Critical psychology

Critical psychology is a branch of psychology that is aimed at critiquing mainstream psychology and attempts to apply psychology in more progressive ways, often looking towards social change as a means of preventing and treating psychopathology. One of Critical Psychology's main criticisms of conventional psychology is how it fails to consider or deliberately ignores the way power differences between social classes and groups can impact the mental and physical well-being of individuals or groups of people.

Discussion questions

Is psychiatry pseudo science?
How do psychological professionals engage in oppression mental patients?
Is psychiatric coercion and force justified?
Are psychiatric drugs worsening problems they are ostensibly trying to help solve or alleviate?

Readings

Diverse views

Psychology and psychiatry are related in certain ways. Masters and doctoral level professionals will interact with psychiatrists; they will sometimes make referrals to psychiatrists and more. Some psychiatrists practice talk therapy/counseling. For professionals of psychology, having an understanding of psychiatric drugs and their effect on individuals seeking their services can be fruitful. There are prevailing paradigms in psychology and psychiatry. In reality, in the history of psychology and psychiatry, there have been a myriad of diverse viewpoints. This include feminist psychology, Jungian psychology social psychiatry, community psychology antipsychiatry, various counseling theories, and more.

Certain views are less well known, sometimes because of systematic marginalization of minority viewpoints. For example, long term outcomes in the realms of psychiatric drugs are often not focused upon.

Antipsychotic outcomes - https://www.madinamerica.com/drug-info-antipsychotics-schizophrenia/

Greater Exposure to Antipsychotics Associated with Worse Long-Term Outcomes https://www.madinamerica.com/2020/10/greater-exposure-antipsychotics-associated-worse-long-term-outcomes/

Antidepressant Use Leads to Worse Long Term Outcomes, Study Finds https://www.madinamerica.com/2018/04/antidepressant-use-leads-worse-long-term-outcomes-study-finds/

Outcomes in the Era of Atypical Antipsychotics https://www.madinamerica.com/2011/11/%EF%BB%BFoutcomes-in-the-era-of-atypical-antipsychotics/

Claims That Long-term Antipsychotic Use Leads to Better Outcomes are Misleading, Researchers Argue https://www.madinamerica.com/2018/12/claims-long-term-antipsychotic-use-leads-better-outcomes-misleading-researchers-argue/