I like our dialogue very much. Its good to hear your perspective. I started my work in psychology in the late 70's when there was a lot of work being done on the premise that mental illness was basically a result of bad parenting, bad communication, poor experiences in relationships and, hence, the need for therapy to reestablish good relationship patterns. To a large extent, I still endorse that model. In my 18 years of doing therapy, the relationships I made with my schizophrenic patients were very dignificant and helpful for them. However, I had to recognize the research and my own experience of how this was a disease of the brain.
Much later I worked for three years as the psychologist at a social service center for the deaf. There was a completely different culture here. Deafness is not a disease, its a life condition that is not "treatable." Peple who came to me might very well have shown up needing therapy if they were able to hear, but their deafness exacerbated or complicated their issues. There was much debate in the deaf community on whether to consider deafness a disability or a cultural difference. It sounds like you are on that edge as well, with madness.
I have struggled with depression all my life. I have taken prozac at some point and it helped markedly but I felt muffled and unreal and so i stopped and now just do St. John's wart which works remarkably well for me. I will always be a melancholic sort of person. Depression will always be a sort of companion in life. That links me to other monopolar people (we are not as interesting or as prone to genious as you bipolar folks). So, is this mental illness or just a sort of "culture?" I suppse both. Culture is formed by people that have things in common. I know that I have wacky brain chemistry which is also associated with headaches and insomnia and the lack of appetite. So, it all seems tied together.
I hear what you are saying Jill. However, I do believe things like schizophrenia and endogenous depression and bipolar disorder are a result of biochemical imbalances that can and should be "corrected" through the use of medications. I have seen too much suffering when people get off their meds. Also, these conditions are not like physical or perceptual disablities where no amount of medication is going to make a blind person see. So, for me mental illness is an illness and therefore can be treated and that's good news.
At 6:07pm on September 12, 2007, Drew Chastain said…
Hey mad woman! Who are you mad at? From the looks of things on your Myspace, McDonald's, etc. Might even make you a furious woman, huh!
Cool, Jill, I've never had a mad woman for a friend before. I live in Charlottesville, Virginia and spend much of my time pounding keyboards, either computer or piano.
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Jamie
Much later I worked for three years as the psychologist at a social service center for the deaf. There was a completely different culture here. Deafness is not a disease, its a life condition that is not "treatable." Peple who came to me might very well have shown up needing therapy if they were able to hear, but their deafness exacerbated or complicated their issues. There was much debate in the deaf community on whether to consider deafness a disability or a cultural difference. It sounds like you are on that edge as well, with madness.
I have struggled with depression all my life. I have taken prozac at some point and it helped markedly but I felt muffled and unreal and so i stopped and now just do St. John's wart which works remarkably well for me. I will always be a melancholic sort of person. Depression will always be a sort of companion in life. That links me to other monopolar people (we are not as interesting or as prone to genious as you bipolar folks). So, is this mental illness or just a sort of "culture?" I suppse both. Culture is formed by people that have things in common. I know that I have wacky brain chemistry which is also associated with headaches and insomnia and the lack of appetite. So, it all seems tied together.
Actually feeling a little unwell today.
Aside from that things moving along.
Havent been able to kepp updating Altered Eye though.....
How bout you?
Ed
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