There are many problems with the label “Borderline Personality Disorder” argues Steven Coles, but among the worst is where it directs our gaze. In 1980 the mental health industry invented a […]
Is Life a Disease?
As regular readers of this blog know, we are very interested in the pros and cons of psychiatric diagnosis. We try to discuss this issue in an accessible way and […]
A just world
‘Daaaaaaad! You let Sam on the computer. IT’S NOT FAIR!’ So goes the soundtrack to the summer holidays. Rather than scrambling to put dinner on the table, get in the […]
The real trouble with magic
“Mum my, am I fat?” says my daughter, all of seven, regarding herself in the bath. She doesn’t know it yet but body fascism is my wife’s darkest fear. The […]
Guest blog: I believe in diagnosis but the DSM is just a door-stop
Over the last few months we’ve regularly featured pieces taking a critical line on the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and on psychiatric diagnosis more generally. […]
It’s Brave but is it Helpful?
When a celebrity like Stephen Fry can publicly admit that he’s recently attempted suicide and others like Catherine Zeta-Jones announce they’re checking into a clinic for maintenance of a bipolar […]
Are all murders equal?
Recently a serving soldier, Lee Rigby, was murdered in Woolwich. The general public, willingly or not, became voyeurs, witness to the murder in a way still unfamiliar even in the world […]
When the Ads Don’t Work
It’s a sobering thought that, for many people who use mental health services, other people’s reactions cause more distress than their original problems. And attitudes may even be getting worse. […]
The DSM dust-up: Whingeing cranks, turf wars and epistemological disputes
On Sunday the12th of May, The UK Observer ran a front-page article stating that the Division of Clinical Psychology (DCP), a subdivision of the British Psychological Society (BPS), was releasing […]