‘They say no’
The words in this piece on antidepressant prescribing come from the novel ‘Grace Notes’ by Bernard MacLaverty. This novel was published the same year that I was started on an … Continue reading ‘They say no’
Tag: The defeat depression campaign
My career began with the “Defeat Depression Campaign”
I began training in psychiatry in October 1993 just after the “Defeat Depression Campaign” had been launched. It ran alongside the five years of my training. This “Campaign” had the … Continue reading My career began with the “Defeat Depression Campaign”
Position statement: frequency of withdrawal reactions
Following the publication of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Position Statement on antidepressants and depression there was widespread news coverage supported by Expert Statements by Professor Allan Young and Professor … Continue reading Position statement: frequency of withdrawal reactions
What hell and terror
I consider this U-turn as nothing but welcome. I have written to the President, Vice-President and CEO of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to say so. What hell/terror it has … Continue reading What hell and terror
“uncritical partisan narrative”
In a previous post I shared this paper: The declarations of interest were given as follows: I have written the following open letter to the lead author: Sent: 22 May … Continue reading “uncritical partisan narrative”
“Antidepressants, withdrawal and addiction: where are we now?”
This perspective has just been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. My brief response to one of the authors can be read here, alongside further details of the competing interests of … Continue reading “Antidepressants, withdrawal and addiction: where are we now?”
A letter in the BMJ
References: Davies J, Moncrieff J, Kinderman P, et al; Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry. Stigma and efficacy of taking antidepressants. Letter to the editor. Times 2018 Feb 23. Burns W. Pills for … Continue reading A letter in the BMJ
“Doctors gamble on a cure”
In recent posts I have shared some of what I have come across in the British Newspaper Archive in relation to a search on the word “serotonin”. I have found … Continue reading “Doctors gamble on a cure”
“Is this pill a miracle?”
So asked the headline! From the Irish Independent of the 2nd November 1993. Professor Antony Clare, in expressing his concerns about the sensationalism surrounding SSRIs and their promotion, concluded:
“Is this the answer to your problems?”
So asked the headline! From the Irish Independent of the 1st of December 1994. A book by Peter Kramer is mentioned:
“Does a disservice to psychiatrists”
This was a letter by Dr Alexander Langford, published in the BMJ in May 2015. It was in response to this Editorial by Professor David Healy. I agree with Dr … Continue reading “Does a disservice to psychiatrists”
Psychiatry in General Practice (the early 1990s)
The following editorial was by Dr James Guy Edwards. It was published the year before I started training in psychiatry: The author was Editor of this Text Book: The first … Continue reading Psychiatry in General Practice (the early 1990s)