A year ago, I introduced a model of suicide in these pages.[1] I emphasised the suicidogenic role of violence in Aboriginal society. The source of that violence was either upstream via oppression, or downstream via lateral violence. My medical travels in rural and outback Australia, have since confirmed that view. Violence begets violence, and violence […]
Paul Brown
I came across NY psychoanalyst, Morton Schatzman’s book, Soul Murder, (Schatzman, 1973) the year I commenced my training in psychiatry, 1974. It had a formative effect on my professional development and on my life in general. Soul murder was the term used by nineteenth century German Judge, Daniel Schreber, to explain his schizophrenic illness. He […]
The term ‘Aborigine’ means ‘been there since the beginning of time.’ The term ‘indigenous’ was mainly used to describe plants and animals. It means ‘native to the land.’ Rosalie Kunoth-Monks asserted, “I am not an Aboriginal, or indeed indigenous, I am … (a) first nation’s person. A sovereign person from this country.” (Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, 2014) […]
If only saying sorry were simple. Sorry not only begs the question, ‘sorry for what?’ be it sorry for crimes committed, or for standing by while others perpetrated them. Saying sorry also poses the question of ‘who?’ is to blame, ‘who?’ is to say sorry, and the vexed issue of sincerity. It is not easy […]
I have just moved up to the Pilbara from Alice Springs. As a veteran locum psychiatrist, I am again meeting, and fortunate to be treating First Nation people. In a recent article in the Stringer, Deconstructing schizophrenia, [1] I drew attention to the over-diagnosis ~ read, mis-diagnosis ~ of schizophrenia in Indigenous populations. I wrote […]
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