
Mad in America: Rethinking Mental Health
The Radical Politics of Madness-Micha Frazer-Carroll
Episode guests
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Connect mental health to broader social issues like capitalism, racism, and disability justice.
- Redefine language and concepts in mental health discourse to empower individuals to define their own experiences.
Deep dives
The Politics of Mental Health
The podcast episode explores the radical politics of madness and mental health. The guest, Misha Frazier Carroll, challenges conventional views in psychology and psychiatry, emphasizing the need to connect mental health to broader social issues like capitalism, racism, and disability justice. Carroll's book, 'Mad World: The Politics of Mental Health,' examines the societal construction of madness and mental illness, highlighting the role of political forces, particularly capitalism, in defining mental wellness. The episode delves into the history of mental health categorization, touching on the impact of the Industrial Revolution and the growth of asylums. It also discusses the influence of neoliberalism on mental health discourses, highlighting the privatization of stress and the individualization of mental health concerns. However, the episode also suggests alternative approaches and movements such as the Hearing Voices Network, Mad Pride, and crisis intervention initiatives that challenge traditional psychiatric frameworks and prioritize individual agency and collective solidarity.