Are You ‘Mentally Ill,’ or Very Unhappy? Psychiatrists Can’t Agree
From The New Statesman: As rates of diagnosis rise, a fierce debate rages in psychiatry. Are we experiencing a parallel pandemic, or having a rational response to a traumatic world?
The Danger of Marginalizing People
Instead of increasing understanding of our differences, the mental health system contributes to the marginalization of people it classifies as mentally ill.
Lithium, Antidepressants, Esketamine—All No Better Than Placebo?
Peter Simons covers a clinical trial that found lithium ineffective at preventing suicide attempts, an essay by Allen Frances on the overdiagnosis of depression and overprescription of antidepressants, a review of the ineffectiveness and dangers of antidepressants, and an analysis that revealed that esketamine failed five of its six clinical trials.
When Meds Taken “As Prescribed” Still Cause Harm
From Lown Institute: The upcoming documentary "As Prescribed" shares the stories of people in all stages of benzo withdrawal and the massive impact benzos have had on their physical, social, and financial health.
Why Is Psychiatry So Defensive About Criticism? Part 2
The definition of "mental illness" is not elusive. The "philosophical difficulties" in the notion of "mental illness" are obfuscations by psychiatrists.
New Lancet Commission Looks at the Medicalization of Death
From Lown Institute: "How people die has changed dramatically over the past 60 years, from a family event with occasional medical support, to a medical event with limited family support." ~ Libby Sallnow, co-chair, Lancet Commission on the Value of Death
Consternation of the Bees
How do we get back to the place where bees know how to hive, where unstressed mothers teach each other to breast feed, stop and rock and to discipline gently? Where artists are heard?
As Conservatorship Abuse Gains More Attention, More Activists Speak Out Against It
From The Daily Kos: "Saying that you’re going to remove someone’s rights in order to protect them doesn’t make any sense," said activist Marian Kornicki. "People need support, but you don’t remove their rights to do that."
Mad in Brasil
As is true of all Mad in America affiliates, Mad in Brasil want to see a transformation of the current drug-based paradigm of care, says Fernando de Freitas, psychologist and co-creator of the site.
Inside a Forensic Psychiatry Unit: Earning the Right to Sleep on the Floor
Life in the DC was far too complicated for me to be able to just listen to my body and sleep on a thick yoga mat placed on the floor to alleviate my severe back pain.
The 7 Biggest Problems Facing Science, According to 270 Scientists
From Vox: In recent years, many scientists have become afflicted with a serious case of doubt — doubt in the very institution of science.
Break Down. Wake Up. podcast – 012 – Listening to her Whole Self…Even the...
How coming to terms with her own relationship doubt and a part of herself she did not want to see brought an executive coach deep compassion for herself and others.
Michael Hengartner – Evidence-biased Antidepressant Prescription
We talk with Dr. Michael Hengartner about his new book which addresses the overprescribing of antidepressant drugs and critically examines the scientific evidence on their efficacy and safety.
Mother of 11-Year-Old Who Died by Suicide Sues Social Media Firms Meta, Snap
From The Washington Post: The lawsuit alleges Selena Rodriguez’s suicide was "caused by the defective design, negligence and unreasonably dangerous features of their products," the Social Media Victims Law Center said in a statement.
The New DSM Is Coming and That Isn’t Good News
Binge Eating Disorder is one of many invalid diagnoses we’ll continue to receive as a result of the APA’s failure to correct the mistakes of past versions of the DSM.
Shifting Away from ECT and Antidepressants for Depression
Researchers argue that we need a paradigm shift away from the biomedical model of mental illness to one informed by political action and common sense.
Crisis Text Line Shares Data With For-Profit Spinoff, Raising Ethical Questions
From Politico: While the hotline says the data it shares is "anonymized," ethics experts and some volunteers are raising concerns about users' lack of meaningful consent.
Evidence Distortion in Medicine Explained in One Single Chart
15 positive and 15 negative studies of antidepressants were reported to the FDA. But while all 15 positive trials were published, only 7 negative trials were.
Negative Antidepressant Trials Still Unlikely to Be Published
Antidepressant trials with negative results are still more likely than not to either be misleadingly spun as positive or unpublished.
How to Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children
From TED: What would it be like if we helped parents unpack their own childhood, so they don’t have to carry that baggage and put it on their children’s shoulders?
Roll-out of 988 Threatens Anonymity of Crisis Hotlines
Even after their own advisory committee criticized call tracing, leaders of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline have been lobbying government for cutting-edge mass surveillance and tracking technology. Privacy experts are raising concerns.
What a Spiritual High Shares With a Mental Breakdown
From Aeon: Spiritual highs and mental breakdowns are both products of the same evolved brain system granting us the power to transform.
It’s Misleading to Call Addiction a Disease
From The New York Times: The view of addiction as disease fails to capture much of the experience of addiction, and disease language is not necessary to make the point for humane treatment.
Why Is Psychiatry So Defensive About Criticism?
Although I disagree with much of Dr. Aftab's article, it is, nevertheless, a courageous piece of writing. He calls out many of psychiatry's contradictions and errors.
Hospital Uses Court to Keep Patient for a Year, Charges $1.2 Million and Drugs...
From ABC Action News: "If we don’t get justice for Jimmy, your family’s next," his sister said. "Someone should be held accountable, but will anybody? I don’t know."
