Mental Disorder

Awais Aftab - Psychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry

Dec 20, 2023

Psychiatrist Awais Aftab discusses criticisms of psychiatry, rising rates of mental illness, and the public health approach to treatment. He also explores the difficulty of interpreting psychiatric studies and the dismissal of useful treatments like antidepressants by critics.

01:01:53

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Awais Aftab

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Quick takeaways

Psychiatry is a diverse field where philosophical and scientific debates are important to understand concepts and practices.

There are different motivations and perspectives within psychiatric critique, distinguishing between anti-psychiatry and critical psychiatry.

The evaluation of psychiatric treatments is complex, requiring consideration of individual differences and the limitations of clinical trials.

Deep dives

Psychiatry and Philosophy: Exploring Critical and Philosophical Debates

OAze, a psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor of psychiatry, discusses his background and how he became interested in psychiatry and philosophy. He highlights the importance of philosophical and scientific debates in understanding psychiatric concepts and practices. He explains that psychiatry is a diverse field with different perspectives and motivations. The philosophy of psychiatry explores topics such as the nature of mental illness, social constructs of psychopathology, and power dynamics in psychiatric practice. While there are criticisms and debates within psychiatry, it is essential to have a balanced approach and consider evidence from various sources in order to provide personalized care for individuals.

Limitations of Psychiatry and Medicine in Addressing Mental Health

02:30

Criticism of Psychiatry and the Impact of Medications

02:35

Introduction

3min

The Intersection of Art, Philosophy, and Psychiatry

6min

The Historical and Philosophical Aspects of Psychiatry Criticism

19min

Critiques of Psychiatry and the Complexity of Mental Health

12min

Effectiveness of Social Interventions and Policy Changes for Mental Health

3min

Reintroducing Institutionalization, Criticisms of Psychiatry, and Future Directions in Mental Health

2min

Rethinking Evidence-Based Medicine in Psychiatry and Psychology

17min

Awais Aftab is a psychiatrist and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University and writes the substack Psychiatry at the Margins. I invited him on the podcast to talk about how criticisms of psychiatry – such as critical, philosophical, and anti-psychiatry – affect mainstream theory and practice. We also discuss his recent exchange with Mad in America founder Robert Whitaker on progress in psychiatry, whether psychiatrists are responsible for rising rates of mental illness, and why many in the mental health field are now eyeing the public health approach to treatment. We conclude by talking about the difficulty of interpreting and acting upon psychiatric studies, with Awais arguing critics’ standards of evidence are so high they dismiss useful treatments like antidepressants out of hand.

You can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

Links:

* Awais Aftab, Epistemic Justice and Psychiatric Clinical Practice.

* Anti-psychiatry reading list.

* Awais Aftab, Antipsychiatry as an Analogue of Populism.

* Freedland and Zorumski, Success Rates in Psychiatry.

* Peter Simons, JAMA Psychiatry: No Evidence that Psychiatric Treatments Produce “Successful Outcomes.

* Awais Aftab, Lost and Found in Translation: From JAMA Psychiatry to Mad in America.

* Robert Whitaker, Answering Awais Aftab: When it Comes to Misleading the Public, Who is the Culprit?

* Awais Aftab, What Whitaker wants us to know about Mad in America.

* Robert Whitaker, Anatomy of an Epidemic.

* Awais Aftab, The Case for Antidepressants in 2022.