PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS
The spirit of “Star Trek” was current at our latest American Psychiatric Affiliation (APA) Annual Assembly in Los Angeles, the house base of films and tv, “to boldly go the place no man has gone earlier than.” That well-known quote is from the opening monologue by Captain Kirk of the unique “Star Trek” collection on TV. However as an alternative of in outer house, it was only a quick stroll to a public plaza outdoors of the conference middle the place I believe historical past was made.
On the northwest nook of Figueroa and Pico, at excessive midday on Sunday, Could 18, a bunch of “speedy responders” of psychiatrists and different colleagues, together with my spouse and I, started a rally of “Psychiatrists for Psychological Well being for All.” It was not an official APA primarily based rally. Steadily, individuals within the rally grew and grew, younger and previous, with rising connection to the assembly individuals passing by. Numerous chants constructed pleasure. In all probability as a result of my grandkids name me Hey-Hey, my favourite was:
“Hey hey, ho ho
Cuts to psychological well being have gotten to go . . .”
The San Fernando Valley Information lined it within the Could 21 article “Psychiatrists Rally in Los Angeles to Protest Cuts to Federal Psychological Well being Company.”1 Police handed by with nary a priority. Although anti-psychiatrists rallied as common on Saturday, none appeared round on at the present time.
You should still marvel: what’s the huge deal? In conflictual social occasions like now, rallies of varied varieties are widespread.
Nonetheless, over my over 55-year profession in psychiatry, I don’t recall any mass public rally of psychiatrists. This was a primary, I believe. Sure, there have been brave psychiatrists, particularly Robert Jay Liston, who participated within the Nineteen Sixties and Nineteen Seventies rallies regarding Civil Rights, Vietnam, and the diagnostic classification of homosexuality. However nothing like this basic psychiatrist rally for psychological well being at a time of creating cuts in already insufficient psychological well being providers and assets.
It was laborious to estimate the numbers concerned, however maybe that was not so related. The truth that it came about in any respect was what mattered essentially the most.
I’ve this fantasy for the longer term. Maybe sometime slightly plaque will probably be discovered there marking the date when psychiatrists rallied for psychological well being for all when it was wanted essentially the most, and helped to show again the threats to our nation’s well-being.
Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specialised within the cultural and moral features of psychiatry and is now in retirement and retirement as a non-public professional bono neighborhood psychiatrist. A prolific author and speaker, he has performed a weekday column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Day by day Information” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He was chosen to obtain the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Affiliation for Social Psychiatry. Beforehand, he acquired the Administrative Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Affiliation, the one-time designation of being a Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Speaker of the Meeting of the APA in 2002, and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the Nationwide Alliance for the Mentally Unwell in 1991. He offered the third Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman lecture at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis on Sunday, Could 19, 2024. He’s an advocate and activist for psychological well being points associated to local weather instability, doctor burnout, and xenophobia. He’s now modifying the ultimate ebook in a 4-volume collection on religions and psychiatry for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and now The Japanese Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Occasions.
Reference
1. Arizon G. Psychiatrists rally in Los Angeles to protest cuts to federal psychological well being company. San Fernando Valley Solar. Could 21, 2025. Accessed Could 27, 2025. https://sanfernandosun.com/2025/05/21/psychiatrists-rally-in-los-angeles-to-protest-cuts-to-federal-mental-health-agency/
