Illuminating Stories of Mental Health Misdiagnosis with Sarah Fay PhD

Original Air Date Wednesday, March 15, 2023 

A medical doctor often diagnoses physical ailments through a series of lab tests, x-rays, observations, and data analysis. There are multiple proven guidelines and resources in place for the treatment of disease, fractures, organ failure, and other physical illnesses.

But, for mental health diagnoses, one book, currently in its fifth revision, is the go-to manual for all mental health professionals. To explore how the manual was created, its major flaws, and the consequential misdiagnoses that come from it, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author and activist Sarah Fay about her investigation and dissection of the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM. In her book, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses, Sarah shares the personal mental health journey that led to her writing the book and why she created a public awareness campaign to identify the dangers of the DSM.

Sarah Fay — Mental Health Diagnosis:

  • Most of the conditions included in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) are scientifically invalid. [2:05]
  • Sarah explains one of the main flaws of the DSM and how 46% of American adults will receive an unproven DSM diagnosis. [8:35]
  • Examples of how DSM diagnoses can be racially biased and stigmatizing. [17:26]
  • A mental health diagnosis can be a starting point but is in no way a proven truth. [24:17]
  • Sarah shares the personal mental health journey that she documents in her book, Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses. [29:40]

Podcast episode about mental health misdiagnoses with Sarah Fay and positive psychology expert Lisa Cypers Kamen, sponsored by NutrafolSarah Fay PhD is an author and activist. Her writing appears in many publications, including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Time Magazine among many others. She’s currently on the faculty at Northwestern University and DePaul University and is the founder of Pathological: The Movement, a public awareness campaign devoted to making people aware of the unreliability and invalidity of DSM diagnoses and the dangers of identifying with an unproven mental illness. She holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing and a PhD in English Literary Studies.

Book: Pathological: The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses

 

Sarah Fay
@sarahfayauthor on Twitter
Ms Sarah Fay on Facebook
@SarahFayAuthor on Instagram

 

This podcast episode of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio about mental health misdiagnosis is sponsored by: 

Nutrafol — Tens of millions of Americans experience thinning hair due to hormonal shifts, stress, habits, and aging. Nutrafol goes beyond genetics to target the factors that impact hair growth. It is the #1 dermatologist-recommended hair growth supplement. Take the hair wellness quiz at Nutrafol.com and use promo code Happiness to save $15 off your first month’s subscription. This offer is available to US customers with free shipping on every order.

Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now? 

HFactor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.

CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY

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