 |
 |
Statistics are what are available, that's why I refer to them. In making grand psychosexual theories it's a good place to start. Me, I don't make grand psychosexual theories. I wasn't the kind of therapist you're talkinhg about. I'm sorry you're so hostile to the profession. Mark At 09:02 AM 4/1/2006, you wrote: >Mark, > >I am interested to know where your certainty and self-assurance comes from. >I see so many weaknesses in arguements based on >statistics/paradigms/theoretical frameworks it is hard to know where to >begin... You have had experience as a therapist - that much is obvious. My >experiences, observations and academic study (the latter is the least >important I think) of 'psychology professionals' suggests professions based >on self-sustainment and collegial reinforcement of their professional >expertise. I'm sure you are aware that the number of definitions for mental >disorders has increased at an exponential rate in the last century - in line >with the increased numbers of professionals able to diagnose/treat them, >perhaps. > >As Alison has said 'our brains are complex to the point of complete mystery' >but it is in the interests of psychologists et al to define mental >conditions and treat them. When their ability to 'treat' is exhausted it is >then in the interests of everyone to have the individual in question >withdrawn from society - they become really bloody embarrassing to everyone >concerned. I have recently witnessed the treatment of a neighbour who has >some very apparent problems. Her behaviour is erratic and quite disturbing >(possibly something to do with being repeatedly raped as a child by her >father and uncles but I wouldn't want to make any irrational assumptions >here). Her treatment seems to consist of medication that puts her into an >ever more dazed and confused state (a docile/non-threatening state?) When >she becomes very agitated she tends to make daily trips to her doctor. >Confinement and bouts of electro-shock usually follow until she is calm >enough to be released. This has gone on for about 18 months now and my >strong suspicion is that her partner (now with a drink problem) and her >doctor are getting ever more hopeful that she will kill herself and put them >out of their misery. Of course when/if she does I'm sure that all concerned >will be able to say that nothing could be done. > >There are approaches to mental health problems that are not about >maintaining the status quo or maintaining the power of professionals. >Narrative Therapy for instance offers the potential for genuine engagement >with an individual (or a family) and possiblities for separating the person >from any problems. As it focusses on story-telling, results are not easily >quantified and are therefore easily dismissed by many. > >Incidentally, were your patients ever present at meetings when they were >being discussed? > >Tina > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Mark Weiss" <[log in to unmask]> >To: <[log in to unmask]> >Sent: Saturday, April 01, 2006 1:00 AM >Subject: Re: Feminism: an aside > > > > OK, I accept that there may be a factual basis for your explanation, > > but it's a very small foundation for a rather baroque edifice. > > Occam's razor, please. > > > > A little more about suicide. It's common for therapy patients to > > express moments of suicidal ideation that may be more serious than > > the everyday ho hum I think I'll kill myself. In the US, at least in > > the jurisdictions I know about, patient confidentiality ends the > > moment the therapist is convinced that a patient is seriously a > > danger to him/herself or others, at which point the therapist is > > required by law to report to the police, which leads to involuntary > > committment. Obviously committment has consequences, and you can't > > commit everyone. So what to do? Here's a comon assessment test: you > > make a deal with the patient that she/he won't commit suicide until > > after the next session. Believe it or not, it works. Which doesn't > > mean that the therapist gets much sleep during the intervening nights. > > > > For the record, I dealt professionally with dozens of suicidal > > patients, and in mental health outpatient clinics where I worked > > there were hundreds each year, all of which got discussed in clinical > > meetings by clinicians from every imaginable theoretical background. > > I can't remember a single case that fit the paradigm you described, > > and I can't remember any clinician attempting to fit a patient into > > that paradigm. > > > > Mark > > > > > > At 07:46 PM 3/31/2006, you wrote: > > >On 1/4/06 9:39 AM, "Mark Weiss" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > > > > > > > A much more modest set of claims, Alison > > > > > >Hmm. Seems to me that I am saying exactly the same thing (that there are > > >definite links between high male suicide rates and traditional >constructions > > >of masculinity), but explaining why I think the things I do. Scepticism >is > > >welcome of course, but I actually have real reasons for most of the >things I > > >say. > > > > > >But you can't write a book every time you make an assertion in an email > > >discussion. Yes, take the complexity of human behaviour as read; it > > >underlies everything I say as an implicit or explicit caveat. Our brains >are > > >complex to the point of complete mystery. Me, I'm having a shower. > > > > > >All best > > > > > >A > > > > > > > > >Alison Croggon > > > > > >Blog: http://theatrenotes.blogspot.com > > >Editor, Masthead: http://masthead.net.au > > >Home page: http://alisoncroggon.com > >