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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by raaven on November 30, 2004, at 14:18:02
Life is all about energy - getting it and focusing it. Most people squander what energy they have on useless addictions, bad food, television, fear, programmed hysteria, all manner of codependent behavior patterns, etc. The first step to improving life is getting rid of these things. Less, as they say, is more.
Then, it is important to realize that unless you have brain damage there is no such thing as ADD or AHD or ADHD - or possibly even depression. There is only a boring culture, uninspired people, social conformity, idiot religion, a crippling "educational" system, etc.
The goal of socialization is not to improve the individual; it is to damage the individual to the point where she/he is on the same level of inertia, stupidity and denial as the rest of the culture. In other words, sheep-ify him/her for consumption by the ruling elite. A human being in the world of corporate domination and control is useful only as a consumer - a body, a piece of meat, a thing - that can make money for the people who pull society's strings, then be consumed her-/him-self.
Those who will not or cannot submit to this soul-crushing process are called "rebels", "black sheep"; they have "behavior problems", "learning disabilities", etc. No one ever asks: what kind of pain they are in because of: (1) the cruelty of their peers, (2) the institutionalized brutality of their authority figures, (3) the emptiness of their parents and parental figures, (4) the barrenness of the culture, (5) the bullshit they are being forced to learn in school, (6) the crippling hypnosis of television and the mass media, (7) the substitution of heroes and demigods for healthy mentors and role models, (8) the toxic animal-based corporate food they are fed, (9) the unspeakable crimes that are being perpetrated by their government on a daily basis, (10) the vicious and ubiquitous sexual repression of society, (11) the mass insanity that passes for normalcy, (12) the almost complete absence of any place in the culture for people of integrity and consciousness, (13) the estrangement from Nature which high technology mandates, (14) the near-total fraud of science and medicine, (15) the spiritual vacuity of religion, (15) the deliberate corruption of ancient and natural mythological paradigms, (16) the constant barrage of lies and disinformation that passes for "news", (17) the debasement of high culture into mindless drivel suitable for consumption by the masses, (18) the almost complete invisibility of the human soul in the current toilet paper that passes for art, (19) the terrifying feeling of alienation that results from believing that you are the only one who has - or ever has had - these thoughts, (20) the horror of seeing that everyone you know loves Big Brother or has been taken over by the Body Snatchers, (21), the ubiquitous violence to which people are subjected and programmed to accept and participate in, and (22) the existential uselessness of resistance.
Thus, by way of psychic survival, we come to antidepressants and stimulants. I am reminded of a t-shirt I saw recently that said: "It's because of people like you that I'm on medication." Truer words were never spoken.
Unfortunately, the victim of all the above is between a rock and a hard place, because (rock) if they don't medicate, they feel such despair that they can't get through life at all; and (hard place) if they do medicate, they are drugged into a state of not caring very much. Well, I'll take the latter: Nuevo Cymbalta and good ol' dexidrene (bless its pointed little head) work very well for me.
Sadly, John Donne was an idealist: I have been forced to become an island.
Posted by pablo1 on November 30, 2004, at 19:22:59
In reply to ADD Depression or...?, posted by raaven on November 30, 2004, at 14:18:02
So you think that's better than squandering your energy on addictions though anyways, huh? Whatever it takes to make it through the day.
Posted by linkadge on December 1, 2004, at 20:44:51
In reply to ADD Depression or...?, posted by raaven on November 30, 2004, at 14:18:02
What you are saying is not new.
People have had similar ideas for a long time.
You want to know what I think ??
I think that if you can convince others that depression, ADHD, etc are made up, than you can
convince yourself that they are made up.Try doing this. Make a diet for yourself that is completely devoid of vitamin B6. After a while, your brain will have a very hard time producing serotonin and dopamine, and your levels will drop. Regardless of your willpower you will soon find out that willpower alone is not enough to make it through this world. YOu need to be healthy, in body and in mind.
If the mind could heal itself (mind healing matter) than the mind could heal the body too.
Next time you get shot in the arm, tell yourself you're just being lazy for not willing your bullethole wound better.
Linkadge
Posted by pablo1 on December 1, 2004, at 23:51:18
In reply to Re: ADD Depression or...?, posted by linkadge on December 1, 2004, at 20:44:51
ADD is not like depression. If the world was kinder, people with ADD could get along & be happy. Depression is not like that, it is not tolerable with just a few accomodations and gentle handling. I've heard plenty of people say they only take their ADD meds in order to be able to hold a regular job & not get so many funny looks from people, it's a way of fitting in to society. I think that's what was meant.
Extreme sensitivity is a bit different, If you see suffering or crap in the world & that makes you depressed or anxious, there isn't enough comfort or another lifestyle to easily make that go away, except maybe some serious drugs & even that doesn't ultimately work. Theoretically love can do the trick. Meds can help.
Serious depression; there are not really any redeeming qualities for so there is no way to say that is not a disorder or that it could be accomodated or soothed. Meds sometimes help.
Ultimately raven is saying he needs the meds to get by but believes he could get by without them if the world wasn't such a stupid place. At least this is how I interpret it. Nobody would think that about major depression so I don't think that's what he's talking about.
Posted by banga on December 2, 2004, at 13:07:42
In reply to ADD Depression or...?, posted by raaven on November 30, 2004, at 14:18:02
It seems you have forgotten the entire field of psychology, which is based upon investigating all of the impacts of external stressors in people--and helping people cope and overcome.
And studies in psychology that clearly delineate the heritability of mental illness.
We are not born a blank slate. About 60% of personality is inherited, as are many mental illnesses, alcoholism and addiciton.....
Psychiatrists do their part. Their part is medication. And in fact I have not yet been to a psychiatrist who has not also recommended psychotherapy to deal with environmental stressors as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy; and nutritionists emphasise a healthy environment and diet.
The help is out there, to help be less a victim and more a person able to function in an imperfect world. Noone promised a perfect world. In fact, I have to admit it would be rather boring....
Posted by thinkfast on December 3, 2004, at 8:11:12
In reply to ADD Depression or...?, posted by raaven on November 30, 2004, at 14:18:02
We can blame mental health problems on anything end everything, but still no one knows the exact cause of anything. There is way too much we don't know about everything in this world to make an accurate assumption about anything. All we have left is to do something about the effects, which may be drugs or something else. Perhaps one day we will be looking back on today's society and think, "Those idiots used to take chemicals to feel better", because we will have some sort of knowledge that is almost un-imaginable..of the brain and body. All i'm saying really is that there is no way to pinpoint any of this. Uh..ok..im done..peace
This is the end of the thread.
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