Psychiatry Happened

Psychiatry Wars

Rachel Aviv | Guardian | 11th October 2022

Extract from a book about mental illness, concerning the story of Ray Osheroff whose struggles with depression put him at the centre of a battle for the future of psychiatry. After a stay at a psychiatric hospital that prioritised psychoanalysis, he sued the institution for failing to prescribe him antidepressants. In the case, "the 20C's two dominant explanations for mental distress collided" (5,221 words)

What Happened To Rod McKuen?

Dan Kois | Slate | 10th October 2022

Notes on collective cultural amnesia, prompted by the rediscovery of a man once mocked as "the most understood poet in America". Rod McKuen sold millions of books and records in the 1960s and 1970s, but was then almost entirely forgotten. He walked the line between "being beloved, productive and yet also totally disparaged". His most popular poem is titled "A Cat Named Sloopy" (6,570 words)