Posted by Kaarina on November 11, 2000, at 13:35:41
In reply to Re: Does Mental Illness Exist? Why Do We Ask?, posted by Mark H. on November 10, 2000, at 20:51:55
I haven't read the whole thread, because I've lived with a parent who has an illness, schizophrenia. I remember what life was like before the illness took. He still has the same personality, values - humour etc. Yet the illness has affected his functioning.
I do not doubt that some people do have a hard time functioning due to how they view the world, and for them this causes psychological pain. Yet to diagnose them as having an illness is counterproductive and not helpful to these individuals.
> Just within the last couple of weeks in the Times, there were articles on new gene research showing multiple links with specific chromosomes for schizophrenia. Thank heavens!
>
> All of the psychoses are profoundly disabling. When such disability exists, the question becomes whether to treat people who have them as ill and therefore deserving of compassionate care or as criminals to be locked away in concrete cubicles, forgotten and unmedicated.
poster:Kaarina
thread:47722
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001102/msgs/48676.html