This is similar to how some of the psychiatrists who most vehemently attacked our early research showing that child abuse is linked to psychosis are now saying ‘what’s all the fuss? We always knew that’ and are even putting their names on trauma-psychosis studies
But the good news is that psychiatry HAS been forced to abandon many of it’s sillier ideas. It would of course render them a bit more likeable if they would apologise for their earlier stupidity and the damage it has caused to millions, but, as a colleague said to me when I was complaining about the hypocrisy of the latest trauma-psychosis converts ….. ‘John, you’ve won and you’re still bitching!’
The fact that antidepressants ‘work’ almost exclusively via placebo effects is not necessarily a problem. ‘Placebo’ (Latin for ‘I please’) works largely by creating expectation of improvement, feeling cared about etc. Thus one could argue that therapy also works partly because of these ‘non-specific’ processes.
Last year the Royal College of Psychiatry invited me to their huge international conference in London to talk about the placebo effect (in ECT and antipsychotics too). I got a laugh when I said they shouldn’t be so scared of research that shows that when their interactions with patients work it is probably because they remembered to be a nice person who listens, tries to understand and conveys optimism about the future.
Liked that you highlighted OD is not new but a set of important principles that many individuals and organisations use
I also agree that it is very important not to impose family meetings where abuse/neglect has occurred – although such meetings MIGHT be invaluable IF/WHEN the person does want them
One question I would have liked you to address is why the clients of OD were not interviewed in your otherwise superb video?
Keep up your magnificent work
Great to see you at the ISPS Conference last month
But I think it is good to have these debates with folk who like a ‘medical model’ approach.
It is a very attractive model because it is very simple and you don’t have to deal with upsetting feelings.
Thanks Jay for your persistence and scholarship on this hugely powerful myth.
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This is similar to how some of the psychiatrists who most vehemently attacked our early research showing that child abuse is linked to psychosis are now saying ‘what’s all the fuss? We always knew that’ and are even putting their names on trauma-psychosis studies
But the good news is that psychiatry HAS been forced to abandon many of it’s sillier ideas. It would of course render them a bit more likeable if they would apologise for their earlier stupidity and the damage it has caused to millions, but, as a colleague said to me when I was complaining about the hypocrisy of the latest trauma-psychosis converts ….. ‘John, you’ve won and you’re still bitching!’
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Thanks for all the discussions
Just to add one thought….
The fact that antidepressants ‘work’ almost exclusively via placebo effects is not necessarily a problem. ‘Placebo’ (Latin for ‘I please’) works largely by creating expectation of improvement, feeling cared about etc. Thus one could argue that therapy also works partly because of these ‘non-specific’ processes.
Last year the Royal College of Psychiatry invited me to their huge international conference in London to talk about the placebo effect (in ECT and antipsychotics too). I got a laugh when I said they shouldn’t be so scared of research that shows that when their interactions with patients work it is probably because they remembered to be a nice person who listens, tries to understand and conveys optimism about the future.
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Thoughtful article Daniel – thanks.
Liked that you highlighted OD is not new but a set of important principles that many individuals and organisations use
I also agree that it is very important not to impose family meetings where abuse/neglect has occurred – although such meetings MIGHT be invaluable IF/WHEN the person does want them
One question I would have liked you to address is why the clients of OD were not interviewed in your otherwise superb video?
Keep up your magnificent work
Great to see you at the ISPS Conference last month
John R
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Or perhaps MIA is having such an impact that we are invoking a response?
You could argue that this is better than only ‘preaching to the converted’.
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Thanks Steve
I couldn’t have said it better myself
John
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But I think it is good to have these debates with folk who like a ‘medical model’ approach.
It is a very attractive model because it is very simple and you don’t have to deal with upsetting feelings.
Report comment