http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuCwVnzSjWA
This is an hour long lecture with a short Q & A section at the end. For those who have the time it is very interesting.
A couple of interesting points I noted:
- 80% of pysch meds are being prescribed by what we Aussies call GPs - doctors who treat every day illnesses - doctors who are not qualified to diagnose let alone treat psychiatric illness.
- for moderate to severe mental illness - psych meds have a LOW placebo effect, work well on 70% and if you add ECT, 80-90% - such people really need psychiatrists (he didn't specify which illnesses but I think he means schizophrenia, bipolar, and severe depression / melancholia)
- for mild to moderate mental illness - psychotherapy should be the first line of treatment; if they don't respond after 4-8 weeks, then look at medication
- psychiatry is looking to prevent mental illness rather than treat what is actually there - Allen Frances totally disagrees with this approach
- the DSM should not be the bible it has become, and getting a label (for which it is often used) should not be what determines access to services
