Mental Disorders

[Katphood]

I have been reading a lot about mental disorders lately, but I often come to the conclusion that most of these so called "disorders" are actually pretty common.

 

Take the 'dissociative disorder' for example. Here is how wikipedia discribes it:

 

 

 

Dissociative disorders are conditions that involve disruptions or breakdowns of memory, awareness, identity or perception. People with dissociative disorders use dissociation, a defense mechanism, pathologically and involuntarily. Dissociative disorders are thought to primarily be caused by psychological trauma.

 

The five dissociative disorders listed in the DSM IV are as follows:

 

Depersonalization disorder: periods of detachment from self or surrounding which may be experienced as "unreal" (lacking in control of or "outside of" self) while retaining awareness that this is only a feeling and not a reality.

 

Dissociative amnesia: (formerly Psychogenic Amnesia): noticeable impairment of recall resulting from emotional trauma

 

Dissociative fugue: (formerly Psychogenic Fugue): physical desertion of familiar surroundings and experience of impaired recall of the past. This may lead to confusion about actual identity and the assumption of a new identity.

 

Dissociative identity disorder: (formerly Multiple Personality Disorder): the alternation of two or more distinct personality states with impaired recall among personality states.

 

 

I have had my share of problems in life and they were pretty tough and somehow I think that I mildly qualify for some of the disorders listed above(depending on the situation) and yet I survive and my collegues at the university don't treat me any different than others.

 

All I am saying is that, while some disorders can be a serious problem for someone, some of them seem to be pretty common. When I read the above I just feel that someone is simply over analyzing something. So what do you think? Should such disorders be taken seriously?

[Valsuelm]

They shouldn't be taken seriously, but to the determent of millions are by too many.

 

I recommend reading/watching Dr. Thomas Szasz. He was one of the very few psychologists/psychiatrists that really had a clue. He sadly passed away a few months ago. There are others out there but he is probably the most well known. Most in his field were and are a bunch of quacks at best, with many being brainwashed drug peddlers who work unwittingly for big pharma.

 

A short clip:

 

I also recommend finding and watching the documentary 'Generation Rx', as well as reading up on the history of western psychology in general (especially over the last ~120 years). Most laymen would be surprised at just how unscientific the whole field has been since the get go as well as how corrupt at it's core it is. If civilization lasts long enough and somehow avoids the 'Brave New World' route those who inherit this earth will look back at our labeling people with disorder X and drugging them as stupid and barbaric just as we look back at lobotomies as being stupid and barbaric.

[AGX-17]

People have a lot of emotional/mental experiences. Many people have episodes of these conditions as a result of trauma, stress, etc. An episode isn't the same as a chronic disorder, though. A soldier who was in close proximity to an explosion and has suffered some degree of brain trauma might (and often does,) experience one or more of the listed symptoms. In this case it's not a matter of chronic mental illness, it's a matter of incidents or episodes. But any mental dysfunction is something to be taken seriously to some degree. Obviously no two people are the same, and experiences differ between people depending on genotype, phenotype, hormones, etc.

 

I say this from the perspective of someone who has actually suffered from and been diagnosed by medical professionals with chronic mental illnesses (none of the aformentioned,) and firsthand experience with family members suffering from some the conditions named. In the case of this family member, it's an uncle with a history of marijuana and cocaine abuse who was (and still is,) instiutionalized as a result of a dissociative episode which left him unable to recall where he lived, how old he was or what year it was.

Edited December 24, 2012 by AGX-17

[Katphood]

A short clip:

 

"Mental disease is a metaphor" - I think I won't forget that for awhile. Thanks for the link!

Edited December 24, 2012 by Astiaks

[Gorth]

If you "think" you have a mental disorder, you probably don't. For most people, it's no better or worse than having an allergy, a skin condition or bad eyesight. In some cases, it can be so severe it's debilitating and help is needed. In that case, seek professional help, not the quacks, the self titled experts, the scientologists and similar who claims to have patented mental well being (whatever else you do, don't listen to random strangers on the internet).

[Hurlshort]

But those scientologists used all those fancy electronics to determine my spiritual trauma!

[Malcador]

Looking at the list of criteria I can certify that I'm a psychopath.

[Sacred_Path]

In that case, seek professional help, not the quacks, the self titled experts, the scientologists and similar who claims to have patented mental well being (whatever else you do, don't listen to random strangers on the internet).

Didn't Scientology propagate 'mercy killings' for patients in closed wards? Or have they changed their policy recently (I wouldn't know) ?

[Calax]

Given my relationship with mental disorders, I will say only two things.

 

1) they are seriously over diagnosed

2) they are deadly serious.

[Drowsy Emperor]

The number of psychiatric drug prescriptions have been increasing at an extremely high rate since the 1950s and show no sign of abating.^[4] In the United States antidepressants and tranquilizers are now the top selling class of prescription drugs, and neuroleptics and other psychiatric drugs also rank near the top, all with expanding sales.^[72]

 

And yet, the USA still has markedly more societal violence than other western states (or indeed most states, worldwide) and more random killings. Obviously there is something wrong with the current approach to psychiatry, the free for all approach to psychiatric medication is either making things worse or not helping at all.

 

 

In 1972, psychologist David Rosenhan published the Rosenhan experiment, a study questioning the validity of psychiatric diagnoses.^[53]The study arranged for eight individuals with no history of psychopathology to attempt admission into psychiatric hospitals. The individuals included a graduate student, psychologists, an artist, a housewife, and two physicians, including one psychiatrist. All eight individuals were admitted with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Psychiatrists then attempted to treat the individuals using psychiatric medication. All eight were discharged within 7 to 52 days. In a later part of the study, psychiatric staff were warned that pseudo-patients might be sent to their institutions, but none were actually sent. Nevertheless, a total of 83 patients out of 193 were believed by at least one staff member to be actors.

Edited December 25, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Starwars]

I work in an emergency psychiatric ward here in Sweden and I feel that mental disorders are definitely something that should be taken seriously. At the same time, with research plunging forward and the way the western civilization is developing, there are so many young people who, in my opinion, are getting diagnosed with all kinds of unnecessary things and then you have the therapies and meetings and blablabla... The health-care system is often responsible for hollowing these people out and transforming their identity into that of a patient.

 

I think it will become a huge problem eventually (it already is to an extent), the combination of increased research and more types of diagnosis' with the easy access to internet and such. Young people feeling different or down on their luck, reading up on the internet, thinking "hey, I think I have that", and then pushing for it. Then you have weak-willed or burnt out health-care personnel who will give the diagnosis in a weak moment and then you have the whole carousel going.

There are so many patients we get who are only constantly looking for reinforcement in their illness or state of mind, and once you get to that point, it's very hard to escape that spiral. And of course, most often we can't help them at all in an emergency ward.

 

That said, there are many people who come in who really are in a very bad state and who really needs the help. Whether it be heavy depressions (to the point of them being catatonic), to bipolar people in a manic state, to people experiencing psychosis for a number of reasons.

 

It's a difficult thing because the various doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists are as different human beings as anyone else is, and you will definitely see differences in how they perceive various illnesses and react to various types of people. There are guidelines to follow for diagnosing the illnesses but often they are A) not enough or B) the doctors won't care too much. It's a real mess altogether.

[Drowsy Emperor]

I work in an emergency psychiatric ward here in Sweden and I feel that mental disorders are definitely something that should be taken seriously. At the same time, with research plunging forward and the way the western civilization is developing, there are so many young people who, in my opinion, are getting diagnosed with all kinds of unnecessary things and then you have the therapies and meetings and blablabla... The health-care system is often responsible for hollowing these people out and transforming their identity into that of a patient.

 

I think it will become a huge problem eventually (it already is to an extent), the combination of increased research and more types of diagnosis' with the easy access to internet and such. Young people feeling different or down on their luck, reading up on the internet, thinking "hey, I think I have that", and then pushing for it. Then you have weak-willed or burnt out health-care personnel who will give the diagnosis in a weak moment and then you have the whole carousel going.

There are so many patients we get who are only constantly looking for reinforcement in their illness or state of mind, and once you get to that point, it's very hard to escape that spiral. And of course, most often we can't help them at all in an emergency ward.

 

That said, there are many people who come in who really are in a very bad state and who really needs the help. Whether it be heavy depressions (to the point of them being catatonic), to bipolar people in a manic state, to people experiencing psychosis for a number of reasons.

 

It's a difficult thing because the various doctors, psychiatrists and psychologists are as different human beings as anyone else is, and you will definitely see differences in how they perceive various illnesses and react to various types of people. There are guidelines to follow for diagnosing the illnesses but often they are A) not enough or B) the doctors won't care too much. It's a real mess altogether.

 

That's what I suspected. The number of real patients in need of care is a relative constant (in every society), but there seems to be a whole influx of newly "created" patients dependent on "treatment" in the same way junkies are dependent on dope. Its the easy way out, dumping problems on others and avoiding responsibility.

 

Another question is if the drugs actually do more harm then good in the long run.

[rjshae]

Looking at the list of criteria I can certify that I'm a psychopath.

 

In that case, we may have a position open for you in upper management...

[Farbautisonn]

/siigh...

[Drowsy Emperor]

I also recommend finding and watching the documentary 'Generation Rx', as well as reading up on the history of western psychology in general (especially over the last ~120 years). Most laymen would be surprised at just how unscientific the whole field has been since the get go as well as how corrupt at it's core it is. If civilization lasts long enough and somehow avoids the 'Brave New World' route those who inherit this earth will look back at our labeling people with disorder X and drugging them as stupid and barbaric just as we look back at lobotomies as being stupid and barbaric.

Thanks for the recommendation. I just watched it and it pretty much confirms my suspicions.

[Starwars]

I can't really speak to using medicines on people under 18 years, but it's a double-edged sword for the people I tend to see at work. The bad side is that, once again, it's very dependant on the doctors involved. Some people are more open to abusing meds than others, and it's hard to judge how much any one person should get. I tend to be on the conservative side myself, I don't like to take medicince personally.

That said, I don't exactly envy the psychiatrists either who are under a *lot* of pressure to produce *results* and quickly! While psychiatry is now health-care, how we tackle mental illness is *vastly* different from person to person. I can't even imagine how difficult it must be to diagnose people at times, and decide on medicinces and so forth. It's still such a young field, comparatively speaking, yet expectations are really high. It sounds like a cliché but many people really expect to be "fixed" by the health-care system. No matter how many therapy sessions you attend, how many different medicinces you take, in the end it is you who have to really bite the bullet and try to take responsibility. Whether this is being strict with yourself and taking your anti-psychotic medicines because your situation just won't work otherwise, or in other cases try and take charge of your life and turning it towards something better. Always, always, always you have to struggle with it yourself.

 

The brighter side about the meds is that I personally feel that they are actually getting quite a lot better. We rely a lot on meds in the ward where I work, and I thank god each time we have people who get violent when they're ill, or people who are prone to embarass themselves and/or hurt themselves, that we have the meds to rely on. There is a certain attitude at times that people feel that meds "take away" people's fun personalities or whatever. We have a woman in the hospital right now for example who I figure a lot of people would regard as "fun" so to speak, but she *really* regrets what she does when is in her manic state (she's bipolar). She completely loses judgement and all inhibition, and while people tend to laugh at stories where someone runs naked through town or does something outrageous like that, it is certainly not a fun episode for the person in question to remember afterwards. Especially not with the way certain guys tend to react to things like that, or with the skepticism people sometimes view mental illness. And that is even if they *realize* that we're talking about an illness, and not just shrugging it off like "oh that girl she's got no morals and is just CRAAAZY!"

 

But yeah, while I feel the meds themselves are slowly getting better, more effective and with less side-effects, the execution is as always the key. Not too much, not too little, the right meds for the right person, not drugging them up etc etc. I imagine it's quite the jungle.

Edited December 25, 2012 by Starwars

[Farbautisonn]

I frankly find the prejudice and lack of real knowledge in this thread staggering.

[Tale]

The person overanalyzing is you. A psychological disorder is not defined by the vague definition you managed to grab off wikipedia. Nor is that anywhere near how diagnoses are come by.

 

It would be akin to concluding a car wreck from a dented fender, just because you read a definition of car wreck that said "features damage to car."

 

You are missing or otherwise ignoring diagnostic criteria like this one for depersonalization disorder.

The depersonalization causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.

 

Trained mental health workers are already well aware that some amount of depersonalization is very common. But this isn't about the common, this is about the extreme and harmful.

Depersonalization is a common experience, and this diagnosis should be made only if the symptoms are sufficiently severe to cause marked distress or impairment in functioning.

[Starwars]

I frankly find the prejudice and lack of real knowledge in this thread staggering.

 

So, care to enlighten us instead of posting meaningless one-sentence comments perhaps?

[Drowsy Emperor]

The brighter side about the meds is that I personally feel that they are actually getting quite a lot better. We rely a lot on meds in the ward where I work, and I thank god each time we have people who get violent when they're ill, or people who are prone to embarass themselves and/or hurt themselves, that we have the meds to rely on. There is a certain attitude at times that people feel that meds "take away" people's fun personalities or whatever. We have a woman in the hospital right now for example who I figure a lot of people would regard as "fun" so to speak, but she *really* regrets what she does when is in her manic state (she's bipolar). She completely loses judgement and all inhibition, and while people tend to laugh at stories where someone runs naked through town or does something outrageous like that, it is certainly not a fun episode for the person in question to remember afterwards. Especially not with the way certain guys tend to react to things like that, or with the skepticism people sometimes view mental illness. And that is even if they *realize* that we're talking about an illness, and not just shrugging it off like "oh that girl she's got no morals and is just CRAAAZY!"

 

Yeah, but the typical consumer of psychiatric medicaton has expanded far beyond the type of cases seen in wards.

 

I ran across the information that in Atlanta university a third of the student population uses Ritalin daily (amongst other things), which they get by simply following the extremely vague checklist for ADHD during a token exam (like tapping their feet impatiently). By now even the dumbest psychiatrists should have caught on to this simple deception - if they care enough to do it.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Meshugger]

I have second hand experience with mental disorders, and i can tell you:

 

1) The number weirdoes or plain incompetent people in the field psychology is much higher than, for example engineering. People practicing psychiatry seems to be more comptent, but harder to find, since the amount of work and education demanded to hold a license is quite high.

2) Lots of trial and error seems to be the modus operandi, meaning: "Oh, that medicine didn't work, let's try another!"

3) The amount of mentally ill people have risen dramatically the last 20 years, and i do not mean peoeple that needs to be institutionalized, i mean all forms of panic attacks, spells of depressions or irrational fears.

Edited December 26, 2012 by Meshugger

[Drowsy Emperor]

3) The amount of mentally ill people have risen dramatically the last 20 years, and i do not mean peoeple that needs to be institutionalized, i mean all forms of panic attacks, spells of depressions or irrational fears.

 

You mean a ton of common behaviors intrinsic to the human race have been categorized as illnesses, very likely for the sole purpose of selling medication.

 

The more you think about it, the more its obvious how perfect a product anti-depressants and the like are. When a normal person has a headache they take an aspirin and the headache, in the normal scenario, goes away.

When a person is suffering from "depression", a subjective state that's impossible to describe in a definite way you can sell them medicine indefinitely, because you can never really say that the person is cured (especially as people tend to trust medical practitioners more than they trust themselves and easily grow dependent on medication).

Edited December 26, 2012 by Drowsy Emperor

[Meshugger]

Well, i didn't want to include 'real depression', since that is not something that you that have occassionally like a migraine. When you are truly depressed, you do not leave the apartment, you do not wash, something like brushing your teeth takes a whole day of mental preparation, you're emotionally catatonic and so on. Many people seem to think that being sad requires a medication now.

[Drowsy Emperor]

Well, i didn't want to include 'real depression', since that is not something that you that have occassionally like a migraine. When you are truly depressed, you do not leave the apartment, you do not wash, something like brushing your teeth takes a whole day of mental preparation, you're emotionally catatonic and so on. Many people seem to think that being sad requires a medication now.

 

I can imagine its horrible, but some stats say 30 million people in the US alone use anti-depressants. I seriously doubt there are 30 million cases of clinical depression, in any society.

[Meshugger]

Well, i didn't want to include 'real depression', since that is not something that you that have occassionally like a migraine. When you are truly depressed, you do not leave the apartment, you do not wash, something like brushing your teeth takes a whole day of mental preparation, you're emotionally catatonic and so on. Many people seem to think that being sad requires a medication now.

 

I can imagine its horrible, but some stats say 30 million people in the US alone use anti-depressants. I seriously doubt there are 30 million cases of clinical depression, in any society.

 

Holy ****