Podcast appearances and mentions of Allen Frances

Dr. Awais Aftab, psychiatrist and author of a powerful new New York Times essay, argues that diagnoses like ADHD, autism, depression, and bipolar are not precise biological diseases revealed by genes or brain scans but practical clinician judgments about recognizable patterns of distress and behavior.
We synthesize Aftab's pragmatic perspective with long-standing critiques from Allen Frances (chair of the DSM-IV task force), the NIMH's shift to the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) project under Thomas Insel, and decades of research on comorbidity, symptom heterogeneity, and diagnostic instability.

Dr. Allen Frances discusses how AI chatbots can provide effective support for everyday stress and mild symptoms, with tens of millions using them, but warns they can be dangerous for vulnerable groups—especially the very young, the very old, the socially isolated, and people with severe mental illness—potentially contributing to psychosis, suicide, or eating disorders. He argues harm is driven by chatbots being programmed to be pleasing and validating to maximize screen time, creating dependency and "echo chambers," and highlights major privacy risks and manipulation potential given extensive data collection and weak safeguards. Frances advocates a hybrid model where therapists and patients train chatbots as assistants aligned with treatment goals, and cautions about industry profit motives, limited regulation, scams, political propaganda, and broader societal risks. He also explains autism's overdiagnosis since DSM-IV's expansion (Asperger's/autism spectrum) and describes ADHD and autism as current fad diagnoses amplified by services and social media.   Dr. Allen Frances is a psychiatrist, author, and leading voice on psychiatric diagnosis, mental health, and the risks of overmedicalization. He is widely known for his work on the DSM-IV and for his book Saving Normal, which challenges the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of everyday life struggles. In this episode, he joins Dr. Mike Hart to break down the growing impact of AI chatbots on mental health, therapy, privacy, and clinical care. He explains when chatbot support may be helpful, why vulnerable users can be harmed, how AI could reshape psychotherapy, and why privacy with chatbots may be an illusion. He also discusses the overdiagnosis of autism and ADHD, the role of social media in self-diagnosis, and why false labels can change how people see themselves and their future. Books & Articles Saving Normal — Allen Frances Allen Frances mentions his book near the end of the episode. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/saving-normal-allen-frances Allen Frances — Psychiatric Times Articles He mentions his columns in Psychiatric Times about chatbots and psychiatry. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/authors/allen-frances-md 1984 — George Orwell Referenced when comparing AI chatbots to "Big Brother." https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/326569/1984-by-george-orwell-with-a-foreword-by-thomas-pynchon/ AI Tools & Companies Mentioned ChatGPT / OpenAI Discussed throughout the episode as a major AI chatbot example. https://chatgpt.com/ Claude / Anthropic Mentioned as one of the safer chatbot companies. https://www.anthropic.com/ Grok / xAI Mentioned during the discussion on chatbot safety. https://x.ai/grok Character.AI Mentioned as an AI companion/chatbot platform. https://character.ai/ Replika Mentioned as another AI companion/chatbot app. https://replika.com/ Signal Mentioned during the privacy and encryption discussion. https://signal.org/ TikTok Mentioned during the discussion of autism, ADHD, and self-diagnosis trends. https://www.tiktok.com/ AI Regulation & News References EU AI Act Mentioned during the discussion of Europe's stronger AI regulation. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai Australia Social Media Age Restrictions Referenced when discussing age limits and children's chatbot/social media exposure. https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions Kaiser Mental Health Workers AI Strike Mentioned during the discussion of therapists being concerned about AI replacing care. https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-mental-health-therapists-ai-2d05d37fd8be8f05491f0f15d97a78af Psychiatry, Diagnosis & Mental Health References DSM-5-TR Referenced in the discussion of DSM-IV, Asperger's, autism spectrum, and diagnostic expansion. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm Autism Spectrum Disorder — NIMH Useful support link for the autism overdiagnosis discussion. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd ADHD — CDC Referenced during the discussion of ADHD as a common modern diagnosis. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/ SSRIs — FDA Mentioned during the discussion about antidepressant prescribing. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-ssris-information Hippocratic Oath Referenced through the idea of "first do no harm." https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hippocratic-oath Historical / Therapy References ELIZA Chatbot Referenced as the first chatbot and an early example of people bonding with machine-generated responses. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/365153.365168 Carl Rogers Mentioned because ELIZA was designed to imitate a Rogerian-style psychotherapist. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Rogers   Show Notes   00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast 00:49 Benefits vs Dangers 01:52 Engagement and Validation Trap 03:21 Who Is Most at Risk 04:19 When Chatbots Help 05:43 Hybrid Therapy Future 06:52 How to Train Assistants 08:47 Therapists Must Adapt 09:33 Healthcare Replacement Nightmare 11:15 Human Touch vs AI Limits 12:41 Suicide Risk and Lawsuits 14:43 SSRIs and Primary Care 16:56 Everyday Use and Vulnerables 19:12 Regulation and Kids 22:03 AI Power and Resource Costs 23:43 Deepfake Psychiatrists 24:30 Most Dystopian Takeover 25:50 AI Dependency Dangers 27:11 Why No One Pauses AI 28:41 EU Regulation Falling Behind 29:36 AI Hacking Breakthrough 30:38 Chatbot Privacy Myth 32:53 Protecting Yourself Online 35:26 Echo Chambers Manipulation 37:17 Scams Deepfakes Politics 40:44 Autism Overdiagnosis DSM 44:13 ADHD Fad Diagnosis Risks 45:53 Wrap Up Resources   The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — using medications only when absolutely necessary. Beyond health science, we explore the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being. Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary  (Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as  Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen). If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this podcast is for you.We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your well-being. Connect with Dr. Mike Hart Instagram: @drmikehart Twitter: @drmikehart Facebook: @drmikehart

In July 1979, Jimmy Carter went to Camp David for ten days and came back with the strangest speech a sitting American president has ever given. Officially it was about energy. Functionally it was about the soul. Eighteen months later, Ronald Reagan won forty-four states by promising the opposite, and American psychology received its marching orders for the next forty years. This episode traces how the apparatus got built. From Mario Savio's "put your bodies upon the gears" speech in 1964 to the dispersal of the counterculture into yuppies, Silicon Valley engineers, Lockheed contractors, oil-patch roughnecks, and the back-to-the-land movement that eventually curdled into the survivalist pipeline. From David Rosenhan's fraudulent 1973 study "On Being Sane in Insane Places" to Robert Spitzer's typewriter parties at Columbia, where two new psychiatric disorders could be drafted between cups of coffee. From the Feighner Criteria and the St. Louis Group to the Medicare Resource-Based Relative Value Scale and the RUC, the secret AMA committee that sets the prices of every medical procedure in the country while the nation tells itself it has a free market. From the academic capture of CBT and the manualization of what could be measured to Allen Frances spending his retirement trying to take back what he had built. At the heart of it sits the bet the field made and lost. For thirty years, American psychiatry wagered its entire diagnostic edifice on the assumption that biological validation was imminent, that the genes and the imaging and the neurotransmitter chemistry would arrive in time to retroactively justify the DSM. Twenty billion dollars later, NIMH director Thomas Insel posted a blog three weeks before the DSM-5 shipped admitting the categories were not scientifically valid. He later told Wired he had funded a lot of cool papers and not moved the needle on suicide, hospitalization, or recovery for tens of millions of Americans. The cathedral had been built on a foundation that turned out not to exist, and the surrounding infrastructure had become too entangled with it to demolish. This is the story of how a profession built to listen to suffering became a wall that suffering speaks into. Diagnosis as checkbox, payment as procedural code, research as citation farming, and the Sherman Antitrust Act ensuring that the only people who could fix any of it, the frontline clinicians, are forbidden by federal law from organizing the way that would give them leverage.

With What Trump Calls the Strait of Iran Closed Again, It's Clear Whomever the Administration is Talking to Are Not in Charge of Iran | Although Trump Forced Netanyahu's Hand Prohibiting Him From Bombing Lebanon, the Israeli Public Wants the IDF to Finish Off Hezbollah | How to Remove an Increasingly Mentally Ill Trump From Office backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social linktr.ee/backgroundbriefing

Trump's War of Choice Rattles Allies While Rewarding Russia | Our Commander-in-Chief is a Senile Old Man Who is Losing His Mind | Trump's Cynical SAVE America Act Will Not Save Republicans in November backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social linktr.ee/backgroundbriefing

We are back with another special guest episode! Please welcome Dr. Allen Frances, who was intricately involved in the formation of both the DSM III and DSM IV, the latter of which he served as chair.https://x.com/AllenFrancesMDhttps://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HO76FUhttps://www.psychiatrictimes.com/authors/allen-frances-md

One Of Trump and Miller's ICE Thugs Just Executed a 37 Year-Old Woman, a Legal Observer, in Minneapolis | No Tyrant in History Had the Power to Destroy Like Trump Has at His Fingertip | A Former Special Counsel to the DOD's General Counsel on Trump's Great Unravelling of International Law backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia linktr.ee/backgroundbriefing

Pre-Order my new book ADHD IS OVER! now on Amazon: tinyurl.com/532b2ck8 This episode is an important one! So buckle up. And I mean it. My guest today is Dr. Allen Frances. Dr. Frances is a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Duke University and most notably the former Chair of the DSM-IV Task Force, the group responsible for shaping modern psychiatric diagnostic criteria used around the world. Once a leading architect inside the system, Dr. Frances later became one of its most prominent and outspoken critics, warning that diagnostic categories had expanded far beyond their original intent and that everyday human struggles were increasingly being mislabeled as disorders. Over the past decade, he has spoken openly — and with rare humility — about the unintended consequences of his own work. Dr. Frances has publicly taken responsibility for helping set the stage for what he has called the “epidemic” of ADHD and other childhood diagnoses, acknowledging that DSM-IV's broadened criteria contributed to widespread overdiagnosis and over-medication. He has also forcefully warned about the distorting influence of Big Pharma, calling out how aggressive drug marketing and financial entanglements have shaped prescribing culture and fueled unnecessary psychiatric drug use. Dr. Frances is the author of numerous influential papers and books, including the widely acclaimed Saving Normal, in which he warns against the medicalization of normal life and advocates for protecting human diversity from unnecessary psychiatric labeling. So for anyone who is still questioning whether to fully trust psychiatry — or at the very least believes it should be questioned — this is an essential conversation. You are about to hear from someone who was instrumental in designing the very system that has become the global diagnostic bible used by mental health professionals everywhere — a system that may even define how your own child has been labeled or will be labeled with disorders like ADHD. For more information on this podcast, please visit www.adhdisover.com

Is Trump Crazier Than Ever Or Has He Always Been Crazy? | Trump Moves To Bail Out American Soybean Farmers Who Lost the Chinese Market Because of Trump and Now Trump is Bailing Out Argentina's Milei Who Has Opened His Soybean Market to China | 905 U.S. Billionaires (Up From 66 in 1989) Now Own $7.8 Trillion Compared to the $4.1 Trillion of 66 Million American Households backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

TikTok a Tourettův syndrom? Pandemie ukázala, že i neurologické symptomy se mohou šířit jako kulturní trend. Odborníci popsali fenomén „TikTok tiků“: zejména dospívající dívky začaly po sledování videí na TikToku napodobovat projevy Tourettova syndromu, aniž by tímto vrozeným onemocněním trpěly. Tourettův syndrom se přitom obvykle projevuje už v raném dětství. V těchto případech se však tiky staly spíše jazykem, jímž mladí lidé vyjadřovali stres, izolaci či nejistotu.Socioložka Laura Wiesböcková tento fenomén označuje pojmem „digitální diagnózy“. Ve stejnojmenné knize, která je jedním z nominovaných titulů na německou filozofickou cenu Tractatus, sleduje, jak se v online prostředí diagnózy zbavují stigmatu a někdy se dokonce proměňují v objekty obdivu či domnělý zdroj síly. Problém „digitálních diagnóz“ je však širší. Digitální prostředí nás vede k různým formám sebediagnostikace: k lékaři se mnozí již dostavují s hotovou diagnózou, kterou má odborník pouze potvrdit.Proč však lidé mají zájem na stvrzení diagnózy, kterou si sami – a podle lékařů mnohdy mylně – přisoudili? Jedním z důvodů, které autorka sleduje, je, že poskytuje společensky přijatelný rámec pro to, co bychom jinak my sami či naše okolí mohli chápat jako osobní selhání. V této souvislosti autorka upozorňuje, že z čistě sociologického hlediska je pozoruhodné, že o diagnózy „usilují“ obzvlášť ženy.Digitální svět však jen zintenzivnil fenomén diskutovaný dlouho. Podle amerického psychiatra Allena Francese, autora již více než dvacet let staré knihy Saving Normal, lze o sklonu patologizovat osobnosti hovořit přinejmenším od nultých let. Zvláště naše „neefektivní“ a otravné vlastnosti prohlašujeme – často s podporou okolí – za příznak nemoci. Ale proč bychom se k nim nemohli prostě přihlásit jako k součástí naší osobnosti? Podle Francese nepatřičným zájmem o psychiatrické diagnózy deformujeme porozumění sobě samým a – jak nyní zdůrazňuje i Wiesböcková – přispíváme k ochuzení společnosti, z níž mizí pluralita.KapitolyI. Nemoc jazykem úzkosti [úvod až 33:00]II. Touha po nemoci: hypochondrie v digitálním věku [33:00 až 51:30]III. Od prevence k virálním trendům [51:30 až 57:00]IV. Kultura traumatu a její slepé skvrny [57:00 až 1:13:50]V. Filosofie normality v éře digitálních diagnóz [1:13:50 až konec]BibliografieCaroline Crampton, A Body Made of Glass: A History of Hypochondria, London: Granta Publications, 2024.Allen Frances, Saving Normal: An Insider's Revolt against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life. New York: William Morrow, 2013.Chaelin Kyung Ra, Junhan Cho et al., Association of Digital Media Use With Subsequent Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among Adolescents, in: JAMA, 320, 3, 2018, str. 255–263.Tamara Pringsheim, Davide Martino, Rapid onset of functional tic-like behaviours in young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, in: European Journal of Neurology, 28, 11, 2021, str. 3805–3808.Laura Wiesböck, Digitale Diagnosen: Psychische Gesundheit als Social-Media-Trend, Wien: Zsolnay, 2025.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has spent years spreading doubt about the safety of vaccines and linking them to autism. Dozens of studies have debunked the theory, but it has nevertheless persisted for years. Part of the reason why may be that autism diagnoses have soared over the last few decades.Dr. Allen Frances is psychiatrist who led the task force that created the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which expanded the definition of Autism. Frances says that expanded definition played a role in the increase.Rates of autism have exploded in recent decades. Could the clinical definition of autism itself be partly to blame? For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Supreme Leader Congratulates Iranians on Their "Victory" over Israel and the US While the Head of the IAEA Says Fordo is "No Longer Operational" | As Trump Demonizes Democrats and Democratic Lawmakers Are Assassinated, How Long Before ICE and DHS Start Rounding up His Political Enemies? | Explaining the 60-Fold Rise in Autism While the Quack Heading HHS, RFK Jr. Still Blames it on Vaccines backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Em 1981, Allen Frances e John Clarkin publicaram um artigo que se tornou um clássico. Nele, intitulado “No treatment as the prescription of choice”, os autores exploram uma prática legítima e necessária, porém muitas vezes negligenciada na clínica e na pesquisa: a prescrição de nenhum tratamento. Em tempos de modismos diagnósticos e excessos terapêuticos, as idéias e reflexões que ele contém são mais úteis do que nunca! Aproveite mais um episódio do PQU Podcast!

Dr. Allen Frances, Chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and Chair Emeritus at Duke University returns to kick off Season 3. We discuss the unique role of consultation-liaison psychiatry in today's healthcare system, and Dr. Frances provides us with a framework for understanding and helping each individual patient during a medical hospitalization. Dr. Frances provides wisdom and encouragement to set the stage for our journey into the world of consultation-liaison psychiatry.Support our partners:⁠Simplepractice.com/bootcamp⁠⁠Beat The Boards⁠ (enter referral code BOOTCAMP at checkout)

Trump and Musk's Blitzkrieg Coup Underway to Replace American Democracy With a Plutocracy | Trump Laid the Groundwork to Destroy Social Security With Last Night's Deliberate Demonization | Will the People Wake Up and Boot Out the Wrecking Crew Before Our Electoral System is Rigged? backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia bsky.app/profile/ianmastersmedia.bsky.social facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Today Trump Issued a Death Sentence to Our Children and Grandchildren | The Unreality of the Reality TV Star Spewing Lies as Promises | The Crypto Grift of $Trump Even Before He Became the Grifter-in-Chief

Allen Frances shares his approach to chronic depression.CME: Take the CME Post-Test for this EpisodePublished On: 01/06/2025Duration: 16 minutes, 47 secondsChris Aiken, Allen Frances, and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Allen Frances shares his approach to chronic depression.CME: Take the CME Post-Test for this EpisodePublished On: 12/30/2024Duration: 16 minutes, 45 secondsChris Aiken, Allen Frances, and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Allen Frances shows us how to put the common ingredients of effective therapy into practice at every visit.CME: Take the CME Post-Test for this EpisodePublished On: 12/23/2024Duration: 16 minutes, 53 secondsChris Aiken, Allen Frances, and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Allen Frances shows us how to adjust our therapeutic approach for problems that are simple and those a bit more complex.CME: Take the CME Post-Test for this EpisodePublished On: 12/16/2024Duration: 21 minutes, 45 secondsChris Aiken, Allen Frances, and Kellie Newsome, PMHNP have disclosed no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Today's +1 features wisdom from Marsha Linehan, Abraham Maslow, Daisaku Ikeda, and Dr. Allen Frances.   Heroic: https://heroic.us ← "Heroic is the best self-development platform in the world." — John Mackey, co-founder & former CEO of Whole Foods Market   Want access to more wisdom in time? Get access to over 1,500 +1's (just like this!) and 650+ Philosopher's Notes (distilling life-changing big ideas from the best self-development books ever written) and a LOT more with our Heroic Premium membership. Learn more and get 30 days free at https://heroic.us

The Contrast Between the Best and Worst of America and Why Does Anyone Support Trump's GOP? | A Wrap Up of the DNC and How Will RFK Jr's Endorsement of Trump Impact Swing States | A Military Analysis of Ukraine's Incursion Into Russia and the Escalation Ladder to Nuclear War backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Allen Frances is an American psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He is currently Professor Emeritus of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. He is best known for serving as chair of the task force overseeing the development of the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV).  Frances is the founding editor of two well-known psychiatric journals: the Journal of Personality Disorders and the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. He is also the author of Saving Normal (2013) and Twilight of American Sanity : A Psychiatrist Analyzes the Age of Trump (2017).Interviewed by Dr. Alex Curmi, consultant psychiatrist. If you would like to enquire about an online psychotherapy appointment with Dr. Alex, you can email - alexcurmitherapy@gmail.com.Give feedback here - thinkingmindpodcast@gmail.com -  Follow us here: Twitter @thinkingmindpod Instagram @thinkingmindpodcastJoin Our Mailing List! - https://thinkingmindpod.aidaform.com/mailinglistsignupSUPPORT: buymeacoffee.com/thinkingmind

April 8, 2024 - Renee Hobbs | Dr. Allen Frances | Kevin Carey by Ian Masters

After Trump's Blowout Victory in Iowa, He is All But Certain to be the GOP's Presidential Nominee | As MAGA World Celebrates Trump's Lawlessness, Is the Rule of Law Itself on Trial in This Election? | A Report From Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan on an Iranian Missile and Drone Strike backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

To donate to my PayPal (thank you): https://paypal.me/danieru22?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US VIDEO NOTES Join me as I speak with Mary Vieten, PhD, ABPP, and we discuss Warfighter ADVANCE. Warfighter ADVANCE offers relief and clarity to warfighters. Instead of prescribing powerful medications that often compound or mask the underlying problem, Warfighter ADVANCE teaches new coping skills and equips warfighters for recovery and successful reintegration. The ADVANCE is, at it's core, a 7-day program that uses a variety of means to change the trajectory of the Warfighter's (active duty or veteran) post-deployment life, so that rather than an existence characterized by an endless cycle of mental illness diagnoses, medications, medical appointments and disappointments, the Warfighter has a life characterized by pride, productivity, healthy relationships, continued service, and advocacy for the same outcomes for their fellow service members. LINKS Article "Warfighter Advance: The ADVANCE 7-Day" https://1drv.ms/b/s!Av53vsClEHoMx1r9zpacMniahI6T?e=mA7Vx0 Warfighter Advance: Biography: https://www.warfighteradvance.org/mary-vieten.html Warfighter Advance Main Page: https://www.warfighteradvance.org/ International Society for Ethical Psychology and Psychiatry: https://psychintegrity.org/ (if there is a link asking you to verify your humanity, don't click it) Allen Frances, MD: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Frances A post on Thomas Insel's statement: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/side-effects/201305/the-nimh-withdraws-support-dsm-5 Crazy Wise Documentary: https://crazywisefilm.com/ Mad in America: https://www.madinamerica.com/ Hearing Voices Network: https://www.hearing-voices.org/ Anatomy of an Epidemic: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Epidemic-Bullets-Psychiatric-Astonishing-ebook/dp/B0036S4EGE Note: Information contained in this video is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a mental health professional or business consultant.

Dr Allen Frances was chair of the task force writing the DSM-IV, but subsequently became an outspoken critic of the rapid expansion of mental health diagnoses in DSM-5, and what he sees as the over medicalisation of behaviours that fall into the normal range of human life. Dr Frances offers a US perspective on issues such as treating ADHD and Autism, the pros and cons of early diagnosis, the appropriate role of drugs in mental health, and strategies to bring public mental health care to the greatest numbers of people.

Dr. Allen Frances, Chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and Chair Emeritus at Duke, returns to orient listeners to psychiatric diagnosis. Explore diagnostic principles including "stepped diagnosis" and understand the importance of nuance when making and communicating a psychiatric diagnosis. You'll also learn about how these diagnoses are  derived, and hear tips for making an accurate and meaningful diagnosis to improve a patient's quality of life.

A Roundup of Legal Issues Facing Hunter Biden, Guiliani, Flynn, Navarro and Trump | Biden's Mental Health Initiative as Addiction and Mental Illness Remain Untreated Across the Country | The Techno-Autocracy of Saudi Arabia as an Example of Capitalism Without Democracy backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

An Overwhelming Majority of Republicans Think Trump Should Serve as President if Convicted and That the Indictments Are Politically Motivated | At War With the Rule of Law, Trump is Calling For a Right Wing Rebellion | Why the PGA - Saudi LIV Merger Will Not Happen backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

It seems like, in Western culture at least, we went from a place where, years ago, mental health issues were never talked about and often dismissed or hushed, to a place today, where it's so ubiquitous to talk about mental health. And while it's important that mental health is de-stigmatized, and a good thing that it's been relatively de-pathologized, in many ways, it has shifted into some kind of identity marker, almost like a sense of identity for people. Mental health categories are becoming a way for people to seek and find meaning about who they are as a person. But this can be dangerous in that people are so much more than just the labels affiliated with their mental health.With the growing absence of religious and national identities, other identities have come into place in extraordinary ways. In this episode, Sasha and Stella explore society's evolving tendency to rush to medicalize for quick and radical fixes for generally normal experiences. They discuss obsession with identity labels, the desperate pathologizing of normal distress, medication seeking, and relentless pursuit of the external solution for an internal problem.Please note this episode was recorded before the release of Stella's book (which she speaks about being released “soon”). The link for where you can find her book is included below. This episode was also recorded before Detrans Awareness Day 2023 took place, but was released after the events referenced in the episode. Please visit https://youtu.be/my5o0B9H4Tw to watch the replay of the entire 2023 Detrans Awareness Day webinar event.Links:Genspect's School Policy Guide: Establishing expectations for how schools can best support students with gender dysphoria, who are gender-questioning, who are gender non-conforming or identify as transgenderhttps://genspect.org/comprehensive-gender-identity-school-policy-usa/ The Five Ecological Systemshttps://www.simplypsychology.org/Bronfenbrenner.htmlInterview with Allen Frances, MD: https://www.madinamerica.com/2019/05/conversations-critical-psychiatry-allen-frances-md/Stella's Latest Book — What Your Teen Is Trying To Tell Youhttps://geni.us/whatyourteenDetrans Awareness Day Websitewww.detransawareness.org2023 Detrans Awareness Day Webinar Recordinghttps://youtu.be/my5o0B9H4TwIf you liked this episode, more episodes you might find interesting:“19 — ADHD & Gender Dysphoria” https://gender-a-wider-lens.captivate.fm/episode/19-adhd-gender-dysphoria “29 — Conversion Therapy: A Conversation with Bob Withers”

With Today's Indictment Securing Trump's Domination of the GOP, is the Monster Right Wing Plutocrats Created Now Out of Their Control? | With So Many Americans Seeing Trump as a Hero and Martyr, What Explains the Failure to Communicate Who He Really Is? | Why Today's Supreme Court Election in Wisconsin Has Critical National Implications backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Dr. Allen Frances, Chair of the DSM-4 Task Force and Chair Emeritus at Duke, discusses our profession's identity and provides pearls for developing psychiatrists. Dr. Awais Aftab, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Case Western University, discusses the validity of the DSM and psychiatric harm. More from Dr. Frances: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/advice-young-psychiatrists-very-old-one

Russia Rains Missiles Down on Ukraine as Top US National Security Officials Meet With Their Russian Counterparts | What is Behind the FBI Probe Into Israel's Killing of a Palestinian Journalist and US Citizen? | Trump is Determined to be Relevant Again and Dominate Our Politics for the Next Two Years backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

We're going to talk about labels today  - and how the mental health world, its science, its leaders, and its language might be influencing us to over-pathologize what's normal. Meaning that you can come to believe something is sick or wrong or abnormal when actually it IS normal when it's understood in its own context. But another fact may be even more disconcerting. You can base your decisions about what you “call” something by the knowledge or experience or reasoning you have at hand. And that language might be misleading or limited Our listener voicemail is different today and I was eager to see what I could find to answer her question. She asks if something like a name change after trauma could help with building a sense of confidence? I think that's a great question – especially fit for SW because it's all about what you have control over and regaining a sense of empowerment. Vital Links:  Click Here for the fabulous offer from Athletic Greens - now AG1 - with bonus product with your subscription!  Click this link to try out some of the best CBD out there! Ozark Mountain Medicine's CBD products and get 10% off!  You can hear more about this and many other topics by listening to my podcast, SelfWork with Dr. Margaret Rutherford. Subscribe to my website and receive my weekly newsletter including a blog post and podcast! If you'd like to join my FaceBook closed group, then click here and answer the membership questions! Welcome! My new book entitled Perfectly Hidden Depression has been published and you can order here! Its message is specifically for those with a struggle with strong perfectionism which acts to mask underlying emotional pain. But the many self-help techniques described can be used by everyone who chooses to begin to address emotions long hidden away that are clouding and sabotaging your current life. And it's available in paperback, eBook or as an audiobook! Now there's another way to send me a message! You can record by clicking below and ask your question or make a comment. You'll have 90 seconds to do so and that time goes quickly. By recording, you're giving SelfWork (and me) permission to use your voice on the podcast. I'll look forward to hearing from you! The parable of the blind men and the elephant HuffPost article on pathologizing children's behavior A conversation wit Dr. Allen Frances .  

***WARNING/MEDICAL DISCLAIMER***  This audio content is for conversational purposes only and does NOT constitute medical, mental health, or any other kind of personal or professional services or advice.  Consult with your doctor or health care professional before making any changes to your prescription medication. “NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH RESEARCH: “FDA Updates Black Box Warning for Benzodiazepines” https://www.center4research.org/fda-updates-black-box-warning-for-benzodiazepines/   . The agency warns patients to talk with their healthcare providers in order to develop a plan for safely and slowly tapering off a benzodiazepine.1 . . . Benzodiazepines already have a black box warning, which warns that taking benzodiazepines at the same time as opioids can lead to extreme sedation, slow and ineffective breathing, comas, and even death.6 FDA's 2020 decision keeps this previous warning about combining benzodiazepines with opioids and adds additional warnings about the risks of addiction, as well as dangerous withdrawal symptoms. “https://www.center4research.org/fda-updates-black-box-warning-for-benzodiazepines/   While experiencing the transition from high school to college, John Staight was prescribed alprazolam (i.e. Xanax), a powerful benzodiazepine (benzo). As a responsible patient, John acted in good faith, and took his medication as prescribed.  He trusted the “all-knowing doctors” and mental health professionals with his life. Decades later, at a cliffs edge, his trust in the mental health system would be permanently broken.  Listen in, as John shares how he navigated the heroes' journey and now lives to educate and help others escape the clutches of antidepressants and benzodiazepines. “No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth” Plato Colorado Consortium Benzodiazepine Action Work Group https://corxconsortium.org/work-groups/benzodiazepine/ The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices https://benzoreform.org/ The Benzodiazepine Information Coalition https://www.benzoinfo.com/ Benzo Free website and podcast (D Foster) https://www.benzofree.org/ “Benzo Free:  The World of Anti-Anxiety Drugs and the Reality of Withdrawal” (D Foster) https://www.amazon.com/Benzo-Free-Anti-Anxiety-Reality-Withdrawal/dp/173227861X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=16KI20S4PGKLX&keywords=benzo+free+book&qid=1664916369&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjIyIiwicXNhIjoiMC41MCIsInFzcCI6IjAuNzIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=benzo+free%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-1 “Medicating Normal” documentary website https://medicatingnormal.com/ Watch “Medicating Normal” on Amazon Prime https://www.amazon.com/Medicating-Normal-Robert-Whitaker/dp/B09KDF2VQ8 “Medicating Normal” YouTube Channel – Interviews with patients and medical experts https://www.youtube.com/c/MedicatingNormal “As Prescribed” documentary website https://www.asprescribedfilm.com/ The Ashton Manual https://benzo.org.uk/manual/  BenzoBuddies support forum http://benzobuddies.org/ BenzoBrains YouTube channel (Jocelyn Pederson) https://www.youtube.com/c/BenzoBrains SurvivingAntidepressants.org support forum https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/ “What I Have Learnt From Helping Thousands of People Taper Off Antidepressants and Other Psychotropic Medications”  (Adele Framer, Founder of SurvivingAntidepressants.org, in Sage Journals) https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2045125321991274 “Death Grip:  A Climber's Escape from Benzo Madness”  by Matt Samet https://www.amazon.com/Death-Grip-Climbers-Escape-Madness/dp/125004328X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3UINZ48R09R5T&keywords=Death+grip+benzo&qid=1664917147&sprefix=death+grip+benzo%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-1 “Saving Normal: An Insider's Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life”  (Dr. Allen Frances) https://www.amazon.com/Saving-Normal-Out-Control-Medicalization/dp/0062229265/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1A7RR0FSZXJ0U&keywords=saving+normal&qid=1664917255&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjcxIiwicXNhIjoiMS4zNiIsInFzcCI6IjEuNjAifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=saving+normal%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1 “Yes, Benzos are Bad for You”  (article by Dr. Allen Frances in Psychology Today) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/saving-normal/201607/yes-benzos-are-bad-you “Anatomy of an Epidemic:  Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America” (Robert Whitaker) https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Epidemic-Bullets-Psychiatric-Astonishing/dp/0307452425/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25OPKBEADLMP8&keywords=anatomy+of+an+epidemic&qid=1664917567&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjYwIiwicXNhIjoiMS4xMCIsInFzcCI6IjEuNDIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=antaomy+of+an+%2Caps%2C138&sr=8-1 The Inner Compass Initiative https://www.theinnercompass.org/ The Withdrawal Project https://withdrawal.theinnercompass.org/ “A Harm Reduction Guide to Coming Off Psychiatric Drugs” (Will Hall, The Icarus Project and Freedom Center” http://nycicarus.org/articles/reduction-psychiatric-drugs/  “The Serotonin Theory of Depression:  A Systematic Umbrella Review of the Evidence”  (Dr. Joanna Moncrieff et. al, Nature) https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-022-01661-0 Dr. Joanna Moncrieff's website https://joannamoncrieff.com/ Dr. Roger McFillin on twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMcFillin The Radically Genuine Podcast by Dr. Roger McFillin https://radgenpod.com/ “The Better Brain:  Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition”  (Dr. Julia Rucklidge and Dr. Bonnie Kaplan) https://www.amazon.com/Better-Brain-Overcome-Depression-Nutrition/dp/0358697131/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HSY6D8ZSWHER&keywords=the+better+brain+by+bonnie+j.+kaplan+and+julia+j.+rucklidge&qid=1664987325&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIwLjk5IiwicXNhIjoiMC45OCIsInFzcCI6IjAuNjUifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=julia+ruck%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1 Newsweek articles on antidepressant withdrawal, antidepressant effectiveness, and lack of evidence for “chemical imbalance” theory of depression https://www.newsweek.com/2022/09/30/antidepressants-work-better-sugar-pills-only-15-percent-time-1744656.html https://www.newsweek.com/how-kick-antidepressant-drugs-without-triggering-relapse-new-research-1745509 New York Post Article “Why we should stop casually prescribing antidepressants to teens” (Brooke Siem, chef and author of “May Cause Side Effects”) https://nypost.com/2022/08/27/why-we-should-stop-casually-prescribing-antidepressants-to-teens/ Media interviews with psychiatrist Dr. Joanna Moncrieff regarding her recent serotonin research publication and antidepressant effects https://youtu.be/d65J2Kqv4xQ https://youtu.be/6eF6f3tQ6aw https://youtu.be/Lx7hfk3cpg4 Mad in America Podcast and website – source for a critical look at the evidence for current mental health practices and psychiatric medications https://www.madinamerica.com/mia-radio/ Interview with author Matt Samet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN0TY9CRBcM&t=1s   National Suicide Prevention Lifeline . . . 988 https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/    

In Declaring Himself President Today, Has Trump Lost it? | The Origins of MAGA Republican Radicalism | An Assessment of Ukraine's Offensive in the South and the State of US Intelligence backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Peter Simons covers a clinical trial that found lithium ineffective at preventing suicide attempts, an essay by Allen Frances on the overdiagnosis of depression and overprescription of antidepressants, a review of the ineffectiveness and dangers of antidepressants, and an analysis that revealed that esketamine failed five of its six clinical trials. Lithium No Better Than Placebo for Preventing Suicide Attempts New Review: Antidepressants Come with Minimal Benefits, Several Risks Allen Frances Takes on the Over-Prescription of Antidepressants Esketamine Failed in Five of its Six Efficacy Trials Ketamine Withdrawal Has Severe Consequences New Study of Ayahuasca Users Shows Placebo Effect in Action  

Dr. Allen Frances, DSM 4 task force chairman and chairman emeritus at Duke University, joins Psych Debates in a lively conversation. We discuss the anti-psychiatry movement; a movement with the aims to abolish psychiatric providers, medication, and diagnosis. 

This week, Peter Simons covers an article finding that anticholinergic drugs are linked to cognitive impairment, an article by Allen Frances about overprescription of antidepressants, and an article warning about reductionistic assumptions about biomarkers in psychiatry.   Anticholinergic Medications Linked to Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia   Allen Frances Takes on the Over-Prescription of Antidepressants   We Need Clear Thinking About Biomarkers in Psychiatry to Avoid Bioreductionism Visit madinamerica.com for more news, articles and research updates.

Do you find it hard to talk with your physician or psychiatrist about benzos? How about with your counselor or family and friends? This is a far too common problem in the benzo community, and we're here to help. In today's episode, we share seven tips for talking about benzos with the people in your life. We also share a benzo story from New Mexico, discuss a comment about finding peace-of-mind, and talk about the willingness to make mistakes during our withdrawal.https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/tips-for-talking-about-benzos-to-doctors-therapists-and-family-bfp058Video ID: BFP058Chapters 00:57 Introduction12:50 Mailbag15:44 Benzo Story22:17 FEATURE: Talking About Benzos51:39 Moment of Peace Resources The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Easing Anxiety of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein. The Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices — https://benzoreform.orgTools for Patients Page — https://benzoreform.org/tools-for-patients Speaking with Your Medical Provider — https://benzoreform.org/for-patients/#benzowise Prescriber Information Pamphlet (PIP) Communication Study Guide — https://benzoreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/PIP-Communication-Guide-Summary-V1.pdf “How to Generate Productive Conversations with your Prescriber” by Dr. Janye L. Violette — https://benzoreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/PIP-Communication-Guide-V1.pdf Prescriber Information Pamphlet — https://benzoreform.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/PIP-Communication-Guide-Summary-V1.pdf Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) — https://benzoinfo.com Find a Benzodiazepine Doctor Page w/ Directory — https://www.benzoinfo.com/doctors Fact Sheet on Benzodiazepines — https://www.benzoinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/BIC-Fact-Sheet-Media-Kit.pdf “10 Tips to Help Patients Through Benzodiazepine Withdrawal” by Dr. Christy Huff — https://www.benzoinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/10-Tips-to-Help-Patients-Through-Benzodiazepine-Withdrawal.pdf “How to Find a Doctor and More: 10 Tips to Quit Benzos” by JC Curle — https://www.benzoinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/How-to-find-a-doctor.pdf Withdrawing Prescribed Benzodiazepine Patients (Pamphlet for physicians) — https://www.benzoinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Withdrawing-Prescribed-Patients-Brochure.pdf It's Time to Talk About Benzodiazepines (Pamphlet, general) — https://www.benzoinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ItTime-to-Talk-About-Benzodiazepines.pdf Benzodiazepines, Z-drugs, and Opioids — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/OPIOIDS-AND-THE-CURRENT-BENZODIAZEPINE-CRISIS-HANDOUT-1.pdf Professional's Guide for As-Prescribed BZD Dependence — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/BZPROGUIDE-1.pdf For Therapists & Counselors Treating Clients with Benzodiazepine Withdrawal — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FOR-THERAPISTS-HANDOUT-2.pdf Family, Friends & Caregivers: Providing Support for Someone in Benzodiazepine Withdrawal — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Dos-and-Donts.pdf Benzodiazepines and the Elderly — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/ELDERLY-HANDOUT.pdf About BWS/PWS & Neuronal Damage — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/BWS_PWS_NEURONAL.pdf Historical Fact Sheet — http://w-bad.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/FACTSHEET.pdf The Ashton Manual — http://www.benzo.org.uk/manual New York City Health Information on Benzodiazepines — https://www1.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/chi/chi-35-2.pdf Benzodiazepine Prescribing Guidelines for Pennsylvania — https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/Documents/Opioids/PA Guidelines on Benzo Prescribing.pdf “Yes, Benzos Are Bad for You” by Dr. Allen Frances — https://www.huffpost.com/entry/yes-benzos-are-bad-for-yo_b_10775014  The PodcastThe Benzo Free Podcast provides information, support, and community to those who struggle with the long-term effects of anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) and Z-drugs (Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata). WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.comMAILING LIST: https://www.easinganxiety.com/subscribe YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@easinganx DISCLAIMERAll content provided by Easing Anxiety is for general informational purposes only and should never be considered medical advice. Any health-related information provided is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems, or to prescribe any medical devices or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://www.easinganxiety.com/disclaimer. CREDITSMusic provided / licensed by Storyblocks Audio — https://www.storyblocks.com Benzo Free Theme — Title: “Walk in the Park” — Artist: Neil Cross PRODUCTIONEasing Anxiety is produced by…Denim Mountain Presshttps://www.denimmountainpress.com ©2022 Denim Mountain Press – All Rights Reserved

He's Even Driving Psychiatrists Insane Today's topics include: The former chairman of the psychiatry department at Duke, Allen Frances, made a pretty insane statement about President Trump... Next, Jerry Brewer (sports columnist at the Washington Post) joins the show to talk some sports with John, regarding the recent Andrew Luck news and his early retirement from the Indianapolis Colts. And finally, Hailey Poe (current high school student at South Fayette) talks to John about the USA Triathlon World Championships that she is headed to tomorrow in Switzerland. She is representing Team USA in a sprint triathlon against kids from all over the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to benzo withdrawal, all roads lead to anxiety. Anxiety is not only the most persistent and pervasive symptom of withdrawal, but it's also the catalyst which makes all the others worse. In today's episode, we learn about this mysterious emotional juggernaut called anxiety. What is it? What causes it? Why is it worse in withdrawal? And most of all, what can be done to help ease it? We also have two benzo stories, several news items, and a welcome message to the caregiver. https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/anxiety-the-beast-of-benzo-withdrawal-bfp009Video ID: BFP009 Chapters 00:00 Quote00:40 Introduction07:05 Mailbag13:04 Benzo News18:03 Benzo Stories: Intro19:43 Kathy's Story24:02 Jeff's Story31:30 Feature: Anxiety in Withdrawal47:08 Closing  Resources The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Easing Anxiety of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein. QUOTE: Soren KierkegaardKierkegaard, Søren. The Concept of Anxiety: A Simple Psychologically Orienting Deliberation on the Dogmatic Issue of Hereditary Sin. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1980.MAILBAGThe Ashton ManualBENZO NEWS“The Deadly Worst-Case Scenario for America's Xanax Obsession” by Maria Szalavitz on published on Vice.com“Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You” by Dr. Allen Frances published on HuffingtonPost.com“Which Misused Prescription Meds Sent Americans to the ER?” by Dennis Thompson published on U.S. News and World ReportFEATURE — Anxiety: The Beast of Benzo WithdrawalBarlow, David. Anxiety and Its Disorders. 2nd ed. New York: The Guilford Press, 2002.Helliwell, J., R. Layard and J. Sachs. World Happiness Report 2017. New York: Sustainable Development Solutions Network, 2017. http://worldhappiness.report/#happiness2017.  Introduction In today's intro, we opened with the quote from Kierkegaard, which I've reprinted below: And no Grand Inquisitor has in readiness such terrible tortures as has anxiety, and no spy knows to attack more artfully, choosing the instant when you are weakest, nor knows how to lay traps where you will be caught and ensnared, as anxiety knows how, and no sharp-witted judge knows how to interrogate, to examine you as anxiety does, which never lets you escape, neither at work nor at play, neither by day nor by night.— Soren Kierkegaard, “The Concept of Dread,” 1844 I followed that up with my pleasant surprise at the increase in likes of the Benzo Free Facebook page and how rapidly it has been increasing. And then I jumped into a welcome message for the caregiver. I wanted to let all of the listeners know that this podcast was as much for them as it was for the patient, and to share a genuine thank you for all they do. We also have some interviews coming and I'll start the first one this weekend. And I closed by mentioning that this episode will probably run a little long, which it did.  Mailbag This is where we share questions and comments which were discussed: Did you use any nutritional supplements during your taper and withdrawal?This question was submitted by Jill. I don't have a clear answer for this one since I cannot recommend medication nor supplements nor give such advice. My experience during withdrawal includes B12 supplements prescribed by my doctor since my levels were low, kefir milk which helped my stomach for a while, and I was able to discontinue my stomach medication, again per doctor's instruction. A normal healthy diet which includes generous amounts of fruit and vegetables and a source of protein and fats (from meat or vegetables), and not too much pure sugar or “junk foods,” provides all the nutrients a person needs. There is no general need for dietary supplements or extra vitamins or minerals or for “detoxifying” measures. All these can be harmful in excess. — Prof. Ashton, The Ashton Manual COMMENT from Kathryn, in Camrose, Alberta, CanadaKathryn shared her concerns about a comment I made in a previous episode where I stated that I was “grateful to Dr. Ashton for my sobriety.” Kathryn voiced her concern that the term “sobriety” made it sound like I was referring to addiction. I was not trying to imply anything with that comment and stated that I understood the issue around certain terminology and benzo dependence. I also stated that even if someone is dependent and addicted to benzos, whether they got them on the street or from a prescription, that they are just as welcome here as anyone else.  Benzo News Here are the news articles shared in today's podcast: The Deadly Worst-Cast Scenario for America's Xanax ObsessionThis article highlighted the difficulties in Scotland when the government tried to crack-down on benzodiazepines. It includes an interview with Dr. Christy Huff of the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC). “The Deadly Worst-Case Scenario for America's Xanax Obsession” by Maria Szalavitz on published on Vice.com“Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You” by Dr. Allen FrancesI wanted to bring this article from 2016 back to the attention of the listeners because it is one of the best articles, written by a top-notch U.S. psychiatrist, which lays out the danger and damage caused by benzos. “Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You” by Dr. Allen Frances published on HuffingtonPost.comWhich Misused Prescription Meds Send Americans to the ER? A recent report by US News and World Report states that benzodiazepines such as alprazolam (Xanax) and lorazepam (Ativan) are “most commonly implicated in health crisis that lead to an ER visit, followed by prescription opioids.” Of the 360,000 ER visits researchers identified which involved misuse of pharmaceuticals, “benzodiazepines were the primary prescription drug in 47 percent of cases.”“Which Misused Prescription Meds Sent Americans to the ER?” by Dennis Thompson published on U.S. News and World Report  Benzo Stories I shared two stories today. One from Kathy in Windsor, Colorado and one from Jeff, in Winfield, Illinois. Jeff's story was the first one submitted to us in audio format, so it was a pleasure to hear him share it in his own voice.  Feature Today's featured topic: Anxiety: The Beast of Benzo Withdrawal Today's topic is all about anxiety and we spent a lot of time on it. It is the first in our series on symptoms, and I thought anxiety was a great place to start. In the episode, I discussed an intro to anxiety and shared possible causes. Then I moved onto anxiety in benzo withdrawal, and closed out with a section on how to ease the burden of anxiety.  The PodcastThe Benzo Free Podcast provides information, support, and community to those who struggle with the long-term effects of anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) and Z-drugs (Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata). WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.comMAILING LIST: https://www.easinganxiety.com/subscribe YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@easinganx DISCLAIMERAll content provided by Easing Anxiety is for general informational purposes only and should never be considered medical advice. Any health-related information provided is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems, or to prescribe any medical devices or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://www.easinganxiety.com/disclaimer. CREDITSMusic provided / licensed by Storyblocks Audio — https://www.storyblocks.com Benzo Free Theme — Title: “Walk in the Park” — Artist: Neil Cross PRODUCTIONEasing Anxiety is produced by…Denim Mountain Presshttps://www.denimmountainpress.com ©2022 Denim Mountain Press – All Rights Reserved

When it comes to benzo withdrawal, all roads lead to anxiety. Anxiety is not only the most persistent and pervasive symptom of withdrawal, but it's also the catalyst which makes all the others worse. In today's episode, we learn about this mysterious emotional juggernaut called anxiety. What is it? What causes it? Why is it worse in withdrawal? And most of all, what can be done to help ease it? We also have two benzo stories, several news items, and a welcome message to the caregiver. Welcome to Episode #9 I today's episode, we tackle anxiety. The biggest and most complicated of all benzo symptoms. This is the first in our "symptoms" series which will continue periodically over the next several months. We'll also share two benzo stories, try to answer a question about supplements, and cover a variety of news stories including Dr. Frances' article, ER visits for benzos, and examine what happens to people dependent on benzos when a government cracks down on their use. But first, let's list the resources used in this episode, and then we'll dive deeper into the content of episode 9. Episode Resources The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Benzo Free of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein. OPENING "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind" by Scott Stossel MAILBAG The Ashton Manual BENZO NEWS"The Deadly Worst-Case Scenario for America's Xanax Obsession" by Maria Szalavitz on published on Vice.com"Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You" by Dr. Allen Frances published on HuffingtonPost.com"Which Misused Prescription Meds Sent Americans to the ER?" by Dennis Thompson published on U.S. News and World Report FEATURE - Anxiety: The Beast of Benzo WithdrawalThe Ashton Manual "My Age of Anxiety: Fear, Hope, Dread, and the Search for Peace of Mind" by Scott Stossel"Anxiety and Its Disorders" by David H. Barlow BENZO FREE LINKSWebsitePodcast Home PageFeedback FormDisclaimer Podcast Summary This podcast is dedicated to those who struggle with side effects, dependence, and withdrawal from benzos, a group of drugs from the benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine classes, better known as anti-anxiety drugs, sleeping pills, sedatives, and minor tranquilizers. Their common brand names include Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Lunesta, Valium, and Xanax. Introduction In today's intro, we opened with the quote from Kierkegaard, which I've reprinted below: And no Grand Inquisitor has in readiness such terrible tortures as has anxiety, and no spy knows to attack more artfully, ...choosing the instant when you are weakest, nor knows how to lay traps where you will be caught and ensnared, as anxiety knows how, and no sharp-witted judge knows how to interrogate, to examine you as anxiety does, which never lets you escape, …neither at work nor at play, neither by day nor by night.— Soren Kierkegaard, "The Concept of Dread," 1844 I followed that up with my pleasant surprise at the increase in likes of the Benzo Free Facebook page and how rapidly it has been increasing. And then I jumped into a welcome message for the caregiver. I wanted to let all of the listeners know that this podcast was as much for them as it was for the patient, and to share a geniune thank you for all they do. We also have some interviews coming and I'll start the first one this weekend. And I closed by mentioning that this episode will probably run a little long, which it did. Mailbag This is where we share questions and comments which were discussed: Did you use any nutritional supplements during your taper and withdrawal?This question was submitted by Jill. I don't have a clear answer for this one since I cannot recommend medication nor supplements nor give such advice. My experience during withdrawal includes B12 supplements prescribed by my doctor since my levels were low,

Do you feel all alone in your dependence on benzos? Do you feel like no one believes you? Not even your doctor? Well, you're not alone — thousands of others feel exactly as you do.In episode 6 of the podcast, we're going to shake things up a bit. Today we will talk about the difficulties many of us face in finding qualified, educated medical assistance. We'll share differing opinions on the subject and provide a few suggestions on how to find the compassionate support you deserve. Welcome to Episode #6 Welcome to episode 6 of the Benzo Free Podcast. We've received a lot of feedback from you, the listeners, and have made some changes accordingly. We've changed up our podcast format a bit, added some new content, removed a few others, and enhanced the functionality to our feedback form while we were at it. First, let's list the resources used in this episode, and then we'll dive deeper into the content of episode 6. Episode Resources The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Benzo Free of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein. View show notes on the website: www.benzofree.org/podcast/dependence-disbelief-and-the-doctor-dilemma-bfp006 Resources Mentioned in the News Section of PodcastBenzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC)Survey w/ USC Annenberg (on BIC Blog)Survey w/ Salem State University (on BIC Blog)JAMA Article: "Patterns in Outpatient Benzodiazepine Prescribing in the United States" Resources Mentioned in the Feature Section of Podcast"90% of all prescriptions for benzos come from primary providers." - from an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Meg Kissinger titled "Thousands Prescribed Too Much Medicine," published on March 15, 2017.Quote by Marion Brown from an article in The Daily Mail by John Naish titled "Betrayed by the Doctors Who Turned Us into DRUG ADDICTS: How a Nation of Patients Became Hooked on Prescription Pills," published on May 22, 2017.Benzo Free's Webpage on The Ashton Manual"Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You," by Dr. Allen Frances on Pro Talk: A Rahabs.com Community, published on June 10, 2016."How to Find a Doctor: 10 Tips to Quit Benzos" by Nicole Curle, on Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) blog published Dec. 12, 2018"Find a Doctor" webpage on the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) website."What If My Doctor Stops My Prescription?" webpage on the World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) website."Finding Medical Taper Support" webpage on the World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) website. Benzo Free LinksWebsitePodcast Home PageFeedback FormDisclaimer Podcast Summary This podcast is dedicated to those who struggle with side effects, dependence, and withdrawal from benzos, a group of drugs from the benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine classes, better known as anti-anxiety drugs, sleeping pills, sedatives, and minor tranquilizers. Their common brand names include Ambien, Ativan, Klonopin, Lunesta, Valium, and Xanax. Introduction The introduction of today's episode is a bit longer than most. Since we launched the podcast on Thursday, Feb. 21st, we finally have some feedback from our listeners. Most of it was positive, but there was some critical feedback too. And thus, we made some changes. Feedback Form - We've added an optional location field, a permission check box, and instructions for submitting audio content. Check out the form at benzofree.org/feedback.Podcast Format - We also changed up the format of each episode by adding two new sections, Benzo News and Benzo Stories, and eliminating our closing section, Moment of Peace. We also changed the name of the Q&A section and will now call it Mailbag which will include both questions and comments from our listeners.Length - We've also decided to try out a slightly longer episode length of 30-45 minutes. Mailbag This is where we share questions and comments from our list...

Do you feel all alone in your dependence on benzos? Do you feel like no one believes you? Not even your doctor? Well, you're not alone — thousands of others feel exactly as you do. In episode 6 of the podcast, we're going to shake things up. Today we will talk about the difficulties many of us face in finding qualified, educated medical assistance. We'll share differing opinions on the subject and provide a few suggestions on how to find the compassionate support you deserve. https://www.easinganxiety.com/post/dependence-disbelief-and-the-doctor-dilemma-bfp006Video ID: BFP006 Chapters 00:00 Introduction09:20 Benzo News12:02 Benzo Stories16:45 Feature: The Doctor Dilemma30:45 Closing  Episode Summary Welcome to episode 6 of the Benzo Free Podcast. We've received a lot of feedback from you, the listeners, and have made some changes accordingly. We've changed up our podcast format a bit, added some new content, removed a few others, and enhanced the functionality to our feedback form while we were at it. First, let's list the resources used in this episode, and then we'll dive deeper into the content of episode 6.  Introduction The introduction of today's episode is a bit longer than most. Since we launched the podcast on Thursday, Feb. 21st, we finally have some feedback from our listeners. Most of it was positive, but there was some critical feedback too. And thus, we made some changes. Feedback Form – We've added an optional location field, a permission check box, and instructions for submitting audio content. Check out the form at https://easinganxiety.com/feedback. Podcast Format – We also changed up the format of each episode by adding two new sections, Benzo News and Benzo Stories, and eliminating our closing section, Moment of Peace. We also changed the name of the Q&A section and will now call it Mailbag which will include both questions and comments from our listeners.Length – We've also decided to try out a slightly longer episode length of 30-45 minutes.  Mailbag This is where we share questions and comments from our listeners. When are you going to have some interviews?We are working on scheduling interviews currently. Part of the delay is technological. We still need to set up and configure recording software for Skype so we can record remotely. We hope to have this ready to go in a few weeks.  Benzo News Here are some news items that we wanted to share: Patient Surveys – Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC)BIC is currently supporting two completely separate surveys on patients' experiences with benzos. Please check them out if you wish to participate.Survey w/ USC Annenberg (on BIC Blog) Survey w/ Salem State University (on BIC Blog)Increase in Benzodiazepine Prescriptions – JAMA NetworkSeveral articles have been written lately about the increase in benzodiazepine prescriptions in outpatient facilities. One article, on the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Network's webpage, was titled. “Patterns in Outpatient Benzodiazepine Prescribing in the United States.” It stated that the rate of visits which included a prescription for a benzodiazepine in outpatient visits increased from 3.8% to 7.4% for the years 2003 through 2015. The largest increase was not from psychiatrists' offices, but from others including primary care. In addition, benzodiazepines are being prescribed more frequently now for pain, especially chronic pain and back pain. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2722576  Benzo Stories Even though we are receiving comments from the listeners, we are still light on personal stories and anecdotes. Today I shared a short observation of my experiences with some protracted symptoms during a charity poker game I attended the night before. Even though symptoms still plague me from time-to-time, I try and remind myself that I am so much better now than I was during the acute phase of my withdrawal.  Feature Today's featured topic: Dependence, Disbelief, and the Doctor Dilemma Today's topic was triggered by a comment from a listener about the difficulties that so many face when trying to find a doctor who can help them with their dependence and withdrawal. Here are a few excerpts from her comment: I work as an admin in a group on Facebook helping others as best I can, within my limited abilities and mostly from experience, reading resources and audio resources as well as observations gleaned over a long period of years. I recognize the need for a disclaimer to protect oneself but I am caught in a dilemma when it comes to saying work with your trusted physician as those are few and far between if for many they even can be found. [Speaking about doctors] Most are sadly ignorant and only learning of the withdrawal but still harbor doubt. Those who are aware and accept the problem aren't aware of safe tapering methods. I started tapering in 2011 along with some other prescription drugs and its been a minefield of narrowly and luckily avoiding a detox or too fast taper dangers. I'm now 63 and loving life post benzo withdrawal but had I listened to doctors and worked with them I can't begin to guess where I'd be in life. I question, in fact, whether I'd still be alive. — Kathryn I understand Kathryn's frustrations and empathize. 90% of all prescriptions for benzos come from primary care physicians, and this was also true in my case. I visited five different primary care providers during my withdrawal, and only one of them was well educated on benzos in my opinion. I completely sympathize with people like Kathryn. It's hard enough when you have a doctor who will work with you, I can't imagine what it's like without one. This is problem which is gaining some attention from medical associations: There is a pattern in patients' notes where doctors don't believe that their withdrawal symptoms, such as pain, fits and psychiatric disorders such as panic and obsessiveness, are associated with the drugs… All too often doctors fail to take note of the fact they have been on benzodiazepines for years. — Marion Brown, a psychotherapist working with the British Medial Association, from an article in The Daily Mail by John Naish titled “Betrayed by the Doctors Who Turned Us into DRUG ADDICTS: How a Nation of Patients Became Hooked on Prescription Pills,” published on May 22, 2017. The truth is, I've spent a lot of time on some of the discussion boards, and I've heard the horror stories. And they can be terrible. Disbelief, denial, rapid detox… the problems seem endless. I wish that all doctors were properly educated on benzos and how to properly withdrawal, but sadly that is not always the case. So, thanks to Kathryn for her input, and I hope I have done it justice. I am limited in what I can say and share on this podcast — legally. As I've mentioned, I am not a medical professional, and this podcast is not medical advice and should never be substituted for it. Yes, it is true that I cannot advise anyone to disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. That being said, I would like to also say it is not just a legality here. I actually believe what I say in my disclaimer. Still, I realize that there are two sides to this issue and Kathryn has done an excellent job of raising some very valid concerns. All I can do is share my experience, some experiences I've heard from others, and tell you what I think. That's it. Yes, I am limited do a degree in what I can say here, but despite my difficulties finding medial support during my taper, I am very glad that I didn't give up trying. It wasn't easy. Not by a long shot. But it was worth it. You see, I truly believe that most doctors want to help their patients. That's how I feel about it. Perhaps I don't live in the real world, but that is my belief. The truth is, there are some amazing doctors out there who are our biggest champions. Prof. Ashton, Prof. Lader, and Dr. Christy Huff (BIC) are just a few examples. If you can't find a doctor, there are some resources which can help you. Many of them. The Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) has an article on their site titled: “How to Find a Doctor: 10 Tips to Quit Benzos.” They also have a list of benzo-wise or benzo-aware doctors throughout the U.S. W-BAD also has a full page of information on support for your taper, which also includes a list of doctors. And other sites have similar support. Links can be found in our resources section at the top of the show notes. Here are my thoughts on benzos and doctors. Take it or leave it, it's just my opinion. I believe withdrawal from benzos is a complicated, medical procedure and should not be done without the supervision of a licensed physician. Yes, I'm supposed to say that, but I also believe it. Benzo withdrawal can be a medical nightmare for some people, and to have a doctor to work with us, who is sympathetic to our needs, is crucial. Not only did I need someone to prescribe tapered dosages, but even more so, I needed a doctor who knew what I was going through and could help me diagnose all of my symptoms. Especially those 5 EKGs that I've had. This is what I would do if I had to do it all over again. I'm not advising anyone on anything, but these are my thoughts: First, I would educate myself on benzos. • I would read the Ashton Manual, probably twice. • I would go online and read articles and board postings.• I would use my common sense to determine what is true.• And I would develop a plan of how I want to taper if that is what I decided to do.Second, I would speak with my current doctor or psychiatrist.• I would see if I can work with him or her.• We already have a working relationship, so better to start here.Third, if that doesn't work, I would seek out a benzo-wise doctor.• I would check out the benzo-wise doctor lists I just spoke about.• I would ask people on the boards if anyone knows a benzo-wise doctor in my area.Fourth, if that doesn't work, I would find one I could work with.• Perhaps this person isn't well educated on benzos, but if he or she is willing to listen, they may just be the doctor for me. I believe that to solve this problem, we need to work with doctors and not against them. That may sound naïve to some, but it's my opinion. But that, in no way, means that I don't recognize the nightmare that some of you have experienced trying to find medical support when you so desperately need it. It should be easier, and doctors should be better educated. I hope this topic has been helpful. Thanks for listening.  Resources The following resource links are provided as a courtesy to our listeners. They do not constitute an endorsement by Easing Anxiety of the resource or any recommendations or advice provided therein. Resources Mentioned in the News Section of PodcastBenzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC)Survey w/ USC Annenberg (on BIC Blog)Survey w/ Salem State University (on BIC Blog)JAMA Article: “Patterns in Outpatient Benzodiazepine Prescribing in the United States” Resources Mentioned in the Feature Section of Podcast“90% of all prescriptions for benzos come from primary providers.” – from an article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Meg Kissinger titled “Thousands Prescribed Too Much Medicine,” published on March 15, 2017.Quote by Marion Brown from an article in The Daily Mail by John Naish titled “Betrayed by the Doctors Who Turned Us into DRUG ADDICTS: How a Nation of Patients Became Hooked on Prescription Pills,” published on May 22, 2017.Benzo Free's Webpage on The Ashton Manual“Yes, Benzos Are Bad For You,” by Dr. Allen Frances on Pro Talk: A Rahabs.com Community, published on June 10, 2016.“How to Find a Doctor: 10 Tips to Quit Benzos” by JC Curle, on Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) blog published Dec. 12, 2018“Find a Doctor” webpage on the Benzodiazepine Information Coalition (BIC) website.“What If My Doctor Stops My Prescription?” webpage on the World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD)website.“Finding Medical Taper Support” webpage on the World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) website.  The PodcastThe Benzo Free Podcast provides information, support, and community to those who struggle with the long-term effects of anxiety medications such as benzodiazepines (Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium) and Z-drugs (Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata). WEBSITE: https://www.easinganxiety.comMAILING LIST: https://www.easinganxiety.com/subscribe YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@easinganx DISCLAIMERAll content provided by Easing Anxiety is for general informational purposes only and should never be considered medical advice. Any health-related information provided is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to diagnose or treat health problems, or to prescribe any medical devices or other remedies. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it. Please visit our website for our complete disclaimer at https://www.easinganxiety.com/disclaimer. CREDITSMusic provided / licensed by Storyblocks Audio — https://www.storyblocks.com Benzo Free Theme — Title: “Walk in the Park” — Artist: Neil Cross PRODUCTIONEasing Anxiety is produced by…Denim Mountain Presshttps://www.denimmountainpress.com ©2022 Denim Mountain Press – All Rights Reserved

Jesse and Brittany talk to Dr. Allen Frances, author of the new book ‘Twilight of American Sanity: A Psychiatrist Analyzes the Age of Trump'. Issues discussed include the armchair diagnosis of Donald Trump from both professionals and individuals in the general population, Donald Trump's behavior throughout his life, and what his election says about the... The post #BONUS – “Dr. Allen Frances, author of ‘Twilight of American Sanity: A Psychiatrist Analyzes the Age of Trump'.” appeared first on I Doubt It Podcast.

It's no secret that Donald J. Trump is possessed of an outsized ego. Some psychiatrists speculate that he suffers from a psychiatric condition known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), which is defined by grandiosity, insecurity, callousness, and a predatory approach to human relationships. Dr. Allen Frances, who helped write the criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder for psychiatry's diagnostic bible, argues that Trump does not meet the criteria for NPD because he doesn't suffer from his egocentric behavior. Rather, Frances argues, Trump makes other people suffer and should therefore be understood as a bad person rather than one with a mental illness. Frances and host Lindsay Beyerstein use the question of the president's mental health as a jumping off point to consider the nature of psychiatric diagnosis and the applicability of psychiatric concepts to politics. Recommended Reading: How Trump Could Get Fired, by Evan Osnos for The New Yorker

Jesse and Brittany discuss the reasons behind their delayed episode, as well as their BONUS episode with Dr. Allen Frances, a recent survey asking Facebook users the reasons behind deleting their friends, a recent study on same-sex marriage policy's impact on adolescent suicide rates, the Obama Administration's effort to preserve intelligence on Donald Trump's Russia... The post #281 – “Allen Frances, Deleting Facebook Friends & Same Sex Marriage Policy's Impact on Suicide, Donald Trump & Jeff Sessions' Russia Problem, and the Joint Session Speech.” appeared first on I Doubt It Podcast.

Jesse and Brittany are joined by Dr. Allen Frances, former chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and of the department of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine, and professor emeritus at Duke. In this interview, we discuss Dr. Frances' upcoming book with the working title, “Death and Life of American Sanity: A Psychiatrists' Perspective... The post #BONUS – “Dr. Allen Frances on Diagnosing Donald Trump.” appeared first on I Doubt It Podcast.