Joker the Movie; A Szaszian Interpretation

By Scott McLain (Warning: spoilers ) https://youtu.be/LiDDlaJYep8 Despite its very positive reception from audiences and critics - including a deafening 8-minute ovation at its premiere at the Venice Film Festival - the film Joker, directed by Todd Phillips, has not been without its detractors. Several commentators and critics, predominantly from the English-speaking world, have called the film dangerous, irresponsible … Continue reading Joker the Movie; A Szaszian Interpretation →

An Interview with Jeffrey Schaler, author of Addiction Is A Choice

IN 2000, psychologist Jeffrey A. Schaler published a book that shook the foundation of the powerful addiction industry. His thesis was simple: people consume drugs and alcohol because they want to, not because they have a disease. The addiction industry, with annual revenues in the tens of billions of dollars, fought back ferociously against Schaler. Some former … Continue reading An Interview with Jeffrey Schaler, author of Addiction Is A Choice →

Kanye West on dancing to the beat of a different drummer

https://youtu.be/VUXYPWktQkg In short, where psychiatric historians see stories about terrible illnesses and heroic treatments, I see stories about people marching to the beats of different drummers or perhaps failing to march at all, and the terrible injustices committed against them, rationalized by hollow "therapeutic" justifications. Faced with vexing personal problems, the "truth" people crave is … Continue reading Kanye West on dancing to the beat of a different drummer →

Advice to Therapists from Thomas Szasz

From the Epilogue to, The Ethics of Psychoanalysis: The Theory and Practice of Autonomous Psychotherapy. Learning to Practice Psychoanalysis I have argued that the analytic relationship is like a game, with analyst and analysand its players. This view of the analytic procedure has implications, not only for its theory and practice but also for teaching … Continue reading Advice to Therapists from Thomas Szasz →

Electroshock (ECT): True Story of Kenny

Psych Survivor YYC

Here’s a link to a testimonial of someone that underwent electroshock treatment.  He is a friend of a friend of mine.  At 21, he had 30 rounds of shock. (He’s 28 in this video.)  If you are uncomfortable clicking links, google “Kenny electroshock video”.  Although the doctor kept insisting that the shock would help, he says he would never wish it on his worse enemy.

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The Method of Autonomous Psychotherapy

From The Ethics of Psychoanalysis by Thomas Szasz: Psychoanalysis is not a medical treatment, but an education. It is not like getting cure of a disease, but rather like getting to know another person well or learning a foreign language or a new game. How long does each of these take? It is with this … Continue reading The Method of Autonomous Psychotherapy →

Fifty Years After The Myth of Mental Illness

Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions.~ Daniel Webster1"My aim in this essay is to raise the question 'Is there such a thing as mental illness?' and to argue … Continue reading Fifty Years After The Myth of Mental Illness →