chain[1]Warning:  The Last Psychiatrist is more addictive than a benzodiazepine cocktail.  But it’s worth it.

The Last Psychiatrist (TLP), who blogs anonymously, is an excellent writer with both a biting wit and an encyclopedic knowledge of psychiatric practice.  He blogs about psychiatry, narcissism, the conflation of social issues with psychiatry, politics, narcissism, the economy, media issues, and, finally, narcissism.

On the narcissism:  TLP is not shy in referring to the current generation of adults as the Dumbest Generation of Narcissists in History, among other, similarly-unflattering epithets.  His thesis is that from the constant exposure to pop culture images and action movies selling a self-centered Hero’s Journey, a generation of self-obsessed, permanently-adolescent adults has been spawned.  His reviews of movies such as Wanted and The Matrix must be read to be believed; they are marvels of psychological analysis.

Some of his most fascinating articles, though, are the ones that deal with the ins and outs of psychopharmacological research, both the scientific side and the political and economic side.  He makes a strong case that the focus on financial bias has done little to improve the quality of research, and that certain drugs (Depakote, in particular) have been promoted far beyond what any objective analysis of the supporting research could justify.

It’s fascinating stuff, and I consider TLP the best blogging find I’ve made in years.  Read him!