One of our member’s blogs, Fighting the Darkness, has a post that comments on John Travolta’s recent declaration against psychiatric medications. I’m not sure why the media gives attention to what any particular Hollywood star thinks on these matters.

Wouldn’t it be more appropriate and, well, newsworthy, to report on what researchers and scientists think on this matter? You know, with like, actual data and scientific research? Oh, but then it wouldn’t be “news,” now would it?

Sorry, I just can’t take this stuff seriously. Psychiatric drugs are like any medical tool — they can be used to help people, or they can be harmful to people. One size does not fit all. People who paint these things as black-or-white probably have not taken the time to actually talk to people who experience serious mental illness, and have found relief from the appropriate psychiatric medication.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by John M. Grohol, PsyD (or subscribe to their feed).

Comments

This post currently has 12 comments. You can read the comments or leave your own thoughts on our new comments page.

Trackbacks

From Psych Central's Alicia Sparks:
John Travolta On Psychiatric Medicine: No, Thanks | Celebrity Psychings (6/21/2010)

    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 27 Jun 2007
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.