In the House of Psychiatry, a Jarring Tale of Violence
From The New York Times: At the American Psychiatric Association’s annual meeting, a patient described a restraint that haunts him, more than eight years later.
Don’t Call Me a Therapist
Psychology is closer to philosophy than medicine, laying a foundation for personal development that can lead to better adaptation.
How Anecdotes Sell Drugs: On the 30th Anniversary Edition of “Listening to Prozac”
From L.A. Review of Books: Listening to Prozac’s 30th anniversary edition is a tribute of sorts to the power of celebrity and to the persistence of the myth that depression is a brain disorder that can be abolished by ingesting one of Big Pharma’s magic bullets.
Psychiatric Patients Denied Period Products ‘For Safety Reasons’
From BBC: A former patient has conducted a study, backed by the National Survivor User Network, into patients' experiences after a "humiliating" stay in a psychiatric ward.
Americans Are Paying Billions to Take Drugs That Don’t Work
From Bloomberg: Companies are increasingly using fast-track approval processes to get unproven treatments to patients.
Remembering Bhargavi Davar: A Global Leader in the Struggle for Human Rights
Bhargavi Davar was a global leader in the struggle for human rights, with her work as a psychiatric survivor activist simply one aspect of that work.
Why You Don’t Want a ‘Diagnosis’ of ‘Borderline Personality Disorder’
From Beam Consultancy: There was a time that I thought the diagnosis was useful and people just needed to understand it better; now I’m convinced that it does more harm than good.
FDA Sued for Not Acting on Petition About Antidepressant Harms
From Maryanne Demasi Reports: It has been six years since the FDA was petitioned to update antidepressant labels to warn of the risk of PSSD, but so far the agency has failed to act.
Demedicalizing Depression: An Interview with Milutin Kostić
Justin Karter interviews Milutin Kostić on the fundamental flaws in depression research and its neglect of human complexity.
Wunderink: Antipsychotics Can Be Tapered Safely Without Increasing Relapse Risk
Tapering antipsychotics slowly and with supported decision-making may improve care for patients with psychosis.
When HVN Ireland Meets HVN Athens
Chairperson of Hearing Voices Network Ireland Owen Ó Tuama on the joy and power of community for voice-hearers across the globe.
The STAR*D Scandal: More on the Fraud
IPAK science webinars hosts a science webinar with Robert Whitaker on the "STAR*D Scandal: Fraud in the Largest Antidepressant Trial."
On Your Mind podcast, hosted...
Psychiatric Drugs Unmasked
Mad in America founder Robert Whitaker talks to psychiatrist Hannah Spier on her podcast "Psychobabble."
Can We Talk About Spirituality? The Medicalization of Transpersonal Experiences
Even social work and psychotherapy rarely leave space for lived experiences of spirituality, though it instills hope, strength, and meaning.
Most NYC Public Hospitals Deny Psych Patients Time Outside, Lawyers Say
From Gothamist: The lawyers from Mental Hygiene Legal Services and Disability Rights Advocates argue existing laws are sufficient to make the practice of denying New York patients outdoor time illegal.
Doctors Can Be Socialized to Cooperate in “Unthinkable Practices,” Says Bioethicist
From BioEdge: "Academic medicine does not easily tolerate ethical dissent," says bioethicist Carl Elliot. "I doubt the medical profession can be trusted to reform itself."
‘I Felt Kidnapped.’ Another Patient Comes Forward After Investigation Into MI Doc
From WXYZ: "I no longer trust medical professionals to have my well-being at heart," says Sarah Guarino, after she was held against her will by Michigan psychiatrist Nagy Kheir.
We All Want to Cut Out the ‘Bad Parts’ of Ourselves. It Won’t Work,...
From The Guardian: Better mental health is about repairing internal connections, not cutting them.
America’s Drug Safety System is Broken
A webinar presentation byKim Witczak, who serves as the consumer representation on the FDA's psychopharmacologic advisory committee. In her talk, she tells of systemic...
Is Public Psychiatry Responding to the Mental Health Crisis or Just “Treating the Chart?”
What sense did it make that he had been through hundreds of pages of notes worth of treatment and yet was still essentially un-helped?
‘The Occasional Human Sacrifice’ Details the Dangers of Whistleblowing and Medical Research Abuse
From Star Tribune: Speaking with fellow whistleblowers, bioethicist Carl Elliott writes about how calling attention to wrongdoing can often mean stepping into trouble you can't imagine.
Why We’re Turning Psychiatric Labels Into Identities
From The New Yorker: So you’re on the spectrum, or you’ve got borderline personality disorder, or you’re a sociopath: once you’re sure that’s who you are, you’ve got a personal stake in a very creaky diagnostic system.
Psychosis Treatment: Numbing the World of Spirit
In my experience, antipsychotic drugs aimed at “managing” schizophrenia work by numbing the individual’s sensibility to the world of spirit.
Case Studies Reveal Patient Empowerment Through Tapering Antipsychotics
A new study shows how different patients respond to tapering antipsychotic medication under expert guidance, highlighting personal empowerment and the complexities of withdrawal.
Maryland Enacts a “Draconian” Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program
Advocates vow to keep resisting psychiatric force, fighting for rights-based supports
