Psychiatry beyond the current paradigm

A series of recent editorials in The British Journal of Psychiatry have argued that psychiatry is in the midst of a crisis. The various solutions proposed would all involve a strengthening of psychiatry's identity as essentially "applied neuroscience". While not discounting the importance of the brain sciences and psychopharmacology, the Authors argue that psychiatry needs to move beyond the dominance of the current, technological paradigm. This would be more in keeping with the evidence about how positive outcomes are achieved and could also serve to foster more meaningful collaboration with the growing service-user movement. Various controlled studies supporting the efficacy of non specific and non technological interventions are reviewed. Copyright © FrancoAngeli.