Mad in America

MAY 13, 2025

By the 1990speople called it the “Decade of the Brain”the chemical imbalance idea ( propagated by pharmaceutical industry TV ads ) had grabbed everyone’s attention. Doctors and regular folks alike thought depression was just “low serotonin,” even though there wasn’t much proof.

Trauma and the brain 100

Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Childhood trauma Self-awareness 100

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 6, 2024

She talks about understanding the place of her own childhood trauma and also the limitations of simplistic trauma narratives. You write that you worry about how psychedelics are getting co-opted by pharmaceutical industries. You want to be reborn in each moment. That’s the whole Buddhist philosophy. Tell us more.

Trauma and the brain 121

Trauma and the brain Poverty and mental health Psychedelic therapy Mental health advocacy 121

Mad in America

JUNE 13, 2024

I was given psychotherapy all through this time, but the therapists were not impressed by my accounts of childhood trauma. Medical research is largely funded by the pharmaceutical industry, papers ghostwritten by the pharmaceutical industry and influencers paid by the pharmaceutical industry.

Trauma and the brain 145

Trauma and the brain Hospitality Pharmaceuticals Sleep and mental health 145

Mad in America

OCTOBER 11, 2023

Terms like “broken brain,” “childhood trauma,” “unresolved grief,” and “family dysfunction” come to mind. Key among these tools are metaphor, plot, character, and point of view. Metaphors, in particular, are intriguing.

Aging and mental health 141

Aging and mental health Trauma and the brain Self-awareness Healthcare 141

Mad in America

NOVEMBER 27, 2024

While expanding trauma criteria is often justified as necessary for inclusivity and compassion, critics contend that these expansions may be driven, by some, out of self-interest. It increased demand for therapy and medication, amplified the importance and influence of experts within the field and justified allocating more resources to it.

Resilience and coping 143

Resilience and coping Self-awareness Sleep and mental health Nutrition and mood 143