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Fifty years ago, in 1969, a “radical caucus” formed in the American Psychiatric Association. The group—relatively small in number—thought that mental medicine as a whole needed major reforms. The group also expressed concern “about the grave social conditions in the nation,” the “danger of riots,” and “the effects of racism and poverty on the social and emotional well-being of the entire country.”[1]
The radical psychiatrists aimed their critiques directly at such American institutions as police and government, the medical profession and military, and argued in favor of closer engagement with prevailing issues of the day. It was time to get serious about the state of affairs in the U.S., they exclaimed. And it was time to take action.
These “radical” mental health professionals worried about the role of drugs in society. They wanted rational discussions about the risks and potential therapeutic rewards associated with cannabis and opioids, LSD and mescaline. They also wanted colleagues to think more deeply about pharmaceuticals and mental health.
Even more, they argued that mental medicine had to transform its training, methodology, and service delivery models. Sometimes this meant using new approaches, including yoga, acupuncture, and new mental health remedies; other times, it meant improving diagnostic categories in the DSM and closer adherence to best medical practices.
In 2019, many of the same issues that prompted the “radical caucus” exist still. Grave social conditions remain in the United States and racism and poverty are deeply embedded in everyday culture and conversations. Gun violence remains an intractable problem that is linked (often incorrectly) to mental health. And the environment, which causes so much anxiety, remains a divisive issue. Meanwhile, psychedelics in mental medicine seem to be grabbing the headlines, with major newspapers and magazines showcasing breakthroughs related to LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and others–stories that not only pique the interest of readers but also create hope about innovative drugs.
Given the World Health Organization’s recent warnings that mental illness will become the planet’s most common illness in the next two decades, it is not surprising that mainstream, preventative, and alternative approaches to mental illness are generating attention. Recently, the UK-based Wellcome Trust Foundation, advocated a “radical new approach” to mental health treatment because “different disciplines use different measurement scales, there are inconsistent approaches to diagnosis and treatment, and there’s a lack of shared data.”
Whether it is the mental health of active shooters or promoters of white nationalism, the persistent rise in depression rates, the potential for psychosis related to marijuana use, or, finally, the return of psychedelic psychiatry, the public’s awareness of issues in mental health and mental medicine has burgeoned. Recent TV series, such as Maniac and Mindhunter, and major motion pictures, including Side Effects and Silver Linings Playbook, have featured stories about mental health struggles as well as prescription drugs.
A lot was happening in 1969. There was a moon landing and Woodstock. The first artificial heart was implanted, while John and Yoko stayed in their beds to promote peace. Thinking about radicalism fifty or so years ago probably conjures up images of student uprisings and anti-Vietnam marches. Or the Black Panther Party and the Stonewall Riot. In 1970, the Weather Underground, a homegrown terrorist organization intent on fomenting revolution, detonated a series of bombs across the U.S.
The radical caucus in psychiatry matters for several reasons. The group offered a critique of orthodox mental medicine and raised important ethical issues that resonate today. Members discussed and published materials about sexuality and gender-based hierarchies. They talked about evidence-based approaches to drugs and mental health.
Even more, members actively engaged with racism and violent behavior in American society, suggesting that these were a product of the economic and political system in 1969. This group, which I’ll explore more in further posts, also burnt itself out by the late-1970s but its brilliant fire illuminated important darker aspects of American society. And this raises the question about what will happen with activism and protest movements in 2019!
This blog, more generally, will present ideas related to intoxicants, pharmaceuticals, and mental health—basically, things that I find stimulating and significant. I hope you find them interesting and informative, too! Fifty years after the establishment of the “radical caucus,” I’ll use the past to add context to the present. And I’ll do this through various lenses, including pharmacy history, drugs, and mental medicine. These topics may intersect. Or they may stand alone. At the same time, my blog will point to and draw from the work of other scholars and big thinkers from various academic fields, in addition to journalism and policy.
I hope you enjoy!
References
Richard Morrill, ‘Ad Hoc Committee for Social Action,’ May 15, 1968, MS Coll 641, Box 61, Folder 735, Walter J. Lear Health Activism Collection, Annenberg Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Pennsylvania [hereafter WJLHAC]
‘Psychiatrists for Action on Racism and the Urban Crisis,’ May 15, 1968, MS Coll 641, Box 61, Folder 735, WJLHAC.
