Myths about psychiatry

I was just reading an article and came upon a few myths that psychiatry/drug companies propogate in order to get what they want. The blatant disregard for ppl who are diagnosed, is embedded in this culture and no wonder no one blinks an eyelid when violence is brutally used as a means to 'control' these diagnosed ppl. These are ppl who are distressed/upset/having all sorts of problems that need love and care and compassion. This is obvious, yet as a society we DO believe that diagnosed ppl need to be kept under control with violence/drugging/brutality etc. As it is embedded in our psyches, we get this message continually from society.

Here are some myths , im trying to compile some. Can you guys help add to the list.

* Schizophrenia causes tardive dyskinesia
*Schizophrenia causes weight gain and diabetes
*Schizophrenics are violent/uncontrollable

...any help appretiated

-- Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:45 pm --

*Schizophrenia/bi polar etc 'shrinks' ppls brains

* PPl with mental health diagnosis' are dying 25 years earlier 'because they are not medicated'

Devilock wrote:* PPl with mental health diagnosis' are dying 25 years earlier

this portion is fact however.

I haven't heard the not medicated piece. Typically I hear it is due to a variety of things such as poor health care, because of the effects of psychiatric medications, poor diet, smoking etc.

yeah it was somewhere on madinamerica, they were reporting that they were dying earlier but not mentioning it was from the medication! They were saying it was because they weren't medicated!! can u believe it?

Devilock wrote:I was just reading an article and came upon a few myths that psychiatry/drug companies propogate in order to get what they want. The blatant disregard for ppl who are diagnosed, is embedded in this culture and no wonder no one blinks an eyelid when violence is brutally used as a means to 'control' these diagnosed ppl. These are ppl who are distressed/upset/having all sorts of problems that need love and care and compassion. This is obvious, yet as a society we DO believe that diagnosed ppl need to be kept under control with violence/drugging/brutality etc. As it is embedded in our psyches, we get this message continually from society.

Here are some myths , im trying to compile some. Can you guys help add to the list.

* Schizophrenia causes tardive dyskinesia
*Schizophrenia causes weight gain and diabetes
*Schizophrenics are violent/uncontrollable

...any help appretiated

-- Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:45 pm --

*Schizophrenia/bi polar etc 'shrinks' ppls brains

Most thinking about psychiatry is constructed on a mythological basis, so trying to compile an exhaustive list of myths about psychiatry is impossible. So I'll just add some:-

- Psychiatric drugs are medications.

This is a myth. Only by doing violence to the semantics of the term "meds" can you maintain that these mind altering chemical toxins are "meds". By using such terminology, we play into the hands of the oppressors, unwittingly pledging our allegiance to the medical model.

- Psychiatry is a subspecialty of medicine.

Officially, yes, but de facto psychiatry deals not with anatomical and biological deviancy, but with social deviancy. It bears only a cosmetic relation to other medical professions.

- The postulate implicit in most thinking across the ideological divide that psychiatry is about alleviating the suffering of the species is a myth.

Psychiatry came into being as part of the social control apparatus of the state. It is no more about alleviating the suffering of the species than the Inquisition was about alleviating evil. The fact that both create the very problems they purport and purported to remedy is a clue to the mythological character of these beliefs.

-Psychiatry is a science.

No it isn't. Those who deny its pseudoscientific character protest too much, methinks. Calling it a science lends legitimacy to its crimes against humanity. For this reason, tyrants and tyranny's many casuists, throughout history and today, have appealed to supposed scientific truth, just as they appeal to Reason, just as they appeal to supposedly divinely imparted truths, just as they appeal to Necessity.

Psych itself is a myth so I agree it is not sensible to waste time finding myths about the myth.

Psych is no more science than gambling is especially when you get to involuntarily committing people.