A catalyst for rethinking psychiatric care, scientific research
Welcome to Mad in Canada!
As the newest of several Mad in America global affiliates, Mad in Canada believes that the current paradigm of mental health care has failed our society and that scientific research, as well as the lived experience of those who have been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, calls for profound change.
Mad in Canada is dedicated to providing a forum for progressive writing which reconsiders the public discourse on mental health distress in Canada.
On behalf of everyone at Mad in Canada, we’re pleased to welcome you to our webzine!
Marnie Wedlake & Lucy Costa, Co-editors
Mad in Canada stands in solidarity with First Nations.
Loss, Grief, and Betrayal: Psychiatric Survivors Reflect on the Impact of New Serotonin Study
Loss, grief, and a sense of betrayal are felt deeply by many who have been affected by the myth of the chemical imbalance—a myth given so much attention over so many decades that it...
A Disorder for Everyone! – The Online Festival 2022
The 3rd annual AD4E festival will bring you a whole day of change-making talks, presentations, conversations, poetry from far and wide.
About this event
In September of 2020 two and a half thousand people from...
No evidence of a chemical imbalance in depression
The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence.
Joanna Moncrieff and 5 colleagues undertook a systematic umbrella review of evidence aimed at synthesizing and evaluating evidence on the chemical imbalance theory...
Queer and Trans Madness: Struggles for Social Justice
This book puts Mad Studies and activism in conversation with queer and trans activism and resistance. When I first came across what would eventually become known as Mad Studies, I did not see a...
Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction: Providing Ethical & Trauma-Informed Care
Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction is an highly stigmatized, understudied, and underreported sexual health condition.
About this event
630pm - 830pm, Tuesday, June 28, 2022 (Pacific)
Online presentation/workshop, with slides, video, and discussion
Sponsored by BC Association of Social...
NEW VIDEO: Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome & its Management
The International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal has released a new video: 'Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome & its Management"
From the IIPDW:
Stevie Lewis is a campaigner and board member of IIPDW. She took an SSRI for 17...
“Open Season on Mental Patients”: A reading with Irit Shimrat
Jim Gottstein, JD, is a lawyer, author of The Zyprexa Papers, and a Mad in America contributor. At the 2014 NARPA Conference, Jim attended Irit Shimrat's keynote talk, "Open Season on Mental Patients".
"I attended Irit's...
Evidence of change?
Working outside the dominant biomedical narrative can feel perilous and sometimes even risky. Taking a critical perspective of psychiatry (mental health care more broadly), a field that seems to be personal (in some way)...
BLOGS
Essays from a diverse selection of writers, which aim to change the professional and public discourse about emotional distress and unusual experiences.
Review of the Conference on Withdrawal and Side Effects: IIPDW
The online conference Withdrawal From Psychiatric Drugs was held on Friday May 6th and 7th....
What is “Psychosis”?
There are different hypotheses about what psychosis is. One hypothesis that has been repeatedly disproven...
New NICE Guidelines for ECT Are Dangerously Inadequate, Say 50 Patients and Professionals
While there has been little (if any) sign of interest in reviewing ECT practices and...
Personality disorders? Please, tell us what you really think.
This week on Twitter, there was an uproar in response to a UK Royal College...
Antipsychotics Often Prescribed Without Informed Consent
This article was written by Samantha Lilly and originally published by Mad in America, March...
Voicing the Views of the Psychiatrized for 35 Years!
Our Voice is turning 35!
2022 marks an important milestone in the publishing of resiliency and...
887 Deaths from Psychoactive Meds Reported to Health Canada in 2021
I guess I started seriously considering the potential of antipsychotics to kill after I lost...
Research Reveals Mental Health Professionals’ Participation in Rape Culture
Standard clinical practices often enforce anti-blackness, rape culture, and sanism, normalizing sexual violence and misogyny....
The Ethics of Psychiatry
A government cannot legitimately own its citizens' bodies. Yet, under British Columbia’s (BC) Mental Health...
Bell Let’s Talk: Are These “New Conversations” Helpful?
January 26th is Bell Let’s Talk Day. From the Bell Let’s Talk website:
"In September 2010,...
When Tapering Antidepressants, is Going Slow Always the Best Strategy?
I start this blog with an apology. There may be people reading who, like myself,...
How are we doing?
We’re 21 months and counting into this global pandemic. And just when we think we’re...
News
Call for inputs: Draft guidance on Mental Health, Human Rights, and Legislation published jointly by WHO and OHCHR https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/calls-input/draft-guidance-mental-health-human-rights-legislation-who-ohchr
The Supreme Court rules that the Council of Canadians with Disabilities can challenge British Columbia’s mental health laws. https://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/cb/2022/39430-eng.aspx
Canada is getting a mental health and addictions ministry.
Mary Simon, Inuk leader from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, has been chosen as the 30th governor general of Canada.
Noel Milliea, a Mi’kmaw elder, has decades of experience helping people see their culture as a means of healing from trauma, addiction, and systemic racism.
751 unmarked graves have been found at the site of the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan. The school, which opened in 1899, was active until 1997.
The remains of 215 children were found on the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, BC. In the wake of the discovery, and to honour the children, David Monture has written a poem, The Mush Hole Rubric.
In the wake of the discovery of the 215, many are calling for accountability. Listen to an interview on The Current with Matt Galloway.
New on Mad in America
Is Mad in America Doing More Harm Than Good?
Ethical Concerns Over Telehealth Screenings for Psychiatric Hospitalizations
Getting Pharma Out of Medical Education: An Interview with Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman
‘Prescripticide’: Short Film by ISEPP
Discourse, Drug Use, and Psychiatry: An Interview with Critical Psychologist Ilana Mountian
Modern Psychiatry’s Allure: It Tells People What They Want to Hear
My Letter to an Advocate for Involuntary Treatment
Psychosis in US Inseparable from Racism and Structural Inequality, Researchers Argue
Mental Health Liberation and Spirituality: Ex-Psychiatric Inmates Share Their Thoughts
Can Performative Counter-Storytelling Facilitate Critical Social Change?
Joint Statement on COVID-19 and Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities
Mental Health Survival Kit, Chapter 4: Withdrawing from Psychiatric Drugs (Part 3)
Philosophical Approach to Loneliness Yields new Insight into Treatments
Mutual Support in an Age of Social Distancing
Jyl Ion: Awakening as a Medium
Other Resources
A list of groups and resources that you may find helpful. Let us know of other resources that we should consider adding. Contact us by email: info@madincanada.org. Thanks!
Mad in America – Mad in America’s mission is to serve as a catalyst for rethinking psychiatric care in the United States (and abroad).
The Council for Evidence-Based Psychiatry – CEP exists to communicate evidence of the potentially harmful effects of psychiatric drugs to the people and institutions in the UK that can make a difference.
A Disorder 4 Everyone – Exploring the culture of psychiatric diagnosis – creating change. Provides events, blogs and other resources.
Drop the Disorder (Facebook) – a group for anyone who is interested in challenging traditional approaches to emotional distress.
Intervoice – The International Hearing Voices Network and HVN Canada & Quebec – If you hear voices, HVN can help and is committed to helping people who hear voices. HVN offers information, support and understanding to people who hear voices and those who support them.
International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (UK) – ISPS UK is the United Kingdom network of the International organisation ISPS – International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis. ISPS works to promote greater knowledge of the different psychological approaches to psychosis and psychotic experiences – psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, arts-based, family and holistic approaches – and their better integration with each other and with pharmaceutical approaches.
The Inner Compass Initiative and Withdrawal Project – provides information, resources, tools, and connecting platforms to facilitate more informed choices regarding all things “mental health”.
International Institute for Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal – Supports the process of reducing and withdrawing from psychiatric drugs through practice, research and training.
MindFreedom International – A not-for-profit human rights organization that unites sponsor and affiliate grassroots groups with individual members.
The Power Threat Meaning Framework – Towards the identification of patterns in emotional distress, unusual experiences and troubled or troubling behaviour, as an alternative to functional psychiatric diagnosis.
A free-to-use guide to the healing of psychological trauma is available. It comprises information, approaches to healing and resources together with links to selected clinicians, organisations, projects and support groups. Download the pdf here: Healing Psychological Trauma