‘Mad in America’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for rethinking psychiatric care in the United States (and abroad). We believe that the current drug-based paradigm of care has failed our society, and that scientific research, as well as the lived experience of those who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, calls for profound change.’ Here are some of my posts focused on Mad In America blogs.
‘Shh… Just Whisper It, But There Might Just Be a Revolution Underway’ by Peter Kinderman
We must offer services that help people to help themselves and each other rather than disempowering them: services that facilitate personal ‘agency’ in psychological jargon. That means involving a wide range of community workers and psychologists in multidisciplinary teams, and promoting psychosocial rather than medical solutions.
What’s Wrong With You? Nothing. What Has Happened to You? Something.’ by Dr Michael Cornwall
They may have been overwhelmed by losses, by life events, or have not had their crucial needs met, or have been unloved, neglected, bullied, abused or mistreated by family and others. Because of what has happened to them, they may struggle to not identify themselves as someone who’s lot in life is to be rejected or harmed by others.
‘Talking About Psychosis, Part 1: Why Do It?’ by Marc Ragins MD
Maybe they did better and better, not because of a biological reason, but because they were learning to come to terms with what they’d been going through, the losses they’d suffered, the internal and external stigma, and, putting it bluntly, how to go on with life after realizing they’re diagnosed with a mental illness and medicated.
‘Neutralising Suffering: How the Medicalisation of Distress Obliterates Meaning and Creates Profit’ by Johanna Moncrieff
We have been fed a myth about the nature of psychiatric drugs for decades now, the myth that they can rectify mental disorders by targeting an underlying mechanism. We have been told that they are specific treatments, in the same vein as insulin for diabetes, which act by reversing the abnormalities that give rise to the symptoms of a particular disorder.
‘Healing is in Our Stories’ by Deron Drumm RIP
Sharing healing stories is important for many reasons, including helping those who are suffering. I know without a doubt that my journey out of the depths of despair would not have been possible without the people that shared with me their personal narratives.
‘One Gutsy Woman’ by Daisy Anderson
Living with a mental illness is hard work. I know because I lived as a psychiatric patient for over thirty-seven years. Working to become well turned out to be even harder. I know because it took everything I had to recover. Even though eighteen psychiatrists treated me, my health only got worse. I recovered completely after hiring a private psychologist. Now, I take no psychiatric drugs and see no psychiatrists.
‘Peer Support in Mental Health: Exploitive, transformative, or both?’ by Larry Davidson
People in recovery know three very important things: 1) the ways in which mental health systems currently help people; 2) ways in which mental health systems currently fail and harm people; and 3) ways in which mental health systems could be better at educating, engaging, and supporting people and their loved ones in their own recovery journeys.
‘Invisible Pain’ by Jonathan Keyes
Many of them started taking psychiatric drugs for moderate depression, or for some anxiety, or for panic attacks. But as time went on, their doses went up. More meds were added. By the time they realized the drugs were making things worse, they were already stuck on a large cocktail of psychiatric drugs.
‘What Does an 800 lb Gorilla in the Room at an ADHD Conference? The Truth… ‘ by Michael Corrigan
When I get done reading all 18 of the symptoms I ask them to raise their hands if they would have been diagnosed ADHD as a child or even as an adult today. Every time I do this I get the same results. And last week in Syracuse, once again nearly every person in the room had their hand up.
