Tag: mad in America

Dan Nelson – Psychiatry , Capitalism & the Industrial Machine / Mad in America

Psychiatry, Capitalism, and the Industrial Machine

by Dan Nelson

The birth of psychiatry coincided with the rise of industrial capitalism, and the two have been intertwined ever since. Our systems have been so consistently damaging that a branch of “medicine” has developed to treat those afflicted by what might be termed “industrial sickness.” Psychiatry, under the guise of science, developed frameworks to identify and manage individuals who deviated from the norms established by industrial society.

By labeling these deviations as mental illnesses, psychiatry helped to neutralize threats to the system. The individual was no longer a person with legitimate grievances but a patient requiring treatment. In that way, psychiatry sides with the oppressors while helping the oppressed better endure their oppression.

https://buff.ly/4aMKjFt

Antidepressant withdrawal / Mad in America

A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders Reports sheds light on the profound and often devastating effects of antidepressant withdrawal. Led by Joanna Moncrieff of University College London, the research found that 80% of participants withdrawing from antidepressants experienced moderate to severe impacts on their lives, including disrupted work, strained relationships, and even the loss of jobs. Alarmingly, 40% of participants reported symptoms lasting more than two years, while 25% were unable to stop taking antidepressants altogether.

The findings reignite an ongoing debate in psychiatry about the nature of antidepressant withdrawal. Critics have long argued that post-withdrawal symptoms are often mistaken for a relapse of underlying conditions, but this study challenges that narrative by introducing the Discriminatory Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptom Scale (DAWSS). The DAWSS identifies 15 symptoms that are most likely caused by antidepressant withdrawal rather than pre-existing mental health issues.

As the authors note:

“Half the participants in our study who had stopped antidepressants had experienced withdrawal symptoms that lasted for over a year, around a third for more than two years and 10% for more than five years. Impairment of the ability to work was common, including having to reduce hours, take sick leave or stop work altogether. Family and relationship problems and having to give up social activities were also frequently reported. Free text answers revealed that some people had suffered significant disability and distress.”

www.madinamerica.com/2025/01/antidepressant-withdrawal-symptoms-linked-to-life-altering-consequences-new-study-shows/

Health Care still touts the chemical imbalance myth

In a new study, researchers have found that the chemical imbalance myth is still a prevalent explanation for depression among laypeople. They hear about it from a variety of sources, most commonly in the classroom. However, the most impactful source—the most likely to lead to belief in the myth—is from healthcare providers.

“Healthcare providers play an important role in the dissemination of the chemical imbalance message, which is an oversimplified, scientifically controversial, and potentially treatment-interfering narrative,” the researchers write.

The study was led by Hans S. Schroder at the University of Michigan Medical School. It was published in Frontiers in Psychology.

www.madinamerica.com/2025/01/health-care-providers-still-spreading-the-chemical-imbalance-myth-study-finds/

The Ouija Board and the Skeptic – Mad In America

Absolutely..home, family, trauma and spirituality should be part of evaluating and no medications unless absolutely necessary.

Skepticism, especially from those with lived experience, is necessary. It forces us to question whether our tools and methods truly help.
— Read on www.madinamerica.com/2025/01/the-ouija-board-and-the-skeptic/

Out of Time: How Addiction Care Fails to Keep Pace with Patients’ Realities

The linear timelines of addiction treatment clash with the lived experiences of drug-dependent individuals, creating new barriers to care.
— Read on www.madinamerica.com/2025/01/out-of-time-how-addiction-care-fails-to-keep-pace-with-patients-realities/

Our Historical Minds: Can Metabletics Revolutionize Social Psychology?

Metabletics challenges mainstream psychology by connecting our inner worlds to sweeping historical shifts.
— Read on www.madinamerica.com/2024/12/our-historical-minds-can-metabletics-revolutionize-social-psychology/

Obstetric Violence /Mad in America

I networked with a young Mom who became upset that her newborn had breathing problems and they kept her from baby .

Their response was to give her an antidepressant; she took her 1st child home and began to hallucinate!

In time she developed a website and warned about the varied issues with medications given to pregnant moms and new mom’s routinely.

www.madinamerica.com/2024/12/new-study-calls-out-obstetric-violence-in-rush-to-medicate-postpartum-depression-treatment/

The Fallacy of Modern Psychiatry: Treating Symptoms, Ignoring Causes – Mad In America

To truly understand a person’s actions and behaviors, one must ask: What was this person exposed to? What did they experience?
— Read on www.madinamerica.com/2024/12/fallacy-modern-psychiatry/