Posted by photonista They have taken it a step past what the main brain behind mentalhealthstigma.com has ardently explained. And they simultaneously reinforced an outdated, unfounded assumption. With the focus on violence, little time is devoted to causes and 'cures' or treatments, except for institutionalization. [What kind of treatment is that?! They won't cover leading research and theories regarding the idea that most cases of mental illness are actually curable in so far as the person comes to understand the reasons behind the illness and integrates it into her 'self.' Nor will they give any airtime/space to the connected idea that almost any patient can learn to cope with symptoms without meds, though the transition may be rocky. Of course, in a country where we pop pills to mask symptoms instead of trying to get to the root cause and heal that cause is it a surprise? [Woe to the pharmies if we actually looked to wellness and health as goals!!] Aside from an occasional opening clause, they spend almost no time on the fact that the same manifestation and flavor of illness in the civilized West is heralded in other cultures & regarded as a sacred birthright (the shaman is the best known example and term). If there is a societal role for a person who acts psychotic, then he fits within the societal norm, and it follows that psychotic behavior is not actually a sign of being unwell and needing to be fixed. No pharmacalogical Band Aid is needed if there is no cut in the psyche to begin with. But I [sorta] digress. Tuggin' on the reins... Back when I had regular psychotic episodes, being around people just meant more stimuli to feed my overworked mind, more details to analyze and connect, more fuel for the fire. <allusion to Kay Redfield Jamison intentional, thanks> The best way to minimize the negative effects of the episode was to get away from people. And even though there were a couple times when I almost gave in to the urge to shout 'STOP F***ING WITH ME!' to a group of virtual strangers, I avoided any form of contact with others; I couldn't be in their presence comfortably, much less engage in an exchange of any kind (including an expression of violence). Even if I had the desire to interact with humans, I was too paralyzed with fear to possibly do what was necessary in the V Tech incident or other bizarre accounts of mentally ill persons committing violent acts. I refer specifically to logistics in this statement, but even the motive was never within grasp. It's like I disassociated from the emotional part of myself completely, cleaving between subtle bodies so only the logical/intellectual remained. I do recognize the irony in saying I only had my rational faculties available when I was, by definition, being irrational. But I know my emotional self went AWOL, and one can't have delusions without one's intellect working overtime.... The point is, regarding the events we hear about in the media, the person usually seems driven pretty strongly by emotions (read: rage). In true psychosis one's emotions are theoretically frozen/slowed/foggy/hanging by a floating thread/ etc., aren't they? And in true psychosis aren't people overstimulated, generally preferring retreat (metaphorical or literal) over interaction (lessening the likelihood of a he-just-snapped type of thing)? Isn't the media making it even worse by not only focusing on the weak link between mental illness and violence, but also - in discussing psychosis the way they have been (throwing the term around to be more precise) - creating a false concept of what true psychosis is like, and how likely violent acts will be in that truly psychotic state? Think about the societal image of a person who took some acid and is having a 'bad trip.' Occasionally the general public associates the scenario with suicide, but rarely does an average person immediately associate such a scenario with a massacre. Perhaps in the mind of the tripper there are scenes of massacre but no action is taken, according to the stereotype...right?? If you could please respond with any thoughts... I am concerned that the media is distorting the mental health picture even more, finding yet another way to connect mental illness with violence in the public's eyes - involuntary treatment[imprisonment] is a breath away, it would seem.
on May 5, 2007, 12:40 pm
12.11.93.98
In the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre & the executioner's dark, disturbed writings, the media's focus is on on mental illness - specifically mood disorders & schizophrenia - and violence. [Yes, I know: Did the focus ever change?]
In personal experience, and conversation with other authorities, I've found that most of the time, a person in a psychotic episode is more likely to withdraw and seek solitude than look for a weapon to hurt people or even try to have much of a conversation.
Message Thread:
« Back to thread