Article of the Week: Week Two

The Main Course

My favourite psychiatric article this week was on schizophrenia.  Specifically, the piece from X-Ray Technican Schools (I agree that this seems a curious place to have an article on schizophrenia) provided a concise, accessible but intelligent refutation of the many myths that surround this illness.

One of my pet hates is the mistaken belief that so many seem to hold that schizophrenia is, or at least shares key symptoms with, dissociative identity disorder.  I suspect I’m preaching to the converted on a blog about mental illness, but lest there be any doubt schizophrenia does not involve multiple personalities!!!

Another mistaken and highly stigmatic belief that I despise is that mentally ill individuals (especially schizophrenics) are more dangerous and/or violent than normals.  This simply is not true, as statistics frequently demonstrate.

This article analyses these two myths, plus eight others, discussing how they’ve arisen and why they are false.  Many thanks to Wounded Genius for posting this for us to find.

10 Myths About Schizophrenia

For Afters

There were so many excellent articles upon which I stumbled this week that it’s hard to narrow them down.  Here’s the runners-up that I’ve come up with.

A close second to the above schizophrenia article is a piece in the New York Times that discusses the “Americanisation” of mental illness.  By “Americanisation”, as far as I can tell they really mean “Westernisnation” (not that that’s a word).  This is quite a long article, but its well worth sticking with.  It goes into considerable and fascinating detail as to how some mental illnesses are (or were) culturally dependant, and how they now seem to be becoming increasingly homogenised – in line with Western interpretations.

The Americaisation of Mental Illness

Jonah Lehrer at Science Blogs have a post on daydreaming, and why it isn’t necessarily such a waste of time:

Intelligence and the Idle Mind

Science Daily reports that migraines may have links to child abuse.  This could explain a lot…

Abuse in Childhood Linked to Migraine and Other Pain Disorders

Finally, I want to have a look at two articles from Psych Central that discuss transference and the therapeutic relationship, both written by Sonia Neale.  The first discusses how the therapist can never really return your transference – not in a manner in which you would know it anyway.  It discussing how what it terms ‘transference love’ is very real, given as all any of us ultimately want (allegedly) is to be loved, but will always (sadly) be one-sided.

Transference is Not Transferable

The second article explores a similar, but distinct, aspect of therapeutic relationships – that fantasy that we can or will, eventually, be friends with our psychotherapists.  Ms Neale discusses why this is a bad idea, but argues that it’s not necessarily transference but a genuine connection that drives this.

Why You Can’t Be Friends With Your Therapist – Ever!

*SI walks away, whistling innocently*

Anything Else?

Any suggestions for Article of the Week are very welcome, as are comments on those posted here.  Get in touch or leave a comment.

Intelligence and the Idle Mind

Article of the Week: Week 1

I’ve decided to undertake a new venture for a new year.  Whilst I feel very lucky that so many people enjoy this blog (why?!), I also thought it would be good if I could make it of some use too by sharing some of the most interesting psychiatry and psychology articles I come across through my travels on teh interwebs.  To that end, every Wednesday where possible, I shall put up my Article of the Week.

Article of the Week

The first is from Current Psychiatry, who have an excellent article on the differences between borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder.

There’s an analysis of the overlapping symptoms, a look at what is different between the two illnesses, and possible reasons as to why one illness is often misdiagnosed as the other.  The article also points out that there is, genuinely, a high correlation of co-morbid BPD and bipolar disorder (especially type II), nodding at the possible biology underpinning both conditions.

A slight warning: some of this stuff is technical (well, it is for psychiatrists!), but if that doesn’t faze you, this is a very insightful article.

Borderline, Bipolar or Both?  Frame Your Diagnosis on the Patient History.

Honourable Mentions

A mention too to Kathy Broady at Discussing Dissociation, who writes a moving post on the hopelessness and despair felt by those who have been affected by psychological trauma.  She also advises on how to combat these feelings.

Hopelessness and Despair

The Canadian Globe and Mail asks whether or not psychiatrists and therapists have their own significant mental health difficulties.  The author says at one point that she has wondered if her therapist has, and I can certainly confirm that I too have made the same mental queries.

The Secret Life of Psychiatrists

Finally, Psychiatric Times posted a decent entry on how therapists and psychiatrists can end the therapeutic relationship with minimum disruption to the patient’s well-being (maybe C should read this).

Psychiatric Abandonment: Pitfalls and Prevention

Any Suggestions?

I find most of these articles via interesting links from Twitter, as well as my own explorations.  If you want to suggest an article for inclusion here, I’d be delighted.  I can be contacted in a variety of ways, or you can simply leave a comment here.