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Between Diagnoses and Dialogue: The Silent Conflict Between Psychiatry and Psychology

Mad in America

I n recent decades, mental health has become one of the most widely discussed issues in public discourse, health policies, and clinical practice. Although both fields claim a commitment to mental health care, psychiatry and psychology are grounded in very different epistemological frameworks.

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New WHO Guidance Calls for Paradigm Shift in Mental Health Policy

Mad in America

O n March 25, the World Health Organization published a 44-page document, Guidance on Mental Health Policy and Strategic Action Plans , that reflects the ongoing work of global activists who have fought for a paradigm shift in mental health. This is not just another event. Its a call to action.

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From Public Service to Private Practice: The Collapse of the Social Work Profession

Mad in America

T he social work profession was historically rooted in a mission of improving the lives of the vulnerable, the oppressed, and those living in poverty. Social work originated with the Settlement House movement as a response to the increasing poverty brought about by industrialization. They seem to have been onto something.

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Is Public Psychiatry Responding to the Mental Health Crisis or Just “Treating the Chart?”

Mad in America

The topic of mental health is on the public’s mind, whether it’s the popularizing of therapy speak, the increased attention paid to severe mental illness and homelessness, or pop psychology advice on TikTok. This scenario in public psychiatry settings is, unfortunately, a familiar one.

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“There’s No Word for Depression in Zulu”: Inside South Africa’s Mental Health Crisis

Mad in America

R esearch has found South Africa consistently ranks in the bottom three performing countries in terms of global mental health. Photo by tuxone The Mental State of the World Report measures the mental health of internet users only, making it limited in the South African context where close to one-third of the population isnt online.

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Beyond the Pill Paradigm: Reclaiming Humanity in Mental Health Care

Mad in America

I n the clean hallways of today’s mental health centers, a quiet change is taking shape. You won’t see big protests or new laws, but more people are starting to see that the main way we treat mental healthfocusing on chemical imbalances and managing medshasn’t helped many folks who need real healing.

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Beyond Paternalism or Abandonment in Mental Health Care: An Interview with Neil Gong

Mad in America

Neil’s new book, “Sons, Daughters, and Sidewalk Psychotics: Mental Illness and Homelessness in Los Angeles,” published by the University of Chicago Press, offers a detailed look into the starkly different worlds of mental health care in Los Angeles. How do these disparate systems reflect our societal values?