AD 2007, Volume 6, Issue 1

If ever there were a topic which would inspire the martial use of furniture, table ware, and pepper grinders, it is this one. Psychiatry and the use of psychiatric drugs strike very close to the most tender part of our personhood. The discussion might begin with say, depression, but the weight and complexity of the issues causes the discussion to gain momentum.

What is the cause of depression? Is it bad wiring? Or bad living? Or a little bit of both both? But the very idea that depression could be caused by bad or unwise living is deeply offensive to some. Even raising questions on the subject is heard by those taking psychiatric drugs as an accusation undermining their very value as human beings. But the psychiatric drug companies are making billions, and we should not begrudge them their profits if they are providing a service. But are they? Especially when when these drugs are given to children?

Joining us to raise and discuss these questions are three guests. The first is Philip Dawdy, an award-winning reporter, who has written extensively on mental health issues. Our second guest is Dr. Brian Kean, who lectures at Southern Cross Univeristy and is an expert in Attention Deficit Hyper Activity Disorder. Our last guest is psychiatrist and author Dr. Peter Breggin. Dr. Breggin is the author of Talking Back to Prozac and The Anti-Depresent Fact Book, among many others.