Mental health advocate Leah Harris speaks at MindFreedom’s 2014 annual protest of the American Psychiatric Association in NYC. …
From the protest at the American Psychiatric Association
The final visit to the psychiatrist (part 2 of Goodbye psychiatry)
I hadn't seen this psychiatrist or any other now in several years. I chose to make this visit to the man who prescribed the drugs for my 6 year long psychiatric drug withdrawal for several reasons. Upon reflection, I think the primary one was ritualistic. Something to mark the end of that phase of my life. A goodbye to psychiatry concretized. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Join MindFreedom in a protest at the American Psychiatric Association meeting: May 4th in NYC
This year's Protest of the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting is in NEW YORK CITY. WHEN: Sunday, May 4 at 12:00pm Eastern time WHERE: 34th Street and 11th Avenue Across the street from Jacob Javitz Convention Center Please come. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
People can now be forcibly drugged in their own homes in every state in the country.
The out patient forced treatment bill passed...people can now be forcibly drugged in their own homes in every state in the country.
What tragedy befalls us. This is dangerous legislation. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Andrew Solomon, poster child for psychiatric misdiagnosis
Writer Andrew Solomon is one of the most famous psychiatric patients in the world. Treated for depression since 1994, Solomon based his first nonfiction book, The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression partly on his own experience. The book was a finalist for the 2002 Pulitzer Prize and won the 2001 National Book Award as well as other awards. It is often cited as showing the effectiveness of psychiatric drug treatment.
Recovering from Psychiatry- Reflections on Life, Death, and Suicide
This video explores life, death, and suicide from the perspective of suicide attempt survivor and ex-"Bipolar" patient, Laura Delano. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Medical Coercion — Tomi Gomory, Madness Radio
If madness isn't like other illnesses, what is it? Should psychiatry have the power of legal coercion? How can the legacy of Thomas Szasz inform new ways of helping people? Tomi Gomory, associate professor of social work at Florida State University and co-author of "Mad Science: Psychiatric Coercion, Diagnosis, and Drugs," explores thinking beyond the medical model of emotional distress. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
Myths about Depression and PsychoPharma
Myth 1: Your disease is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain Myth 2: It’s no problem to stop treatment with antidepressants Myth 3: Psychotropic Drugs for Mental Illness are like Insulin for Diabetes Myth 4: Psychotropic drugs reduce the number of chronically ill patients Myth 5: Happy pills do not cause suicide in children and adolescents … [click for the rest of the post]
As holistic beings medical & psychological/spiritual issues are almost always intertwined
Sadly people want to slice the human experience up...all the time...even the most enlightened among us... People want to make out that SOME people really are sick beyond help...it just doesn't hold up...what is apparent is that far too many people don't know how to help those who get labeled with psychiatric illness. Not that they are actually hopeless. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
The Dark Legacy of Lobotomy in Psychiatry
MindHacks provided a link to a paper about the history of lobotomy. I found this paragraph in the MindHacks piece rather interesting, if also both dismaying and revealing about humanity: What it does illustrate is how a damaging and useless treatment could be perceived as helpful and compassionate by Freeman and, presumably, other doctors because of how docility and, in some cases, genuine reduced distress were valued above the person’s self-integrity and autonomy. (read more) — just like treatment with neurotoxic drugs today…damn…
What are the risks of short-term use of psychiatric drugs?
Another very important thing to consider from CEP. This video further describes the dangers of having psych meds prescribed by psychiatrists that don't understand the risks involved.
I think that short-term use is in some cases indicated for crisis situations (at least at this time when there are no meaningful alternatives supported by whatever meager infrastructure of care exists), but the fact remains that without MDs who actually understand the very real risks and dangers even short-term use can be a dangerous.
We see many people on the withdrawal boards who find themselves having a hell of a time coming off psych meds even after short-term use. It's not as common as folks having trouble coming off long-term meds, but it's not rare either. … [click on title for the rest of the post]