I’ve had several encounters with medical students in the last year or so…

I’ve had several encounters with medical students in the last year or so…it can be incredibly depressing that these young people are being spoiled by the medical and educational systems…it can be heartbreaking and more than a little demoralizing to speak with them. You hope that the new generation would question the system a bit more, but some of  the people I’ve spoken to it seems they’ve already been well indoctrinated into the bio-psycho-pharmaceutical cult.

I was told by the medical student I was interacting with the other day that my work undermined the authority of mental health professionals. So…basically, his stance was that if you empower the “patient” you, by definition, undermine the professional. Very sad.

Still, I’m pleased to say that a good 50% of my subscribed readers are professionals and I’m aware of many who are also young and still studying. There are some good ones out there that want big change too.

And the fact is I’ve seen a lot of change since I first started this blog. The work many of us are doing is making a difference.

The above was first posted on facebook. You might enjoy reading the comment thread that followed and feel free to participate too.

I’ve spent a lot of time contemplating the chasm between patient and professional having worn both hats for many years. Some of my collected writings are here: The divide between client/patient/consumer and professionals (with list of links)

It’s possible to find people who do respect you as an equal. I’ve written some tips on how to go about finding them here: Medical compliance? Adherence? No. My MDs are my PARTNERS. With a little tweaking you can use the same idea with medical and non-medical mental health providers.

Lastly: There are people who know a different way. Seek them out.

My above thoughts make me think of this quote as well:

Education is what remains after one has forgotten everything one learned in school. ~ Albert Einstein

Here are some books by MDs and other professionals that understand some of what is happening too:

Pharmageddon — David Healy’s new book

Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease — Gary Greenburg

Rethinking Psychiatric Drugs: A Guide for Informed Consent — Grace Jackson

The Myth of the Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drug Treatment — Joanna Moncrieff

There are many other professionals of all sorts who understand many of these issues who are speaking out too. More in the bookstore.

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