I knew a fellow comrade/victim/sufferer in life in the "Mental Health System".
When I knew him he was more depressed than me.
He had been "on the ward" at least once, he had made at least one suicide attempt, he had actually requested a "lobotomy", and he cried practically all the time.
I had a book - an excellent book - "Modern European Poetry" edited by Willis Barnstone.
I was reading it as we waited to go into group therapy whilst Neighbours was on.
He looked a bit down so I said to him. "Do you like poetry? It deals with emotions. It might help."
He paused from his tears and looked right at me and said : "It is unfortunate that you should say that. Since the woman who destroyed me was a published poetess."
Pesky brain chemicals!
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To a point, the propagation of the belief in "mental illness" manufactures what gets labelled "mental illness".
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Most, though not all, so-called "mental illness" is a reaction to adverse life events.
When it is not this, it is often still social or psychological in origin and not necessarily "chemical" or "biological".
It may well have a biological element. But it is not necessarily biological in origin.
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In the paper today I read a about a man who was "not thinking rationally" and who therefore "needed medication."
Someone who is "not acting rationally" is not acting rationally according to the speaker.
Is a suicide bomber "acting rationally"? In his own view of things he may be.
Further, it is surely ridiculous to suggest that a "medication" can in and of itself make someone "rational" or make them "think rationally" or think in a different way at all.
How can a medication in and of itself ever change the actual contents of someone's thought?
....
When I knew him he was more depressed than me.
He had been "on the ward" at least once, he had made at least one suicide attempt, he had actually requested a "lobotomy", and he cried practically all the time.
I had a book - an excellent book - "Modern European Poetry" edited by Willis Barnstone.
I was reading it as we waited to go into group therapy whilst Neighbours was on.
He looked a bit down so I said to him. "Do you like poetry? It deals with emotions. It might help."
He paused from his tears and looked right at me and said : "It is unfortunate that you should say that. Since the woman who destroyed me was a published poetess."
Pesky brain chemicals!
----------------------
To a point, the propagation of the belief in "mental illness" manufactures what gets labelled "mental illness".
----------------------
Most, though not all, so-called "mental illness" is a reaction to adverse life events.
When it is not this, it is often still social or psychological in origin and not necessarily "chemical" or "biological".
It may well have a biological element. But it is not necessarily biological in origin.
----------------------------------------------------------------
In the paper today I read a about a man who was "not thinking rationally" and who therefore "needed medication."
Someone who is "not acting rationally" is not acting rationally according to the speaker.
Is a suicide bomber "acting rationally"? In his own view of things he may be.
Further, it is surely ridiculous to suggest that a "medication" can in and of itself make someone "rational" or make them "think rationally" or think in a different way at all.
How can a medication in and of itself ever change the actual contents of someone's thought?
....