Emily’s last blog entry: On the Anti-psychiatry shows
Aug 17th, 2009 by depressedteens
It’s Emily here, about to go off to college…scared out of my mind. So far, I’ve just been worrying about packing, putting the actual packing off. Procrastination is something I may never cease to do.
Recently, we did a show on Anti-psychiatry. Twice. So far, I think this has been my least favorite show–partly because it causes me stress leading to a headache which mostly stems from the frustration that I get from the topic in general.
Anti-psychiatry -> stress –> symptoms of stress –> frustrated/sad/unhappy Emily
I think the most frustrating part about the Anti-psychiatry movement is that I don’t necessarily disagree with everything about it. It’s hard to be one-sided with this matter.
It’s like this: I know what’s right in my mind and I agree with almost everything having to do with psychology; BUT then there’s that smidge of opposition in my mind. For example, the 3rd argument of the Anti-psychiatry movement: Drugs are bad. A lot of the time when dealing with prescription drugs of any kind, the whole process of prescribing in itself is sort of an experiment because a doctor doesn’t really know whether a particular drug will work for that specific person or not. What the doctor and patient have to do, though, is try it out, because there is a chance the drug may help. However, sometimes a drug can do more harm than good. It’s very difficult to pick sides with this issue, because sometimes, the Anti-psychiatry movement does have a point, especially when they say drug companies aren’t solely motivated by caring and health, but also profit.
Despite all of the headaches this topic has caused me, I do think it’s important to talk about it because if it isn’t brought up, if people don’t hear both sides, then they won’t be able to determine what they believe in or agree with on their own; and then they’ll just settle with the only side they’ve heard, and THAT certainly isn’t fair.
Emily
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Emily I realize you are gone—WE MISS YOU—and probably won’t know I am commenting on this, but I will anyway.
You bring up very good points in this blog. First of all, you bring up the point of how frustrating it was to dissect the Psychology Vs. Anti-Psychology debate. The arguments are very hard to wrap your mind around and when you finally think you understand something, it turns out you don’t. You try to bring an argument against one of Anti-Psychology claims and you get shot down with ease. Then you begin to think that maybe they got it right, because every question and every bullet you bring has what seems to be an intelligent explanation attached to it pointing towards the superiority of Anti-Psychology. However, this is precisely why all of us need to understand this debate.
As Chris has said, there are ways to poke holes in Anti-Psychology, but it takes knowledge (something all of you should be seeking in regards to psychology because you deal with a mental illness on a daily basis). The more information you have the more prepared you will be for the fight, but more importantly, like Emily said, you can decide for yourself.
Emily’s point about the third argument is valid. Prescription drugs aren’t necessarily good. Yes, the drug industry is out there to help you, but you must also understand that they are a business. They have to market and they have to make money to sponsor the research and pay the salaries of everyone that works for them. As a result, there can be a valid point regarding a dark spot on what many have come to see as the all powerful drug.
On top of that, drugs are also generic—they only come in one form. People on the other hand, have a wide variety in how certain biological pathways process these drugs, and as a result many people can experience serious side effects.
With all that said, my main point is to reiterate Emily. It is not fair to you to only know one argument, especially when it revolves around a large aspect of your life. Go out there and absorb knowledge, it is your responsibility because, like we always say, you are either dealing with your disorder or you aren’t. Gaining knowledge is a great way to begin and continue to deal with you disorder. However, do so with a cautious, questioning eye, if something doesn’t make sense or seems to real to believe ask questions to those you trust.
I hope this made sense. -Ryan