Vector graphics. The human hand helps the girl in depression. Lonely woman hugs her knees with her hair loose.

An Attorney Goes Public—My Experience of Misdiagnosis, Damaging Drugs, and Lack of Informed Consent

24
Without complete transparency, consent cannot be considered truly informed. While silence may feel safe, it keeps us immobilized.

Researchers Caution Against Emerging Risks as AI Use in Mental Health Grows

2
This week, Mad in America examines three articles related to AI chatbots and mental health. The first argues that AI chatbot use for mental...

On Psychological Abuse: How The System Twisted My Pleas For Help

4
I once heard a fellow survivor describe narcissistic abuse as a “rape of the soul,” and that is exactly how it felt for me.
Close up diverse people sitting on chairs in circle, holding hands at group therapy

The Mental Health Crisis We’re Not Naming

21
Despite the profoundly social and political nature of distress, the dominant response continues to individualize the problem.

Economists Conclude Reimbursing Tapering Strips Could Save Billions

7
Economists conclude Dutch government could save billions by reimbursing tapering strips to help patients safely discontinue psychiatric drugs.

New Research Challenges the Logic of Coercion in Psychiatry

16
This week, Mad in America examines three articles around the use of coercion in psychiatry. The first argues that justifications for the use of...

An Attorney Goes Public—My Experience of Misdiagnosis, Damaging Drugs, and Lack...

24
Without complete transparency, consent cannot be considered truly informed. While silence may feel safe, it keeps us immobilized.

On Psychological Abuse: How The System Twisted My Pleas For Help

4
I once heard a fellow survivor describe narcissistic abuse as a “rape of the soul,” and that is exactly how it felt for me.

Surviving Psychiatry’s ‘Help’

31
I can never visit a zoo again after my experience in the acute ward. I could never watch an animal pace back and forth.

A Mother’s Journey Through Psychiatric Drug Harm and Healing

0
Chelsea McVeigh joins us to discuss her journey through antidepressant withdrawal. At 31, during a new pregnancy, she suffered a severe adverse reaction that turned her world upside down.
A female psychiatrist speaks to a judge on behalf of a young black boy

Nobody Told Me to Do This: What It Means to Be a Dissident Psychiatrist

0
Reckoning with my own story became the vehicle for reckoning with my profession—and with what psychiatric care does to the people we care for.

Using Lived Experience to Challenge Systemic Prescriber Inexperience of Antidepressant Withdrawal

0
Welcome to the Mad in America podcast. My name is Brooke Siem, and I am the author of the award-winning memoir on antidepressant withdrawal,...
Simulate wearing brain scanning waves, medical equipment In the laboratory with monitors showing reading and brain.

New Device for PTSD Being Sold to Veterans—No Evidence Provided to the Public

2
Neither the FDA nor Neurovalens have provided the results from the clinical trial showing how well the device works or its risks.

Mercy, Magic, and the Medical Humanities: An Interview with Jussi Valtonen

1
Novelist and neuropsychologist Jussi Valtonen explains how close reading and creative writing can sharpen clinical attention, deepen perspective-taking, and help clinicians notice the language they use to describe patients.

Mad in Norway International Film Festival

Mad in Norway International Film Festival Film Review: Life After You

0
In this documentary, we meet four of the approximately 6,500 people who become bereaved by suicide every single year in Norway. The impact of a loved one’s suicide changes lives and also significantly increases the risk that the bereaved will die by suicide.


Mad in Norway is seeking submissions for a digital Art Exhibit to be displayed between films at the International Film Festival on September 24-26 in Lillehammer, Click here!

Around the Web

Research Studies

CALLING ALL PEOPLE LIVING IN CANADA WHO HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED AN ANTIDEPRESSANT! Mad in Canada has created a short survey aimed at shedding light on the informed consent process experienced by adults who are living in Canada, and who have been prescribed antidepressants at some point in their life. Our survey is not about whether people should or should not take antidepressants. It’s about what people are being told about the potential effects of antidepressants, when they are prescribed. Learn more and take the survey here.

Research Participants Needed: Are You Reducing or Stopping a Psychiatric Medication? We are a research team at the University of Washington studying how people taper or stop psychiatric medications such as antidepressants, anti-anxiety meds, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and stimulants. If you are over 18 years old and currently reducing or stopping (tapering) a psychiatric medication, we would love to hear about your experiences. Click here to take the eligibility survey.

GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS: CONFRONTING 21ST-CENTURY AUTHORITARIANISM AND RACIAL SUPREMACY: July 6-10, 2026, Venice International University

OPEN DIALOGUE MEETING 2026: August 26-30, 2026, Hveragerði, Iceland

MAD IN NORWAY FILM FESTIVAL: September 24-26, 2026, Lillehammer, Norway

View the artwork, poetry, and humor galleries and submit your work. Or visit the Arts Corner.

Blossom Buddha by Tybee Maitri

Latest Podcast

WSO – We Shall Overcome fikk Stolthetsprisen 2026. Mad in Norway gratulerer!

WSO – We Shall Overcome fikk Stolthetsprisen 2026. Mad in Norway gratulerer!

We Shall Overcome (WSO) tildeles denne prisen for sitt langvarige og banebrytende arbeid for å fremme rettighetene til mennesker med psykososiale funksjonsnedsettelser i Norge, med særlig vekt på arbeidet knyttet til FN-konvensjonen om rettighetene til mennesker med nedsatt funksjonsevne (CRPD). The post WSO – We Shall Overcome fikk Stolthetsprisen 2026. Mad in Norway gratulerer! appeared first on Mad in Norway.
AD4E 24 juni: Nevromangfald: Fridom eller felle? Med  professor Sami Timimi

AD4E 24 juni: Nevromangfald: Fridom eller felle? Med  professor Sami Timimi

Bli med på A Disorder 4 Everyone arrangementet 24. juni 2026, med professor Sami Timimi. Dette er ei ei sjeldan anledning, til å tenke kritisk over dagens raskt spreiande nevrofortelling. The post AD4E 24 juni: Nevromangfald: Fridom eller felle? Med  professor Sami Timimi appeared first on Mad in Norway.

Oproep voor kunstinzendingen Mad in Norway International Film Festival

Mad in Norway staat open voor inzendingen voor een digitale kunsttentoonstelling die wordt getoond in de pauzes tussen de films tijdens het Mad in Norway International Film festival, dat plaatsvindt van 24 tot en met 26 september 2026 in Lillehammer, Noorwegen. Deze diavoorstellingen zijn gewijd aan artistieke uitingen die laat zien hoe het maken van kunst een helende werking kan hebben in tijden van psychische moeilijkheden. De oproep loopt gedurende één maand, vanaf 15 juni[...]

Het menopauzebrein: over hersentransformatie, hersengezondheid en leefstijloptimalisatie van queenagers

Toen ik rond mijn veertigste nietsvermoedend in de perimenopauze terechtkwam, dacht ik dat ik gek werd! Ik was mijn energie kwijt, had hersenmist, werd vergeetachtig, was emotioneel, en kreeg om de paar weken hevige migraineaanvallen. Ik herkende mezelf totaal niet meer. Maar ik bleek niet de enige te zijn. Ongeveer driekwart van de vrouwen in de overgang – ook wel queenagers genoemd - ervaart tijdelijk dit soort hersensymptomen. Als neuro/biopsycholoog verdiepte ik mij in het[...]
Hamardialogene 2026: Håp om bedre kår for helsa vår

Hamardialogene 2026: Håp om bedre kår for helsa vår

Selebert besøk på årlig konferanse ga mersmak: Det er behov for flere møter mellom politikere og erfarere, som her enstemmig formidlet at dagens system skader, og i særdeleshet de mest sårbare. The post Hamardialogene 2026: Håp om bedre kår for helsa vår appeared first on Mad in Norway.
Tid for å mobilisere: Støtt Helen Wesnes i hennes kamp mot staten!

Tid for å mobilisere: Støtt Helen Wesnes i hennes kamp mot staten!

På vegne av Helen Wesnes og alle de som opplever vold og frihetsberøvelse forkledd som helsehjelp, bes de som har mulighet om å stille for å støtte Helen i tingretten i Lillestrøm i dagene 22. til 25. juni. The post Tid for å mobilisere: Støtt Helen Wesnes i hennes kamp mot staten! appeared first on Mad in Norway.
På vei til Norge med filmen om Dory Previn

På vei til Norge med filmen om Dory Previn

"En film som bidrar til å øke forståelsen og dermed sosial rettferdighet innen psykisk helse." Mad in Americas Karin Jervert har snakket med regissør Julia Greenberg og ser fram til høstens internasjonale filmfestival i Lillehammer. The post På vei til Norge med filmen om Dory Previn appeared first on Mad in Norway.
The loneliness of freedom

The loneliness of freedom

I’m lonely. There’s the truth. What I’ve been avoiding. It’s clicked now. I feel more alone than I ever have in my life. Paradoxically, I also feel more connected to people than I ever have. I’m medication-free. No lithium in my body. No psychiatric chemicals for the first time in ten years. There’s something fucking […] The post The loneliness of freedom appeared first on Mad in Ireland.
Gift i åpne sår

Gift i åpne sår

"Når jeg til slutt reiste meg, bar jeg ikke takknemlighet. Jeg bar sannheten." Elisabeth Andersen beskriver hva en årelang psykiatrisk behandling har gjort med henne. The post Gift i åpne sår appeared first on Mad in Norway.
A moving reflection from Dirk Corstens on the passing of Marius Romme

A moving reflection from Dirk Corstens on the passing of Marius Romme

Published on Linkedin Posted by Dirk Corstens on 4/6/26 Marius Romme passed away. Coincidentally, I am sitting on a terrace in Maastricht. Beers with it. Nuts. Maastricht, that’s where it happened. Then. Marius was a real social psychiatrist. That means that you look at everything from that perspective and try to solve it. Just like […] The post A moving reflection from Dirk Corstens on the passing of Marius Romme appeared first on Mad in[...]
New Petition; Save Our Supplements by Health Stores Ireland

New Petition; Save Our Supplements by Health Stores Ireland

A new MyUpLift public petition by Health Stores Ireland, “Save Our Supplements,” is calling on Irish public representatives to scrutinise proposed EU regulations that campaigners argue could significantly reduce the permitted strength of many vitamin and mineral supplements currently available in Ireland. The campaign highlights concerns about potential restrictions on products such as Vitamin D, […] The post New Petition; Save Our Supplements by Health Stores Ireland appeared first on Mad in Ireland.
På tide å skille mellom helsehjelp og samfunnsvern

På tide å skille mellom helsehjelp og samfunnsvern

Gis det tvangsbehandling for å hjelpe den enkelte tilbake til samfunnet, eller for å beskytte samfunnet mot den enkelte? Hilde Marie Rekstad refererer fra konferanse. The post På tide å skille mellom helsehjelp og samfunnsvern appeared first on Mad in Norway.
Lineære styringsmodeller – en dekomponering av livets dimensjoner

Lineære styringsmodeller – en dekomponering av livets dimensjoner

Når vi ser menneskets gjøren og væren i sammenheng, forvandles vi fra upålitelige objekter til tillitsverdige subjekter. Sivilingeniør og kybernetiker Per Andreas Langeland mener vi må forstå hvordan mennesket virker for å oppnå det vi ønsker med våre sosiale systemer. The post Lineære styringsmodeller – en dekomponering av livets dimensjoner appeared first on Mad in Norway.
Rearranging deck chairs while the Titanic goes down – American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology issues deprescribing recommendations

Rearranging deck chairs while the Titanic goes down – American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology issues deprescribing recommendations

Editor’s note: first published on Mad in the UK and Mad in America. In February, the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP) issued a series of recommendations on psychotropic drug deprescribing.1 Derived from a Delphi survey completed by a 45-member international task force, the recommendations purport to offer guidance to clinicians on when and how psychiatric […] The post Rearranging deck chairs while the Titanic goes down – American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology issues deprescribing recommendations[...]
Campaign team at mental health europe call to action on the Oviedo Convention

Campaign team at mental health europe call to action on the Oviedo Convention

With a key decision fast approaching, the future direction of mental health policy in Europe is at a critical turning point, campaigners say. On 27 May, the draft Additional Protocol to the Oviedo Convention will be discussed at the Rapporteur Group on Human Rights of the Committee of Ministers. For Mental Health Europe and its […] The post Campaign team at mental health europe call to action on the Oviedo Convention appeared first on Mad[...]
MindFreedom Ireland plans protest in Dublin

MindFreedom Ireland plans protest in Dublin

A protest organised by MindFreedom Ireland takes place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 3.00 pm at the General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin, continuing the campaign against the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). MindFreedom Ireland, a volunteer-run organisation founded in 2003, is a psychiatric survivor-led movement advocating for human rights and alternatives in mental […] The post MindFreedom Ireland plans protest in Dublin appeared first on Mad in Ireland.
Questioning the prescription: Antidepressants and the medicalisation of childhood

Questioning the prescription: Antidepressants and the medicalisation of childhood

Mad in America explores four recently published articles related to antidepressant use in children and adolescents. The first reports that although clinical trials have found little efficacy for the use of fluoxetine (Prozac) as a treatment for depression in children, clinical guidelines still recommend it. The second finds that persistent antidepressant use is common and rising […] The post Questioning the prescription: Antidepressants and the medicalisation of childhood appeared first on Mad in Ireland.

Keto-dieet + medicatie geleidelijk afbouwen = welke mogelijkheden?

In zijn boek Brain Energy uit 2022 stelde de psychiater Chris Palmer het ketogeen dieet voor als een baanbrekende therapie. Het zou kunnen leiden tot een remissie van symptomen en soms zelfs tot een toekomst zonder medicatie. Dit zou zelfs opgaan voor sommige patiënten met de diagnose schizofrenie en bipolaire stoornis. Een onderzoek naar die mogelijkheid is nu gaande in de Accord-kliniek in Arlington waar patiënten worden behandeld met een ketogeen dieet plus ondersteuning bij[...]

Een succesverhaal over het herwinnen van levenskwaliteit na ernstige ontwenningsverschijnselen

Een interview van Anders Sørensen met Lauren over haar reis vóór de diagnose en medicatie, met de antidepressiva en door de ernstige ontwenningsverschijnselen die haar overvielen toen ze het advies van haar arts opvolgde om af te bouwen. Het is een verhaal over betekenis geven, overleven en wat er gebeurt als de menselijke ervaring wordt aangezien voor een chemisch defect. The post Een succesverhaal over het herwinnen van levenskwaliteit na ernstige ontwenningsverschijnselen appeared first on[...]
Mad in Norway International Film Festival

Mad in Norway International Film Festival

Welcome to Rethinking Mental Health  Mad in Norway’s International Film Festival September 24 to 26, 2026 – Lillehammer, Norway This September, we invite you to come to Lillehammer, Norway, to be inspired by films from around the world – films that rarely reach mainstream cinema. Who are we, and who is invited? Mad in Norway […] The post Mad in Norway International Film Festival appeared first on Mad in Ireland.

Driedaags internationaal filmfestival ‘Rethinking Mental Health’

Samen met onze internationale partners van ‘Mad in the World’, heet Mad in Norway je van harte welkom in Lillehammer. Laat je inspireren door films van over de hele wereld; films die niet zo vaak in de bioscoop te zien zijn. Het filmfestival ‘Rethinking Mental Health’ duurt drie dagen en vindt plaats van 24 tot en met 26 september 2026. In deze blog vind je een aankondiging van de films. The post Driedaags internationaal filmfestival[...]
Podcast: Examining psychiatric medication tapering and withdrawal

Podcast: Examining psychiatric medication tapering and withdrawal

Welcome to the Mad in America podcast. My name is James. Today, we are discussing the experiences of people who have attempted to stop taking psychiatric drugs. These experiences are captured in a survey undertaken by the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Joining me to talk about this work are […] The post Podcast: Examining psychiatric medication tapering and withdrawal appeared first on Mad in Ireland.