Mental Illnesses

Science & Technology Biosciences
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Disclaimer: I no longer claim to have these illnesses. I was 15 at the time, and misinterpreted common teenage problems for mental disease. -Brian

I am a person that just seems to have a conglomeration of mental illnesses. Just as everyone here comes to the forums to find like-minded individuals interested in the philosophy of Ayn Rand, I am looking for those people but who are also knowledgeable on various mental illnesses or even experienced with having them, as well as people’s views on the subject. Anyone?

My mental illnesses include:

A mild form of A.D.D.

Paranoia - also in relation to anxiety

Schizophrenia - in relation to the paranoia

A mild form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Depression - which I have recently overcome, for the most part

I think I should be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records :frowning:

But, however, I do not have the most extreme case for every single illness. For those of you who have seen the simpsons episode where Mr. Burns has every single disease known to man but is virtually immortal because it is as if the diseases are all crowded trying to get through a door which leads to harming his body - then you can understand, although unrealistic, my situation.

Best Premises,

Brian

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My mental illnesses include:

A mild form of A.D.D.

Paranoia - also in relation to anxiety

Schizophrenia - in relation to the paranoia

A mild form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Depression - which I have recently overcome, for the most part

Hello Brian.

I don’t pretend that I could offer you help or guidance - I am not a psychologist, etc., but I did want to ask you, since you’ve listed them, if you would define or describe each of those “mental illnesses” and then explain just how it is that you exibit them. If that’s more than you care to do, it’s certainly none of my business. I’m just curious. Basically I’m asking just what those deseases are you your view, and just why you think you have them; not what others say, what you think and say.

Regards,

John

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Have you read Thomas Szasz?

http://www.szasz.com/index.html

I personally do not give credence to anyone seriously (i.e., not metaphorically) claiming to be mentally ill.

Dr. Hurd isn’t buying the crap either.

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Have you read Thomas Szasz?

I second Capleton’s appreciation for Dr. Thomas Szasz. He’s got several articles on his web site which you can read, and he has published many books. I highly recommend him. He’s the father of the claim that mental illness is a myth. He doesn’t deny that people can have troubles, even severe troubles, but he challenges the very idea of mental illness. Do read him!

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Hello Brian.

I don’t pretend that I could offer you help or guidance - I am not a psychologist, etc., but I did want to ask you, since you’ve listed them, if you would define or describe each of those “mental illnesses” and then explain just how it is that you exibit them. If that’s more than you care to do, it’s certainly none of my business. I’m just curious. Basically I’m asking just what those deseases are you your view, and just why you think you have them; not what others say, what you think and say.

Regards,

John

Sure. I am a little hesitant, but I think I can handle it. I have never told anyone until recently that I even had problems. And, surprisingly, it took me all of my life up until I was 15 to realize that I even had them. I just figured that it was natural for all humans to have what I have – how sheltered I was.

(I believe you are asking me my symptoms to prove how I have them, yes? Here I go)

A mild form of A.D.D. – this would involve a lack of concentration and mind wandering from subject to subject and forgetfullness of things I am supposed to be doing. I’m sure all humans experience this, but my problem is worse, comparatively. My parents, when I was roughly 6, suggested that I had A.D.D. based on my behavoir. I always thought I had it somewhat, but just about a month ago my mom told me that she thought I had it, also. She said that when I was young I would never obey my parents after being told not to and even after being hit a couple of times – that I would keep at it. She said I would hit people, such as my cousin, and go right back at it no matter what. My mother also said that she used to have to tie my arm to her arm when going outside because when something caught my attention, I would run off across the street or something without a care in the world. I do not believe this to be the worse case scenario, so that is why I put ‘mild.’

Paranoia - also in relation to anxiety – this involves the belief that I think everyone knows everything about me, that I am being watched all of the time, and that I have anxiety attacks based on false, irrational ideas about dying at any moment for no apparent reason. If anyone here as come close to death, you know what it feels like. Except that for me, I will feel close to death although nothing is in fact wrong.

Schizophrenia - in relation to the paranoia – let it be said that there are many forms of schizophrenia, but this one is in relation to my paranoia about being watched and monitored all of the time. They are people, usually people that I know, or dead ones that I have never met, that watch me constantly. They usually observe from windows, behind trees, sitting in chairs, thru vents, black spaces or holes in ceiling tiles, etc.

A mild form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - this involves the need to move the corresponding right side of my body if I move the left side, and vice versa. If I move my left arm, I must move my right arm in the same fashion. And this involves the need to twitch my right eye and stretch the right side of my neck – although nothing has been applied to the left. I say it is mild because it does not involve dangerous ideas if I do not do them. For instance, my friend has the same thing, but he believes that his family will be harmed if he does not move the correspondomg side. That is a severe case. I don’t have it, beacuse I don’t have those ideas.

Depression - which I have recently overcome, for the most part – I believe this is obvious. It was at its peak when I was 15 and it lasted for 6 months - usually sleeping for 13 hours a day, not having the urge or motivation to do anything, and lack of comprehension. (For example, when I was depressed I couldn’t understand the first page of Atlas Shrugged - but that has changed now, and I can understand the whole book completely, now that I am happy)

Is this satisfactory for what you have wanted?

–Brian

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Have you read Thomas Szasz?

http://www.szasz.com/index.html

I personally do not give credence to anyone seriously (i.e., not metaphorically) claiming to be mentally ill.

Dr. Hurd isn’t buying the crap either.

Psychological problems do exist - it is a fact. But I think the issue is that people are hesitant at calling them ‘mental illnesses’, due to the fact of WHY these problems exist. I do believe they are there becuase of a lack of recognization on a person’s part and that they can be overcome. I think that is what Dr. Hurd is mainly trying to say.

Edit: I do have the problems that I stated above - I can’t deny it, nor can anyone else. Call it psychological problems, mental illness, whatever you wish. I do not see a difference. All I know is that problems do exist, whatever the reason. Btw: Why do you say mental illness does not exist but that severe troubles/problems do? What is the difference?

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Brian,

I’m not going to make judgments about whether or not you have the disorders that you think you have. That is a matter between you and your own mind. I just want to make the observation that you seem to understand the link between the irrational ideas that you have automatized and your actions and thoughts. This is the first step to ridding your subconscious of the problems that you describe.

Objectivism can add clarity to your life in so many ways but this is a great example. You should counter irrational thoughts with explicitly rational ones from philosophy. Whenever you think that dead people are watching you, recall that consciousness cannot exist without life. When you feel depressed, recognize that this is a benevolent world open to your actions and choices. When you feel the need to move your right arm with your left, ponder the purposefulness of living action and work to rid your life of blatantly fortuitous actions.

I think that you would benefit from using philosophy in this manner.

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Yes, I agree with you Bowzer. In fact, if you didn’t notice, I said I have over come my depression, at least for the most part. I can deal with feeling down for a couple days out of month compared to what it used to be. I am grateful for that much:)

Also, now that I am happy I am more able to deal with my other problems. They are starting to die down, now that I am trying to control it, based on the means that you have just said.

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Brian,

Just read your reply; it was just what I was asking for. Thanks. Now I have a better understanding of just what troubles (?) you have, as opposed to just some names for illnesses.

I think that the idea of “mental illness” is valid in the same way that mental health is valid, and similarly in the way that physical health and physical illness are valid, but it’s critical as to what one means.

That said, I think psychiatry has an appalling history.

Szasz challenges a lot of the conventional and current views on just what these “illnesses” are, basically viewing them as metaphorical illnesses that have been taken literally, thereby leading to mis-identifications and mistreatments. I think his first published challenge was in his book, “The Myth of Mental Illness,” published in the 1950s, I believe. Better than me trying to convey his arguments, again I highly recommend you read him, his books if you care to, but he also has a number of articles on his web site, some that even give the gist of his argument against the idea of mental illnesses. See the link for “Szasz Materials” on the left-hand side of his home page ( http://www.szasz.com/szaszwri.html ).

Just for one (of those articles): “Mental illness: psychiatry’s phlogiston” http://www.szasz.com/phlogiston.html

Well, another: “The Myth of Mental Illness” http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Szasz/myth.htm

I am most certainly not trying to tell you that you do not have some troubles, serious or otherwise. The best I would know to tell you would again be to seek out the help of either Dr. Hurd or Dr. Kenner. There may be other persons that others here may suggest, but those two are Objectivists and have web sites with some good information, plus, again, I believe, they both offer phone consultations, so they’re not “out of reach” even though you may not live near either of them.

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The best I would know to tell you would again be to seek out the help of either Dr. Hurd or Dr. Kenner. There may be other persons that others here may suggest, but those two are Objectivists and have web sites with some good information, plus, again, I believe, they both offer phone consultations, so they’re not “out of reach” even though you may not live near either of them.

I’ll second that recommendation.

The teen years are the most difficult time in life for everybody. In addition to the momentous, life-defining choices you will make with a fraction of the knowledge you will later acquire, there are huge physical changes going on which do have psychological consequences. A reliable, reality-centered counselor can be a huge help in navigating the difficulties and make everything so much easier for you.

Dr. Hurd is in Maryland and Dr. Kenner is in Rhode Island. If you are in their neighborhood, look them up. If not, Dr. Hurd has written a wonderful book called Effective Therapy that you can use to find a good counselor. Dr. Kenner also has a radio show you can listen to on the internet and you can send her questions or even call her on the air for free. She’s WONDERFUL with teenagers.

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I was diagnosed with mental illnesses myself, but now I think that it’s the shrinks who are crazy! Perhaps if I had not learned about Objectivism, I would have become insane. Having found out about Ayn Rand at fifteen, I saved myself from the dangerous path of irrationality that would most likely have led to my death. Ever since, I have maintained a pretty good grip on reality. Anyone who can understand the Objectivist epistemology can be sane.

There are some people with valid neurological disorders that truly prevent them from grasping reality–but those are extreme cases where the brain is severely abnormal. Despite the ridiculous attitudes of the mental health establishment, most people’s so-called “mental illnesses” are just the result of not having a rational philosophy. Don’t buy into it–they’re just trying to con you into spending your money on pharmaceuticals and doctor visits. If you have the capacity to reason, you can work through your problems. (But if your attempts at logical trains of thought are regularly interrupted by hallucinations, delusions, etc. that you find yourself unable to control, then you should seek treatment.)

Logic anchors us to reality. I was not only able to use philosophy to counter my mental illness–I turned it into something positive. My mind might work a little differently than normal people’s minds do, but I consider it a great gift. I have much more creativity and originality and a wider variety of thoughts and emotions than what I suspect others of having. My whole life has changed since I learned to come to terms with myself, and I would not give up who I am for anything.

(For reference, probably the most accurate diagnosis for what I’ve had is schizo-affective bipolar type.)

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I once thought I had schizo-affective bipolar disorder but I didn’t have the swings between mania and depression often enough. All of the rest of the symptoms were surprisingly there though. Matteomastrom, did you have delusions, paranoia, and depression? And how did you specifically overcome it? I have only overcome my depression so far. If you’d like to e-mail me personally rather than spill this information on the forum, go ahead.

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Brian,

I too used to suffer from bouts of depression. Mostly it consisted of thoughts of suicide and hopelessness. Usually triggered by bad days and memories of a traumatic experience I had when I was a child. But also a lot of it was contradictions I had in my own life about my beliefs and values. Coming from a christian/catholic background I wondered why I had to give up my life to help others and then thought I was evil for not wanting to sacrifice my life for the bettering of the world/society.

I used to try everything I could to make my parents happy instead of living for myself. My husband (boyfriend then) taught me to live my own life and then came Atlas Shrugged which explained everything else. I am the happiest I’ve ever been. I definitely believe logic can help you get through your problems and help you live a better life in general. I’m glad you got through your depression. I’m sure you’ll be able to conquer the other problems. :dough:

Isabel

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Dr. Kenner also has a radio show you can listen to on the internet and you can send her questions or even call her on the air for free.  She’s WONDERFUL with teenagers.

She’s wonderful, period! Her lectures, “Bringing Out the Heroic in Yourself,” at this year’s OCON were terrific.

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I too used to suffer from bouts of depression. Mostly it consisted of thoughts of suicide and hopelessness. Usually triggered by bad days and memories of a traumatic experience I had when I was a child.

Isabel,

Congratulations on getting through a journey that you should never have had to have gone through.

John

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thanks John! :dough:

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thanks John! :dough:

You’re certainly welcome, Isabel, but thank you also.

Rand (or one of her characters, which is rather the same thing) said something like, “The greatest gift you can give to another person is the sight of your own achievement.”

I do think that is true, and quite profound.

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LOL, this is certainly the weirdest thread I’ve ever read. I don’t even know what those mental illnesses are (except perhaps paranoia). If I were to list mine, I’d have to look them up first. But one that comes to mind was the one I’m gradually being cured of (by none other than myself) and that’s lack of self-confidence. I used to falter whenever someone said something contrary to what I thought.

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If you were to list yours, you’d have to look them up first? How can you claim to have mental illness if you do not know what they are? Not everyone has them.

And a lack of self-confidence isn’t a mental illness, I don’t think. But I’m sure it’s a symptom of some.

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Brian,

First let me recommend that for any type of schizoid symptoms it is important to have some kind of support from another person who can keep you in line should you have a bad episode. I have indeed experienced delusions, paranoia, depression, mania, etc. and know that things can quickly get out of control, but once you have the experience to recognize the negative thoughts when they occur, you can learn to manage them. Experience is the key because you will be able to tell what thoughts are hurting you and what thoughts are helping you. The first thing is a commitment to self-constructiveness and driving it into your head that you value your life and will not under any circumstances do anything self-destructive. It is excellent that you have gotten over your depression–that was also the first thing that I learned to conquer, and it shows that you are smart enough to work through things with yourself. Ayn Rand is a great person to read for anyone who is experiencing mental problems because she has such a firm dedication to rationality. You will quite possibly be able to manage your problems without medication or other extensive doctor treatment, although you should certainly seek a professional opinion in the matter. Just do not subordinate your judgment to that of a doctor who may or may not hold rational premises.

The study of ethics will lead you to happiness because you will learn how your emotions are a response to your values and that since you have control over your values, you have control over your emotions. Overcoming paranoia is simply a matter of acquiring good judgment about reality. As for delusions or anxiety, I think you will find that most types of delusional thought are ridiculous once you analyze them. For example, if you feel like you are being watched, just say who cares even if they are watching? If you have anxiety about impending death, just think whether or not anything is truly threatening you at the moment, and if it is, get away from it! I’ve been close to death many times; you learn that you should just do what you can do and forget about the rest. Believe in yourself and believe in free will.