiming Humanity in Mental Health Care
By tackling social causes of distress along with personal support, we prevent suffering rather than just reacting to emergencies.
Father Kills Son Because of Antidepressants
From Josef Witt-Doerring's YouTube Channel:
"In this interview, David Carmichael shares his devastating experience with psychiatric medications, describing how Paxil triggered a drug-induced psychosis leading...
Power, Privilege & Controlling the Narrative: Vested Interests in ‘Mental Health’
Alienating someone from their own meaning-making is a violent action, but that's what happens when professionals use unscientific, decontextualised diagnoses.
Antidepressant Withdrawal Is Common and Debilitating
Those using antidepressants long-term were more likely to experience withdrawal and to have severe withdrawal symptoms.
The Roots of Emotional Illness: Emotional Conditioning
Psychodynamic psychotherapy gets at the root cause of the emotional distress—a person’s emotional conditioning in childhood.
Two Decades of PSSD: A Life Stolen by Antidepressants
Our two-year-long collaborative research project suggests that neuroimmune processes and related downstream mechanisms may play a role in PSSD.
More Evidence That Antidepressants Work Via Placebo Effect
Antidepressants were more effective for depressed patients who were more “optimistic.” Still, only 30% responded to SSRIs.
Kermit Cole: Dialogical Therapy and Quantum Theory Walk Into a Bar…
On the podcast this week we are joined by Kermit Cole who shares his thoughts on how humor can help in creating a shared experience that is helpful to the healing process. Kermit, in his experiences of being with people in psychotic states, has seen humor as a moment when a connection can be made. In many ways, this project is bringing Kermit back full circle to his work as a film director, early in his professional career.
