Hello friends,
I have every reason to be optimistic today: first off, it's Friday and who doesn't get excited about that! Second, I have had a productive week at work (both jobs). In addition, I got the best night's sleep in weeks last night and I'm living with a heightened sense of excitement and possibility!
Unfortunately, many people in the USA and elsewhere aren't feeling the same way as I am today, or any day.
I was reading the most recent media release from the Centers for Disease Control, followed by a USA Today piece reporting that 1 out of 2 Americans will suffer from mental illness.
I encourage you to review the links above. I also encourage you to understand that this is only one way to assess the condition of American mental health today.
The medicalization of mental health (the "mental illness" model) is fraught with shoddy science and half-truths. Unfortunately, it is also buttressed by a multi-billion dollar industry, Big Pharma.
CDC spokesperson Ileana Arias states: "Mental illness is frequently seen as a moral issue or an issue of weakness,". "It is a condition no different from cancer or other chronic diseases. People need to accept the difficulties they are having and avail themselves of the resources that are available."
Dr. Arias, I respectfully disagree - people do NOT need to accept the difficulties, they need to learn how to adequately cope and access the resources within them.
I do not believe that people who are in distress should be judged as weak or immoral/amoral. I do, however, absolutely 100% believe that sound mental health can be attained, and maintained, without a diagnosis of mental illness and pharmaceutical treatment.
I'm not here to debate whether mental illness or addiction is a disease/chemical imbalance.
When someone thinks, feels and acts helpless and hopeless it's quite real to them and to those around them.
I AM here to tell you that I have successfully assisted dozens and dozens of people over the past 16 years - out of the darkness and despair of mental, emotional and addictive disorders.
The three critical components of prevention are:
1) A strong, consistent internal locus of control
2) Total personal responsibility for consequences associated to thoughts, feelings and behaviors
3) A positive self-concept and outlook
#1 is a concept that some struggle with, so I'll offer a concrete example.
A person with an internal locus of control would state "I earned a C- on my last exam. "
A person with an external locus of control would state "He/she gave me a C- on my last exam."
The Santa Ana winds didn't cause your underperformance, your lack of preparation did!
The sooner one gets that, the better chance they have to avoid depression, anxiety or substance abuse. Research shows this.
#2 The 'victimization' in our mental health and addiction treatment systems are the primary cause of our dreadful recidivism rates. The last thing you want to tell someone who has an external locus of control and takes 0% responsibility for their situation is that it's not your fault, it's a disease like cancer. There's no scientific evidence that mental illness or addiction is such a thing. PET scans will show compromised/different brain activity, but causation can't be demonstrated.
Did the depressed state cause the decreased serotonin levels in the frontal lobe, or did the decreased serotonin cause the depression?
If we can reverse the damage of heart disease (a scientifically validated medical illness) through lifestyle and behavior change, can't we do it for mental illness and addiction?
When therapeutic interventions focus on personal responsibility and core issues (what's causing the depression, anxiety or cocaine use), people get better. Don't focus on the depression/anxiety/addiction itself, focus on the CAUSE not the SYMPTOM.
#3 Basically, half of us have a positive self-concept, and half of us don't.
Is it any coincidence that 1 out of 2 Americans are at risk?
The good news is that we can LEARN how to develop an internal locus, we can LEARN how to take personal responsibility and we can LEARN how to shift our self-concept towards positivity.
And, we can do this without shrinks and medication.
If there were only a multi-billion dollar lobby supporting these methods...
I plan to delve much deeper into this issue, but not on the blog.
Thanks for letting me share.
May you always stay optimistic, personally responsible and a belief
that your best days are ahead of you!
Stay above the fray, Kirk
No comments:
Post a Comment