A 'senior psychiatrist', UCC Professor Timothy 'Ted' Dinan, has laid a complaint against Dr Michael Corry at the Medical Council.
    In a letter to the Council's Fitness to Practice Committee, Dinan said Dr Corry had made comments about a tragedy "without regard for the distress" caused to the families; had "made allegations regarding the competence" of a colleague [by suggesting a colleague treated a patient that rendered him homicidal and suicidal]; "made statements regarding a diagnosis without ever seeing the patient"; and made "statements regarding the pharmacology of antidepressants".
    The professor has made previous attempts to chill debate on the mental health services and on the dangers, efficacy or otherwise of the treatments his profession holds dear, in particular the use of SSRIs and SNRIs to treat depression and other complaints.
    The professor has close relations with several of the makers of the drugs he espouses and defends, and whose critics he is trying to silence. A statement of disclosure related to a course he has taught says: "Dr Dinan has received honoraria [cash payments] from and is a member of the speakers board and advisory board for Lilly, Pfizer, Lundbeck, and Organon." (Reference here)
    The professor's Cork Neuroscience Group is funded by, among others, the Wellcome Trust (which funds biomedical research) and GlaxoSmithKline, which itself resulted from two mergers. The first merger saw Burroughs Wellcome, founder of the Wellcome Trust, join with Glaxo plc, to form GlaxoWellcome. This later fused with SmithKline Beecham to create GSK, second largest drug company in the world and manufacturer of Seroxat/Paxil.
    He speaks at meetings which advocate the view that depression is underdiagnosed in Ireland by as much as 75% and that SSRIs are an essential treatment. For an example, see here
    Signing himself as Timothy Dinan, MD, PhD, FRCPsych, FRCPI, Professor of Psychiatry, University College Cork, the academic was one of six professors of psychiatry who penned a letter published in the Irish Times on 16 November 2006 demanding the resignation of the then Minister for Mental Health, Tim O'Malley, for two reasons.
    One, O'Malley had dared to suggest that many everyday difficulties of life were being mis-labeled as 'clinical depression'. Secondly, he had dared to suggest, with good reason, that the alleged benefits of medications used to treat mental illness cannot be proven scientifically in the way that other medications can. Both suggestions are cardinal sins for those who rule the world of psychiatry, and whose word is law among the students they teach.
    Interestingly, the 'six professors letter' drew a ferocious wave of disagreement, from former patients, from psychiatrists and GPs, from nurses, and from senior sociologists who have been studying the the use of psychiatric medications and such 'therapies' as electro-shock for many years.
    Among the 'senior psychiatrists' who disagreed with the six ruling professors was a former professor, perhaps the most distinguished professor of psychiatry this country has produced, Professor Emeritus Dr Ivor Browne.
    Clearly, the response to that intervention has not blunted the desire of at least one of their number to chill debate and silence critics of institutional psychiatry and bad medicine.
    In this latest attempt, the most chilling part of the complaint is that Corry made "statements regarding the pharmacology of antidepressants". If such a complaint was upheld as valid, neither Dr Corry nor any other doctor registered with the Irish Medical Council could ever again 'make a statement' on the action of a drug such as Seroxat or Lexapro — or, by extension, of any drug.
    For the full report by the Sunday Tribune on the complaint against Michael Corry, see the right-hand column or go here
    For the debate stirred up by Minister O'Malley's remarks in 2006, see here

The Sunday Tribune has done a great service by taking the Clancy/Creane tragedy so seriously and investigating the role of antidepressants in the double deaths of murder victim Sebastian Creane and his killer, Shane Clancy.
    Crime reporter Ali Bracken went undercover, detailing symptoms of mild depression to five doctors. Four prescribed her SSRIs, though she was a new patient and clinical guidelines state that these drugs should not be prescribed as a first resort for mild depression, where counselling is the appropriate first step.
    And on the front page of the Sunday Tribune on 4 October, Bracken reported that Shane Clancy was given a three-week supply of antidepressant medication by a pharmacy on the day before the tragic events, despite his doctor instructing he should only be supplied one week's dosage at a time because of a previous overdose.
    She conducted an extensive interview with Shane's father, Patrick, who expressed his horror at what had happened and his unease at the role of doctors and pharmacists in prescribing and distributing antidepressants:
    "I think every parent should ask their GP where they stand on antidepressants and in what circumstances they would prescribe them to their children. We all need to look at the relationship between doctors and pharmaceutical companies. Shane put a high dosage of chemicals into his body and I've no doubt he reacted to that. Some people take antidepressants and they don't agree with them. The consequences of that can be horrific."

The HSE spent almost €54m on antidepressants for medical card holders in 2008, up 35% on the previous year, despite an Oireacthas report recommending an increase in counselling services as psychiatric drugs "tend to be prescribed for want of an alternative" and can lead to "severe adverse reactions".
    A report by the Joint Committee on Health and Children in 2006, The Adverse Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals, found that the prescription of antidepressants by medical practitioners for "minor symptoms" was "leading in some cases to severe adverse reactions".
    The report continues: "The patient presenting with symptoms expects some tangible form of treatment and the practitioner feels under pressure to respond so as to, at the minimum, send the patient away in a more confident frame of mind. It is in the absence of a full range of counselling and psychotherapy services that many medicines, intended for moderate to severe psychiatric disorders, are prescribed for minor symptoms leading in some cases to severe adverse reactions."
    I visited five doctors in August for the Sunday Tribune and reported feeling depressed. Four out of the five prescribed antidepressant medication, despite the fact it was a first-time visit to each surgery and no counselling had been undertaken. Three of the GPs were asked about the waiting time to see a counsellor/psychiatrist in the public health service and all reported there would be a wait of at least several weeks, possibly several months.
    Since 2006, there has been a large increase in psychiatrists, counsellors and psychologists employed by HSE.
    The number of psychiatrists increased by 52 to 299 between 2006 and 2009; counsellors increased by 23 to 180; psychologists increased by 60 to 367 in the same time period.
    In 2007, the HSE spent €40m on antidepressants for medical card holders, compared with just under €54m last year. The joint committee report also recommended that there be an increase in the number of psychologists and counsellors in the community health service. "This would provide practitioners with an alternative to drug therapy in minor cases and would complement drug treatment in more serious case," it added.
    The family of a young man who carried out a murder-suicide in Bray in August are concerned about his use of antidepressants and intend to raise the issue at the inquest into his death.
    In a letter to the Gerry Ryan Show last week, Shane Clancy's mother Leonie wrote: "What lessons can be learned? If it can happen to Shane it can happen to anyone. Was it because he didn't drink or do drugs that his system just couldn't cope with the antidepressants or can depression melt your brain if it gets that bad? Will we ever know?
    "I drove him to the doctor and made him get some antidepressants which he didn't want to take but I insisted. It's very hard to watch your six-foot son with tears dripping down his face."
    Clancy murdered Sebastian Creane (22), at his home in Bray in Co Wicklow, before turning the knife on himself.

The family of a young man who carried out a murder-suicide in Bray three weeks ago are understood to be concerned about his use of antidepressants and intend to raise the issue at the inquest into his death.
    The Sunday Tribune has learned that members of Shane Clancy's family, from Dalkey in south Dublin, want to explore whether antidepressants could have in any way influenced his behaviour on the night he murdered Sebastian Creane (22), at his home in Bray in Co Wicklow, before turning the knife on himself.
    The Trinity College Dublin student also stabbed his former girlfriend Jennifer Hannigan and Creane's older brother Dylan in the attack. Both have recovered from their injuries.
    A source close to the family said some members of the family plan to research antidepressants and speak to the appropriate experts about the medication as they are anxious to explore whether the pills could have influenced his behaviour. Family members believe the best place to raise these concerns will be at an inquest into the 22-year-old's death, which will be held at Wicklow Coroner's Court in several months' time.
    The two men's inquests will be dealt with at the same hearing by Wicklow east coroner Cathal Louth. If permitted by the coroner, expert witnesses could be called to give evidence about the impact antidepressants can have on a patient's behaviour.
    Clancy started taking antidepressant medication a week before the murder-suicide and had told friends that he did not like the way the drugs made him feel.
    Last week, a psychiatrist claimed that the murder-suicide in Bray would not have happened if Clancy had not been taking antidepressants.
    Dr Michael Corry, who is an outspoken critic of antidepressants, said: "If he was not on medication, he would not have done what he did. I would stake my career on that.
    "His behaviour was out of character. He went from homicidal to suicidal. It's a Jekyll and Hyde situation." Corry was not involved in the medical treatment of the 22-year-old.
    Other psychiatrists and GPs have since disagreed with Dr Corry's assessment.

By Ali Bracken, Sunday Tribune

The Medical Council is investigating a complaint regarding psychiatrist Dr Michael Corry's "competence to practice" following comments he made to the Sunday Tribune about the role of anti-depressants in a murder-suicide in Bray eight weeks ago.
    Professor of Psychiatry Ted Dinan wrote to the Medical Council accusing Dr Corry of "publicity seeking of an appalling kind", and the council will now consider the complaint at a scheduled meeting on 15 October.
    In the wake of the murder-suicide carried out by Shane Clancy, who was misusing antidepressants, Dr Corry said: "If he was not on medication, he would not have done what he did. I would stake my career on that. His behaviour was out of character. He went from homicidal to suicidal."

Defend Michael Corry: oppose the censors To defend Dr Michael Corry we need other health professionals to stand by him. Would any doctors and nurses, especially psychiatric nurses, plus psychotherapists and counsellors, who are concerned at this attack on the right of medical professionals to oppose the monopoly of bio-psychiatry and are willing to stand up and be counted, please contact his defence team? email wellbeing[at]wellbeingfoundation.com The most chilling part of Professor Timothy Dinan's complaint is that Corry made "statements regarding the pharmacology of antidepressants".     If such a complaint is upheld as valid, neither Dr Corry nor any other doctor registered with the Medical Council will ever again be able to 'make a statement' on the action of a drug such as Seroxat or Lexapro — or, by extension, of any drug. Are you willing to allow this to happen? Send objections to Professor Timothy Dinan's complaint to: Mr John Sidebotham Professional Standards Department Medical Council Lynn House Portobello Court Lower Rathmines Road Dublin 6 Fax: 01 4983103 Email: complaints@mcirl.ie

    The psychiatrist who complained to the Medical Council said Dr Corry had made comments about a tragedy "without regard for the distress" caused to the families; had "made allegations regarding the competence" of a fellow colleague [by suggesting a colleague treated a patient that rendered him homicidal and suicidal]; "made statements regarding a diagnosis without ever seeing the patient"; made "statements regarding the pharmacology of antidepressants".
    Dr Corry said that he stood over his comments. "My competence to practise is being questioned because, in my view, I gave my opinion. I stand over what I said. It's been supported by the fact that we now know that Shane Clancy took two overdoses of antidepressants in the days before the incident. I hope that the Medical Council finds that I don't have a case to answer."
    If the Medical Council's investigation concludes that the complaint warrants further action, it can refer the matter to the Fitness to Practice committee for an inquiry.
    "The complaint made typifies the times we live in," said Corry. "Unquestionably, psychiatry is stagnant. It is not open to any interpretation. The profession refuses to acknowledge the anti-psychiatry movement or anything that questions it. It is caught in a time-warp. It's a humpy-dumpty science.
    "Look at the abuse of systems and corruption within politics and sexual abuse scandals within the church because people were not allowed to speak the truth."
    Shane Clancy's parents have separately voiced their concern about their son's misuse of antidepressants. At the inquest into his death, the possibility that the 22-year-old's killing of Sebastian Creane was influenced by the medication will be investigated.
    There have been several court cases and inquests in the US where it has been proven that antidepressant medication was the driving force behind homicide and suicide.
    Many GPs have disagreed with Dr Corry's views and pointed out that people should not stop taking antidepressant medication because of media attention surrounding this case.

October 11, 2009

Comments by readers in the ST

#1 Herman commented, on October 13, 2009 at 12:41 p.m.:
The Medical Council's fitness committee would do better to investigate the professors of psychiatry who take money and gifts from the drug companies, then hold themselves out, dishonestly, as 'independent experts' and fail to declare their conflicts of interest. Most of these people are in the pockets of the pharmaceutical industry.

#2 Grainne commented, on October 14, 2009 at 8:56 p.m.:
I greatly admire Dr. Michael Corry's courage to challenge bio-psychiatry. I think he is a brave man for naming the truth and standing by his comments. Bio-psychiatry is autocratic by nature and peddling pharmacology rather than promoting true recovery. This is evident in the system's defensive response to Dr. Corry's comments.

#3 Abdul Maalik commented, on October 14, 2009 at 8:56 p.m.:
Dr Michael Corry, one of the few brave doctors in world that has spoken out against the damage of neuroleptics and other psychiatric treatments deserves a fair hearing.
The SR on Torture paragraph 40 says: "Persons with disabilities are exposed to medical experimentation and intrusive and irreversible medical treatments without their consent (e.g. sterilization, abortion and interventions aiming to correct or alleviate a disability, such as electroshock treatment and mind-altering drugs including neuroleptics)".
We support Dr Michael Corry for standing up for human rights, and the object and purpose of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

#4 Mary Maddock commented, on October 14, 2009 at 8:57 p.m.:
Dr Michael Corry is one of the few doctors in Ireland who is prepared to speak the truth and is not prepared to be bribed by the pharmaceutical companies. He does this at tremendous personal cost.
Psychiatric survivors worldwide know too well how psychotropic drugs can distort mental, emotional and physical capacity. We have had our lives turned upside down by toxic drugs. Some of us have had to endure a living death and others have chosen suicide because the tortuous pain was too difficult.
We feel some comfort that a least someone is prepared to stand up and be counted. Thank you Dr Michael Corry.

#5 Frank commented, on October 14, 2009 at 10:14 p.m.:
Certainly the Medical Council must have better things to do than trying to censor a doctor for speaking the truth. In the USA anti-depressants come in bottles with little black boxes printed on them warning about suicide and aggression risks in children and adolescents. These little black boxes would not be printed on the bottles if there were no evidence to support the information on them. The man who commited this murder suicide wasn't much older than an adolescent himself at 22. A few of the braver members of the medical professional have spoken out about some of the dangers associated with these drugs. The Medical Council definitely shouldn't be penalizing, as in this Dr. Corry's case, a doctor for dispensing information that is backed up by the evidence. What now? Are we going to reward doctors for telling lies to, and for harming, their patients?

#6 Barney Holmes commented, on October 14, 2009 at 10:31 p.m.:
At last a Psychiatrist who seems to be concerned for his own profession. The nature of these drugs has been under question for many decades. It is unacceptable that families offered "care" and "help" are put through these nightmares to the extent that no one can hardly remember what the original problem was. Time for change.

#7 Marian commented, on October 14, 2009 at 11:37 p.m.:
So, "a senior psychiatrist" thinks it is "apalling" that one of his peers dares to stand up and tell the truth about the potential of psychiatric drugs to cause adverse effects, among a range of others suicidality and homicidality, while he doesn't seem to think it the least apalling that most members of his profession, he himself probably included, "without regard for the distress" the drugs more often than not cause both those who take them and their families, accept considerable amounts of drug company money in return for doing whatever it takes to suppress the truth about these substances? Apalling. Indeed.
My unreserved sympathy goes to Dr. Michael Corry for his professional integrity, his courage, and his respect for his patients, commanding him to speak the truth at the risk of having to pay with his carreer: Thank you!

#8 Barbara commented, on October 15, 2009 at 12:09 a.m.:
Thank God....a doctor who is not in the hip pockets of the pharmaceutical or insurance industries. These "legalized" drug pushers continue to threaten and intimidate anyone who questions them and I believe, this doctor should be applauded for his courage, not persecuted.

#9 Dr Mike Smith commented, on October 15, 2009 at 8:39 a.m.:
Michael Corry has said clearly a number of matters of fact with which i concur ie that psychiatry is a humpty dumpty science, i would go further and say a group of charlatans and quacks who should all be referred to the medical council as I myself now class myself as a conscientious objector, an ex worker in psychiatry who now believes thast the profession does more harm than good. David Healey's work and evidence against the use of anti depressants in the USA and their link to impulsivity and consequently both suicide and homicide is well known and supports Dr Corry's assertions. I wonder why the profession seeks to deny and demonise a person who states both fact and opinion, the latter being everything the profession is built upon?

#10 Marion commented, on October 15, 2009 at 9:20 a.m.:
This quote, to me, sums up the toxic field of psychiatry - "Given the choice between changing one’s mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof" - John Kenneth Galbraith
Michael Corry like others before him is simply asserting the truth that many of us know. This of course requires that not only do the bigots, bullies and misguided self appointed "experts" in psychiatry change their minds, but learn the art of humility, caring and compassion. Money, power and greed - and the maintenance of distressed people- has been the dictate of psychiatry for too long. It is time for the winds of change and more courageous people to come forward, like Michael and assert the truth.

#11 Basil Miller commented, on October 15, 2009 at 10:58 a.m.:
Defending Dr Corry will involve other health professionals standing by him. Would any doctors and nurses, particularly psychiatric nurses, plus psychotherapists and counsellors, who are concerned at this attack on the right of professionals to oppose bio-psychiatry's monopoly and are willing to stand up and be counted, please contact his defence team via the Wellbeing Foundation website?

#12 Greg White commented, on October 15, 2009 at 11:10 a.m.:
For the great majority of us enjoying its delusional fruits, our controlling conditioned reality is `your only man' presided over by an emperor who in latter years only now and then appears without any clothes.
Psychiatrists, the most powerful and highly rewarded of its defenders, are licensed to cloth this imposter, to defend those delusions by stigma (with psychiatric labels)
intoxication (with narcotics), even to damage the brain (with ECT).
We should thank our lucky stars that Dr.Corry is among the paltry few who continues to break ranks, who understands this equation and is among the fewer still who have the courage to say and do something about it.

#13 Moss Bliss commented, on October 15, 2009 at 4:48 p.m.:
The drug companies have ruled the psychiatric world since the late 1950s. Now that they are losing lawsuits, they decide to attack the doctors who are bringing out the truth. If they had brought out the truth in the first place, doctors could have been applying all reasonable healing techniques instead of drugging us.
I have (as of early next month) been off all psych drugs for 6 years, after nearly 40 years of being drugged. You can ask people who knew me before, I'm a much better person now.
The studies on these drugs showed suicidal and homicidal thoughts, and the drug companies covered it up. Despite these high profile cases, they even covered up the fact that they doctored study results comparing the positive effects (?) to those of placebo, and swept the negative ones under the rug.
Michael Corry should have half the nation running to his defence. It would be a crime to censure him for doing his duty as a physician.

#14 Dr Bob Johnson commented, on October 15, 2009 at 5:26 p.m.:
This review is from: The Myth of the Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drug Treatment. I wrote it in February 2008, it appears on the Amazon website, under the book of this name.
A more enlightened view of what psychiatry should be is given on my website, www.DrBobJohnson.org/mind.html
THE PSYCHIATRIC TRUTH THAT DARES NOT SPEAK ITS NAME.
Student massacres in the US since Columbine, are invariably heart-wrenching - last month there were four such multiple killings in a single week - what's happening and where will it end? There is one obvious explanation - but so far, it's proved too hot to handle. Perhaps now that Prozac and other psychiatric drugs are unravelling, an even harsher medical truth can emerge.
First let's get a grip on what goes on. Suppose all these student killers were drunk - that would make immediate sense. Alcohol is well known to confuse the mind, stifle normal rules of behaviour and thereby unleash violence. This would explain it all - acting, violently, while not in full control of their faculties - this is entirely characteristic of intoxication - and it closely resembles what all the perpetrators did. And the connection is closer than you think.
Alcohol itself does not feature in these massacres - but Dr Joanna MonCrieff's book makes the link painfully obvious, concluding (p224). ". . . exposing our miracle cures as psychoactive chemicals, which distort normal brain function by producing a state of intoxication." [my emphasis]. This is a tightly argued book providing irrefutable evidence that no psychiatric drug is superior to alcohol. Worse - whatever effects they produce arise through varying degrees of confusion or sedation - the ominously termed drug-induced `frontal lobe syndrome'. This is the awful psychiatric truth that dares not speak its name.
The myth she so punctiliously punctures has a long history of obfuscation. Fifty-five years ago the `Nine Hospital Study', which started the whole thing off, did not prove that the new `tranquilisers' cured schizophrenia. What they showed was that after 6 weeks there were fewer symptoms - the sedative effect, but that after 12 months the drugged patients were worse - the zombie effect. Psychiatrists and legislators have shamefully ignored this ever since.
Dr MonCrieff leaves no wriggle room for purblind psychiatrists or legislators. In my 45 years as a psychiatrist, I've never seen a clearer condemnation of today's psychiatry. The book's target audience is academic, and sadly its tone and price reflect this - but the last chapter says it all, and should be compulsory reading for every psychiatrist, every politician and every consumer of these increasingly potent drugs. Dangerous mandatory and toxic medical practices will otherwise continue unabated - until others match Dr MonCrieff's courage, and publicise this devastating message.
Dr Bob Johnson Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Consultant Psychiatrist, MRCPscyh, MRCGP, PhD

#15 Tami Williams, Ph.D. (clinical psychology) commented, on October 15, 2009 at 7:41 p.m.:
I enthusiastically applaud Dr. Corry for courageously swimming against the tide in a profession (that I know from experience) mobilizes systematically to attack anyone who dares to speak the truth about the long history of blood on the hands of psychiatrists and psychologists and a system that will 'rubber stamp' their unsubstantiated actions and statements. Too much power, too many agendas, way too little science. Dangerous! It must be stopped or there will be more victims.
Good work, Dr. Corry! You are a man of integrity.

#16 Anna de Jonge commented, on October 15, 2009 at 10:04 p.m.:
It is well established that the anti-depressants are responsible for homicides and suicides.
People do not understand: why they have done these things after they have done it.
Because they have no idea why they are doing it, when they are on these mind - bending drugs.
People jump in the river, cut themselves, kill another person.
The drug companies do know this, but they cover-up for the sake of money.

#17 Paul OMahony Cork commented, on October 16, 2009 at 12:33 a.m.:
Congratulation Dr Corry. What's the point of giving lip-service to the ideal of whistle-blowers if we silence you?
The good thing now is that there is a conflict out in the open and we have the opportunity to think this through and join in the controversy.
I love the way you responded to the referral. May we have the name of the psychiatrist who complained about you offering your view? Hopefully we won't have a one-sided dialogue between anonymous and courageous.
It's late now, time to sleep. I look forward to returning here and offering more substantial thoughts. Well done.

#18 Philip Barton commented, on October 16, 2009 at 2:36 a.m.:
Now is the time for good men and women to stand up. Dr. Michael Corry has put his job on the line for years with his courageous stand against what passes for treatments in the area of mental health. He is the chink in the armour of the Pharma/Psych alliance, but unless other professionals step forward and support him the vested interests will silence him. It is time to tell the truth.

#19 Anne commented, on October 16, 2009 at 2:27 p.m.:
I also am grateful that Dr Corry had the courage to speak on this topic.
Where peoples' lives are concerned,there should at least be open discussions on these matters.
Dr Corry has only raised concerns, which are important.

#20 Psychtruth commented, October 19, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.:
I myself was prescribed the SSRI Seroxat and like Shane Clancy , I had a complete change of personality and behavior, I went from depressed before meds to suicidal, aggressive and impulsive. Michael Corry is an absolute gent and he has always had the best interests of his patients (and those whom suffer mental illness) at heart. Many of his colleagues in the (pharmaceutical funded) psychiatric profession on the other hand, do not. He is one brave man to so stand up and go against such dark forces. I wish him well. He is the only one brave enough to speak out about the real dangers of these drugs.. information that, until now, the psychiatric profession has tried to withold and suppress. Mr Corry, I salute you! :)

#21 Robert Gisel commented, October 20, 2009 at 3:53 a.m.:
Dr. Corry's stance is laudable and very commendable. There needs to be more doctors having the courage to speak out against attempts to whitewash the actual threat to life when these Type II narcotic drugs are foisted onto society. Keep up the good work and let's flog these devils.

#22 Beg to differ commented, October 20, 2009 at 11:33 a.m.:
Dear Sir - i am a little disappointed at the content of this discussion which does little to address the difficult reality of treating and caring for patients with mental illness. Much of the above comments are based on the 17th century Cartesian argument of the "mind/body" split or idea that emotional distress and mental illness do not have any biological basis. It is equally inaccurate, of course, to assert that environmental influences and life events do not play a pivotal role in precipitating or perpetuating mental illness in vulnerable individuals. Modern neuroscience and psychiatric practice recognises that both environmental influences and inherited or developmental biological vulnerabilities are relevant to the development of mental illness in many cases. It is not surprising therefore that sucessful interventional strategies should draw upon a range of both biological and psychosocial treatment modalities tailored to the individual needs of each patient. The polarisation of this argument into "biological" versus "psychosocial" is both inaccurate and unhelpful for patients. The configuration of psychiatric services in Ireland has moved towards a multidisciplinary approach whereby medical professionals work within a team of allied health professionals (psychologists, nurses, social workers etc) towards a holistic solution for each patient. This practice model (which is the ideal) is all too frequently sabotaged by the harsh reality of providing some system of care in the absence of adequate resources. The real tragedy here is that mental health services in Ireland, and youth mental health services in particular, are woefully inadequate and underfunded. This is unlikely to change when vested interests on one side of the therapeutic divide engage in professional denigration and point scoring. Is it time for "anti-psychiatry" to move in from the margins and invest their energies in a more "pro-patient" approach ?

#23 Matthew Holford commented, on October 20, 2009 at 2:23 p.m.:
Psychiatry has never repaired anyone. Ergo, psychiatry either believes that cure is impossible, or currently unattainable.
As such, given that it doesn't know the cure, and has no better theory to offer for causation than the pharmaceutical industry's "chemical imbalance" marketing guff, Psychiatry is not positioned to tell anybody about anything.
The drugs don't work, and there isn't enough space here to discuss the extent of how it is that they don't work. But suffice is to say that psychiatry's implicit admission that it's never fixed anybody (one may be deemed to be "in remission" but that's the extent of it), must also implicate psychopharmacology, give that that is the main tool in the shrink's arsenal.
When you can have a shrink answer the charge that they don't know what they're doing, I'll show further interest in the discussion.

#24 Matthew Holford commented, on October 20, 2009 at 11:46 p.m.:
Beg to differ wrote:
"...Is it time for "anti-psychiatry" to move in from the margins and invest their energies in a more "pro-patient" approach ?"
That would require that a person who might be characterised as "anti-psychiatry" were invited to contribute. As it happens, several of my blogging colleagues, who have been dubbed "anti-psychiatry," have arrived at their positions owing to their passionate determination to assist either themselves or others.
We have awkward questions to ask of psychiatrists. Joseph Biederman still hasn't explained to me why he deserves to call himself an expert, when he's never fixed anybody. That may sound provocative, but I was being deadly serious.
These people have no credibility in the eyes of those who have been on the wrong end of their desperate need to find illness. None.

#25 Mary Maddock commented, on October 25, 2009 at 5:05 a.m.:
On further reflection, the reason it is outrageous to have a witch hunt for Dr Michael Corry is because there is no scientific proof that 'mental illness' exists and psychiatry thinks it has the right to force others ( in plain language to use violence) to receive its 'treatments'. Even if it could prove that 'mental illness' does exist it would still have no right to be violent or use the threat of violence. Dr Thomas Szasz argues this point very clearly in his many excellent books.
Just as church, who thinks it believes in a peaceful God it cannot prove it exists, has committed outrageous acts of violence throughout history, psychiatry today believes it can bulldoze its way and make people 'better' against their will.
Now the psychiatrists who oppose Dr Corry's point of view think they can excommunicate him because he has a different point of view. It is learned behaviour and they have the audacity to label other people as violent. When will we ever learn?

Comments now closed
Original Sunday Tribune story here

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