James Davies’ new book Sedated has just been released with Atlantic Books. In Britain alone, more than 20% of the adult population take a psychiatric drug in any one year. This is an increase of over 500% since 1980 and the numbers continue to grow. Yet, despite this prescription epidemic, levels of mental illness of Read More…
Category: anti-depressants
CRESIDA webinar by Dr Derek Summerfield on the globalisation of western mental health
On 18 November 2020, Dr Derek Summerfield from the Institute of Psychiatry presented a webinar in the CRESIDA seminar series titled ‘Globalising Western ‘mental health’: psychiatry, spirits, ancestors and poverty. Case studies from UK, Zimbabwe, Cambodia’. Abstract The ongoing globalisation of Western psychiatry and psychology trades on universalistic assumptions about ‘mind’. These are at odds Read More…
Millions are at risk from antidepressant withdrawal
The Journal of Addictive Behaviors has recently published a new systematic review which shows that antidepressant withdrawal is much more widespread, severe and long-lasting than indicated by current guidelines, with millions of antidepressant users in the U.K. potentially affected. ‘A Systematic Review into the Incidence, Severity and Duration of Antidepressant Withdrawal Effects: Are Guidelines Evidence- Read More…
Big pharma’s placebo problem
By James Davies Reprinted from Cracked: The Unhappy Truth About Psychiatry by James Davies. Copyright Pegasus Books © 2013 In May 1993, a mental disorder that had been in the DSM-III was repackaged, renamed, and given new life in DSM-IV. It was called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder and was listed in the DSM as a mental disorder. Up Read More…
Whose interests does the Royal College of Psychiatrists really serve? A case in anthropological activism
By James Davies When you consult the Royal College of Psychiatrist’s website it proclaims that one if its primary aims is to ‘improve the mental health of individuals, their families and communities’– thus, to act in the public interest. Recent events at the Royal College put that proclamation in serious doubt. The first concerns the College’s Read More…
James Davies on a new Lancet study about whether anti-depressants work
CRESIDA’s James Davies was on BBC’s Newsnight last night debating a new Lancet study on whether anti-depressants work. Click below for the full debate, which starts at 24.34m. A modified version of his response to the study, published in The Times this morning, is below: Antidepressants Work – Really? A classic example of misrepresenting insignificant conclusions Read More…
