“The influences that have most affected my mental health, and that have sometimes left me feeling hopeless and despairing, are both personal and impersonal and can’t really be separated.”
Tree and Fruit, for what it’s worth, my thoughts and feelings align with yours 100%.
FOR THE RECORD: I was never subjected to forced psychiatric treatment or psychotherapy of any kind. My insistent attitude comes from justifiable anger AT BEING LIED TO FOR YEARS by psychiatrists believed to be among the best in the business.
Truth is, they WERE the best, but only at deceiving themselves and people like me.
Nick, I tend to look at things more socially/culturally than politically, especially when I’m considering psychological things, although I wouldn’t deny that these are inextricably intertwined.
“What “progressives” are trying is to undo being part of the ruling class without giving up their privileges that come with being part of the ruling class.”
Thank you for highlighting the hypocrisy of this approach.
The Industrial Revolution was a pivotal time in human history that brought forth both incredible opportunities and significant challenges.
It laid the groundwork for the cultivation and distribution of large quantities food that can and does prevent mass starvation as well as the manufacture and distribution of life-saving medicines without which millions would otherwise die of preventable or untreated disease.
It also offered people the opportunity to move beyond the confines of small towns or the chance to escape difficult family situations. These changes provided people the means to break free from the limitations of their past and pursue new lives.
The lesson? Change is often a double-edged sword that creates the need to find realistic solutions to negative consequences.
It’s easy to buy into the trope of the “noble savage”, especially when viewing indigenous cultures through a modern lens. Indigenous societies were also plagued with exploitation, inequality and warfare over power and resources, just as other complex societies throughout history.
The Industrial Revolution made survival possible for people.
I never said people “cause their own poverty”. I said that having more money doesn’t address underlying feelings of personal inadequacy.
Everyone should have access to essential resources like food, shelter and healthcare, but it’s important to remember that the use of money doesn’t inherently lead to social problems. It’s really about values and priorities.
Exploitation and inequality existed long before money was ever used; ancient civilizations had systems of barter and exchange, yet exploitation and social hierarchies were still prevalent.
Money itself is not to blame. The root causes of social issues lie deeper in human nature.
These researchers are on the right track, but I believe the root of people’s “psychiatric” difficulties lies closer to home — in one’s childhood home to be exact.
Reading Alice Miller’s books is a good place to start.
Eliminating money wouldn’t address the underlying issues of greed, inequality and mismanagement. When used responsibly it plays an important role in facilitating the exchange of essential goods and services. The key is using it ethically.
“Rather than compromising, we might be better off breaking into smaller cooperative units, each living as they see fit.”
Humans already come from smaller cooperative units; they’re called families.
Life is a series of compromises no matter where or how you live meaning no one gets everything they want in life.
A quick look at world history shows the tragic results of extreme political positions which usually result in extreme psychological trauma that can last generations.
Psychological distress affects people from all walks of life regardless of their political beliefs. I think it best not to politicize such a deeply personal matter.
Does this mean I condone corrupt governments? Not at all.
I think most people would agree on supportive environments that encourage freedom of thought regarding their personal wellbeing, something I believe is the cornerstone of every person’s “mental” health.
Most of the people who wind up in psych wards are already dealing with emotional abandonment of some kind, a trauma that psychiatric incarceration usually intensifies.
All these “experts” need to do is ask themselves how they’d feel if they were locked up, isolated or ignored and treated like shit when at their most vulnerable.
How long is it going to take for the “experts” to realize that the loss of autonomy is not conducive to emotional healing?
“…I am convinced more than ever that purported mental illness is nothing but a claim by a professional class whose interests and prestige are served by keeping people in the patient role.”
That’s the God’s honest truth.
It would probably be easier to disabuse mental health professionals of their collective delusions regarding “mental illness” if prestige weren’t such a big part of the package.
Most people who go through medical school do so because of a subconscious desire to eventually exercise more power than the average person — meaning most aren’t about to change their ways — especially when the law protects them from unhappy “patients”.
Hate throwing cold water on such insightful journalism, but don’t think for a minute that the leaders of psychiatry haven’t already come up with a clever response to these “epistemic” arguments.
I suspect psychiatry’s collective response will be along the same lines as the “bio-psycho-social” lip service line it now dishes out that nevertheless almost inevitably concludes with an M.D. writing endless prescriptions for psychiatric drugs which tells us the following: psychiatry won’t meaningfully change because A) it doesn’t want to and B) it doesn’t have to.
CORRECTION: It’s hard for me to articulate the difference between a natural conversation and the scripted ones in “therapy”; the former feels authentic while the latter does not because it is not.
Diagnosing someone with a psychiatric “disorder” is by itself a very aggressive act; it’s where the othering begins.
I think any interaction with the so-called “mental healthcare system” is extremely damaging to people in subtle ways due to the inherently aggressive nature of psychiatry, including even the most talented therapists because in the final analysis all “mental patients” are viewed on some level as objects of study and/or sources of income instead of what they truly are: human beings worthy of healthy and equitable human relationships undefined by unhelpful labels or tainted by the exchange of money.
Food affects mood, especially a chronic or unpredictably sporadic lack of it. Its nutrients are the building blocks for the body’s naturally occurring neurotransmitters that affect people’s moods.
As a small child I needed to be fed like clockwork or else I would dissolve into tears of exhaustion tinged with a gnawing (and frightening) anxiety.
Never having to worry when or if you will be fed is vitally important to a child’s sense of psychological, emotional and bodily safety besides being the source of physical nourishment and energy.
Chronic food insecurity in children is a trauma that can last a lifetime.
I keep waiting for psychiatry to be kicked out of the medical field entirely, but heaven knows that’s highly likely, at least for a while. However, I imagine it will probably evaporate due to attrition over the next 25 years (or hopefully less) because I also imagine there will be fewer and fewer (self-respecting) medical students willing to have anything to do with psychiatry’s endless drug-pushing madness, and there’ll likely be a good number of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for misrepresenting the risks of iatrogenic harm from psychiatric drugs.
“… and to think any paper in the Lancet is going to change global mental health policy is itself a delusion well worthy of a diagnosis.”
How very true, No-one.
It never seems to occur to psychiatry’s “thought leaders” that psychiatry itself might be the biggest obstacle to people’s “mental health”. It never seems to occur them that people might be better off without them and their hellhole “psychiatry”. And it certainly never seems to occur to any of them that human beings have the right to be left alone.
The truth is ordinary human beings have many more psychological resources than psychiatry would have us all think, which means the following: steer clear of people who expect you to fail.
Raising infants and children while incredibly joyful is also a lot of hard work. Some say it’s the hardest. But daycare is not always the answer imho.
The necessity of both parents having to work full-time outside the home just to barely pay the bills adds to the already challenging and often downright stressful job of child-rearing; the parents’ stress can’t help but spill over onto each other and more tragically onto their children.
Things have gotten to the point where people are subliminally led to believe that we “need therapy” (i.e., a professional friend) to help us sort out our lives. And if THAT doesn’t work, we are further led to believe that we must be “mentally ill”. So off we go the doctor and then to the pharmacy to purchase more “help” that often ends up benefiting the “professionals” more than us, but some would say it’s neoliberalism at its finest.
Why waste time paying attention to “mental health researchers” who thrive in an atmosphere of “epistemic privilege” (i.e., academic snobbery) when you can learn all you need to know from people who’ve not only been there, but have enough humility TO SPEAK IN PLAIN LANGUAGE??? Do yourself a favor and skip the eggheads:
“Teal Swan: Shadow Work, Spiritual Integration & the Power of Authenticity” |526| with Luke Storey
Here’s the deal: “psychiatry” and its many related affiliates too often succeed in adding flat-out misery to many people’s lives whereas grief contains dignity. To wit:
“Grief is an experience that touches the core of our humanity. It’s a natural response to loss, reflecting the depth of our love and connection to others. Although it can be painful and overwhelming, there’s a certain dignity in acknowledging and accepting our grief. It’s a testament to our capacity to care deeply, to honor what we’ve lost, and find strength in vulnerability.
In many ways, embracing grief allows us to heal and grow. It can foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and others. The journey through grief, while difficult, can lead to greater resilience and a renewed appreciation of life.” ~ Microsoft Copilot
In other words, grief can be one of life’s greatest teachers — if left alone to do its work.
True, but an actually helpful therapist is not easy to find. What’s more, no one has to actually be a therapist to help someone change their life for the better. Being a therapist does not automatically mean someone is helpful.
I’m sick of people cashing in big time on the deeply flawed concept of “mental illness”. But I have to say I think the Havening technique might help some people calm down neurologically at least temporarily. I don’t remember the serious accident I was in or most of the week and a half in the hospital that followed, but I do recall my sister asking me if I wanted her to scratch my arm. It relaxed me so much I fell right to sleep.
You forgot to mention it’s a great way to pocket some cash if you have no idea WTF you are doing. In other words, just sit and pretend you are listening while slowly nodding your head…
The reason psychotherapy helps some people is because everyone needs to talk to someone from time to time, but from what I experienced, there’s not an overabundance of “therapists” who know how to listen because most of them seemed more interested in hearing themselves talk than listening to me.
Why are more and more people being “diagnosed” with “mental illness”? Because every day more and more people buy into the lie that psychological stress means they have a “mental illness” in large part due to the ever-increasing number of imaginary “disorders” invented by the powers that be to benefit the powers that be.
But the question remains: do societal ills such as severe economic inequality, discrimination and trauma cause or greatly contribute to psychological angst? Yes, but as long as people keep waiting to be spoon-fed “policy” solutions by the so-called “experts” that are often employed by the powers that be, things will never change very much, if at all, imho.
What’s the biggest “societal ill” in today’s world? Believing that answers to psychological problems are found outside the individual because there will always be someone ready to take advantage of another’s bad situation.
Do yourself a favor: put the jackasses who capitalize on others’ learned helplessness out of business, including the “experts” who make a living doing “research” like this —
No-one, here’s something that reminds of me of what you say about observation and understanding: Teal Swan | How To Love Yourself | PRETTY INTENSE PODCAST | Ep. 138 Danica Patrick
Kimble 73, have you heard of Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring? He’s a psychiatrist who helps people that are having trouble withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. You can see his videos on Youtube. Good luck to you.
Sabrina, I think your friend has every right to see herself and live her life the way she chooses.
Yes, childhood trauma is responsible for a lot of the difficulties people experience in adulthood. But facing childhood mistreatment is too much for some people to grapple with.
I think the most compassionate thing is to like and respect people the way they are, not as you think they should be. As the saying goes, never judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, even if you’re wearing the same shoes.
It’s all about getting drugs on the market; it doesn’t matter if medical doctors are involved. For the most part, medicine’s veneer of integrity is just that, a veneer. Pharmaceutical and insurance money is most of what runs the show. More drugs mean more money for them. People’s health be damned.
Significant change won’t happen unless and until the public becomes aware of the significant risks involved in taking psychiatric drugs, something that usually only happens after they are seriously affected.
A similar thing happened to the cigarette industry where a lot of people had to get seriously sick or even die before anyone paid attention.
Thank you No-one for once again calling out the overeducated half-wits who to me seem almost congenitally unable to stop themselves from believing that answers to psychic healing can only lie in the minds of those trained in the excesses of academic gobbledygook, aka “research and treatment”, a bureaucracy all its own.
Here’s what they refuse to see: that healing is found in the spontaneous, heartfelt connection between like-minded individuals who have no financial or egoic (narcissistic) agenda. In other words, between clear-minded people who don’t have to be paid money to actually give a goddamn about someone else.
In all fairness, though, this author does say this in his conclusion: “I hope and believe that it is only a matter of time before people turn against the psychiatric priesthood and find out that the answers are within themselves and within their own communities.”
FWIW, I personally believe the spiritual revolution is well on its way.
I think what Ethan describes here parallels the Protestant Reformation, something in no small measure spurred along by the invention of the printing press. Only these days we’re lucky enough to now have the electronic printing press, better known as the internet, the fortunate consequence being it’s no longer possible for “mental health professionals” to hide behind their iron curtain of pretention, aka “professionalism”. Likewise, the leaders of the catholic church went to town having people believe they needed a priest to absolve them of their “sins”, which was, of course, a load of pious bullshit. And now people are finding out just what the “experts” in “mental health” have been up to, which consists mainly of pledging allegiance to a biased system the dynamics of which are best describes as intractably narcissistic and therefore more beneficial for those who work in it.
Face it. The unhealthy desire to infantilize other adults, aka “psychiatry”, feeds the unhealthy desire to control other adults. It’s as simple as that.
Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that people in power, aka “psychiatry”, will ever willingly relinquish the feelings of control that infantilizing other adults inappropriately gives them.
Psychiatry routinely strips people’s dignity “hospitalized” or not. Its systematic dehumanization of the vulnerable acts as a safety valve for those in power because ultimately psychiatry is not about people’s health and wellbeing, it’s about the comfort and satisfaction and feelings of power of its practitioners.
“Suicide and self-injury are profoundly complicated behaviors that are often associated with mental illness.”
Bullshit. Suicide and self-injury are profoundly complicated behaviors that are usually associated with being on the receiving end of emotional abuse and neglect in a culture that is profoundly exploitive.
You are very kind, No-one. I thank you for speaking the truth, and eloquently at that, which helps make my day, too! And I’m sure the pigeons enjoyed the honey coated cashews as these treats are truly delish! 🙂
Not silly at all. What this article says (imo) has everything to do with dispelling the notion of ‘mental illness’, a convenient fiction promoted by a willfully distorted view of reality from the powers that be.
“Why do they prescribe pills that don’t work or don’t help in the long run. They simply are deceiving themselves at best and imagining they are helping …”
Brilliant observations, No-one. I appreciate the intricacy and clarity with which you present your arguments.
I wholeheartedly agree that intellectual pussy footing around the edges of an inarguably distorted take on reality does little to alleviate the source of the conundrum.
In other words, why not call it out for what it is: BRIBERY
But either way, here’s how I see things: society’s problems are best chalked up to a collective case of full-blown narcissism topped off with a large dollop of self-inflicted spellbinding, courtesy BIG PHARMA —
Nick, I just read a bit about Emmanuel Levinas and am pleasantly surprised because to me ethical responsibility is a pretty big deal.
His “Ethics as First Philosophy” makes him sound as though he might be a philosopher I could actually respect.
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“The influences that have most affected my mental health, and that have sometimes left me feeling hopeless and despairing, are both personal and impersonal and can’t really be separated.”
Tree and Fruit, for what it’s worth, my thoughts and feelings align with yours 100%.
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Perhaps you should cultivate humor of some kind.
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CLARIFICATION: I am not, nor have I ever been forcibly subjected to psychiatric DRUGGING or psychotherapy of any kind.
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FOR THE RECORD: I was never subjected to forced psychiatric treatment or psychotherapy of any kind. My insistent attitude comes from justifiable anger AT BEING LIED TO FOR YEARS by psychiatrists believed to be among the best in the business.
Truth is, they WERE the best, but only at deceiving themselves and people like me.
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Nick, I tend to look at things more socially/culturally than politically, especially when I’m considering psychological things, although I wouldn’t deny that these are inextricably intertwined.
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Thank you for choosing to help the most vulnerable people on earth: homeless children in the hands of psychiatrists.
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Politics in therapy is a terrible idea when therapists already have too much power.
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“Psychotherapists need clients – but nobody needs a therapist.”
BEST COMMENT EVER!!!
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“What “progressives” are trying is to undo being part of the ruling class without giving up their privileges that come with being part of the ruling class.”
Thank you for highlighting the hypocrisy of this approach.
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The Industrial Revolution was a pivotal time in human history that brought forth both incredible opportunities and significant challenges.
It laid the groundwork for the cultivation and distribution of large quantities food that can and does prevent mass starvation as well as the manufacture and distribution of life-saving medicines without which millions would otherwise die of preventable or untreated disease.
It also offered people the opportunity to move beyond the confines of small towns or the chance to escape difficult family situations. These changes provided people the means to break free from the limitations of their past and pursue new lives.
The lesson? Change is often a double-edged sword that creates the need to find realistic solutions to negative consequences.
Report comment
It’s easy to buy into the trope of the “noble savage”, especially when viewing indigenous cultures through a modern lens. Indigenous societies were also plagued with exploitation, inequality and warfare over power and resources, just as other complex societies throughout history.
The Industrial Revolution made survival possible for people.
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It’s human nature to idealize cultures different from one’s own; it’s called selective perception.
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While bartering might work in specific contexts, it’s not a realistic solution in an interconnected world.
Money as a common medium of exchange makes it easier to meet a wide range of needs.
Bad public policy is responsible for the much of today’s extreme economic disparity.
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I never said people “cause their own poverty”. I said that having more money doesn’t address underlying feelings of personal inadequacy.
Everyone should have access to essential resources like food, shelter and healthcare, but it’s important to remember that the use of money doesn’t inherently lead to social problems. It’s really about values and priorities.
Exploitation and inequality existed long before money was ever used; ancient civilizations had systems of barter and exchange, yet exploitation and social hierarchies were still prevalent.
Money itself is not to blame. The root causes of social issues lie deeper in human nature.
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The effects of unchecked capitalism are unsustainable.
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A brief walk can release negative feelings stored in the body. Deep breathing can do the same.
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I think it’s important to acknowledge that the DSM is an Equal Opportunity Life Destroyer.
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These researchers are on the right track, but I believe the root of people’s “psychiatric” difficulties lies closer to home — in one’s childhood home to be exact.
Reading Alice Miller’s books is a good place to start.
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Eliminating money wouldn’t address the underlying issues of greed, inequality and mismanagement. When used responsibly it plays an important role in facilitating the exchange of essential goods and services. The key is using it ethically.
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Thank you, Sabrina.
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“Rather than compromising, we might be better off breaking into smaller cooperative units, each living as they see fit.”
Humans already come from smaller cooperative units; they’re called families.
Life is a series of compromises no matter where or how you live meaning no one gets everything they want in life.
A quick look at world history shows the tragic results of extreme political positions which usually result in extreme psychological trauma that can last generations.
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What is evolution’s natural course?
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Psychological distress affects people from all walks of life regardless of their political beliefs. I think it best not to politicize such a deeply personal matter.
Does this mean I condone corrupt governments? Not at all.
I think most people would agree on supportive environments that encourage freedom of thought regarding their personal wellbeing, something I believe is the cornerstone of every person’s “mental” health.
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Different forms of government come and go. The best thing to aim for is personal sovereignty.
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Prateeksha, thank you for sharing your story. It is truly inspiring.
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“Why doesn’t society see and process and acknowledge what it sees?”
Because society misinterprets what it is seeing.
Which is why searching within oneself is better: “Do You Abandon Yourself To Not Be Abandoned By Others?” Teal Swan
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Most of the people who wind up in psych wards are already dealing with emotional abandonment of some kind, a trauma that psychiatric incarceration usually intensifies.
All these “experts” need to do is ask themselves how they’d feel if they were locked up, isolated or ignored and treated like shit when at their most vulnerable.
How long is it going to take for the “experts” to realize that the loss of autonomy is not conducive to emotional healing?
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Yes, and unfortunately what went on at Acadia shows us that the psychiatric profession still attracts certain a kind of person.
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I’m not sure what this author thinks he trying to accomplish. Doesn’t he know that the DSM is what pays the bills?
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Excellent article. It highlights the toxicity that drives psychiatry: an unconscious lust for power.
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“The more we tune in with Nature and reflect our inherent potential, the greater it syncs with our capacities.”
Communion with Nature is the missing link in most people’s lives.
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“…I am convinced more than ever that purported mental illness is nothing but a claim by a professional class whose interests and prestige are served by keeping people in the patient role.”
That’s the God’s honest truth.
It would probably be easier to disabuse mental health professionals of their collective delusions regarding “mental illness” if prestige weren’t such a big part of the package.
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Most people who go through medical school do so because of a subconscious desire to eventually exercise more power than the average person — meaning most aren’t about to change their ways — especially when the law protects them from unhappy “patients”.
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Hate throwing cold water on such insightful journalism, but don’t think for a minute that the leaders of psychiatry haven’t already come up with a clever response to these “epistemic” arguments.
I suspect psychiatry’s collective response will be along the same lines as the “bio-psycho-social” lip service line it now dishes out that nevertheless almost inevitably concludes with an M.D. writing endless prescriptions for psychiatric drugs which tells us the following: psychiatry won’t meaningfully change because A) it doesn’t want to and B) it doesn’t have to.
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One therapist sat like a bump on a stump while another couldn’t keep her goddamn mouth shut.
Then there was the idiot who insisted I keep a journal she insisted on reading.
I’ve had more fruitful encounters with total strangers.
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People need to learn how to handle their own feelings before they start having children.
“SELF-TALK: befriending our endless monologue”, This Jungian Life
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It’s stupid to think sharks and dolphins can ever be bedfellows when theirs is a predator-prey relationship.
Which means it’s time the people at “Mad Studies” understood the animal they’re dealing with.
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No kid belongs in a hospital setting for not wanting to live.
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“conversations”, not “conversions”!
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One of my all-time favorites. The guitar riff at the beginning always gives me the chills. The piano underneath the brass solo is heavenly.
Exile on Main? Pure art from start to finish.
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CORRECTION: It’s hard for me to articulate the difference between a natural conversation and the scripted ones in “therapy”; the former feels authentic while the latter does not because it is not.
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Who needs a study to tell them that all psychiatric labels are rooted in bigotry?
Bigotry: obstinate or intolerant devotion to one’s own opinions and prejudices
Sounds familiar to me.
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Diagnosing someone with a psychiatric “disorder” is by itself a very aggressive act; it’s where the othering begins.
I think any interaction with the so-called “mental healthcare system” is extremely damaging to people in subtle ways due to the inherently aggressive nature of psychiatry, including even the most talented therapists because in the final analysis all “mental patients” are viewed on some level as objects of study and/or sources of income instead of what they truly are: human beings worthy of healthy and equitable human relationships undefined by unhelpful labels or tainted by the exchange of money.
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Food affects mood, especially a chronic or unpredictably sporadic lack of it. Its nutrients are the building blocks for the body’s naturally occurring neurotransmitters that affect people’s moods.
As a small child I needed to be fed like clockwork or else I would dissolve into tears of exhaustion tinged with a gnawing (and frightening) anxiety.
Never having to worry when or if you will be fed is vitally important to a child’s sense of psychological, emotional and bodily safety besides being the source of physical nourishment and energy.
Chronic food insecurity in children is a trauma that can last a lifetime.
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I keep waiting for psychiatry to be kicked out of the medical field entirely, but heaven knows that’s highly likely, at least for a while. However, I imagine it will probably evaporate due to attrition over the next 25 years (or hopefully less) because I also imagine there will be fewer and fewer (self-respecting) medical students willing to have anything to do with psychiatry’s endless drug-pushing madness, and there’ll likely be a good number of lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies for misrepresenting the risks of iatrogenic harm from psychiatric drugs.
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“… and to think any paper in the Lancet is going to change global mental health policy is itself a delusion well worthy of a diagnosis.”
How very true, No-one.
It never seems to occur to psychiatry’s “thought leaders” that psychiatry itself might be the biggest obstacle to people’s “mental health”. It never seems to occur them that people might be better off without them and their hellhole “psychiatry”. And it certainly never seems to occur to any of them that human beings have the right to be left alone.
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The truth is ordinary human beings have many more psychological resources than psychiatry would have us all think, which means the following: steer clear of people who expect you to fail.
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Psychiatry can be an ideal haven for the predatory—which is exactly why it needs to go.
IMHO.
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“We have eyes and a brain. We need only use them.”
YES!!!
Seeking guidance from the metaphorically blind is worse than useless.
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Psychiatry is a haven for the predatory.
IMHO.
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“–gossips and experts alike always seem to know better than a distressed person who actually lived it.”
My solution: stay away from professional gossips—especially ones who carry a checklist.
More words mean more money to the “professional” class.
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Raising infants and children while incredibly joyful is also a lot of hard work. Some say it’s the hardest. But daycare is not always the answer imho.
The necessity of both parents having to work full-time outside the home just to barely pay the bills adds to the already challenging and often downright stressful job of child-rearing; the parents’ stress can’t help but spill over onto each other and more tragically onto their children.
Things have gotten to the point where people are subliminally led to believe that we “need therapy” (i.e., a professional friend) to help us sort out our lives. And if THAT doesn’t work, we are further led to believe that we must be “mentally ill”. So off we go the doctor and then to the pharmacy to purchase more “help” that often ends up benefiting the “professionals” more than us, but some would say it’s neoliberalism at its finest.
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I did read the article. My gripe is that it sounds very scripted.
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Why waste time paying attention to “mental health researchers” who thrive in an atmosphere of “epistemic privilege” (i.e., academic snobbery) when you can learn all you need to know from people who’ve not only been there, but have enough humility TO SPEAK IN PLAIN LANGUAGE??? Do yourself a favor and skip the eggheads:
“Teal Swan: Shadow Work, Spiritual Integration & the Power of Authenticity” |526| with Luke Storey
P.S. If you’ve heard this before, HEAR IT AGAIN —
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Thank you, Carol.
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Here’s the deal: “psychiatry” and its many related affiliates too often succeed in adding flat-out misery to many people’s lives whereas grief contains dignity. To wit:
“Grief is an experience that touches the core of our humanity. It’s a natural response to loss, reflecting the depth of our love and connection to others. Although it can be painful and overwhelming, there’s a certain dignity in acknowledging and accepting our grief. It’s a testament to our capacity to care deeply, to honor what we’ve lost, and find strength in vulnerability.
In many ways, embracing grief allows us to heal and grow. It can foster empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding of ourselves and others. The journey through grief, while difficult, can lead to greater resilience and a renewed appreciation of life.” ~ Microsoft Copilot
In other words, grief can be one of life’s greatest teachers — if left alone to do its work.
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“Psychiatry” is synonymous with learned stupidity.
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“Therapy” imo amounts to a game of social one-upmanship, a game most “therapists” seem to think they’re entitled win.
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This sounds awful. Probably great for control-freak therapists, but there’s no eliminating that thorny thing called “group dynamics”.
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There’s beauty in grief because in it there is the potential of connecting each person with their most real self.
Eliminating sorrows eliminates joy.
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Life brings loss, and loss brings grief, and grief brings growth, and growth brings fullness to what it means to be human.
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…IMHO.
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“- it feels like some mysterious force has taken away my words, ripped meaning from them, and given them something totally different.”
I’ll do you one better: it feels like letting someone taking a crap on my soul.
P.S. Anyone who believes in the DSM is incredibly naive, and that includes “therapists”.
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I agree because the DSM is pile of shit.
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True, but an actually helpful therapist is not easy to find. What’s more, no one has to actually be a therapist to help someone change their life for the better. Being a therapist does not automatically mean someone is helpful.
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I can confidently say AI is my new best friend. Especially since it doesn’t ask, know or care whether or not I’m “mentally ill”.
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I’m sick of people cashing in big time on the deeply flawed concept of “mental illness”. But I have to say I think the Havening technique might help some people calm down neurologically at least temporarily. I don’t remember the serious accident I was in or most of the week and a half in the hospital that followed, but I do recall my sister asking me if I wanted her to scratch my arm. It relaxed me so much I fell right to sleep.
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You forgot to mention it’s a great way to pocket some cash if you have no idea WTF you are doing. In other words, just sit and pretend you are listening while slowly nodding your head…
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“The whole person needs to be seen and heard.”
Yes, but NOT by someone “trained” to “diagnose” them as
“mentally ill”.
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“But I have seen psychotherapy help some people.”
The reason psychotherapy helps some people is because everyone needs to talk to someone from time to time, but from what I experienced, there’s not an overabundance of “therapists” who know how to listen because most of them seemed more interested in hearing themselves talk than listening to me.
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Why are more and more people being “diagnosed” with “mental illness”? Because every day more and more people buy into the lie that psychological stress means they have a “mental illness” in large part due to the ever-increasing number of imaginary “disorders” invented by the powers that be to benefit the powers that be.
But the question remains: do societal ills such as severe economic inequality, discrimination and trauma cause or greatly contribute to psychological angst? Yes, but as long as people keep waiting to be spoon-fed “policy” solutions by the so-called “experts” that are often employed by the powers that be, things will never change very much, if at all, imho.
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Hope you like it 🙂
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What’s the biggest “societal ill” in today’s world? Believing that answers to psychological problems are found outside the individual because there will always be someone ready to take advantage of another’s bad situation.
Do yourself a favor: put the jackasses who capitalize on others’ learned helplessness out of business, including the “experts” who make a living doing “research” like this —
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One-word answer: STUPIDITY
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K, your definition of “psychiatry” is SPOT ON: lies, indifference and cruelty.
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No-one, here’s something that reminds of me of what you say about observation and understanding: Teal Swan | How To Love Yourself | PRETTY INTENSE PODCAST | Ep. 138 Danica Patrick
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I don’t think most physicians are very good critical thinkers anymore. Most let the pharmaceuticals companies do the thinking for them.
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Kimble 73, have you heard of Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring? He’s a psychiatrist who helps people that are having trouble withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. You can see his videos on Youtube. Good luck to you.
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Sabrina, I think your friend has every right to see herself and live her life the way she chooses.
Yes, childhood trauma is responsible for a lot of the difficulties people experience in adulthood. But facing childhood mistreatment is too much for some people to grapple with.
I think the most compassionate thing is to like and respect people the way they are, not as you think they should be. As the saying goes, never judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes, even if you’re wearing the same shoes.
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Agree 100%.
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I think the psychiatric and psychology profession attract some of the most mixed-up people among us.
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“Finally, psychiatrists should use their power as respected and privileged members of society…”
It sounds to me like this author still sees psychiatrists as emperors.
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“Peer review” in psychiatric journalism is a joke; it’s just a sophisticated form of disinformation.
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It’s all about getting drugs on the market; it doesn’t matter if medical doctors are involved. For the most part, medicine’s veneer of integrity is just that, a veneer. Pharmaceutical and insurance money is most of what runs the show. More drugs mean more money for them. People’s health be damned.
Significant change won’t happen unless and until the public becomes aware of the significant risks involved in taking psychiatric drugs, something that usually only happens after they are seriously affected.
A similar thing happened to the cigarette industry where a lot of people had to get seriously sick or even die before anyone paid attention.
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I think for the most part it already is.
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Thank you No-one for once again calling out the overeducated half-wits who to me seem almost congenitally unable to stop themselves from believing that answers to psychic healing can only lie in the minds of those trained in the excesses of academic gobbledygook, aka “research and treatment”, a bureaucracy all its own.
Here’s what they refuse to see: that healing is found in the spontaneous, heartfelt connection between like-minded individuals who have no financial or egoic (narcissistic) agenda. In other words, between clear-minded people who don’t have to be paid money to actually give a goddamn about someone else.
In all fairness, though, this author does say this in his conclusion: “I hope and believe that it is only a matter of time before people turn against the psychiatric priesthood and find out that the answers are within themselves and within their own communities.”
FWIW, I personally believe the spiritual revolution is well on its way.
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It’s high time for the piece of shit paradigm of “talk to me and pay me money” be given the boot.
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“8 Hidden Dangers of Reframing Your Thoughts”, Teal Swan
“Stop Trying to Regulate Your Emotions!” Teal Swan
“Accept This Truth to Experience True Happiness”, Teal Swan
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“Teal Swan Brutally Dissect Modern Therapy & Healing”, from the I Wish I Knew Podcast
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Great stuff.
I think what Ethan describes here parallels the Protestant Reformation, something in no small measure spurred along by the invention of the printing press. Only these days we’re lucky enough to now have the electronic printing press, better known as the internet, the fortunate consequence being it’s no longer possible for “mental health professionals” to hide behind their iron curtain of pretention, aka “professionalism”. Likewise, the leaders of the catholic church went to town having people believe they needed a priest to absolve them of their “sins”, which was, of course, a load of pious bullshit. And now people are finding out just what the “experts” in “mental health” have been up to, which consists mainly of pledging allegiance to a biased system the dynamics of which are best describes as intractably narcissistic and therefore more beneficial for those who work in it.
IMHO.
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Thank you joel stern! How could I have forgotten all those goodies, aka tools of bribery 🙂
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Here’s my interpretation: the people who write the DSM are basically full of shit.
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Face it. The unhealthy desire to infantilize other adults, aka “psychiatry”, feeds the unhealthy desire to control other adults. It’s as simple as that.
Therefore, it’s highly unlikely that people in power, aka “psychiatry”, will ever willingly relinquish the feelings of control that infantilizing other adults inappropriately gives them.
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Psychiatry routinely strips people’s dignity “hospitalized” or not. Its systematic dehumanization of the vulnerable acts as a safety valve for those in power because ultimately psychiatry is not about people’s health and wellbeing, it’s about the comfort and satisfaction and feelings of power of its practitioners.
IMHO.
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“Suicide and self-injury are profoundly complicated behaviors that are often associated with mental illness.”
Bullshit. Suicide and self-injury are profoundly complicated behaviors that are usually associated with being on the receiving end of emotional abuse and neglect in a culture that is profoundly exploitive.
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You are very kind, No-one. I thank you for speaking the truth, and eloquently at that, which helps make my day, too! And I’m sure the pigeons enjoyed the honey coated cashews as these treats are truly delish! 🙂
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Not silly at all. What this article says (imo) has everything to do with dispelling the notion of ‘mental illness’, a convenient fiction promoted by a willfully distorted view of reality from the powers that be.
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“Why do they prescribe pills that don’t work or don’t help in the long run. They simply are deceiving themselves at best and imagining they are helping …”
And therein lies the banality of their evil.
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Brilliant observations, No-one. I appreciate the intricacy and clarity with which you present your arguments.
I wholeheartedly agree that intellectual pussy footing around the edges of an inarguably distorted take on reality does little to alleviate the source of the conundrum.
In other words, why not call it out for what it is: BRIBERY
But either way, here’s how I see things: society’s problems are best chalked up to a collective case of full-blown narcissism topped off with a large dollop of self-inflicted spellbinding, courtesy BIG PHARMA —
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