Podcast

In this episode we discuss: How pressures and stresses in life led Nora to consult her doctor for advice. How Nora was prescribed an antidepressant after a 5-minute consultation with no discussion about adverse effects. That Nora was not prepared by her doctor in any way for what happened when she started to take her medication. That in Ireland you don’t always get a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) that would have helped her understand what

This week, we talk with Doctor Lucy Johnstone who is a Clinical Psychologist, trainer, speaker and writer, and a long-standing critic of the biomedical model of psychiatry. She has worked in adult mental health settings for many years, alternating with academic posts. Lucy has authored a number of books, including ‘Users and Abusers of Psychiatry, and ‘A straight-talking introduction to psychiatric diagnosis’ as well as a number of articles and chapters on topics such as

This week, Susie tells us about her experiences of stopping her antidepressant drug cold turkey after 2 years of taking it. She also tells how her doctors failed to identify antidepressant withdrawal and didn’t listen when she tried to explain. In this episode we discuss: How feeling lonely and having caring pressures led to Susie seeking help from her doctor. How Susie consulted a student doctor who prescribed her antidepressant. That Susie had previous positive

This week, Tina talks about her experience with depression, her use of antidepressant drugs and how a change in her medication led to her withdrawal problems. She also tells how her doctors failed to advise her about antidepressant withdrawal in advance or recognise it when it arose. In this episode we discuss: How work pressures led to Tina feeling under intense pressure. How Tina’s doctor diagnosed her with ‘flat battery syndrome’ and prescribed antidepressants. How

This week we talk to journalist and author Robert Whitaker. For many of us, Robert needs no introduction as he is well known for his award-winning book, Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America, which was released in 2010. Anatomy of an Epidemic is arguably the definitive account of the realities of psychiatric drugs and completely lays bare the astonishing rise in mental ill health

This week, Megan talks about her experience with anxiety and insomnia and how that led to her being prescribed an antidepressant. She also talks about her two failed attempts to withdraw and how that meant she approached her tapering more carefully to ensure that she could minimise the withdrawal effects. In this episode we discuss: How Megan had sleep difficulties and how her doctor prescribed an antidepressant for insomnia. That Megan didn’t even know what

This week we interview Doctor Joanna Moncrieff. Dr. Moncrieff is a psychiatrist, academic and author. She has an interest in the history, philosophy and politics of psychiatry, and particularly in the use, misuse and misrepresentation of psychiatric drugs. She is one of the founding members and the co-chairperson the Critical Psychiatry Network. The Critical Psychiatry Network consists of psychiatrists from around the world who are sceptical of the idea that mental disorders are simply brain

This week we interview Simone who talks about her experiences of postnatal depression, fibromyalgia and her treatment with antidepressants. Simone describes how nutrition played a huge part in her recovery and how she now supports others with their health and wellbeing. In this episode we discuss: How Simone experienced Post Natal Depression after the birth of her first child. That she struggled to bond with the baby and how she felt guilty and upset all

This week we interview Marion Brown. Marion is a Psychotherapist who works with the Human Givens approach to supporting people in emotional or psychological distress. Through her work, Marion has become increasingly concerned about the effects of psychotropic medications on patients and on their ability to engage with therapy. In this informative interview, we talk about Marion’s background, how Human Givens works as a therapeutic approach and also the effects of psychiatric drugs. We also

This week we interview Gemma who talks about her experiences with both antidepressants and benzodiazepines and in particular the difficulties that parents of children with special needs encounter when they seek treatment for emotional or psychological distress. In this episode we discuss: How realising that she was not being the parent that she wanted to be led Gemma to seeking medical help for anxiety and depression. That Gemma was put onto an SNRI (Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake