I think DK and I are agreeing with each other to an extent…I don’t think mental disorders should be a taboo thing, or that minor “disorders” really even matter all that much. I think that there can be serious problems that need tending to so that other people aren’t harmed, but that’s about it. If you can be a raving schizophrenic who sees things everywhere, that’s fine with me as long as it doesn’t cause me harm
I can simplify that even more and take out the “harming self” part. Someone can mess up their lives all they want, as long as it doesn’t affect me.
Hell, for all I know ADD exists. But it is WAY over prescribed.
Hell, my younger cousin was very close to getting ‘treated’ for ADD because she had trouble learning to read, but it took my aunt to notice that it was actually a problem with her eyes, in that they didn’t cooperate when focusing on details. So they saw an eye doctor who gave exercises that eventually sorted out the problem.
I can’t imagine that the drugs could have done any good for her.
Szasz was practicing psychiatry in Syracuse, NY, at one time.
Very bright guy. Raised some very interesting questions, that don’t get asked much anymore.
If you want to pursue this, you may also want to check out
Ronald David Laing
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R.D.Laing; photo credit Robert E. HaraldsenRonald David Laing (October 7, 1927 – August 23, 1989), was a Scottish psychiatrist who wrote extensively on mental illness and particularly the experience of psychosis. He is noted for his views, influenced by existential philosophy, on the causes and treatment of mental illness, which went against the psychiatric orthodoxy of the time by taking the expressions or communications of the individual patient or client as representing valid descriptions of lived experience or reality rather than as symptoms of some separate or underlying disorder. [emphasis by BTM]. He is often associated with the anti-psychiatry movement
I’m ADHD. Have been since childhood. Doctor advised against Ritalin, and so I never took meds. Kinda glad I didn’t. I’m have “mellowed” a bit as I’ve aged, but still waaay energetic.
The issue of who determines norms is very complicated in non-extreme cases.
The quality of life of both the subject and the people around him/her have to be considered. And not from a “Why is he so wierd” perspective, but from more of “This is holding her way back from what she is capable of.”
I have no professional training at all, but I think that in most cases, the subject has to be a willing participant in the cure for it to really be effective. If I am depressed, and I want to be depressed, there is little hope of me getting better. So, I think the subject has to be involved in understanding the issue and mapping out a solution. For some, they may fully understand the issue and not want to change.
It is not normal to ride a unicycle. Should we all be taking anti-unicycle treatments? Should unicycles be banned? No… of course not… cuz that fits into individuality. I think normal has a medical sort of definition for this kind of stuff…
For me, personally, I think its very important to have good relationships with several different friends and/or family. If they notice something that is detrimental to my mental health, I can hopefully trust them to see things I can’t about me, and I can hopefully trust them to have my best interests in mind.
Maybe adhd is somewhat good. Like look at terry. I don’t know him personally but he is one of the most fit and energetic 50 year olds I’ve heard of. Maybe adhd has had somthing to contribute to terry being in such good shape. Hmmm weird.
IMO, things like ADD/HD, bipolar, autism, and countless others are a “dangerous gift;” something that can be used to your advantage, like creativity, fitness, or intellegence
ADD: a persistent pattern of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity or both, occurring more frequently and severely than is typical in individuals at a comparable level of development. (way over prescribed)
Bipolar diorder: is a disorder in which a person can experience recurrent attacks of depression and mania or hypomania (this one is very real and very obvious, although I think that there are many people that say that they are bipolar without inderstanding how bad it really is)
Autism: Autism is a disorder of brain function that appears early in life, generally before the age of three. Children with autism have problems with social interaction, communication, imagination and behavior. Autistic traits persist into adulthood, but vary in severity. Some adults with autism function well, earning college degrees and living independently. Others never develop the skills of daily living, and may be incorrectly diagnosed with a variety of psychiatric illnesses. The cause is unknown.
I can’t imagine autism being dangerous, and it’s very rarely a gift. (but there are some very intelligent autistic children)
Who decides what is ‘normal’? Who decides what is ‘real’? Look at any of the threads where 9/11 is mentioned and you will find several different representations of reality. Mental illness is a social construction created by the powers that be (in the case of mental illness - psychiatrist, psychologists, drug companies, people who want reasons for evil acts, education, and so on).
oh and I forgot to add - psychiatric diagnosies are not ‘real things’ in the way that a broken leg is definately a broken leg, they are just descriptions of behaviour. It is incorrect to say (for instance) 'that person is hyperactive bECAUSE he has ADHD, as ADHD is already a description of his hyperactivity. That would be like saying that he’s hyperactive because he’s hyperactive.
Excuse me for skipping all the way to the end from your original post, I may have missed a lot of explanation of what you meant above, but I know I have to leave soon. So,
What do you need meds for if you don’t have any illness? If you’re like many other people I know, it’s so you can function. Nothing wrong with that. But I wasn’t sure if you were trying to explain what mental illness isn’t while telling us you need meds to deal with it.
I will agree with whoever wants to say it that alcoholism is not, and never was, a disease. An addiction yes, with possible other problems attached, but there is no disease in you. Unless you want to call it a form of mental illness.
Do we know enough about the workings of the brain to say there is nothing wrong with someone who, for example, hears voices that aren’t there? People aren’t saying it’s a disease, but it’s some form of problem. “Mental illness” may be outdated terminology.
What is the difference between being on and not on your meds? Was “really bad” something to do with being off the meds, or other stuff happening in your life?
I don’t think I know any fifteen-year-olds that are able to live and do things their way. Is the problem there something not typical?
I know many people who need their psycho meds to help them get through the day. Often the meds “dull you down,” but for some people this is much preferred to being unable to get through a normal day without a constant struggle to detect what’s really around them and what’s only in their head.
Again, it’s easier with more severe cases and it gets a lot harder as the symptoms get more and more mild. At your age it may not be a choice (to take the meds), unless your parents are letting you choose. Many people feel “clearer” without their meds. The problem is if they start going from manic to suicidal and don’t notice there’s a problem until it’s too late.
I dont really want to go into detail, but it was out of my control. My mom let me get off my meds. The death of a friend caused me to skip school a few days and sent me into depression, and my mom thought not taking meds were interfereing with school.
I used to be able to take things my own pace, have my routines, exercise, etc, etc. All of which I used ot keep things in my life (weather having to do with BP or not) in a comfortable range. My mom, the only other person I live with, who also has her fair share of things to deal with recently has made the change from letting me be proud and autonomous, at the slight sacrifice of things like grades, and some bogus things like “not being able to make new friends.”
I’d really like for this thread to not be, “lets ask DK personal questions on his specific case”
