Mad Woman Out of the Attic

Psychiatry

A Burning Brain: The Dark Side of Psychiatric Drugging

Susanne Paola Antonetta on April 9, 2024

Personal Perspective: Going down on psych meds set my brain on fire. Why has long-term use become the standard in psychiatric medicating?

Personal Perspective: Going down on psych meds set my brain on fire. Why has long-term use become the standard in psychiatric medicating?

Neuroscience

The Breathtaking Diversity of the Human Mind

Susanne Paola Antonetta on February 7, 2024

Talking about a transformative "perceptual diversity" with neuroscientist Anil Seth gives new ways to consider neurodiversity and the wild creativity of the human mind.

Talking about a transformative "perceptual diversity" with neuroscientist Anil Seth gives new ways to consider neurodiversity and the wild creativity of the human mind.

Gender

Britney Spears: The Pain of Misogyny, Not Mental Illness

Susanne Paola Antonetta on November 27, 2023

A Personal Perspective: Britney Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me, tells the story of her 13-year conservatorship—and what allowed it to happen.

A Personal Perspective: Britney Spears' memoir, The Woman in Me, tells the story of her 13-year conservatorship—and what allowed it to happen.

Psychiatry

Booby Hatches: The Crisis in Psychiatric Hospitalization

Susanne Paola Antonetta on September 25, 2023

A Personal Perspective: The crisis in psychiatric hospitalization goes back decades. A 1960 experiment conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan shows how far we haven't come.

A Personal Perspective: The crisis in psychiatric hospitalization goes back decades. A 1960 experiment conducted by psychologist David Rosenhan shows how far we haven't come.

Psychiatry

If You Want a Better Psychiatry, Go Back 200 Years

Susanne Paola Antonetta on July 31, 2023

The great reformer Philippe Pinel founded a humane psychiatry during the French Revolution. Today, we've forgotten the lessons of his moral treatment.

The great reformer Philippe Pinel founded a humane psychiatry during the French Revolution. Today, we've forgotten the lessons of his moral treatment.

Psychiatry

We Need an End to Psychiatry by Proxy

Susanne Paola Antonetta on June 7, 2023

Personal Perspective: For too long, people have relied on psychiatry by proxy, using scales and neat categories to diagnose and medicate. Here's why that doesn't work.

Personal Perspective: For too long, people have relied on psychiatry by proxy, using scales and neat categories to diagnose and medicate. Here's why that doesn't work.

Deception

Are Lying Politicians Mentally Ill?

Susanne Paola Antonetta on February 13, 2023

A Personal Perspective: The word crazy is low-hanging fruit in the insult world.

A Personal Perspective: The word crazy is low-hanging fruit in the insult world.

Relationships

Madness, Hallucination, Self-Love

Susanne Paola Antonetta on January 23, 2023

A Nazi survivor named Dorothea Buck taught me to make meaning out of madness.

A Nazi survivor named Dorothea Buck taught me to make meaning out of madness.

Gaslighting

Mental Difference and Medical Gaslighting

Susanne Paola Antonetta on December 19, 2022

A Personal Perspective: Your psychiatric diagnosis can adversely affect your medical care. Being aware of the problem can help you get what you need.

A Personal Perspective: Your psychiatric diagnosis can adversely affect your medical care. Being aware of the problem can help you get what you need.

Media

Four Myths About Mental Illness

Susanne Paola Antonetta on November 28, 2022

The truths of what we call mental illness.

The truths of what we call mental illness.

Psychiatry

When Protest and Difference Are Labeled Dysfunction

Susanne Paola Antonetta on October 24, 2022

Personal Perspective: Once, protesting while Black or being LGBTQ+ were seen as the products of "sick" brains. Here's how it happened, and what it means for us today.

Personal Perspective: Once, protesting while Black or being LGBTQ+ were seen as the products of "sick" brains. Here's how it happened, and what it means for us today.

Neurodiversity

Your Mind Is Beautiful, Whatever It's Doing

Susanne Paola Antonetta on October 4, 2022

A Personal Perspective: I’m bipolar. I know human consciousness is wildly varied—we need that.

A Personal Perspective: I’m bipolar. I know human consciousness is wildly varied—we need that.