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Are Mental Illnesses Really Brain Diseases?

by Jeffrey Rubin, PhD

In an article titled “The Roots of Mental Illness,” the author, Kirsten Weir, tells us about Eric Kandel, MD, who believes that the experiences that doctors refer to as mental illnesses are brain diseases. Dr. Kandel defends his belief with the following statement: “All mental processes are brain processes, and therefore all disorders of mental functioning are biological diseases. The brain is the organ of the…

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Mental Illness or Below Average Functioning?

A William James Perspectiveby Dr Jeffrey Rubin

“Good morning, Barbara,” I say, as my first counseling case walks into my office. I notice she looks a little angry. Upon sitting down, she declares, “I’m terribly frustrated. I’ve been depressed now for over two weeks, and I just can’t shake it!” It’s easy for me to empathize because I regularly have bouts of what I refer to as melancholy. A deep anguish comes…

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My APA Speech On An Alternative to Psychiatric Jargon

by Dr. Jeffrey Rubin

On August 8, 2015, I spoke at the American Psychological Association’s annual convention that was held in Toronto, Canada. My speech was part of a two hour symposium titled: “Beyond the DSM–Current Trends in Devising New Diagnostic Alternatives.” The DSM’s letters stand for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.  It is currently used by most mental health professionals to classify people seeking mental health services….

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Psychiatric Name Calling: What Do People Say About It?

by Dr. Jeffrey Rubin

In recent weeks, I have been providing a series of blog posts on psychiatric name calling (see here, here, here, and here).  In these posts, I have expressed some negative opinions about the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM provides the names for the various mental health concerns that mental health service providers are often required to use if they want to…

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