My Field of Dreams?

The field of mental health scares me sometimes. I often don’t know where I stand on certain issues and become even more confused when I read too much about the current state of the field and discover things I wish I didn’t know.

For instance, a recent study found:

“Every psychiatric expert involved in writing the standard diagnostic criteria for disorders such as depression and schizophrenia has had financial ties to drug companies that sell medications for those illnesses”

This quote is also telling:

“Psychiatry has not changed fundamentally in this period, but the use of psychotropic medication has increased dramatically and the professionals who prescribe the medication also tend to have little or no connection with those who help people with mental illnesses through psychological or social means.”

I like to think that I’m a part of the group of people that tries to help through psychological and social means. I don’t think we are winning that battle by the way. Is it any wonder that virtually every client I have ever encountered at some point has asked me, "Isn’t there just something I could take?"

Here’s another doozy:

“Among both experts and the general public, schizophrenia, manic depression and unipolar depression are firmly established as medical disorders, while twenty five years ago, there was probably more readiness for some to countenance the idea that those conditions might be understood as personal crises, existential problems, or simply different ways of living.”

It concerns me that this field is in such a hurry to concern itself primarily with the biological underpinnings of all things human nature. I think it is too easy to label any and all misbehavior as a brain disorder. And keep in mind this is coming from someone who’s just completed and upcoming practicum rotations both involve hospitals. I told you it was confusing.

Oh and to make your own motivation-style posters like the one above, go here.