Postpsychiatry -Reaching beyond the technological paradigm in mental health

See more at: www.postpsychiatry.com
Lecture by psychiatrist & philosopher Patrick Bracken in Forum for existential psychology & therapy, at University of Copenhagen, 18/4 2012
Er du fra Danmark eller norden så se også: www.eksistentielpsykologi.dk

[@gregoirdefaoite]

I have known Dr.Bracken personally for some time and of his long and thoroughly genuine conviction in the authenticity and expertise inherent, latent, in the lived experience of so called mental illness. In this comprensive overview of what is clearly an existential crisis, he is in effect courageously taking on the uniquely unenviable leadership role of scrutinising the formerly inscrutable.

[@susanbevis6454]

My elder daughter who has been given 15 mind altering powerful chemicals responded to CBT and said it helped her. A patient needs to be listened to - when I appointed a private Orthomolecular Psychiatry over the head of the team I have never seen my daughter look so happy. Once she was labelled with several diagnoses she gave up hope. The drugs made her in a dream like state during the day and she suffered from hallucinations and nightmares. She suffered Akathisia on these chemicals.

[@haridallas]

Very thought provoking. It is time some people other than the mindless mob of American mainstream start questioning and thinking in Medicine ingeneral and Psychiatry in particular.

[@wwsherwin]

Oh, and thank you for such a clear spoken overview of the post-psychiatry perspective! I took notes for my narrative therapy training group.

[@8lgreen]

The reason many are not fond of CBT is that it has used science and the DSM to attempt to dominate the field of psychotherapy and delegitimize other recognized approaches. CBT bought very willingly into the medical model and then developed technologies (techniques) to deal with "symptoms" and "mental illnesses". CBT is psychiatry's best friend; it is after all based on ideas of mental disorder (disordered thoughts). Still there are good people in many approaches providing relationship benefits.

[@8lgreen]

You asked about the research - take a look at the book "Escape from Babel: Toward a Unifying Language for Psychotherapy Practice" which discusses the evidence I think Bracken is referring to. It's important to know that some approaches elevate the therapy relationship and the knowledge and strengths of clients (whereas most don't) but even those therapists who espouse these things can be mired in burdensome and restrictive medicalizing/pathologizing and also psychologizing thinking/expertise.

[@wwsherwin]

At 54:31 Dr. Bracken says that recent research indicates that most of the specific features of CBT can be dispensed with without affecting outcomes. Could you list which studies show this?

[@8lgreen]

Well known metanalyses (to some of us in psychology anyway) have shown that specific techniques i.e. specific to approaches to therapy practice e.g. CBT contribute only 15% to outcomes.versus 40% contributed by the relationship between therapist & client (hope 15%; 40% unexplained but thought to be related to client variables (social support, luck/opportunity, clients' own strengths/knowledge which may not be identified or utilized well, depending on approach e.g. CBT is not strengths-based).

[@tashaclaire1]

IMO post-psychiatry needs to have ethics at its core and as its foundation.

[@8lgreen]

Instead of saying CBT helped why not just say talk therapy helped. CBT is the most alligned of all the talk therapies with psychiatry, the DSM, and the disease model of "mental illness.' It also uses science to justify itself and to delegitimize other approaches in exactly the ways Pat Bracken critiques about psychiatry.

[@susanbevis6454]

Dr Bracken and other professionals are speaking out - psychiatry has failed my daughter. These experts should be campaigning for "Earth House being set up over here. A leading "research" hospital has plied my daughter with 3" more chemicals. There is no proof of her multiple diagnoses. I need somewhere where she can go in to be reduced off the drugs, not increased. Research should be done into how holistic care can help. I need something urgently done for my daughter whose life is at risk.

[@susanbevis6454]

You are correct - psychiatry has failed. Where is the proof of my daughter's illness that I have asked time and time again for. She suffered trauma and should have been given counselling. I agree also with the second paragraph - 15 drugs and none of them have worked and there should be accountability as this is affecting my daughter's health.

[@tashaclaire1]

A google search for 'psychiatry in trouble' returns over 5,000,000 hits, not 2,000 as he quotes. Try for yourself of course!