Why is a more socially oriented approach to mental health difficulties so hard to embrace?

Author: Associate Professor Hugh Middleton The BBC’s recent series on mental health, ‘In the Mind‘ drew mixed reactions. In particular Stephen Fry’s exploration of manic depression was both praised on account of his attempts to destigmatize mental illness, and criticised because it presented a very narrow biomedical understanding of mental illness. Richard Bentall, a respected leader in …

Hey, don’t just shoot the messenger!

Author: Associate Professor Hugh Middleton Hot topics of the time are the efficacy and safety of psychiatric medicines. These are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the UK and globally. There is growing concern that their reputations for efficacy may have been inflated by biased trials reporting and their longer term safety underestimated. …