Posted by OldSchool on February 25, 2002, at 11:38:51
In reply to Old School hornets nest, posted by trouble on February 24, 2002, at 6:01:10
> Hey Old School,
>
> This is in response to your Yates diatribe.
>
> I feel your pain.
> You're absolutely right about the mentally ill more likely to be vicitimized than perpetrators.
>
> Mental illness and insanity are considered very different things. OCD is a mental illness, as is SAD, GAD, dysthymia, nicotine addiction, and hundreds of other DSM classifications.
>
> I, however am insane.
> Just wanted to get clear on our definitions there.
>
> I have alot of questions about your post, and hope you'll consider responding to some of them.
>
> If reason (according to Western philosphy, circa 17th century) is what elevates man above the beasts, and insane people are by definition bereft of reason, what does that make us in the eyes of society?
>
> Useless and dangerous subhuman brutes. Degenerate. Social wastage. These are direct quotes from 20th Centuray American politicians.
>
> Historically, the very existence of the insane threatens the existence of the normal, b/c philanthropy on our behalf uses up their resources, and b/c we might go after them w/ a hatchet if they take our seat on the subway.
>
> Beside the usual involuntary committments, lobotomies and incarceration, twentieth century American assaults on the insane have included forced sterilizations and prohibition from marriage.
>
> I am painfully aware of how these attitudes, these facts harm me, since I know that I do not pose a danger to anyone.
>
> Having said that, I have observed crazy people up close and at length who were fine until they murdered someone. I have also been near people who, while psychotic posed a threat to innocent victims, stopping just short of murder, and I have been frightened by someone experiencing a psychotic episode who no one, including myself could ever be afraid of otherwise. They became dangerous only during the psychosis.
>
> How does one reconcile all this?
>
> w/ respect, troubleHi Trouble. Here is how I think about "insanity." I believe insanity is a medical (Neurological) condition, nothing more and nothing less. Insanity is caused by a physically broken brain, not from vague, psychobabble concepts. I also believe insanity is heavily genetic...insanity tends to be passed along in families.
Because insanity is a Neurological (brain) disease, I believe insanity should be diagnosed and treated by brain science experts known as Neurologists. It should be researched in the same manner other diseases are researched, with microscopes, brain imaging equipment, blood tests, etc. Psychology based research is a waste of time and money. It leads nowhere but it makes the insane patient feel guilty about their medical condition by trivializing their condition, leading them on into thinking their problem is a "psychological" issue. When in reality these people are Neurologically impaired in a major way.
Because insanity typically insnt perceived as a formal Neurological disorder by the lay public, insane people are oftentimes treated like shit. Or with fear. When the reality is they just have a specific type of Neurological disease. Epileptics used to be thought of in a similar manner. Seizures used to be thought of as being caused by "evil spirits" and such and epileptics were treated like bad people, as crazy or as freaks. When the reality was recognized about a hundred years ago and epilepsy was recognized as a FORMAL Neurological disease, attitudes changed towards epileptics. I believe if "insanity" was recognized as a FORMAL Neurological disease, attitudes would dramatically change towards insane people.
Just read this article and it will basically describe how I personally feel about "insanity."
http://www.mhsource.com/pt/p020101b.html
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:18768
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020223/msgs/18875.html