385 — Drugging Normal? Dr. McFillin on the Mental Health Crisis We Created

When Dr. Roger McFillin first stepped into a children’s psychiatric hospital, he was shocked by what he witnessed—kids as young as five being medicated into compliance, their trauma overlooked, and their humanity reduced to labels and prescriptions. That moment set him on a decades-long journey to expose the truth about America’s mental health system.

In this conversation, Dr. McFillin joins Drs. May and Tim Hindmarsh to challenge some of the deepest assumptions in psychiatry—from the “chemical imbalance” myth to the widespread drugging of normal emotional responses like grief, fear, and anxiety. He shares gripping stories from his work with traumatized children, teens in the juvenile justice system, and adults on multiple psychiatric drugs, raising hard questions about informed consent, resilience, and what true healing looks like.

This isn’t just an interview—it’s a raw, honest look at how our culture medicalizes suffering, why that’s dangerous, and how reclaiming struggle and resilience may be the real path forward. Whether you’re a physician, a patient, or simply someone searching for truth, this episode will stay with you.

Rapid Fire Takeaways

• Why the “chemical imbalance” theory never held up to science
• How normal human suffering became pathologized as “disorder”
• Why informed consent is missing in psychiatric prescribing
• The difference between short-term crisis meds vs. long-term harm
• How resilience, not over-medicalization, is the real path to healing

About the Guest

Dr. Roger McFillin, PsyD

Clinical psychologist, writer, and host of The Radically Genuine Podcast. He is also the Executive Director of the Center for Integrated Behavioral Health in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. With over two decades in the field, Dr. McFillin has become a leading voice challenging mainstream psychiatric practices and exposing the harms caused by over-diagnosis and over-prescription of psychiatric drugs.

Resources & Links

Dr. Roger McFillin’s Podcast: https://substack.com/@drmcfillin

Dr. Roger McFillin on Substack: https://substack.com/@drmcfillin

Center for Integrated Behavioral Health: https://www.centerforibh.com/

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Everything in this podcast is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute the practice of medicine and we are not providing medical advice. No Physician-patient relationship is formed and anything discussed in this podcast does not represent the views of our employers. 

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All opinions expressed by the hosts or  guests in this episode are solely their opinion and are not to be used as specific medical advice.  The hosts,  May and Tim Hindmarsh MD, BS Free MD LLC, or any affiliates thereof are not under any obligation to update or correct any information provided in this episode. The guest's statements and opinions are subject to change without notice.

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