Mental Disorders and Psychology

Are they real or an excuse, is Psychology just bullshit, a practice that puts ideas of helplessness in peoples heads and convinces them they are real. Or do the abused victims of the world not finding themselves able to quite make things work in life really have substantial problems that require some form of specialized help.

I have some experience in the system, on the recieving end and I'm up in the air about it, like most things I think its a bit of both.

And a phrase I have heard from you that has a burning question for as long I can remember is not just why am I, but why am I the way I am, the nature nurture debate, genetics over how you are raised, the effects of physical and psychological trauma, I see my mother and my her only same parent sibling my uncle and I see so much of me it can be frightening and disgusting, or beautiful and comforting, but since there is so much bad history in my family it tends not to feel too good to resemble them regardless of how natural and honest the respresentation may be, what I see I fear I am or will become, and what I see is failure, great potential and then utter failure to fulfull pretty much any dream. I see tortured people who live on the brink of insanity, some having taken the leap from time to time. Take the good with the bad right?

I agree leftwood that it can be a bit of both. Some people I'm sure benefit greatly from regular visits to psychologists. However I wouldn't doubt that if every single human being went to a psychologist for a "diagnosis" they would receive one, however "light" or "serious" that diagnosis may be. So it goes back to the fact that we're all messed up in one form or another. We're taught to "manage" our messed uppedness as children... don't cry in public, don't yell and scream, rant and rave, don't talk about this, don't talk about that in public, etc; rather than being taught healthy ways to deal with scenarios as they arise (not that crying isn't healthy). So we end up, as adults with all these issues that we've been burying and have no tools to deal with them. And because there's so much built up, everyone, to some degree, loses the ability to "manage" it. Take a pill. Stay between these two lines.

If we altered our view of "socially acceptable" and had more room for our messed uppedness, maybe we'd actually get somewhere.

Ya, for me, the confusing stuff came from having been abused in various ways I was then left to my own devices, I lived with my grandparents who only required I go to school, otherwise I sat in my room went for my walks or spent time with friends, I had virtually no family interaction for most of my youth especially once my uncles moved out and this is especially in regards to any type of parenting, I was neglected besides necessities, for which I am thankful, I had food roof and clothes, but no family, my grandma would even do stuff for me like drive me places for friends or rare school activities, but it was a chaupher however you spell that, and this suited my demeanor, I am very voyeristic and enjoy observing, if interaction takes place I tend to feel pressured and obligated or like a burden in my presence..

And yet here you are, posting post after post, interacting, conversing and sharing ideas. Isn't it funny how when we don't have someone standing in front of us looking into or eyes, they don't seem to be as much of a threat (or whatever).

Oh I know, see for me I thrive on one on one typer settings and this kind of allows for both one on one and community type talks, but I am not always at my most fragile either, but ya, here I have been also able to talk about stuff that means something to me, another thing that tends not to happen to much outside, depends on who you are with, my ex wasn't the best about my needs either, and I just don't have any friends here.

And making friends here won't help that much, next time I drive through Canada or something right? Sheesh.

But no worries, I love hearing your guys thoughts on mine and in general, and I thank you for not being complete dicks, cept steve (though I don't mind he's an amuzing dick)

A mental disorder is when you do not obey the norm.

Well said DT.

Hey thought, are you trying to say I post a lot?

LOL. If I was I would be saying the same about myself... it's all good.

Mental disorder is relative to the experiencing person. if the person experiencing the symptoms finds them to be a hinderance and an obstacle to the enjoyment and progression of life, then there is a mental disorder there. if not, you straight.as in all fields, the room for interpretation is profound

An interesting variety of views here...I have for quite awhile thought I'm insane. Its a combination of panic attacks, depression, paronia and stress. It affects my life pn many levels, and I have many suicidal thoughts. But I dont think I'd ever actually take those measures. Fuck...so to some, I'm mentaly unstable..that thought alone is enough to make one want to kill themselves.

Psychology and psychiatry are legitimate fields, it is the pharmaceutical companies that have corrupted it and try to put as many people on drugs as possible. Clinical depression and mental disorders such as schizophrenia (this is a genetically inherited disorder) affect the nervous system and disrupt the processes of the mind by altering chemical pathways, usually dopamine and seratonin receptors are affected. These sorts of alterations in the brain are biological and can be treated medically, although if severe they cannot be reversed.

There are different brances of psychology, I highly suggest you research some articles about the history of psychology and the sorts of approaches taken to understanding the nature of depression and mental disorders - in psychology, there are a few approaches that are most well known, such as biological approach, humanitarian approach, behavioral approach, cognitive approach and socio-cultural approach.

Hmm..behaviorialism in psychology was one of the biggest movements after modern psychology was first introduced in 1890 by Wundt and James. It argues that disorders and the nature of depression, or just the state of the mind, is dependent on behavior. Noam Chomsky was able to argue against this and during the 1960s-1970s, this idea faded out. Today I think most are taking a neurobiological approach to psychology/psychiatry, even though I disagree.

As much as you treat someone with medications such as anti-depressants, they need emotional and personal support that can only be done through humanistic approaches, one guy I'd recommend reading would be Carl Jung, the founder of Jungian psychology.

But they are definitely not bullshit. Trust me. I know.

Psychiatrists are scheming bastards that get paid far too much for their ability to prescribe medication. I know I asked a psychologist I saw once, "If psychology is such an experimental field, how do I know what you're doing is legitimate and safe?"

And he just turned and replied, "I know it's experimental, that's why we just jump into the field with patients - if one medicine or therapy type doesn't work, we'll try another until we find one."

That's like the heart surgeon telling you "Well, I'm not quite sure what I'm doing, so we'll try a couple types of procedures and see if that works, if not, we'll try another one but I have to warn you there's the possibility of fatality."

These medications shouldn't be on the market, I have lost all trust and safety decisions made by the FDA, it's too corrupted.