The Carlat Psychiatry Podcast History of Psychiatry
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Oct 30, 2023 The podcast discusses the evolution of psychiatry, from early treatments for nervous illnesses to modern psychopharmacology. It explores the dominance of psychoanalysis in psychiatry until the 1970s and the concept of neurosthenia. The introduction of therapies like ECT and anti-psychotics for nonpsychotic distress patients is also explored.
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Changing Labels of Distress
- People have always experienced emotional distress, though labels change.
- What was once "nerves" is now often called "depression."
Spa Treatments for Nerves
- Historically, spas treated "nervous illness" with hydrotherapy and electrotherapy.
- These treatments were surprisingly successful despite seemingly dubious methods like wrapping affected limbs in spa water-soaked gauze.
Rise of Psychoanalysis
- World War I marked a shift in psychiatry from "nerves" to psychoanalysis.
- Freud's focus on the unconscious mind replaced the organic view of nervous illness.