Skip to main content
The Wrong Kind Of Mad

The Wrong Kind Of Mad

By Keir Harding & Hollie Berrigan

Hollie Berrigan and Keir Harding talk about issues associated with "personality disorder". With a variety of guests who are experts in the field, this is a wry look at the issues around this controversial diagnosis. It can be a bit sweary and we might discuss adverse experiences and self harm.
Available on
Apple Podcasts Logo
Castbox Logo
Google Podcasts Logo
Pocket Casts Logo
RadioPublic Logo
Spotify Logo
Currently playing episode

Episode 0 - Who are we, and why are we here?

The Wrong Kind Of MadDec 31, 2020

00:00
06:34
Out of Area Placements for "Personality Disorder"

Out of Area Placements for "Personality Disorder"

On a day where radio 4 do a program on Mental Health rehab units https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0013hrt

And the BIGSPD out of area placement report comes out https://bigspd.org.uk/bigspd-ooa/

This is Keir & Hollie talking about their experience of "specialist" personality disorder placements.  The best/worst guests so far?  Let us know! 

Jan 18, 202236:09
Episode 13 - Anthony Bateman and MBT
Aug 24, 202101:09:17
BIGSPD Day 2 - With Oliver Dale, Julia Bazdell and Anne Aiyegbusi

BIGSPD Day 2 - With Oliver Dale, Julia Bazdell and Anne Aiyegbusi

Reflecting on the second (and last) day of the British Personality Disorder Conference, we consider the future of the term personality disorder, the presentation of a family whose daughters died by suicide calling for earlier diagnosis and we talk of the impact of racism in society and services.  Why are personality disorder services predominantly white?  Why do black people pick up different labels, more often in criminal justice services rather than mental health ones?  

Big trigger warning for this podcast as it considers themes around abuse and suicide.  It's also got the heaviest feel of any of the episodes we have done thus far.  

Jun 29, 202101:18:45
Episode 10 - BIGSPD Live!!! - Reflections on Day 1 of the British "Personality Disorder" Conference

Episode 10 - BIGSPD Live!!! - Reflections on Day 1 of the British "Personality Disorder" Conference

Our first ever live episode.  Keir and Hollie are joined by Nurse Lecturer Dan Warrender as they reflect on the first day of the BiGSPD conference.  They are joined by Oliver Dale and Julia Blazdell - the BIGSPD co presidents, Sheena Dean, Tulane Chiarletti and Vanessa Jones.  Covering topics such as systemic racism, coercive care, SIM, out of are placements and the old favourite what are we doing telling people their personalities are disordered, this is a whistle stop tour of what in the conference stood out for us.  

Its also the least 'produced' and most hastily edited.  Edited might be a strong word here.  Enjoy :-)

Jun 15, 202101:36:59
Episode 9 - Sue Sibbald (BEM) the UK's leading lived experience campaigner in the field of "personality disorder"

Episode 9 - Sue Sibbald (BEM) the UK's leading lived experience campaigner in the field of "personality disorder"

For decades Sue Sibbald has fought to improve the experience of those who get the diagnosis of personality disorder.  She started the popular Sunday night peer support session #BPDchat on twitter and co chaired the consensus statement on 'personality disorder' which called for the label to be abandoned.  You can read the consensus statement here:

https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/4408/consensus-statement-final.pdf

Sue talking about the consensus statement on the BBC is here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAw4XrJHC-A

Sue has written a chapter in a recent book about these issues.  We cannot recommend the book highly enough and hope to have a few more of the chapter authors on the podcast soon.  You can get it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Working-Effectively-Personality-Disorder-Organisational/dp/1912755971


Keep in touch with us on twitter @wrongkindofmad, Instagram @wrongkindofmad or email thewrongkindofmad@gmail.com

May 26, 202101:15:47
Episode 8 - Peter Kinderman on understanding distress without pathologising people.

Episode 8 - Peter Kinderman on understanding distress without pathologising people.

Another episode where we learned a lot!  Peter talks about the problems with the personality disorder diagnosis and argues for a different way of categorising distress.  Clearly passionate about the topic, Peter wonders if we can respond to suffering without labelling people as ill.  See what you think. 

Do like, rate and subscribe to the podcast.  If you can share it on social media we really appreciate it.  Share your feedback with us on @wrongkindofmad on twitter and instagram, find the page we never use on Facebook or email thewrongkindofmad@gmail.com

Peter is professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Liverpool, and an honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist with Mersey Care NHS Trust. His most recent publications are:

A Manifesto for Mental Health: Why We Need a Revolution in Mental Health Care https://www.amazon.co.uk/Manifesto-Mental-Health-Need-Revolution/dp/3030243850


A Prescription for Psychiatry: Why We Need a Whole New Approach to Mental Health and Wellbeing. Palgrave Macmillan, London.
[A Prescription for PsychiatryA Prescription for Psychiatry.

New Laws of Psychology: Why Nature and Nurture Alone Can't Explain Human Behaviour. Constable & Robinson, London. [ http://www.constablerobinson.com/?section=books&book=the_new_laws_of_psychology_9781780336008_trade_paperback ].

He recently launched a free, online, open-access course exploring our understanding of mental health and well-being. [ https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/mental-health-and-well-being ].

May 04, 202101:15:47
Episode 7 - The Upcoming Changes to "Personality Disorder" with Mike Crawford

Episode 7 - The Upcoming Changes to "Personality Disorder" with Mike Crawford

If you're at all interested in the diagnosis of "Personality Disorder" there's some essential information in here about the changes coming in once ICD-11 is adopted in January.  EUPD (and all the other types of personality disorder will go.  Your diagnosis will now be Personality Disorder and rated as Severe, Moderate or Mild.  Mild has the same threshold as a diagnosis of personality disorder has now.  All this and more from Mike Crawford who was on the ICD-11 committee and is a professor at Imperial College London.  


If you've got anything to let us know about the podcast please get in touch on Twitter @wrongkindofmad   Instagram @wrongkindofmad or email TheWrongKindofMad@gmail.com

Apr 19, 202159:58
Episode 6 - Lucy Johnstone and the Power Threat Meaning Framework
Mar 31, 202159:58
Episode 5 - Viral Kantaria - How are services for people likely to get a diagnosis of "personality disorder" changing in England?

Episode 5 - Viral Kantaria - How are services for people likely to get a diagnosis of "personality disorder" changing in England?

Viral Kantaria - @ViralKMH on twitter - is a senior program manger in NHS England and the person who seems to have his finger on the pulse around how services are changing.  There is money to be spent, there are staff to be trained and improvements are expected.  Great to hear Viral talk about how the term 'personality disorder' is seen as a problematic way to define people and how people with lived experience are seen as key to helping services work better. 


Keep in touch with us on twitter @wrongkindofmad, Instagram @wrongkindofmad or email thewrongkindofmad@gmail.com

Mar 16, 202101:04:36
Episode 4 - The Right Honourable Sir Norman Lamb on why he is the only politician to ever mention "personality disorder"

Episode 4 - The Right Honourable Sir Norman Lamb on why he is the only politician to ever mention "personality disorder"

As a member of parliament and member of the coalition government, Norman Lamb was one of the few (the only?) politicians to mention the term 'personality disorder, let alone chair a commission about it.  Norman listened to people who had been given this diagnosis and co-authored the Consensus Statement - A paper calling for the term personality disorder to be abandoned, for better services for people given this label and a more compassionate approach to those who had lived through awful experiences.  A champion of human rights, Norman has campaigned against long detentions in private psychiatric hospitals.  His contribution towards the welfare of people given this diagnosis is greatly missed in parliament.  

We really enjoyed this episode.  You can read the consensus statement here:   https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/4408/consensus-statement-final.pdf

Do like, subscribe and give us feedback via thewrongkindofmad@gmail.com, @wrongkindofmad on instagram and twitter.  Enjoy. 

Mar 02, 202145:48
Episode 3 - DBT and Emotional Regulation with Christine Dunkley
Feb 16, 202101:15:40
Episode 2 - Joel Paris Should people diagnosed with BPD be kept out of hospital?
Feb 03, 202101:02:59
Episode 0 - Who are we, and why are we here?

Episode 0 - Who are we, and why are we here?

Keir and Hollie introduce themselves as the hosts of The Wrong Kind of Mad Podcast.  While we don't mention it, the diagnosis of Personality Disorder is sometimes described in this way.  It is sometimes seen as too complex for some services while others will decline to help people who have that diagnosis.  While we quite liked the title, it also won a poll on twitter to be the official monicker of the project.  This is us.  Hope you join us for more. 

Dec 31, 202006:34
Episode 1 - Talking "BPD" with Nicola Thorpe

Episode 1 - Talking "BPD" with Nicola Thorpe

In the first ever recording of The Wrong Kind of Mad podcast we talk to Actress, Broadcaster and Activist Nicola Thorpe about her experiences of "BPD" & mysogyny.  Nicola is one of the few people in the public eye who openly talks about identifying with BPD and we had a great discussion around diagnosis, integrity and the pathologising of fiesty women. 

You can read Nicola's regular columns in the Metro and she is active on twitter @nicolathorp_ (note the underscore at the end) and instagram @missnicolathorp


You can find Hollie and Keir on twitter @keirwales & @Hoppypelican and Instagram @keirhardingOT and @themainoffender and Keir is on Facebook - Keir Harding OT

You can find Keir and Hollies writing at www.Beamconsultancy.co.uk/the-blog & www.https://themainoffenderblog.wordpress.com

Contact us as above or twitter @wrongkindofmad or thewrongkindofmad@gmail.com

Dec 31, 202001:12:55