Posted by alexandra_k on October 15, 2006, at 4:23:45
In reply to Re: Request Problems in Living Board » alexandra_k, posted by Toph on October 14, 2006, at 18:14:44
> This is semantics but if I have a neurological disorder, which I do, I think, then one is referring to the mechanics of my illness. If I have a mental illness, which I do, I think, then one is referring to symptomatology of my illness for it affects my mentation and mood.
There are neurological disorders like... The agnosias which involve 'mental' symptoms like memory problems. They aren't typically considered 'mental' disorders, however, they are typically considered 'neurological' disorders. His line is basically that what are currently referred to as 'mental disorders' are either neurological disorders OR they are judgements that the person is not in accordance with social norms, that their behaviour is socially undesirable and the like.
He uses his terms a little funny... That is why it is hard to understand what he is saying. Basically, his argument is a little like this:
1) Mental disorders are diseases of the mind.
2) There isn't any such thing as mind.
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C) There aren't any such thing sas mental disorders.Also:
1) 'Disease' ONLY refers to BODILY disease BY DEFINITION
2) 'mind' is not 'body' BY DEFINITION
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C) There is no such thing as mental disease.He grants *physical* (including neurological or brain disorders). He is just an eliminativist about the mind. He can allow that many symptoms that we consider indicate mental illness actually indicate neurological illness. Given that the mind somehow or other fairly much just is the brain that is precisely what you would expect in fact.
> I read more carefully some of his ideas and I think you are right and I misquoted him in this regard.He is bloody hard to understand. I've probably misrepresented him...
> In several manic states I attempted to contest my involutary commitments only to be convinced at the last minute somehow by a clever social worker to sign a voluntary admission before facing a judge. As a voluntary I avoided the legal ramifications of a fomal mental commitment (permanent record, loss of rights, etc.) My history with psychosis and the mental health system is extensive. In the main I feel that I have been very fortunate that I was treated mostly compassionately and effectively. I sometimes shudder to think what the outcome for me would have been if I had lived a hundred years ago.
Yeah. He likes to harp on about the Marxists in Russia who were diagnosed with sluggish schizophrenia and detained against their will drugged off their faces in mental institutions. Or the slaves who were diagnosed with drapetomania (which is when a slave tries to run from his/her master) or masturbatory disorder (clearly that one is a mental disorder lol). He focuses on the abuses of psychiatry in order to advocate for patients rights...
But his being an eliminativist about the mind doesn't really help his cause...
Then the scientologists try and use him to support their cause (groan) and well it goes from bad to worse...
I've been reading stuff that tries to carve a middle way between the social constructionists and the biological reductionists. He isn't so bad... But I'm probably interpreting him charitably. Possibly... Too charitably...
poster:alexandra_k
thread:693789
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20060918/msgs/694947.html