25 GOOD REASONS WHY PSYCHIATRY MUST BE ABOLISHED

I have not read all the points in this thread; but I have to say that I fully agree with Latitudinarian; & others who have expressed similar views.

I have joined this site; as it seemed that there was the ability to discus 'Alternatives' to mainstream psychiatry.

Judging from some of the responses; from some, it seems that - as per usual - it appears to be almost criminal to speak out against 'orthodox psychiatry' -

I try to find the middle ground, I try my best to evaluate & appreciate different perspectives. But to my mind - the fact remains - that orthodox psychiatry is very much a case of 'the emperors new clothes' - & constitutes great harm; although there are very rare exceptions with genuinely healing practitioners; the norm is diabolical.

People will look back in the future; at our present psychiatric 'care' with the same horror & abhorrent disgust at it's inhumanity - as we look back at the asylums of the 17 & 18 centuries.

HeartofAtum wrote:People will look back in the future; at our present psychiatric 'care' with the same horror & abhorrent disgust at it's inhumanity - as we look back at the asylums of the 17 & 18 centuries.

No doubt. My personal feeling is that psychiatrists aren't harming anyone with therapy. Knowing friends who go to therapy, in addition to knowing a practicing academic/hospital psychiatrist myself, leads me to think that they're basically good people who have done a lot of good for others who really need help.

That being said, I'm also very cognizant of the fact that psychiatry is barely a true medical science, because our understanding of the mind is so limited. In the prior century, the only major advances in medicine has been SSRI and SNRI type mood stabilizers. Very recently, there has also been deep cranial stimulation. But otherwise, our medical tools to affect the mind are *very* limited, especially in comparison to other medical fields like internal surgery, cancer medication, or orthopedic surgery for examples.

dcambria wrote:
No doubt. My personal feeling is that psychiatrists aren't harming anyone with therapy. Knowing friends who go to therapy, in addition to knowing a practicing academic/hospital psychiatrist myself, leads me to think that they're basically good people who have done a lot of good for others who really need help.

I feel harmed several times. Twice in my review panel to discharge me. They wanted proof and didn't believe of my trip to Europe. As well I had to prove my knowledge of a second language. I don't know why anyone would try lying about speaking another language. Lastly when asked if I could survive in Mexico, he said no. His opinion, but I just spent the last 2 months living there and will be planning to go back and live longer with a cheaper place to rent and more job opportunities.

Why are you a therapist or psychiatrist if you can't believe your patient. How much progress are you going to make in their life if you believe they are living a different life then what they say, and how long should a patient go to you when they keep telling you things but have to keep bringing in proof of your own life. ??? What is wrong with them really I don't understand why they are getting paid money.

I think arguments made in the list above can be made about any profession, institution and people too. I don't think Sigmund Freud's intention was to equate psychiatry to a religious text book because that would make him a god. Psychiatry isn't perfect. In fact none of the fields in medical profession is. But to totally rule it out and not in a objective manner is totally absurd. A lot of people have had bad experiences with the same things that others find helpful. Religion is a good example. There are those who have suffered an abuse of religion (people who are formerly members of cults for instance) but at the same time religion is not the devil, as long as it's not worshipped like a god that it isn't.

I think psychiatry more a field of compassion that a profession. In fact, the whole medical profession is like that, that's why there's a Hypocritical Oath. I don't think EVERY medical professional makes a good psychiatrist. EVERYONE has a personal opinion about something/someone. This is where I believe lies a line between a general practitioner and a psychiatrist. Psychiatrist have to consider feelings of their patients first and foremost. Judgmental/self-righteous attitude should be left at the door. Not everyone is abled to do this. If someone has been shot at night walking alone maybe we can say it's their fault for undertaking such a risky behaviour.

Such a reproach may infact be necessary to bring a person to his senses in order to realize what a silly thing it was to put his life at risk by walking alone at night.I doubt very much a comment like that from a doctor would affect the recovery of a patient's gunshot wound.However when it comes to issues of the mind, it's a different ball game. Things that a psychiatrist says has a direct bearing on the recovery of a patient. Calling a patient stupid is analogous to making a wrong diagnosis in the general medical sense.The medication also varies and what fits one patient may not be suitable to the next. So obviously a lot of caution should be exercised. Maybe psychiatry is more like a gun in the wrong hand. Some people who are pro-gun say guns don't kill people but dangerous/irresponsible people with guns kill people. Like Spiderman's grandpa would say "With greater power, comes greater responsibility". Bad psychiatrists are what give psychiatry a bad name.

The Devil wrote:Regarding if your experience will be positive or negative.

It all depends on if you seek help or it's forced upon you (voluntary or involuntary). Also what they diagnose you with has a huge effect on how you will be treated. Some medication for some diagnosis are fairly pleasant, others, such as anti psychotics are hell.

It also depends on the mindset of the doctor you see. If he doesn't like your politics, race, philosophy etc he has the power to take you out with his state powers and drugs. This is what happened to me.

It's never a one size fits all situation with psychiatry. But one things for sure, seeing none of psychiatry's fundemental claims have never been scientifically proven PSYCHIATRY NEEDS TO BE CLOSELY REGULATED!!!

Psychiatry needs reform, Pyschiatry needs a watchdog. Theres too much money involved with psychiatry and too much fraud.

I agree with a lot of the anti-psychs. I think people like me who have been involuntary inpatients are much more likely to be anti-psych. The shrinks really do overmedicate. I was locked up for two years while they tried to get a court order to have me involuntarily medicated. I didn't need any medication. All I needed was a supportive envionment, some socialization therapy, and occupational therapy. After that I was much better. But they still kept pushing the drugs. I won the medication hearing - then the appeal - and they gave up and let me go with no conditions.

Now I'm terrified of mental health people. It's too bad, because I have avpd. I have done alright on my own for over 10 years. But in times of need I have to just man up and deal with it on my own. So far that has worked. I'm not sure what will happen if it stops working.

Parador wrote:

The Devil wrote:Regarding if your experience will be positive or negative.


I agree with a lot of the anti-psychs. I think people like me who have been involuntary inpatients are much more likely to be anti-psych. The shrinks really do overmedicate. I was locked up for two years while they tried to get a court order to have me involuntarily medicated. I didn't need any medication. All I needed was a supportive envionment, some socialization therapy, and occupational therapy. After that I was much better. But they still kept pushing the drugs. I won the medication hearing - then the appeal - and they gave up and let me go with no conditions.

Now I'm terrified of mental health people. It's too bad, because I have avpd. I have done alright on my own for over 10 years. But in times of need I have to just man up and deal with it on my own. So far that has worked. I'm not sure what will happen if it stops working.

It all depends on if you seek help or it's forced upon you (voluntary or involuntary). Also what they diagnose you with has a huge effect on how you will be treated. Some medication for some diagnosis are fairly pleasant, others, such as anti psychotics are hell.

It also depends on the mindset of the doctor you see. If he doesn't like your politics, race, philosophy etc he has the power to take you out with his state powers and drugs. This is what happened to me.

It's never a one size fits all situation with psychiatry. But one things for sure, seeing none of psychiatry's fundemental claims have never been scientifically proven PSYCHIATRY NEEDS TO BE CLOSELY REGULATED!!!

Psychiatry needs reform, Pyschiatry needs a watchdog. Theres too much money involved with psychiatry and too much fraud.

I think what would be wrong is when people conclude that psychiatry is the best solution to all mental health problems. There are other alternatives methods that work, like therapy. In some cases, medication is the best option. I think overall, therapy is the better option but coupled with medication it can be even much better. The thought that mind problems can simply be solved by taking pills is just not realistic. Mental health problems I think are psychological and biological in nature. I'm not expert but I don't think we can draw a line between the two. Either one can cause the other I think. If there's a a chemical imbalance like with Bi Polar mood disorder then medication might be the best option. But therapy is still ncecessary too.

Maybe a total overhaul of mental health treatment is necessary. Too much faith has been placed in psychiatric treatment at the exclusion of every other treatment and maybe looking at other methods isn't too bad. But to totally disregard it is also not the best thing to do either.It's quite difficult to find a one size fit all kind of solution. In most cases I think it's trial and error. That's what I find to be most frustrating.

Feel76 wrote:

I think what would be wrong is when people conclude that psychiatry is the best solution to all mental health problems. There are other alternatives methods that work, like therapy. In some cases, medication is the best option. I think overall, therapy is the better option but coupled with medication it can be even much better. The thought that mind problems can simply be solved by taking pills is just not realistic. Mental health problems I think are psychological and biological in nature. I'm not expert but I don't think we can draw a line between the two. Either one can cause the other I think. If there's a a chemical imbalance like with Bi Polar mood disorder then medication might be the best option. But therapy is still ncecessary too.

Maybe a total overhaul of mental health treatment is necessary. Too much faith has been placed in psychiatric treatment at the exclusion of every other treatment and maybe looking at other methods isn't too bad. But to totally disregard it is also not the best thing to do either.It's quite difficult to find a one size fit all kind of solution. In most cases I think it's trial and error. That's what I find to be most frustrating.

I agree with the overhaul. I think involuntary treatment should only be an option when a person says they plan to hurt someone or when they are so out of touch with reality that they can't answer basic questions about what's going on. If someone knew who they were where they were, what the date was and who the president of the US is then they should not recieve involuntary treatment unless they told the shrink they planned to hurt themselves or someone else. You wouldn't even need a shrink. There could be just a form to fill out. People who speak a different language or from a different country would need some kind of individualized test. I think I saw people in the psych hospital who may have just had problems communicating because they didn't speak English.

I gotta beg to differ with u on that
I have seen psychologists & psychiatrists and I must say that I am more confident with the one that is also an MD.
Psychiatrists are into the facts and deal with a hard science. Psychologists are actually kinda scary to me because some of them like to create their own realities