Posted by laima on March 2, 2007, at 15:26:41
In reply to Re: Diagnoses, interesting and otherwise, posted by Declan on March 2, 2007, at 14:31:48
Declan,
You bring up some interesting points about suffering, I think.
Your story is thought-provoking.
And make me get an "aha" about how/why psychology and psychiatry are distinguished.
Some suffering, is surely approprately treated with good psychological intervention, and can be worsened by inappropriate drug treatment. Drugs do come with side effects and consequences, of course. The pros of using them must outweigh cons.
Some, I'm sure, overlaps- because behavior and thoughts, stress, etc, can eventually induce changes in hormones and in brain, creating a mood disorder.
Some, would be folly to "treat"- like if I over-react and think I am "suffering" because I missed the bus.
Some, might be an ethical judgement. Ie, grief, if a loved one passes. Grief would be a "normal" reaction- would pass on it's own for some people in due course, or for others, it could induce or worsen depression. And regardless, how to judge soundly when the suffering caused by something like appropriate grief should be treated medically? Counseling, of course. Suffering isn't good- but totally eliminating all bad feelings would be odd.
Not sure.
> I just had a bad upbringing, terrible school, stuff like that, went to a shrink.
> In those days there was only neurosis, psychosis and clinical depression.
> Going to a shrink was a bad move. He wasn't a bad shrink particularly, but being neurotic I was given minor tranquillisers. (They've given me a chemical imbalance).
> Nowdays no decent shrink would treat someone like me with drugs, not that it mattered crically...I would have found them on my own.
>
> There's just 2 things for me.
> Firstly that there is no such thing as normal.
> Secondly, the process of classifying suffering is not without risks, for the recipient of the help.
>
> I like the word 'suffering', the balance between acceptance and pain that the word implies.
>
> And laima, you have a point....I can't easily imagine a (decent) shrink who would apply the DSM in a doctrinaire fashion.
poster:laima
thread:737261
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070302/msgs/737738.html