The biomedical model views mental disorders as brain diseases and emphasizes pharmacological treatments to address presumed biological abnormalities. This biologically focused approach has dominated the American healthcare system for decades, leading to an increase in psychiatric medication use and a perception of mental disorders as brain diseases caused by chemical imbalances.

Brett Deacon serves as an Associate Professor and Program Convener for Clinical Psychology at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His academic journey includes obtaining a PhD in clinical psychology from Northern Illinois University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Over the past 15 years, he has contributed to academia and dedicated five years to full-time private practice.

With expertise in two key areas, Brett is recognized for his proficiency in exposure therapy for anxiety. Notably, he co-authored the book "Exposure Therapy for Anxiety: Principles and Practice" (2nd edition), published by Guilford Press in 2019. His second area of focus revolves around critiquing psychiatry's biomedical model of "mental illness." His research encompasses the efficacy of antidepressants, publication bias in antidepressant trials, the impact of perceiving depressive experiences through a biomedical lens, and the validity and societal implications of the biomedical model.

The biomedical model of mental disorder: A critical analysis of its validity, utility, and effects on psychotherapy research

Note: This podcast episode is designed solely for informational and educational purposes, without endorsing or promoting any specific medical treatments. We strongly advise consulting with a qualified healthcare professional before making any medical decisions or taking any actions.

*If you are in crisis or believe you have an emergency, please contact your doctor or dial 911. If you are contemplating suicide, call 1-800-273-TALK to speak with a trained and skilled counselor.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

14:00 - Precipitating factors - Definition and Examples - Biology Online Dictionary

19:00 - Stanton Peele

22:30 - Selective Publication of Antidepressant Trials and Its Influence on Apparent Efficacy

24:00 - Challenging Received Wisdom: Antidepressants and the Placebo Effect - PMC

26:00 - Initial Severity and Antidepressant Benefits: A Meta-Analysis of Data Submitted to the Food and Drug Administration

30:00 - Every Single Cognitive Bias in One Infographic

34:00 - Anatomy of an Epidemic - Wikipedia

36:00 - The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence | Molecular Psychiatry

37:30 - Changes in antidepressant use in Australia: A nationwide analysis (2015–2021) - Juliana de Oliveira Costa, Malcolm B. Gillies, Andrea L. Schaffer, David Peiris, Helga Zoega, Sallie-Anne Pearson, 2023

38:00 - Mental health prescriptions - Mental health - AIHW

44:30 - The STAR*D Scandal: Scientific Misconduct on a Grand Scale - Mad In America

56:00 - The Past, Present, and Future of the DSM

1:12:30 - 7.1 Types of research – Descriptive vs. Explanatory

1:18:00 - NationalHealthCareSpending In 2017: GrowthSlowsTo Post–GreatRecessionRates; ShareOfGDPStabilizes

1:19:00 - Sedated: How Modern Capitalism Created Our Mental Health Crisis - Medical Humanities

1:21:00 - 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act (Public Law 99-660)

1:28:00 - Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Sertraline, and Their Combination for Children and Adolescents With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: The Pediatric OCD Treatment Study (POTS) Randomized Controlled Trial

111. The Medicalization of the Human Condition w/ Brett Deacon, PhD

Radically Genuine Podcast with Dr. Roger McFillin