All in the Mind

We may all be human beings, but a combination of environmental pressures and subtle neurological differences predispose us to different socialising and learning patterns, character types and sensitivities.
This section mainly explores behavioural traits considered deviant or incompatible, neurology, societal changes as they affect our state of mind and the psychiatric establishment intent on diagnosing and labelling us.

Geekishness

Exploration of the interaction between intellectuals, geeks and those who just like to go with the flow.

Who Needs Psychiatry?: by Neil Gardner    (24/06/2006)

Most human beings have undergone moments of emotional disturbance and have at times engaged in unwise and irrational behaviour due to inexperience, extreme stress or intoxication. Our unconscious may have created sensory illusions, echoes of past ordeals. ... more (888 words) »

Today's Hate Hour: by Neil Gardner    (14/01/2006)

"Today we're dedicating our hate hour to an evil man, suffering from a chronic psychopathic sexual disorder. He deserves only contempt and should bury himself under the nearest rock. This man was caught viewing paedophiliac images on the Internet. We don't ... more (1256 words) »

The Arbitrary Extension of the Autistic Spectrum: by Neil Gardner    (14/04/2005)

Over the last twenty years we have witnessed a semantic shift in the concepts of autism and the wider autistic spectrum. The former may assume three broad definitions: A mental condition devoid of a theory of mind with which to relate to other human ... more (3915 words) »

We Care about those who disagree: by Neil Gardner    (14/04/2005)

Samantha Stasy is a loyal Labour MP who genuinely cares about the physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of her constituents. Every week she holds a surgery providing local electors with a forum in which to air their grievances. "I believe it is ... more (880 words) »

Is AS really on the Autistic Spectrum or are we just redefining Autism?: by Neil Gardner    (05/02/2005)

The overall message we get from the growing AS/Autism support industry is that we are part of the autistic spectrum and we have a psychiatric disorder, even if the language used by professionals when addressing us is much more diplomatic. I agree we have ... more (904 words) »

Is Asperger's a Learning Disability?: by Neil Gardner    (16/05/2004)

Currently many services for both children and adults diagnosed with the Asperger's Difference fall under the umbrella of learning disabilities. Indeed some professionals seem eager to broaden the definition of learning disabilities to encompass a whole ... more (1362 words) »

AS vs Autism Neuroimaging: by Various Authors    (16/05/2004)

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2004 Mar;61(3):291-8.  Investigation of neuroanatomical differences between autism and Asperger syndrome. Lotspeich LJ, Kwon H, Schumann CM, Fryer SL, Goodlin-Jones BL, Buonocore MH, Lammers CR, Amaral DG, Reiss AL ... more (826 words) »

Obsessive Delusional Heterodoxy Disorder (ODHD): by Neil Gardner    (16/05/2004)

Most people have an aptitude for teamwork and instinctively know when constructive discussion and even new ideas are both welcome and socially advantageous. But some are not so fortunate. They live in a state of paranoid fear and dismiss conventional ... more (1060 words) »

Sociology

Investigating how environmental factors shape behaviour and determine happiness.

BBC Drama Promotes Schizophrenia Myths: by Neil Gardner    (19/12/2009)

TV programmes promote agendas behind of smokescreen of wishful thinking. Waterloo Road is no exception. Over the last three years Waterloo Road has sought to raise awareness about certain social issues with varying degrees of success and ... more (708 words) »

Rethinking Autism - Assorted notes: by Neil Gardner    (27/04/2008)

What is Asperger’s Anyway ?Were this personality type promoted as schizophrenia without psychosis, few parents or affected individuals would ever seek diagnosis, yet the history of the emergence of this social construct clearly demonstrates its origins ... more (10955 words) »

Peddling Misery - Letter to the Independent on Sunday: by Neil Gardner    (20/04/2008)

I refer to your piece (IoS 20/04/08) about Depression Awareness Week. We all know Alastair Campbell sold his soul to the military-industrial complex by playing a key role in preparing public opinion for the Iraqi oil grab and acting as spin-doctor-in-chief ... more (330 words) »

Dental Health Scandal: Playing Politics with Genes : by Neil Gardner    (30/03/2008)

Few empiricists would deny that both environmental and genetic factors determine subtle variations in the physical health, performance and behaviour of human beings. After repeatedly telling us that diet and lifestyle are largely to blame for the obesity ... more (2453 words) »

A Very Human Animal: by Neil Gardner    (07/07/2007)

What is in your genes and what is not? The nature versus nurture debate has long presented us with a false dichotomy as nurture, i.e socio-environmental influences, is very much part of nature. But many commentators have narrowed the definition of nature ... more (2530 words) »

The Hidden Paedo-Scare Agenda: by Neil Gardner    (22/06/2007)

Hardly a day passes in the modern mainstream British media without a peadophilia-themed scandal, whether it be police discovering hundreds or thousands of child porn images on some poor soul's hard drive, a young woman's revelation about her parents' role ... more (2390 words) »

On The Nature of Violence: by Neil Gardner    (20/05/2007)

Consuming re-enactments of violence in various forms has long brought considerable pleasure to large number of people, especially but by no means exclusively, males. Quite clearly many residents of middle class suburbs in towns and cities across the ... more (1131 words) »

In Association with Pfizer: by Neil Gardner    (19/05/2007)

Someone queried the other day whether any evidence linked Stanley Feldman, co-author of Panic Nation, with Spiked Online. A quick Web search reveals a number of his articles and references in the infamous GMO-promoting, pro-Nuclear, pro-Drug and pseudo- ... more (830 words) »

Scientific Orthodoxy and Scientific Fact: by Neil Gardner    (07/05/2007)

Open letter to George Monbiot I just read your recent piece (3 May 2007) on Alexander Cockburn's anthropogenic climate change scepticism and his reliance on one scientist. Let me first state that broadly speaking I'm with you on this one. Irrespective of ... more (1301 words) »

Is the Crime Rate Falling or Rising: by Neil Gardner    (12/04/2007)

One well-designed Website, http://www.anxietyculture.com seemed worthy of a link exchange request as it was publicised in the forum of another site I respect Medialens. It claims to offer an antidote to the mainstream media with a special focus on the left ... more (1842 words) »

Something's Changed: by Neil Gardner    (09/02/2007)

Thoughts on Michael Bywater's Big Babies or Why Can't We Just Grow Up Originally prepared for a talk and discussion at the South Place Ethical Society Book Club. Why do people seem to behave differently these days? Why do young girls appear to be more ... more (7494 words) »

May the Thought Police be with you!: by Neil Gardner    (25/01/2007)

Over the last week the mainstream media in the UK have focused on two moral issues. The first concerned the televised racial slurs of a working class Londoner raised in a Bermondsey council estate who made her name on Channel Four's Big Brother against a ... more (1802 words) »

Conspiracy Theory Slur: by Neil Gardner    (20/10/2006)

act of working in secret to obtain some goal, usually understood with negative connotations. Conspiracy (crime) and conspiracy (civil), an agreement between two or more persons to break the law at some time in the future Conspiracy (political), a plot to ... more (1411 words) »

The Awareness Raising Scam: by Neil Gardner    (06/10/2006)

On the surface there seems nothing wrong with bringing people's attention to the plight of other human beings. As a concept awareness raising began life in political activism, but was soon embraced by the advertising industry. It does not take a huge leap ... more (609 words) »

The Misery Industry: by Neil Gardner    (29/09/2006)

In the run-up to New labour's historic 1997 electoral victory, thespian extraordinaire Tony Blair launched his rallying soundbite "education, education, education". Any brief exposure to modern teaching techniques as they have continued to evolve since ... more (2025 words) »

Shameless Celebrity Promotion of Personality Disorders: by Neil Gardner    (17/09/2006)

Letter to the Independent (on Sunday) Judging from the Independent on Sunday's feature on Stephen Fry's high-profile outing as a bipolar-defined person, we can look forward to a new season of personality disorder awareness raising. If we believe the hype, ... more (396 words) »

You're just an Individual: by Neil Gardner    (20/08/2006)

Whether you read psychiatric literature, social work reports or listen to the speeches of leading politicians, you'll find ordinary citizens increasingly referred to not as women, men, people, human beings or citizens but as individuals. Whether you lead ... more (527 words) »

A Curious Exchange on Gambling: by Neil Gardner    (25/06/2006)

I belong to the school of thought that views happiness as a state of emotional equilibrium in which one's desires and material expectations are socially and environmentally sustainable. Should one feel unable to attain the required dose of desires in a ... more (1784 words) »

Is it Time to Rethink Media Effects?: by Stephen Kline    (09/10/2002)

It has become increasingly common in some academic circles to write off public controversies about children"s media as moral panics. This paper sets out to challenge the implied claim made in this argument that media do not have psychological and cultural ... more (15483 words) »