Mood Swings

A Psychiatrist Surveys the Mind and the Wider World

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi

Professor Anti-Stigma

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on June 22, 2009 - 9:30pm in Mood Swings

One might call it Pope’s rule: Your motives are revealed by your focus. An interesting hypothesis, especially as confirmed in cases like that of Professor Anti-Stigma. Read More

The politics of radical empathy

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on June 22, 2009 - 8:34am in Mood Swings

The psychological concept that became the core of the politics of Gandhi and King was empathy, love in simpler language. A simple idea, endorsed by all, engaged by few. Read More

Follow the money

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on June 9, 2009 - 12:34pm in Mood Swings

If money corrupts, and more money corrupts even more, who, in these seamy conflicts, is left uncorrupted? Read More

Bipolar Imperialism or Freedom?

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on May 28, 2009 - 9:56am in Mood Swings

Who are the imperialists in psychiatry? Read More

Bipolar disorder: The mythology of biomythology

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on April 16, 2009 - 8:41pm in Mood Swings

Christopher Lane's blog is an interesting approach to interviewing contrarian figures in the mental health professions. Most recently, he interviews my colleague David Healy about how bipolar disorder is all a biomythology. Based on his recent history of bipolar disorder, Healy presents one perspective; I believe another deserves to be heard. Read More

When she wants a divorce

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on April 8, 2009 - 1:09pm in Mood Swings

Recently I received a two sentence email from a college friend:

"On Friday Louise told me she wants a divorce. Do you think this can be salvaged?"

How can we teach?

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on March 28, 2009 - 6:20pm in Mood Swings

Who am I, and how am I, to tell them what is true and what is false? How can we teach?

No one is psychotic in my presence

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on March 11, 2009 - 1:05pm in Mood Swings

Semrad proved clinically what philosophers seek to explain logically: delusions are not just about faulty cognitions or biological abnormalities (though they usually involve both) - they also involve something more deeply human, a basic existential fault, perhaps, reminding us that even in the most severely ill psychiatric patients, our clinical work involves - first and foremost - contacting the person beneath the patient, and saying hello. Read More

Psychiatry for the American soul: Nonviolent resistance

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on February 20, 2009 - 7:21pm in Mood Swings

I understand now, Bevel said in one of those basement meetings: our movement is not just a political program, with political goals; the movement is a kind of psychiatry for America, trying to cure it of the disease of racism; the cure has to be so applied that it does not kill the patient. Read More

Darwinian psychiatry: The loss of essence

By Dr. Nassir Ghaemi on February 16, 2009 - 4:00pm in Mood Swings

Of the many cultural implications of Darwinism one of the least recognized is its conceptual core, which is this: There is no essence to anything. Read More