Dr Daren Lee (he/him)

Counselling psychologist/ lecturer. Research interests - addiction, male psychology, OCD. Views my own.

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@OllyEmanuel Big love, hugs and towers of toast xx

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Really proud to share this offering from my doctoral thesis following a robust (and helpful) peer review process: Are We Losing Connection? Lived Experience of Online Mutual Aid Groups During the COVID-19 Pandemic https://t.co/EkCEkqwokj

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

We need to practice what we preach, by employing an openness in our thinking and trying to understand the individual's narrative #alcohol #dualdiagnosis #mentalhealth

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Proud to have contributed a chapter on mental health & alcohol use. Arbitrary barriers relating to alcohol use or "dual diagnosis" prevent p. from accessing much needed support. Surely, we can do better..
https://t.co/G8SWc9dxBq

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Well said Simon! The term misuse does not promote an attempt to understand but imbues stigma.
I wrote an article about this recently

[Society for the Study of Addiction @SSA_Addiction]

Papers spotlighted in this newsletter...
▪reasons for under-reported meth/amphetamine use in Australia @AddictionJrnl
▪application of the Drugs Wheel, Drugs Pyramid, and Drugs Venn @markadley @FMeasham
▪️improving language around psychological distress and drinking @dleepsych

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Delighted to share my article entitled Psychological distress, alcohol & language misuse.
It recommends language to enable integrated care/ a person-centred approach & the displacement of the term “alcohol misuse”#integratedcare #misuse #alcoholstigma https://t.co/Dh90nII5UG

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Subjectively, "misuse" is misused. For p. experiencing distress the "use" represents a coping strategy that requires compassionate understanding. The terms "disorders" are loaded with incompatible (non-integrated) discourse. "Distress" & "use" invites curiosity in the person

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Looking at research for a chapter I wrote "co-existing" is in the mix alongside "co-occuring" & "dual diagnosis" & these terms generalise internationally. In terms of what is co-occurring or co-existing? I favour the terms & alcohol/ substance use & psychological distress

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@psychmag The central sulcus just won't let things go...

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@LauraBentleyPhD Dear Laura,
It is really brave of you to share this. I'm so sorry for your loss and the difficult journey that you have all been through. Thinking of you

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

P who use alcohol to cope with distress get a bad deal from MH services. 1)Drinking is framed as "misuse" & simultaneously as "adaptive" in recovery services 2)receive questionable diagnoses that do not reflect life narratives 3)a 2for1 offer on stigma #holistcare #languagemisuse

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@ashleylwatts "Misuse" & "problematic use" fit into a broader use of pejorative language, alongside "disorders" & "dual diagnosis". "Misuse" is often used in MH service exclusion criteria & its use promotes stigma/prevents psychological thinking & curiosity about the functional use of drugs

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@psychmag Increasingly, I try to be pragmatic about this. Patterns in behaviour and what they mean, naturally, will change over time. However hard we try to control variables that are not the interest of the immediate study, variables we manipulate & measure do not exist in a vacuum!

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@psychmag In the past I have felt protective of psychology's reputation (which of course is driven by my own bias/ investment), with a knee jerk questioning of whether there has been appropriate: levels of standardisation, sample size etc. during failed replication attempts.

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@OllyEmanuel Finally, someone is on to them!

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

@OllyEmanuel She is very wise! We're all playing a game in which we pretend to be normal but some of us need to practise more!

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Great job Tom Hasslinger @CivilBeat

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

Physical or online AA?
Some really interesting issues raised here. The article really resonated with qualitative research that I am just concluding. Physical and online services can be combined well. #MutualAid #AA
https://t.co/BHHzOBprEk

[Dr Daren Lee (he/him) @dleepsych]

They seem to offer qualitatively different but compatible adjuncts to one another. They allow some to engage in dominant services that they otherwise perceive as being too threatening. I say give people a voice and the opportunity to choose one or the other, or both!