Madness Radio

What do you do when medications for your emotional problems become worse than the problems themselves? Laura Delano went to a psychiatrist at age 18, and for the next decade was prescribed nineteen different psychiatric drugs. After devastating physical and emotional effects, she began a journey to become medication free — and re-discover who she is. What lessons did she learn? Laura blogs regularly about her experiences at Mad in America, works for a mental health agency in Massachusetts, and is an advocate for drug alternatives and safe withdrawal. http://www.madinamerica.com/author/ldelano/ (Link to coming off meds guide: http://willhall.net/comingoffmeds/)The post Coming Off Psych Meds: Laura Delano first appeared on Madness Radio.

Childhood sexual abuse is pervasive in our society, leaving lifelong wounds that affect men as well as women. Is it enough to hold perpetrators accountable, or are there deeper causes of abuse? Do police, courts, and child protection services help heal — or lead to more trauma? And how can body-oriented approaches move beyond the limits of talk therapy? Child sexual abuse survivor Staci Haines, author of Healing Sex: A Mind-Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma and co-founder of Generation Five, discusses transformative justice and liberating society from child abuse. http://www.generationfive.org http://www.generativesomatics.org http://bit.ly/MrJeRp Staci Haines, Integrating Personal and Social Transformation from Luminific.com on Vimeo.The post Healing Sex: Staci Haines first appeared on Madness Radio.

Hearing voices is strongly connected with traumatic experiences, but are voices a brain malfunction or a creative strategy for protection? UK psychologist Eleanor Longden survived a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia and went on to be a leading researcher around voice hearing, trauma, and dissociation. She is a pioneer in the movement to understand voices as a normal human experience — and truly help people by healing trauma. http://ind.pn/3ltxoe http://bit.ly/NjDA77 http://bit.ly/z01Fhn The post Meaning From Voices: Eleanor Longden first appeared on Madness Radio.

Can psychotherapy be a replacement for medication for psychosis and extreme states? Should therapists hospitalize suicidal clients against their will — even when they could be traumatized by the very care intended to protect them? Dr. Toby Watson, clinical psychologist, discusses how to be an ethical therapist in an era of medications, diagnostic labels, and forced treatment. http://www.abcmedsfree.com/The post Ethical Therapy: Toby Watson first appeared on Madness Radio.

Why are so many children being diagnosed bipolar? Do medications treat disease – or just keep children under control? What else can parents do when faced with difficult behavioral problems? Sharna Olfman, Psychology Professor at Point Park University and editor of the book Bipolar Children, discusses the growing social and economic pressures to label children bipolar. http://dai.ly/epbcoO http://scr.bi/yFfoRNThe post Bipolar Children: Sharna Olfman first appeared on Madness Radio.

Shamans of the Amazon jungle heal the spirit by communicating with plants and singing people back to health. Can indigenous medicine, including the psychedelic ayahuasca, help anxiety, depression, and addiction? What do healers of Peru have to teach us about mental health? Metsa Niwue, a curandero who has studied for more than sixteen years with the Shipibo and Quechua Lamista peoples, discusses the promise and potential dangers of traditional Amazonian plant medicine for the west. (transcript) http://vegetalismo.org http://www.neip.info/upd_blob/0000/982.pdfThe post Amazonian Healing: Metsa Niwue first appeared on Madness Radio.

Could a young man’s overwhelming visions of Christ and apocalypse be a creative response to life trauma, rather than signs of paranoid schizophrenia? Does madness unfold differently depending on whether it is supported – or feared? Irish activist and punk musician Grainne Humphrys, herself a survivor of an extreme state, discusses the campaign for the release of former partner John Hunt. John has been incarcerated and drugged against his will since 2005, sparking international outcry. http://freejohn-loverevolutionary.blogspot.com http://www.mindfreedomireland.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQUKdaRaJNw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVjgRUI-IM0The post Chemical Crucifixion: Grainne Humphrys first appeared on Madness Radio.

How can we truly help combat veterans facing the aftermath of war? Is veteran trauma a sign of mental illness, or a healthy response to violent situations? Are medications and therapy the answer? Paula Caplan, author of When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home: How All of Us Can Help Veterans, discusses healing the wounds of war by listening to the stories of veterans in our communities. http://whenjohnnyandjanecomemarching.weebly.com http://www.paulajcaplan.netThe post Healing Veterans: Paula Caplan first appeared on Madness Radio.

Why are nearly a third of all elders in nursing homes given anti-psychotic drugs, despite life threatening side effects? Are medications being used as chemical restraints? Can nursing homes be places of dignity — or should they be abolished? Carole Hayes-Collier was diagnosed schizophrenic at 19 and left to a lifetime of hospitalization. When she recovered, the abuses she witnessed inspired her to join the Gray Panthers and dedicate her life to elder rights and mental health. http://graypanthers.org http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119672919018312521.html http://www.canhr.org/stop-druggingThe post Dignity of Elders: Carole Hayes-Collier first appeared on Madness Radio.

How common are suicidal feelings? Is a psychiatric illness behind suicidal despair — or a meaningful and even spiritual life crisis? Does forced hospitalization really provide help? Suicide attempt survivor David Webb, author of Thinking About Suicide: Contemplating and Comprehending the Urge to Die, discusses how speaking openly about suicidal feelings, rather than reacting with panic and fear, is the best form of suicide prevention. http://www.jungcircle.com/DWebb.html http://thinkingaboutsuicide.orgThe post Talking About Suicidal Feelings: David Webb first appeared on Madness Radio.