Fundamentally re-thinking UK mental health practice
BLOGS
Essays from a diverse selection of writers, which aim to change the professional and public discourse about emotional distress and unusual experiences.
Two Years Tapering an Antidepressant – A Life-Changing Experience That I Didn’t Want
My heart goes out to anyone experiencing withdrawal but especially those surrounded by unsupportive judgemental people, and those who are so ill they can’t work and are struggling to navigate a heartless and cynical ‘benefits’ system. Denial and minimisation make it even more difficult for people to access help, support or seek understanding. Their only crime is to have experienced difficulty from a prescribed treatment, yet they are treated as medical pariahs.
Challenging a Diagnosis
Psychiatric diagnoses have far-reaching consequences for every area of your life: welfare, employment, health and travel insurance, physical and mental health assessment/treatment, adoption rights, and social stigma, to name but a few. Yet they are just subjective opinions with no scientific basis and can change over time.
The Mental Wealth Crisis
We live in a society where academia is our measurement of good parenting. Teaching good relationships to encourage our children to develop empathy and manage their emotional regularity is rarely considered. Parents assume that children ‘glean’ this information and don’t identify our society’s individualism and consumerism as the main culprits in causing our ‘mental wealth crisis’.
Crossing cultures with the Power Threat Meaning Framework – Australia
The workshop was a very powerful experience as we were faced with the immense pain of the stories of indigenous Australians, compounded by psychiatric imperialism. We were also reminded once again that like the Māori and Pacific Islanders, First Nation Australians have an awareness of community, spirituality, identity and connection to the natural world that has been disastrously eroded in Westernised countries, with profound impacts on all aspects of our wellbeing.
Crossing Cultures with the Power Threat Meaning Framework – New Zealand
I have no doubt that New Zealand’s major Government inquiry into mental health will result in some real improvements, but it seems likely to fall short of a fundamental challenge to the diagnostic approach. Nevertheless, if the Power Threat Meaning Framework can help a move in that direction, I and the other authors will be delighted. In the meantime, I will always value the lifelong connection that has now been forged with the marae at Manawanui.
The War on Antidepressants: Why We Need to End it for Public Benefit
In the interest of the patients who are currently experiencing withdrawal reactions and the many more who will suffer withdrawal effects in the future, we need to end this “war”. Academic psychiatry must address these problems and conduct thorough research on withdrawal reactions.
Living Under Section – Coercion, Powerlessness and Aggravated Distress
Having one’s rights and freedoms removed is inherently degrading, no matter how nicely or correctly the procedures for enforcing and managing those removals are implemented. When one’s ability to act autonomously and in personally meaningful ways is significantly undermined for an extended period of time, it is soul destroying, and for me, it certainly contributed to my escalating mental distress.
Conscientious Objection to Coercive Treatment: An Opportunity for Mental Health Professionals to Oppose the Human Rights Violations Inherent to the Mental Health Act
We urgently require action that will grab media attention, jolt us out of our collective apathy and act as a catalyst for us all to question why we collude with legalised discrimination against those unfortunate people tagged with a ‘mental disorder’. Psychiatric nurses conscientiously objecting to forced psychiatric treatment would potentially achieve these aims.
Antidepressant Dependence Discussed at the Seat of Welsh Government – Video
In parts of Wales in the UK, one in six adults takes antidepressants and support for anyone struggling with dependence or withdrawal issues is patchy and inconsistent. To help draw attention to these issues, an awareness day was arranged for the Welsh Government and here we provide video of the presentations made at the Senedd in Cardiff, Wales.
Who am I? The Identity, Morality and Silence of Mental Health Staff
I felt compelled to write this account of my experiences as a mental health nurse. All identifying details have been changed. However, this is a true account of the conversations I had and the people I met. I believe it needs to be heard. It’s been three years since I completed my training to be a mental health nurse. During the course, my time working on hospital wards and within community teams shocked and disturbed me profoundly.
DOCUMENTARY INPUT NEEDED
Love Productions, an independent television production company, is producing a current affairs programme for a UK television channel about young people’s mental health and treatment including use of antidepressants.
They are looking to hear from young people, under the age of 30, that experience depression and/or anxiety and may be or have been on antidepressants.
They are also interested in speaking with parents of children (under the age of 18) who are currently:
- Experiencing feelings of depression or anxiety.
- May have seen, or about to see, the GP and or a specialist/ counsellor.
- May have been or are on antidepressants.
If you are interested in sharing your experiences with them – in confidence – and possibly being interviewed for the programme, please contact them by emailing [email protected]
Please note that Love Productions will process your data in accordance with UK data protection laws and its Privacy Notice, a copy of which is at www.loveproductions.co.uk
A Dog's Tail
Despite overwhelming evidence of the effects of inequality, adversity, abuse, threat and loss on our mental health, we still seem fixated on looking elsewhere, for some imagined solution in the biochemistry of the brain, ignoring the causes and potential solutions within reach.
New on Mad in America
Founding Member Looks Back on 20 Years of the Critical Psychiatry Network
Children Taking ADHD Drugs More Likely to Take Antidepressants as Teens
Fighting for the Meaning of Madness: An Interview with Dr. John Read
The Science and Pseudoscience of Women’s Mental Health: Conversation with Kelly Brogan
De-Othering “Schizophrenia” by Placing it in Socio-Historical Context
OTHER RESOURCES
A list of groups and resources that you may find helpful. If you are aware of other resources that we should consider adding, please let us know by email: [email protected]. Thanks.
Mad in America – Mad in America’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for rethinking psychiatric care in the United States (and abroad).
The Power Threat Meaning Framework – Towards the identification of patterns in emotional distress, unusual experiences and troubled or troubling behaviour, as an alternative to functional psychiatric diagnosis.
Drop the Disorder (Facebook) – a group for anyone who is interested in challenging traditional approaches to emotional distress.
A Disorder 4 Everyone – Exploring the culture of psychiatric diagnosis – creating change. Provides events, blogs and other resources.
A free-to-use guide to the healing of psychological trauma is available. It comprises information, approaches to healing and resources together with links to selected clinicians, organisations, projects and support groups. Download the pdf here: Healing Psychological Trauma
Hearing Voices Network – If you hear voices, HVN can help – we are committed to helping people who hear voices. We offer information, support and understanding to people who hear voices and those who support them.
International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (UK) – ISPS UK is the United Kingdom network of the International organisation ISPS – International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis. ISPS works to promote greater knowledge of the different psychological approaches to psychosis and psychotic experiences – psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, arts-based, family and holistic approaches – and their better integration with each other and with pharmaceutical approaches.
The Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry – CEP exists to communicate evidence of the potentially harmful effects of psychiatric drugs to the people and institutions in the UK that can make a difference.
The Inner Compass Initiative and Withdrawal Project – provides information, resources, tools, and connecting platforms to facilitate more informed choices regarding all things “mental health”.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Prescribed Drug Dependence will address the growing problem of prescribed drug dependence by demanding appropriate services for those affected, proper training for medical professionals, reduced prescribing through adherence to new and existing guidelines, better data regarding the prevalence of PDD and more research into long-term harms associated with PDD.
More resources are listed here.