Mad in America: Rethinking Mental Health

Today on the Mad in America podcast we share a conversation between Luis Gerardo Arroyo Lynn and Justin Karter. Luis conducted this conversation in his role as an editor of Mad in Mexico. Established in September 2021, Mad in Mexico is not just an extension but an essential limb of the international initiative of Mad In America. Its mission resonates with the core values of challenging conventional thinking around mental health, focusing on the Spanish-speaking communities of South and Central America as well as the United States. Luis graduated from Universidad La Salle and is now pursuing a master’s degree in Social Psychology of Groups and Institutions at UAM Xochimilco. He is currently conducting research on “Depsychiatrization of Mental Health,” with an interest in the fields of critical psychology, anti-psychiatry, and anti-speciesism. Luis is in conversation today with Mad in America’s own Justin M. Karter, whose multidisciplinary work stands at the intersection of psychology, philosophy, mad studies, and global mental health. As a counseling psychologist, an Instructor for the Center for Psychological Humanities & Ethics at Boston College, and the lead research news editor at Mad in America since 2015, Justin’s approach to mental health goes beyond clinical practice. In the spotlight is Justin’s research titled “Inclusion Toward Transformation: Psychosocial Disability Advocacy and Global Mental Health.” This study, completed in August 2021, addresses pressing concerns in modern mental health discourse. It critiques the prevailing Western notions that shape the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) and champions a rights-based perspective, considering cultural, political, and economic conditions. This interview explores the crux of Justin’s research, examining the transformative potential of an integrated psychosocial disability framework. By interrogating and deconstructing mainstream discourses, this conversation promises to shed light on how we can better serve those with lived experiences of mental distress, transcending traditional boundaries and embracing a more rights-based, inclusive approach. This conversation aims to redefine the way we approach mental health, madness, psychiatry, and psychological suffering, in a world that desperately needs a compassionate, critical perspective. *** Mad in America podcasts and reports are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Thomas Jobe Fund. Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here  

This week on the Mad in America podcast, we are joined by Sarah Fay. Sarah is an author, an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, a freelance writer at The New York Times and elsewhere, a certified mental health peer recovery support specialist, and a mental health keynote speaker who’s spoken to audiences across the country about recovery from mental illness. We have previously spoken with Sarah about her book, Pathological: A True Story of Six Misdiagnoses, which told the story of her twenty-five years spent in the mental health system. For her follow-up work, Cured: A Memoir, Sarah writes about her recovery from mental illness. She says, “During the twenty-five years I spent in the mental health system, not one clinician mentioned the word recovery. I ended up one of those “hopeless” cases—diagnosed with bipolar disorder, chronically suicidal, and unable to live independently. Yet I recovered. Not remission. Full recovery.” In this interview, we discuss why "cured" is such a seldom-used word in psychiatry. We talk about the power of finding hope, the peer recovery movement, and much more. *** Mad in America podcasts and reports are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Thomas Jobe Fund. Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

According to Edison Research, there are more podcast listeners than ever, with 64% of the US 12+ population having ever listened to a podcast. With over half a million active podcasts available, more time is being devoted to mental health discussions. However, little is known about the motivation and experiences of people listening to mental health related material in podcasts. Joining us today are Dr. Sharon Lambert and Naoise Ó Caoilte from University College Cork in Ireland, who have studied the motivations and experiences of mental health-related podcast listeners. Their recent paper is entitled "Podcasts as a Tool for Enhancing Mental Health Literacy: An Investigation of Mental Health-Related Podcasts," and it appears in the journal Mental Health & Prevention. In this interview, we discuss the importance of mental health literacy and ask if the need for honest mental health experiences is being met from the recording studio rather than the consulting room. *** Mad in America podcasts and reports are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Thomas Jobe Fund. Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

James Greenblatt is an innovator and longtime authority in the fields of integrative medicine and functional psychiatry, focusing on nutrition and other natural modes of treatment for people in distress—including teens with eating disorders and children and adults diagnosed with ADHD.  He’s the author of eight books, most recently on antidepressant withdrawal, and the founder of the website PsychiatryRedefined.org—where he works to educate his colleagues/professionals on the science and practice of functional, integrative, and metabolic psychiatry. Greenblatt serves as Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Services at Walden Behavioral Care, which is based in Massachusetts. He teaches at the Tufts University School of Medicine and the Dartmouth College School of Medicine. *** Mad in America podcasts and reports are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Thomas Jobe Fund. Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

Nandita Chaudhary is a foremost expert on child psychology. She served as a professor at Lady Irwin College in India for over 35 years and teaches in Brazil. Dr. Chaudhary has an impressive record of over 70 publications and several books. Her work challenges mainstream views of parenting, child-rearing, and child health. Given recent debates concerning child research conducted primarily in WEIRD nations (Western Educated Industrialized Rich and Democratic) and subsequently applied universally, her work carries significant relevance. How we understand and shape the lives of children is crucial to how we perceive suffering, healing, and mental disorders. In this interview, we delve into how global organizations like UNICEF may unintentionally harm those they aim to help, how children raised with multiple caregivers can be misclassified as problematic by psychology, and how our comprehension of families, children, and mothers is severely limited. Most importantly, we discuss how studying childcare across various cultures can enlighten us about different ways of living, loving, and understanding one of the most vulnerable among us – children. This might allow us to examine our own biases, practices, and narratives more effectively. *** Mad in America podcasts and reports are made possible, in part, by a grant from the Thomas Jobe Fund. Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

Mia Berrin is a songwriter, producer, and recording artist based out of Brooklyn, whose project, Pom Pom Squad, has garnered attention over the last few years for its grunge-pop sound and introspective lyrics. Her debut album, Death of a Cheerleader, was released in 2020 via Berlin-based label City Slang and has since been featured in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, and more. Mia has been open about the impact of her queer, POC, and bipolar identities on her career in music, and speaks with Karin Jervert and Amy Biancolli at Mad in America more about patriarchy, the music industry, and mental health. *** Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here    

Guest David Edward Walker, author of Coyote's Swing, discusses the oppressive impact of the Western mental health system on Native Americans, including the labeling of Native children with mental disabilities. Topics explored include the themes of 'Coyote Swing', colonization's impact on Native identity, the power of language, resistance to the mental illness medical model, and the oppressive practices experienced by Native people in mental health institutions.

Chris Bullard is the executive-director of the Sound Mind Live Festival, scheduled for May 20 in Brooklyn, New York. A former touring musician. Bullard performed with acts such as Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson. Subsequent to receiving his MBA, he oversaw portfolio management at Acumen, a global non-profit impact investing fund focused on poverty alleviation. Bullard created the festival based on his personal experience of overcoming mental health stigma after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his mid-20s. Prior to founding Sound Mind, Chris also founded a music support group program for those affected by mental illness with the National Alliance on Mental Illness in New York City. He holds a BA from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Fordham University. *** Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

This week on the Mad in America podcast we are joined by Dr. Chris van Tulleken. Chris is an Infectious Diseases doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. He trained at Oxford and has a PhD in molecular virology from University College London, where he is an associate professor. His research focuses on how corporations affect human health, especially in the context of child nutrition, and he works with UNICEF and the World Health Organization on this area. Chris is also one of the BBC's leading broadcasters for children and adults and his work has won two BAFTAs. In this interview, we talk about Chris's new book Ultra-Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn't Food and Why Can't We Stop? The book takes a deep dive into the science, economics, history, and production of ultra-processed food. In particular, we discuss some of the effects of UPF on our brains and bodies and how the food industry positions UPF to dominate our diets. *** Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here

This week on the Mad in America podcast, we hear from drug safety advocate David Carmichael. David has personal knowledge of the effects of psychiatric drugs, having experienced a family tragedy in 2004. David now uses his knowledge and experience to help people make informed choices about prescription drug use. In November 2023, he will embark on a tour of 15 U.S. cities, aiming to educate and inform about the possible risks of antidepressant treatment. In this interview, we talk about David's experiences, his upcoming antidepressant safety tour, and the importance of fully informed consent at the time of prescribing. *** Thank you for being with us to listen to the podcast and read our articles this year. MIA is funded entirely by reader donations. If you value MIA, please help us continue to survive and grow. To find the Mad in America podcast on your preferred podcast player, click here