Podcasts about Moncrieff

In this explosive and highly anticipated episode, Dr. Roger McFillin hosts Dr. Ragy Girgis, a Columbia University Professor of Psychiatry and researcher, for a no-holds-barred confrontation that exposes the shocking divisions tearing apart the mental health field. What begins as a conversation about mass violence research rapidly explodes into a devastating examination of psychiatric medicine's crumbling foundations, questionable effectiveness, and devastating potential harms. The two clash in fierce, unrelenting disagreements over fundamental issues including the validity of DSM diagnoses, the debunked "chemical imbalance" theory of depression, dangerous SSRI safety cover-ups and black box warnings, corrupted research quality and pharmaceutical industry manipulation, and the catastrophic crisis of psychiatric drug overprescription poisoning 1 in 4-5 Americans. Dr. Girgis desperately defends traditional academic psychiatry and current treatment approaches, while Dr. McFillin ruthlessly dismantles the entire paradigm, arguing that the current system is systematically creating chronic mental illness rather than healing it. Buckle up for this brutal intellectual warfare.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Throughout the interview, Dr. Girgis repeatedly stated that "the data is clear" while dismissing contradictory evidence that challenges his conclusions. For our listeners' benefit, I have compiled research and documentation that directly disputes several of Dr. Girgis's key claims.Serotonin Hypothesis of Depression1. The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence (Moncrieff et al.)Conclusions: "This review suggests that the huge research effort based on the serotonin hypothesis has NOT produced convincing evidence of a biochemical basis to depression. This is consistent with research on many other biological markers . We suggest it is time to acknowledge that the serotonin theory of depression is NOT empirically substantiated."2.What has serotonin to do with depression?Conclusions: "Simple biochemical theories that link low levels of serotonin with depressed mood are no longer tenable."3. Is the chemical imbalance an ‘urban legend'? An exploration of the status of the serotonin theory of depression in the scientific literatureViolence & Suicide Associated with SSRI's 1. Precursors to suicidality and violence on antidepressants: systematic review of trials in adult healthy volunteers2. Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others3. Antidepressant-induced akathisia-related homicides associated with diminishing mutations in metabolizing genes of the CYP450 family4. Lexapro Approved for Pediatric Use Despite the 6-Fold Increase in Suicide Risk5. McFillin Substack Review on Lexapro approved despite Suicide Risk6. Suicidality and aggression during antidepressant treatment: systematic review and meta-analyses based on clinical study reports7. Antidepressants Increase Suicide Attempts in Youth; No Preventative Effect8. Effect of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment following diagnosis of depression on suicidal behaviour risk:9.  FDA Warning: Antidepressants increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children and adolescents10.  Suicide Mortality in the United States, 2001–2021 CDC documentation11. US suicide rate reaches highest point in more than 80 years: See what latest data shows12.  CNN article reporting Eli Lilly Internal Documents"An internal document purportedly from Eli Lilly and Co. made public Monday appears to show that the drug maker had data more than 15 years ago showing that patients on its antidepressant Prozac were far more likely to attempt suicide and show hostility than were patients on other antidepressants and that the company attempted to minimize public awareness of the side effects. The 1988 document indicated that 3.7 percent of patients attempted suicide while on the blockbuster drug, a rate more than 12 times that cited for any of four other commonly used antidepressants.In addition, the paper said that 1.6 percent of patients reported incidents of hostility -- more than double the rate reported by patients on any of four other commonly used antidepressants."Examples of Violence after Prescription in legal system (Sample)January 24, 2020 – Newcastle, South Dublin, Ireland: Deirdre Morley, 44, smothered and killed her two sons Conor, 9, and Darragh, 7, and her three-year-old daughter Carla McGinley in their family home. She had been taking antidepressants since October 2018 and was admitted to St. Patrick's Mental Health Services on July 6, 2019, but was discharged after a short period, but was put on a combination of two antidepressants and a sedativeMay 11, 2018 – Osmington, Western Australia: Peter Miles, 61, shot his 35-year-old daughter and four grandchildren, aged 8 through 13, while they slept in their beds, in a shed that had been converted to a second house on the property. He then turned the gun on his 58-year-old wife in the living room of their house, before placing a call to police alerting them to his crimes. When they arrived, Miles was also found dead from a gunshot wound. Miles had started taking antidepressant medication just weeks before.April 6, 2018 – Wadsworth, Ohio: Gavon Ramsay, 17, strangled his neighbor, 98-year-old Margaret Douglas in her own home. His parents blame his actions on his having been misprescribed Zoloft. After a report by his school principal that the teen was depressed and might harm himself, he “returned to therapy,” and after a recommendation by a psychologist, the family's pediatrician prescribed the antidepressant Zoloft. From January through March leading up to the incident, the dosages were increased. During this time, his mother said she observed her son's behavior change—becoming increasingly irritable and hostile and saying bizarre things.October 21, 2013 – Sparks, Nevada: 12-year-old Jose Reyes opened fire at Sparks Middle School, killing a teacher and wounding two classmates be...

Child Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Seán Moncrieff to answer your parenting questions…

Jean Smullen joins Moncrieff with two wines for the weekend. Chris Wasser reviews Jurassic World and Cronenberg's The Shrouds, while Fionnuala Jones has the latest showbiz stories.After the sad passing of Michael Madsen and the creative change-up for the next season of The Last Of Us, there's plenty in the news to discuss (and plenty of wine to taste.)Listen here.

A new documentary taking Netflix by storm charts the most miserable cruise of all time, as a breakdown in electricity and plumbing led to a nightmare in the Gulf of Mexico in 2013.James Ross, director of ‘Trainwreck: Poop Cruise,' spoke with Moncrieff on the disaster in the cruise ship.Listen here.

Helen O'Rahilly, Former television executive with the BBC, joined Moncrieff earlier to speak about her decision to ditch the dye and go grey – little did she realise quite how eagerly she would take to it.Listen here

Two tennis players at Wimbledon have lost jewellery during play this week, with top player Coco Gauff dropping an earring mid-backhand and another's bracelet smashing into smithereens on the grass. So, what are the rules and why do so many pro athletes wear bling on court?Orla McElroy, Sports editor for Irish Mail Newspapers joined Moncrieff to discuss.Listen here.

A few days ago, Vin Diesel announced his conditions for him agreeing to make an 11th Fast & Furious movie... one of those was that his and Paul Walker's characters would be reunited. Only one problem with this: Paul Walker died 12 years ago. So how would digital resurrection work in this case and is it a good idea? Film Critic, Esther McCarthy joined Moncrieff earlier to discuss.

On the back of Rachel Reeves' public showing of emotion in the UK Houses of Parliament, Lynda Barry, career consultant, joins Moncrieff to talk about the rising trend of workplace vulnerability — especially crying at work.Listen here.

Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, joins Moncrieff to explain why the organisation is warning of a potential doubling in cancer cases by 2045 — and what must be done now to prevent that outcome.Listen here

Ross Whitaker, director of Beat the Lotto, joins Moncrieff to talk about his new documentary exploring the time when a syndicate attempted an elaborate scheme to game the National Lottery in 1992.Thew film will be available in cinemas from Friday 4 July.Listen here.

Declan Buckley and Barbara Scully join Moncrieff to tackle another round of listener dilemmas.From moving on from your ex to feeling lost after quitting your job, get all your adult woes answered by the gang here.

John Wilson, Irish Times wine critic, joins Moncrieff to explain how rising global temperatures are affecting grapes .Could this be why your favourite wine is now stronger than it used to be.Listen here.

Today's paid partner is BetterHelp, to get 10% off your first month of online therapy with a credentialed therapist head to www.betterhelp.com/aneedtoread - Today's conversation is with Joanna Moncreiff, the author of 'Chemically Imbalanced: the making and unmaking of the serotonin myth'. We discuss the history of the link between depression and serotonin, side effects of taking SSRI's and the emerging mental health treatment methods that we should be wary of.    For help understanding how you can come off Anti Depressants, follow this link  -    A Need To Read is partnered with The Breath Space, a online Breath-work education and practise portal that I have been using for the last couple of months, alongside my course to become a breath-work facilitator. To check out how breathwork can help you, follow the link and use the code ED for 50% off your first 2 months.  https://courses.thebreathspace.co.uk/your-breath-space-online-membership    You can also support my work by heading to www.buymeacoffee.com/aneedtoread    Any feedback is welcome: aneedtoread.podcast@gmail.com 

A new service is being launched this week to provide support to people who feel unsafe or unwell during a night out in Dublin city centre.Known as the ‘Nee-Naw' van, it has been launched by Dublin City Council, and supported by the Department of Justice, as a late-night welfare initiative.Moncrieff is joined by Ray O'Donoghue, Night-Time Economy Adviser for Dublin City (also known as the Night Tsar) to discuss the initiative.Listen here.

Denise O'Donoghue, Life Hacks columnist for the Irish Examiner, joins Moncrieff to sort — once and for all —what should go in the fridge and what you're ruining by refrigerating.With the temperature rising over the Summer, you may be surprised at some of the goods that should be in the fridge as we creep on temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.Listen here.

Moncrieff is joined by Vali Nasr, author of Iran's Grand Strategy – A Political History, to discuss Iran's long-term geopolitical ambitions, its regional influence, and how recent global shifts, from war to ceasefire, are playing into Tehran's strategy.Listen here

Freelance journalist, Emily Bratt, joins Moncrieff to talk about the less glamorous side of working remotely around the world — from tax chaos and loneliness to the burnout and even the tinge of hedonism that comes with such a lifestyle.Listen here for more.

Tonie Walsh, founding editor of Gay Community News, joins Moncrieff to discuss the introduction of the Historic Offences Bill, which seeks to expunge convictions under now-repealed laws that criminalised LGBTQ+ people in Ireland. Men in Ireland were being sent to prison up until the 90s, many of these convictions remain on their records.Listen here.

Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Moncrieff to respond to listener parenting dilemmas.From giving praise to dealing with early insecurities and more.Listen here to get your parenting questions answered.

Paolo Carbone, Head of Light Rail Capital Programs with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, joins Moncrieff to talk about what's next for Dublin's Luas.Expansion plans have been revealed as part of the Luas 2050 Project, and Paolo describes what areas will be part of the network.Listen here for more.

Paul McKinney, Director of Donor Services and Logistics with the Irish Blood Transfusion Service, joins Moncrieff to make an urgent appeal for summer donations, with stocks dangerously low across several blood types.Listen here

On the back of Donald Trump's own fragrance drop, Moncrieff is joined by Sarah Halliwell, beauty editor at The Gloss Magazine, to examine the enduring power of celebrity-endorsed perfumes.Listen here,

Éanna Ní Lamhna, Irish biologist and environmental consultant, joins Moncrieff to explain the serious environmental and health consequences of dog fouling on beaches — from water pollution to the risk it poses to children and its sheer difficulty to deal with when we don't clean up dog foul after ourselves.Listen here

Jess Kelly, NewsTalk Tech Correspondent and host of Tech Talk, joins Moncrieff to explain a new AI tool designed to detect and strip out emojis placed over children's faces online.It also raises further questions about the power of AI in holding our data and the ethical concerns that raises in itself.

Jesse Hassenger, culture writer for AV Club and The Guardian, joins Moncrieff to explore how the voices of The Simpsons characters have changed over the decades — and why we didn't really notice until recently.Listen here.

Kerry Hanaphy, founder of Kerry Hanaphy Aesthetic Clinics, joins Moncrieff to discuss how she's noticed people are being much more open about plastic surgery and how attitudes are changing across demographics.Listen here

Saoirse Hanley, journalist with the Irish Independent, joins Moncrieff to talk about reading fatigue and how an online tool which suggested books based on colour might help you get out of a reading rut... sort of.Listen here

Sean Defoe, NewsTalk'sPolitical Correspondent, joins Moncrieff to discuss a proposal for changing the length of presidential terms in Ireland. Should the seven-year term be shortened? And where exactly did such a term-length come from?Listen here

Helen Wilson joins Moncrieff to describe how her livestream of Kneecap's Glastonbury set blew up online.Listen here.

Travel journalist James Stewart joins Moncrieff to talk about one of the world's most niche nature experiences: Puffin snorkelling.He explains where to do this 'undercover puffin activity,' what it's like, and why this quirky adventure is gaining popularity.Listen here

After a long campaign, the Phoenix Cinema in Dingle was saved from destruction by Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness.Aoife Granville from the Save The Phoenix Campaign joins Moncrieff to discuss the next plans for this iconic location.Listen here.

Brian Gurrin, census and population specialist with the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project, joins Moncrieff to explain how old Irish census data — once thought lost — has been partially reconstructed, offering a rare window into Irish life, pre-civil war.Listen here

Sarina Bellissimo joins Moncrieff with her picks for what to stream. On the list thsi week:Ironheart – a Marvel spin-off bringing a new tech genius into the MCU, Smoke – a new Nordic noir with a female detective twist, and, of course, The Bear season three of the hit familial/culinary drama returns with more pressure, tension and emotion.Listen here.

Paul Clements, A well-known nature writer has released a new book about the year he spent living in a cottage on the grounds of a County Down estate; Montalto.He joins Moncrieff to discuss the process and sights of living in such a beatiful setting.Listen here.

Dr Dustin Crummett, Executive Director of the Insect Institute in Washington, joins Moncrieff to discuss why Western countries still resist the idea of eating bugs — despite environmental and nutritional benefits.Will the general attitudes ever change, or has that process already begun?Listen here.

Francis Nesbitt, joins Moncrieff to share stories from being a best man five times — the pressure, the speeches, the stag dos (and don'ts)Get all the inside knowledge here.

Michelle Lawlor, Brian Lloyd and Fionnuala Jones join Moncrieff for your weekly dose of wine, film, and showbiz. This week it's F1: The Movie, Ran — Akira Kurosawa's epic retelling of King Lear with wines from the Penedès region of Spain — including Pardas 'Negre Franc' and Maria Casanovas Cava Gran Reserva.Plus; Beyoncé in Paris, celebrity break-ups, and other weekend streaming picks.Listen here.

Mark Greenhill, Mayor of the Blue Mountains in Australia, joins Moncrieff to explain how robotic cats are being used in the Blue Mountains library — offering comfort and companionship to dementia patients, and helping kids stay calm in cases of anxiety.A novel solution to help with loneliness and isolation too, could we see it rolled out elsewhere?Listen here.

Jen Sheahan, former Home of the Year winner and columnist with the Irish Examiner, joins Moncrieff with practical and aesthetic advice on adding an outdoor shower to your home.Could this be a new trend taking over in the coming years? Get your dos and don'ts here.

With Wimbledon just around the corner, former amateur tennis player Liam Hoctor joins Moncrieff to relive an epic 55-hour tennis marathon in Tullamore Tennis Club.Listen here

Nick Davis, neuroscientist and psychologist at Manchester Metropolitan University, joins Moncrieff to explain why our fingers get wrinkly in water — and why it might actually be a useful evolutionary trick.Listen here

Fiona Staunton, Director of Early Onset Parkinson's Disease Ireland, joins Moncrieff to argue why younger people with early onset or chronic illness need specialised housing and care, not placement in nursing homes alongside the elderly.People as young as 30 are being placed in nursing homes where the needs of their illnesses are not being met.Listen here.

Declan Buckley and Barbara Scully join Moncrieff to tackle your adult dilemmas.From a 'too' secretive partner to a new man that announces himself "too loudly" in the group -- so to speak.Listen here.

Dr Ciaran Feighan, civil engineer and consultant with Pavement Management Services Ltd. joins Moncrieff to explain how potholes really form, why Ireland struggles with them, and what we should be doing differently to maintain our roads.Listen here

Author Colum McCann, joins Moncrieff to talk about his latest book American Mother -- the true story of a woman whose life was transformed by grief and forgiveness in the aftermath of her son's murder.The novel is now being turned into an opera and joins Moncrieff to tell the story.Listen here

Child Psychotherapist Joanna Fortune joins Seán Moncrieff to answer your parenting questions…

Joanna Fortune, psychotherapist and parenting expert, joins Moncrieff to respond to listener queries on parenting challenges — from toddler meltdowns to the pain of parental burnout.Listen here

Greg Dickinson, Senior Travel Writer with The Telegraph, joins Moncrieff to explain the story behind the world's shortest commercial flight — a 1.7-mile hop between two Orkney Islands in Scotland — and what it reveals about the people there, and the connections between the islands.Listen here.

Helen Vaughan, psychotherapist, joins Moncrieff to share tips on navigating the emotional minefield of holidays with a partner — from managing expectations to avoiding rows in the sun.Listen here

CAUTION: If you are taking antidepressants or any other psychiatric medication, do not stop or adjust your dosage without first consulting a qualified healthcare professional. Coming off these medications without proper guidance can lead to serious withdrawal symptoms. Always seek professional advice before making changes to your treatment.   Did you know that nearly one in five UK adults - and almost one in four women - are currently taking antidepressants? Yet according to my guest this week, the fundamental theory behind these prescriptions may be built on remarkably shaky ground. Joanna Moncrieff is Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London, consultant psychiatrist for the NHS, and the author of the groundbreaking book, Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth. In our thought-provoking conversation, Joanna explains how the widely accepted belief that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance or serotonin deficiency has little scientific evidence to support it. This theory, which became popularised in the 1990s through pharmaceutical industry marketing, has fundamentally changed how we view our emotions and mental health. Joanna and I discuss: Why the difference between antidepressants and placebos in clinical trials is just two points on a 54-point depression scale - a remarkably small difference that may not be clinically significant How the diagnosis of depression itself is subjective and based on criteria that Joanna describes as "completely made up", rather than objective biological markers The concerning side effects of SSRIs that are often underreported - including emotional numbness, sexual dysfunction that can persist even after stopping medication, and in some cases, an increase in suicidal thoughts How pharmaceutical marketing campaigns in the 1990s fundamentally changed our cultural understanding of depression from a natural human response to life circumstances to a "chemical imbalance" requiring medication Why withdrawal from antidepressants can be extremely challenging, particularly at lower doses, and why reducing medication requires careful, gradual reduction that many doctors aren't trained to manage Whether visiting your GP should be your first option when experiencing low mood, and how alternatives like exercise, mindfulness and addressing underlying life issues might be more effective Throughout the episode, Joanna encourages us to view our emotional responses as meaningful signals rather than medical disorders that need chemical correction. She believes we've been disempowering people by teaching them that negative emotions represent a deficiency rather than a natural human experience that can guide us toward necessary changes in our lives. This conversation isn't about telling anyone what to do with their current medication, but rather providing information to make truly informed decisions. If you or someone you know has ever taken antidepressants or been diagnosed with depression, this episode offers a perspective that could fundamentally change how you view mental health treatment in the future. I hope you enjoy listening. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our sponsors: https://boncharge.com/livemore https://airbnb.co.uk/host https://drinkag1.com/livemore https://join.whoop.com/livemore    Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/563   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.