tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2894514913516471357.post1221291640630956887..comments2023-07-13T05:01:01.343-07:00Comments on Holistic Recovery from Schizophrenia: Biology of reliefAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06700295858497275586noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2894514913516471357.post-67903763783505524412010-04-16T07:50:29.380-07:002010-04-16T07:50:29.380-07:00I think, it will take a whole lot more to bring ab...I think, it will take a whole lot more to bring about change in regard to how "schizophrenia" is defined, than what it takes to change the definition of any somatic illness. Several reasons: 1. It is impossible to produce 100% certain proof, "hard evidence", of "sz" to be caused by trauma, since trauma can't be measured like physiological changes in the body can be. The closest we've come so far is that studies have shown childhood trauma to change genes and brain structure. Still, the believers in the biological model question the validity of such studies. Maybe it's all just a coincidence...<br /><br />2. "Schizophrenia" is indeed psychiatry's "holy cow". Without "sz", no psychiatry (and it's not that I deny the existence of a kind of existential suffering that expresses itself in the way/-s we refer to as "schizophrenia"; all I mean is that if "sz" is not a disease - of the brain - but a reaction to traumatic life experiences, it is obvious that helping people with these problems wouldn't require any medical training but quite different qualifications).<br /><br />3. To change how people in the kind of emotional distress that gets labelled "sz" are perceived, how "sz" is perceived, it needs a lot more than a change in how the "experts" perceive these people, respectively the phenomenon itself. It needs a rather radical change in society on a whole. Somatic diseases are not challenging society's norms and values in the same way as "mental illness", especially "sz" does. - Although the so-called "life style diseases" do to a certain extent. Since society can be said to have created and to support the life style that causes these diseases. - If "sz" is acknowledged a reaction to trauma, this means that our society, our culture, our civilization, in fact can be dysfunctional, traumatizing, to an extent that most people, especially those in power, can't accept it to be dysfunctional. Psychiatry is not a medical speciality in the same way as other medical specialities are. It is more of a force of law and order, society's mind police, established to protect society's norms and values, not to protect humanity from disease.Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273435151682585281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2894514913516471357.post-43564709135990863842010-04-16T04:30:06.308-07:002010-04-16T04:30:06.308-07:00That's right, it's not an oversight on Lip...That's right, it's not an oversight on Lipton's part, it's knee-jerk training. It is a brain disease because everybody knows it's a brain disease.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06700295858497275586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2894514913516471357.post-3745424539787485182010-04-16T03:11:53.065-07:002010-04-16T03:11:53.065-07:00These experts are trained that way. They are exper...These experts are trained that way. They are experts at viewing schizophrenia as a brain disease and they are experts at prescribing drugs. Once a particular theory becomes entrenched into medical training it's difficult, but not impossible, to change.<br /><br />You may be following the recent advances in MS treatment. For years it was thought that an autoimmune response had the body attack the myelin insultating nerves in the brain. A doctor however recently proposed and has initiated treatment on the basis that what is occurring is the affected individual has blocked veins. It appears to be revolutionizing the way the medical community views MS.<br /><br />The point is these medical paradigms shift.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2894514913516471357.post-67768732130607525812010-04-15T15:35:12.303-07:002010-04-15T15:35:12.303-07:00It's really everywhere, the us and them-thinki...It's really everywhere, the us and them-thinking when it comes to "sz". A couple of days ago, I got an email from a friend mentioning Ethan Watters' essay <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/magazine/10psyche-t.html" rel="nofollow">"The Americanization of Mental Illness"</a>. Great essay, all in all, but also Watters seems to think that if there is a mental illness that truly is a disease it's "schizophrenia". Everything else can probably be explained as caused by life problems. Not "sz". Correspondingly, I came across a discussion at a Danish forum tonight, about the difference between psychologists and psychiatrists. At some point a psychiatrist in training weighs in, explaining that psychologists are a lot better equipped when it comes to solving life problems, that psychiatrists are medical doctors with very little training in psychology, and that, basically, all they know is how to write a prescription. So true! But then this: The only thing psychiatrists are better at than psychologists is - well guess. Yeah, right: "schizophrenia". What?! Well, of course, since this is the one and only true brain disease among the "mental illnesses" (because it simply is <i>too</i> bizarre to be a natural reaction to life events). - The latter wasn't explicitly stated, but no doubt that it's this psychiatrist in training's conviction. <br /><br />To a certain extent, I can ignore it when it comes from people who have neither personal nor professional experiences with "sz", and who therefor rely on what the "experts" say, like Watters or Bruce Lipton (although, someone should maybe educate them). It makes me feel sick when it comes from the "experts" themselves.Marianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16273435151682585281noreply@blogger.com