Niall Boyce
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nboyce.bsky.social
Niall Boyce
@nboyce.bsky.social
780 followers 310 following 200 posts
Brain, mind, science, & culture. Former E-i-C of The Lancet Psychiatry. Head of Knowledge+Measurement in Mental Health at Wellcome. Early modernist+Modernist. Views mine.
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nboyce.bsky.social
“Depression ain’t funny.”

Wasn’t aware of this until the Sunday Times reprinted it. Ozzy Osbourne’s advice to a reader with depression. Rarely seen someone talking about #mentalhealth and the pros/cons of antidepressants with such an amazing combination of empathy, clarity, frankness, and humour.
Text: What’s the best cure for depression? Ryan, County Armagh It’s tempting to give you a funny response to this, but depression ain’t funny — I’ve suffered from it. What I did, and what I recommend you do, is talk to your GP about it. Personally, I’m on a low dose of an antidepressant called Zoloft (sertraline), and it does the job. You hear a lot of people say that antidepressants just put a sticking plaster on the problem, instead of solving the cause. They may have a point, but it’s easy to say that if you ain’t depressed. The big problem for me with antidepressants is that they affected my sex life. Trying to get down to some action these days is like trying to raise the Titanic. I suppose it would be depressing if I weren’t on antidepressants. As it is, I can live with it.
July 27, 2025 at 8:40 AM
nboyce.bsky.social
Not entirely sure what this means, but it’s definitely the first time I’ve seen a fashion collection inspired by a neurotransmitter.
Text: “Turn up the heat on summer styling with our serotonin-inspired collection, starring all the new-season looks that are coming in hot to a wardrobe near you.”
June 5, 2025 at 7:26 AM
nboyce.bsky.social
Are your online research participants real? www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Cartoon of two dogs sitting at a computer. One says "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog."
December 5, 2024 at 9:17 AM
nboyce.bsky.social
"Shrinking" gives an inaccurate portrayal of therapy, and you definitely shouldn't try Jimmy's techniques in the clinic.

Here's my Lancet article on why that might not matter.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Text: Mental health experts, therefore, should not be too quick to dismiss or condemn Shrinking for its technical inaccuracies or the ethical and professional boundaries that Jimmy oversteps. The show can instead be considered as a gentle provocation, an exploration of Jimmy's view that "Sometimes people need more" than Paul's rigid approach, which risks the therapist becoming a "mental health robot". What barriers, it asks, do clinicians put up, and why?
October 25, 2024 at 8:38 AM
nboyce.bsky.social
If you'd like a free weekly 5-minute read with my notes on the #weeklypapers in #mentalhealth, you can subscribe here: thoughtformation.substack.com
A city at night with the overlaid text: What can we do about cognitive impairment in psychosis? Plus: mental health in the city; do people want AI therapists?; and the pitfalls of "mental health awareness" thoughtformation.substack.com
October 17, 2024 at 7:39 AM
nboyce.bsky.social
Speaking of worthwhile new books, I noticed a bargain on Kindle today (apologies to Emma Melbourne/The Mysterious Mr Oliver, but the bargain in question is your new effort).
Screenshot of Kindle Daily Deals: Emma Melbourne’ “The Mysterious Mr Oliver” and Lucy Foulkes’s “Coming of Age”, both for 99p.
September 18, 2024 at 7:32 PM
nboyce.bsky.social
That being said, I was surprised to see this in the pre-show email for the Pet Shop Boys at the Royal Opera House last month.
Text: Mosh pit Mosh Pit tickets will be scanned on entry and ticket holders will be issued with a wristband for access to the pit. Mosh Pit guests will be required to leave any baggage larger than A4 size in the cloakroom.
August 30, 2024 at 10:44 PM
nboyce.bsky.social
This excerpt from an “ideal Oasis set list” piece in The Times is why I’m glad to be a Pet Shop Boys fan.
Text: Bring It on Down Next up? Some pummelling to get the mosh pit going. Oasis at their heaviest and most political will see pints of lager flying.
August 30, 2024 at 1:15 PM
nboyce.bsky.social
A very welcome email from Birkbeck. #PhDone #medhums
Text: Dear Niall Boyce, I am pleased to inform you that the examiners for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy for which you are a candidate have reported that you have satisfied them in the examination: Field of Study: English Literature Thesis title: 'Am I not my selfe at that time?' Sleep, Dreams, and Selfhood in Early Modern England
January 15, 2024 at 1:56 PM
nboyce.bsky.social
Thanks. Nice to finally arrive.
The Third Doctor in "Doctor Who", played by Jon Pertwee, falling out of the TARDIS having just arrived on Earth after regenerating.
September 26, 2023 at 11:44 AM