Just read BPS report 'Understanding depression'. Here is my first reaction to it with combined depression researcher, clinician, and person with lived experience hats on. I like highlighting of social/environmental contributors to depression BUT ..... https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Member%20Networks/Divisions/DCP/Understanding%20depression.pdf?fbclid=IwAR2OmNUI6ZzKb8g68j1EtPG16562T8TEfm7sUecmUlFA6o9zeoDXX7gWGS4 1/1
1. biopsychosocial model is a three legged stool. this reports completely chops off biological leg, largely loses psychological leg, and is left just with social leg. 2. 2/n
2. report fails to recognise depression is heterogeneous, with different routes in and out of condition. for some it does have a strong biological basis, medication does help, diagnosis is a useful construct (and so is massively invalidating to those folks) 3/n
3. report presents itself as a review of evidence, but really is very selective in what it covers and instead is a more of a political statement against diagnosis and biomedical model. Its fine to make this argument but presenting as 'fact' goes too far for me 4/n
4. the treatment recommendation section does not seem evidence based. basically makes strong case for formulation driven treatment with free hand to weave in whatever change techniques as are felt appropriate as optimal. this goes well beyond empirical literature for me
5. as a member of BPS, way this report has come out feels a tad undemocratic to say least. division has been rather hijacked by a particular ideological perspective. feels a bit like being a citizen in a UK with politics I no longer recognise as mine. Seriously tempted to quit!
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