Illustration: Jon Han Many psychiatric treatments are iatrogenic, meaning the treatment itself creates new disordered symptoms. Unfortunately, not all physicians are familiar with all side effects of these drugs. This is partially because pharmaceutical companies don't expose all side effects, ... [Continue Reading]
Gaining Freedom in the Midst of Darkness: A Theological Perspective
The following is a paper I presented at the 17th annual conference of The International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis in Philadelphia: The famous British scholar C.S. Lewis noted that, What we learn from experience depends on the kind of ... [Continue Reading]
A Theological Interpretation of the Language of Madness
I presented the following paper at the 20th international congress of International Society For Psychological And Social Approaches to Psychosis, in Liverpool , UK, on Sept. 2nd, 2017. Good morning everyone! My name is Elahe Hessamfar. In the paper I am presenting to you today, I ... [Continue Reading]
What Should We Make of Hearing Voices?
I was reading a recently published article in the New Yorker, by Jerome Groopman, about those who hear voices. The article questions why some people hear voices, and when such voices might become a problem. I found the article interesting. The article builds upon the concept of self-talk and the ... [Continue Reading]
The New Medicated Generation
We are a nation lost in our own self-worship, reaching for straws to pull ourselves out of pain and despair, hoping that somehow we can find the route to self-enforced transcendence, even if it means medicating ourselves toward that goal. Most of us refuse to accept that the void can only be ... [Continue Reading]
Depression and Desperate Treatments
Depression is a soul-wrenching, dark, and dreadful illness. Those suffering from depression, encounter such despair and hopelessness that makes them desperate for solutions in search of healing. The cause of depression is not yet known. Most people have bought into the medical narrative of a broken ... [Continue Reading]