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Top psychologists say pills are no solution to unhappiness

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Is there a quick fix for unhappiness? Do anti-depressants really work? Whoever persuaded people that they did?
As the credit crunch approaches Christmas and more people may lose their jobs, many are 'depressed' and wonder if something is wrong with them and contemporary psychiatry and psychology suggest that pills or therapy are the "answers" needed.

De-Medicalising Misery- a conference organised by the University of East London (UEL) and University College London (UCL) on December 16 2008 will bring together top psychiatrists, mental health service users and clinical psychologists to address these and other important issues relevant in today's society.

Professor Mark Rapley, Director of Clinical Psychology at UEL, said: "We have had 120 years of psychiatry and the data suggests that we are miserable in ever increasing numbers, what does that tell us? That the system isn't working and that we need to find other ways to help.

"This conference will help professionals in the field to look at the current understandings of distress offered by psychiatry and psychology and the 'solutions' they offer. It will assist us to find new ways of working with mental health service users that can really help."

Confirmed speakers include Mary Boyle, author of 'Schizophrenia- a scientific delusion?' Jacqui Dillon, Ewen Speed, Craig Newnes, Duncan Double, Irving Kirsch and Suman Fernando. Delegates will explore topics such as:

• Toxic Psychology - This talk examines the history of psychology's involvement in poisoning people, both metaphorically and literally. Examples of the attitudes and practice of the new generation of toxic psychologists will be covered.
• Why were doctors so slow to recognise antidepressant discontinuation problems? Now medical guidelines indicate that patients should be given a disclaimer about the risk of discontinuation symptoms.
• Antidepressant Medication: The Emperor's new drugs - Although people given antidepressants often show substantial improvement, most depressed patients show roughly comparable benefits. This data shows that alternative treatments should be considered for most depressed patients.
• Cultural diversity, racism and psychiatry: Britain has always been culturally diverse, but racism has come to the fore as a major issue in many British social systems, including psychiatry. Fundamental changes in psychiatry are needed if the racism of current mental health systems is to be addressed.

This is the second one-day conference in the De-Medicalising Misery series, organised by the University of East London's School of Psychology, the Critical Psychiatry Network, the Hearing Voices Network (England) and University College London.

Ends

Contact: UEL Press Office Hana Esselink 020 8223 6239/ 07595 056245 or Patrick Wilson 07951 797975

Conference details can be found at http://www.uel.ac.uk/misery/. The conference, De-Medicalising Misery, will be held on Tuesday 16 December 2008 at University College London, Cruciform Building, Gower Street, London WC1.

For more information or to register to attend, please contact conference organisers Professor Mark Rapley, UEL School of Psychology, on mobile: 07951 908409, e-mail: m.rapley@uel.ac.uk

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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