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The dark side of psychiatry – how it has been used to control societies

2025-04-02 - 2025-04

In his new book, No More Normal, psychiatrist Alastair Santhouse recalls an experience from the 1980s when he was a university student in the UK helping deliver supplies to “refuseniks” – Soviet citizens who were denied permission to leave the USSR. These people often faced harsh treatment, losing their jobs and becoming targets of harassment. Some were even diagnosed with a psychiatric condition called “sluggish schizophrenia”.

By the time Santhouse encountered this diagnostic category, sluggish schizophrenia had been kicking around psychiatry in the Soviet Union for some time. It first entered the diagnostic lexicon in the 1930s, coined to describe cases in which adults diagnosed with schizophrenia had displayed no symptoms of the disorder in childhood.

This notion of a symptomless disorder gave it tremendous value to Soviet officials in the 1970s and 80s, who wielded it ruthlessly against those who suddenly suffered from delusions of wanting a better society or hallucinatory desires to emigrate.

But they weren’t the only ones to wield psychiatry to repress and control. “Punitive” or “political” psychiatry has proven to be quite a useful tool in many parts of the world. One well-known case is that of Chinese political activist Wang Wanxing, who marked the third anniversary of the 1989 pro-democracy student protests in Tiananmen Square by unfurling his own pro-democracy banner on that same spot.

T.N. Mental Health Authority lists minimum standards for de-addiction centres

2025-04-01 - 2025-04

The Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority has outlined the minimum standards for de-addiction centres in the State, which include a ban on physical, mental, and sexual abuse or violence. It has also specified the conditions under which physical restraint may be used.
“Physical restraint is to be used if it is the only means available to prevent imminent and immediate harm to the person concerned or to others, and it should be approved by the psychiatrist. The circumstances, duration of restraint shall be recorded in the case sheet and a separate register kept for the purpose,” the notification said.

TeleManas helpline proves lifeline for mental health support in Telangana

2025-03-31 - 2025-03

The data, categorised into psychological issues, stress-related disorders, anxiety problems, sleep disturbances, mood-related sadness, relationship conflicts, suicidal ideation and medical complaints, highlights the growing demand for mental health interventions.

Quirky ‘Killbill Society’ promotional campaign backfires, psychiatrists slam makers

2025-03-28 - 2025-03

Filmmaker Srijit Mukherji’s upcoming Bengali film Killbill Society has run into controversy with a promotional campaign sparking outrage for allegedly diluting the gravity of mental health disorders.

A poster of the upcoming film starring Parambrata Chattopadhayay and Koushani Mukherjee, pasted in different parts of Kolkata, carries the text “Are you feeling helpless Contact Mrityunjoy Kar” — a message that many see as an allusion to suicide helpline numbers.

Rethinking autism diagnosis with AI and clinical expertise

2025-03-27 - 2025-03

In diagnosing autism – the developmental variant that affects around 80 million people worldwide – medical practitioners today put too much emphasis on a child's lack of sociability and not enough on their interests and how they naturally behave spontaneously with objects.

And so, to be more accurate in their assessments, health authorities should start tapping the vast analytic powers of artificial intelligence, combined with the experience of clinicians, and come up with better diagnostic criteria.

That's what Canadian neuroscientists argue in a new study, published today in the journal Cell.

Genetic and environmental factors in schizophrenia

2025-03-26 - 2025-03

Schizophrenia affects millions worldwide, yet its causes remain one of the greatest medical mysteries. In an exclusive Genomic Press Interview, Dr. Consuelo Walss-Bass, a pioneering researcher in psychiatric genetics, shares how both genetic predisposition and environmental factors contribute to severe mental health disorders.

As the John S. Dunn Foundation Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry at UTHealth Houston, Dr. Walss-Bass has dedicated her career to understanding these mechanisms, transforming scientific discoveries into real-world applications for patient care.

A personal and scientific journey into mental illness
Dr. Walss-Bass's passion for psychiatric research is deeply personal. Born and educated in Torreón, Mexico, she was drawn to genetics after witnessing her mother's and sister's struggles with schizophrenia.

Trump and DOGE Propel V.A. Mental Health System Into Turmoil

2025-03-24 - 2025-03

Late in February, as the Trump administration ramped up its quest to transform the federal government, a psychiatrist who treats veterans was directed to her new workstation — and was incredulous.

She was required, under a new return-to-office policy, to conduct virtual psychotherapy with her patients from one of 13 cubicles in a large open office space, the kind of setup used for call centers. Other staff might overhear the sessions, or appear on the patient’s screen as they passed on their way to the bathroom and break room.

The psychiatrist was stunned. Her patients suffered from disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Treating them from her home office, it had taken many months to earn their trust. This new arrangement, she said, violated a core ethical tenet of mental health care: the guarantee of privacy.

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