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In Brain Chemistry We Trust—The Gospel According to Pharma

Mad in America

A more complete reading reveals that the relationship between 5-HT antagonism and antidepressant effects was understood even then to be more hypothetical than definitive, and activation of serotonin receptors was not necessarily the mechanism that alleviates depression.

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The Definitive Dos and Don'ts of Asking Where Your Relationship Is Going

Very Well Mind

Here are some honest, relatable, and reassuring tips for how to navigate the where is this relationship going conversation that no one wants to have (but should!).

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A Reflection on “Unshrunk: A Story of Psychiatric Treatment Resistance”

Mad in America

They might point the way to helpful treatments but fundamentally they are heuristic constructs rather than definitive descriptions and understandings of clinical problems. The only way to mitigate this is to be very clear from the outset that psychiatric diagnoses are labels that are intended to serve certain purposes.

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Sticking to the argument about whether antidepressants work

Critical Psychiatry

I have always been cautious about making such a definitive statement, even if expressing to people, including my patients, my belief that it may well be true. As we saw with the Simon Wessely debate with Jo on the This morning TV programme (see clip ), mainstream psychiatry will not allow Jo to say that antidepressants do not work.

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Psychiatry is doomed to conflict about the value of psychiatric medication

Critical Psychiatry

Trouble is that people are looking for definitive answers, which is why they latch on the idea that mental health problems may be due to their brain. Its important to try and understand why people have mental health problems because of their experiences, even if the causes cant be proven as such.

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Behind the Smiles: Mental Health in South Korea’s High-Pressure Society

Mad in America

As more psychiatric clinics open and more citizens seek help, we must ensure that our definitions of help and healing go beyond fast-track diagnoses and prescriptions. This paradox suggests that greater access, when tied to a narrow biomedical model, may actually deepen the crisis.

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The Quiet Crisis in Mental Health: The Medicalization and Deskilling of Psychotherapy

Mad in America

While various approaches to treatment are not necessarily bad, overall, it blurs the definition of what psychotherapy is and confuses patients seeking effective care. I recently ran into a licensed clinical social worker online who advertised themself as a Psychotherapist/Psychic/Healer (talk about a transference cure!)

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