What’s in a word? Patients, clients, service users…
“There seems to be a view out there in mental health that “service user” and “client” are good and “patient” is bad. I don’t buy it.” Phil Dore looks at the meaning of language used to describe people who use mental health services.
Prejudice or privilege? Some difficulties with privilege-checking
A couple of weeks ago there was a fairly spirited exchange between the former MP Louise Mensch and the feminist writer Laurie Penny over the phrase “check your privilege”, which started out as a feminist term on Livejournal, and has turned into something of a Twitter trope. It’s mostly (though not exclusively) used in online […]
Why the #Woolwich murder is almost certainly not about #mentalhealth
The events that took place in Woolwich yesterday [Tuesday] were truly shocking, tragic and indefensible. A young man killed in the street by two individuals, apparently motivated by Islamist extremism. Scrolling through the responses on both new and old media has been a depressing stream of bloviating blowhards, all rushing to insist that the tragedy […]
Should health professionals be anonymous or non-anonymous online?
“As well as being accountable, there’s also the matter of taking credit for what you’ve done well. There are pitfalls in social media, and if I’m honest with myself I think it’s fair to say I’ve made some mistakes along the way. But there’s also things I’m proud of… So, I guess what I’m trying to say is this. Hello. My name’s…” Zarathustra considers professionals’ online anonymity - and his own.
The casual cruelty of the bedroom tax
Zarathustra recently spoke to a mother who was being hit by the Bedroom Tax. Because her son spends part of the week with her and part of the week at Dad’s, his bedroom in her home was declared a ‘spare room’. Her reply, published with her permission, explains how this came about.
Who you can and can’t trust when hiring a psychotherapist
Many people find it helpful to talk to a psychotherapist. However, NHS provision of talking therapies can be patchy, and has been hit by the cuts. For that reason some people have found themselves paying out of their own pocket to see a therapist. But how do you know that you’ll find a good one? […]
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, they are a-changing
“A re-focusing onto its core client base, a disconnection from social services leading to an often-dysfunctional relationship with them, and a deeply concerning rise in eating disorders.” Zarathustra reflects on developments in CAMHS in a time of changing needs and now austerity.
Oliver James’ condescending psychology
In Saturday’s Grauniad there was a debate on the topic of “Should workplaces have on-site psychiatrists?” Personally I think it would make more sense for workplaces to have on-site counsellors and mental health first aiders than psychiatrists, but that’s not really the point of this post. I’ve been irritated by the condescension of Oliver James, one of […]
Don’t hijack child welfare to attack gay marriage
“…if you’re opposed to gay marriage, don’t do it because our kids supposedly need “protecting” from homosexuality.” Zarathustra argues that gay marriage is an important signal to young LGBT people in particular that being gay is normal.
The #Rotherham #UKIP case – Will Nigel Farage and Michael Gove now apologise?
When the story broke that three children had been moved from a foster family in Rotherham, reportedly for being members of UKIP, I went out and talked to social workers, solicitors and care leavers. Consistently I got a response that the reported account was implausible, and there was almost certainly a more complex story to […]