Posted by alexandra_k on January 6, 2006, at 22:40:05
In reply to Re: The social construction of (some) mental illness » alexandra_k, posted by James K on January 6, 2006, at 0:39:51
> Is like the pig people, their society has this belief... and the men buy into and are actually mentally ill, and seemingly acting psychotic (not faking psychotic). And this doesn't exist except for their communities belief system. Another man in a different community (society?) would act completely different, but usually not psychotic. And I realize I'm the one who introduced psychosis into the conversation, so maybe this is my theory.
ah. in this case... i'm not sure that the people who were considered spirit possessed were considered mentally ill. i'm not sure that... the tribe has the concept 'mental illness'. i think... it was just that they were inclined to be sympathetic regarding assisting them in meeting their financial obligations.
does it constitute a mental illness? i'm not sure... dsm says that mental illness must be abnormal in the persons culture... if every man claimed spirit possession and requested financial assistance i think the practice would die out fairly soon... i guess there are just a few cases... so i guess it is relatively abnormal in that persons culture. what is interesting... is that some people in that culture (not heaps but a few...) claim spirit possession. whereas nobody claims that they are possessed by a spirit which has turned them into a wild pig in western culture. or... there might be the odd case, but there aren't enough cases for dsm to consider it to be a disorder that is prevalent in western society. the disorder seems to be culture bound...
but that means... it isn't really a disorder like cancer or hiv or schizophrenia even (catatonic, for example)...
interesting that that is what they have to do in order to achieve assistance in their culture...
over here... you fill out a form or two for work and income new zealand ;-)maybe the latter cases are the 'non-psychotic' counter-parts? don't know...
> Folks don't know that young men think their only option is murder/suicide because society has told them that it is, but maybe that is why they think murder/suicide is their only option. (assuming this isn't all bunk), but the message is received anyway and amplified each time it occurs. So the man's real behavior which manifests itself in mentally ill, possibly psychotic mindset, was conceived and encouraged unknowingly by the society it hurts. (I don't want to excuse the crimes here I'm just speculating this theory farther out)
yes i hear you.
society has many double standards...
real men are breadwinners
that is fairly prevalent (though maybe not said as explicitly as it used to be)
the other stuff abotu it being okay if you aren't...
well...
politeness?society has a long way to go...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:595576
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20051229/msgs/596062.html