Kellevision

Bipolar Disorder Overdiagnosed

An article in the Providence Journal this month discusses Dr. Mark Zimmerman's study which shows that Bipolar Disorder is being overdiagnosed. 

Is Social Anxiety Disorder just a fancy name for shyness?

Christopher Lane, in his new book, "Shyness:  How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness" discusses how a normal human behavior became a mental illness requiring medical treatment and the process by which this happened. 

Terry Pratchett diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's

This brilliant author describes the illness and its effects on his life in an audio interview with the BBC. 

"The only normal people are the one's you don't know very well."

From the Austrian psychologist, Alfred Adler.  This is so true.  It reminds me of another quote from Tolstoy in Anna Karenina, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."

Racism in the Mental Health System?

A recent article on Mind Hacks discusses the existence of racism in the mental health systems throughout the world.  From my own experiences I have to wonder if it simple racism or whether it is a lack of cultural competency. 

Psychiatry Sells Out to Big Pharma?

A conflict of interest, not to mention ethics, is brewing.  The influence of pharmaceutical companies on the science of psychiatry is being discussed on two of my favorite blogs, Furious Seasons and Mind Hacks. 

Leave your Religion at the Door

This is a very interesting article regarding religious values in therapy, both the client’s and the clinician’s. Enjoy the full article at TherapyDoc's Blog.

What do you think about the effect of the clinician's religious beliefs on their work with clients?

Should clients always seeks out clinicians with the same religious beliefs?

Tragedy as a Motivator

“A death-inspired survival instinct is a great incentive to smash glass ceilings. Following my husband’s death, I needed no psychometric tests to tell me which sector or job my emotional or intelligence quotient best suited me for. A zero bank balance was motivation enough.”

Read Suzy Walton’s story in the Guardian
Saturday, January 19, 2008

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) and Other Horrors

I read an article the other day about the huge number of veterans in Iraq that the marvels of modern medicine are now being able to save. Soldiers who previously would have died from serious injuries to the head, skull, and brain are now being saved from death. Soldiers in Iraq are experiencing a large number of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). They are being saved from death, patched up and sent home so that Bush will not have to count them as a “casualty”. But what will the quality of their life be? How will this effect the society to which they are being returned?

The Counselor's Creed

This is being posted on the web. The author is unknown, but he or she makes some interesting points. Comments?