Aside from definite genetic disorders like Down-syndrome, etc, are mental disorders like ADD, ADHD, SAD, Bipolar, Anorexia, and OCD blown out of proportion by medial companies to sell their medicine? Is it just a change in attitude that's needed? Some argue that it's indeed a mental instability, and that professional help would be needed to "treat" or "cure" these symptoms.... although those with the "disorder" may find it insulting that they need to be "cured" or "treated" because to them, life is normal in their eyes, and everybody ELSE is the weird one. I, among others, believe I have "SAD" (Social anxiety disorder), and OCD (everybody has *some* OCD, maybe me more than some) - and to me, personally, I am neither "sick" nor need treatment. I'm normal, selfish, etc, and everybody else are the oddballs in my eyes. Everybody has their own views on this and I'm willing to hear yours, cause I'm curious. Are mental disorders just a cruel marketing technique? Or are they real? .chulium.
Not a doctor, but I have my feelings they are. *shrug* But who knows!? Any studies concluding whether there is misuse?
Mental disorders are definitely not a marketing techniqe or a ploy just to get you to believe that you're strange or to buy medicine. People with severe mental disorders like Bipolar, Clinical Depression, Manic Depression, and so on, actually do have abnormalities or a difference in the amount of brain chemicals that they have. Doctors can see this from brain scans and other tests. On the other hand, though, I believe that mental disorders are blown somewhat out of proportion. But blown out of proportion in the fact that sometimes it becomes taboo to talk about mental disorders, when in fact, those disorders affect the person severely as well as their family that lives with them.
Hello there. I would like to point out that in many cases, there are differences in the brain, and psyche which cause differences in behavior, and not all of them are considered “disordersâ€. These are normally classified a disorder if possessing this difference presents a difficulty to those that are differently abled. An example of a difference in brain chemistry is that many with ADHD find that while stimulants do increase their energy (like with most others), rather than making it harder to concentrate, they actually help the person with ADHD focus. This is why Ritalin, a stimulant, has been prescribed. However some who are mislabeled as having ADHD, when given Ritalin, find it harder to control their behavior, and stay focused. This is because they do not have the same chemical difference in the brain, but rather a different one (such as Aspurgers syndrome) which leads to the same symptoms in behavior. Not all of those with what are termed mental disorders, or mental disabilities require medication, and for those that can do without it, it is often a preferable solution, due to the decrease in side effects, and the fact that medication levels in the blood stream can vary depending on missed doses, and the time of day. However some truly need this support tool in order to over come the difficulties that are caused not only by their difference, but by society insisting that they behave like everyone else, even if these differences can be positive. Also, keep in mind that some of these differences often come with great gifts. The autistic, or those with Aspergers syndrome often have great logical or artistic gifts to make up for their lack of understanding of society. Some people with Aspurgers syndrome are able to “learn†people, and become quite adept at dealing with others because they have seen the human mind and human interaction in ways that others have never needed too.
Many case of mental disorders are health related. I have seen nutrition affect the symptoms of many of these disorders (not personally seen but read the documentation on) You will find many disorders such as a child with autism tend to have weaker immune systems.
Aye, the sniffles is a typical symptom of Aspergers syndrome. I do believe that zinc is somewhat involved as well.
Not all of these disorders are solved only by prescribing medicine. And even the ones that are - that doesn't mean the problem isn't real. Just means medicine is the only way they've found that has reasonable effect (not to say it's the only or best way). by the way: Most people with autism are NOT exceptionally gifted, but in fact mentally retarded.
I don't necessarily believe people with mental disabilities need medicine to "cure" them; then again, I'm not necessarily huge on the whole medicine concept to begin with, but that's a rant for a different day. Do I believe mental problems exist? Yes, I do. I've seen them with my own eyes. One of my closest friends is Bipolar, and my mother suffers from SAD. Both of them take medicine to cope with the symptoms. If it helps them, I'm all for it -- but do I think mental problems have been blown out of proportion? In some instances, yes. When everyone and their brother decides they have a "mental disease," I believe some doctors are all too quick to prescribe the latest "treatment" without truly knowing whether the patient could actually benefit from medicine, or whether they even have the supposed problem at all.
Chulium I agree with you completely! Shrinks <cough> I mean doctors push drugs on people for everything. I have a good friend from Thailand and she was missing her family. She has always been a generally happy person, but was just feeling down because she wanted to see her family and could not afford to fly back. Her doctor gave her prozac to deal with her "depression". She became so weird and started to have some crazy thoughts. She also became afraid to leave her house. I talked her into going off her medication, because it looked like the drugs were freaking her out. The doctor was against this, but she did anyway and we just hung out all the time for about 2 weeks. Once she came off the drugs, she became herself again and was fine. (She just started calling her family to make her feel better). Some sadness in life is normal. I think I may have that social anxiety thing too, but it helps to be surrounded by people that love you. Shrinks suck!
Not all of them do. I had one who was very supportive of my effort to live medication free (Except for short term stuff like antibiotics and Tylenol and the like) and even helped me adjust my doses in a way that would make the transition easier. He even started giving me a vitamin regimen to take in order to help the transition, and to help with any other problems. I've fallen away from the vitamin regimen due to the sheer number of pills, but he definitely helped me. A lot of it depends on the doctor you go to see. Another one I went to see prescribed a rare medication with large side effects that didn't really help... and you could only get it at one pharmacy almost all the way down town... and it just so happened that he had partial ownership of it. Another decided that there was nothing that MORE medicine couldn't solve, even if the symptoms got worse the more he prescribed. If your doctor isn't helping you the way you need, find a new doctor. A good way is to ask your network of family and friends to recommend one that they feel really helped them, as well as to look for doctor comparison sites and registries. It's all part of being an informed and proactive patient.
I recognize that - but most people with autism DO NOT have even that one special gift. Doesn't mean they don't have worth of their own, but that the ones with that one special skill are over represented in the press and movies etc. On topic: Being a pro-active patient is indeed essential. And in some cases it takes pro-active family members, friends etc. as well. My mom is a psychotherapist and she does think that part (not all) of what she does could be done by the next door neighbor if she had time to listen. She doesn't prescribe medicine at all by the way. A factor is also, I think, that the USA seems pretty much pill obsessed to me. I was there this summer with a simple cold (alright: a pretty heavy cold). The amount of people who advised me to take all kinds of pills for it was simply staggering. I mean: the only thing that helps a bit (other than just sitting it out) is vitamin C - but no, one pill could not be enough - I had to take more, according to most people I met.
Well there is this new drug that comes in everything from nose-sprays to chewables supposedly decreases the time it takes you to get over it, but the only time I bought it was as a back up in case I caught a cold while on my trip to Itally. There was NO way I was missing even an hour of that trip due to a cold if there was some way to avoid it. Normally if I feel ill I just try to get some rest, pop some vitamin c, and be sure to drink plenty of liquids and eat less solid food . Especially Diarretics (spelling?) like the caffeine in my oh so beloved comfort food of chocolate. That makes it hard.
Schizoid personality disorder is blown out of proportion. It's not a disorder at all, just a personality type imo.
eXe, I wonder if you've ever been around someone with that disorder. I have, and I can assure you that in the majority of cases I've seen, people with that disorder DO need medication to keep everything balanced. Believe me, I'm not gung-ho for doctors pushing pills on everyone they possibly can; I believe all other options need to be exhausted. I don't even like medication, but I'm not so naive to say that it doesn't have its uses in a lot of cases.