Little by little, through the incredible discussions that have been taking place here on my blog, I am getting a better grasp of where some of the misconceptions surrounding both the field of psychology and mental-health issues come from. I have always understood too well that most of what people know about psychology is a result of what is portrayed by the mainstream media. However, now, more than ever before, I can see that some of the mistaken views and opinions about these topics also stem from people’s personal set of beliefs.
Let me just say, though, first of all, that by addressing the very statements I am going to discuss here I am not, by any means, trying to persuade anybody to go against their doctrines, or much less challenge those doctrines. What I am trying to do is to get some flexibility out of people in order to reduce prejudiced views towards mental ill-health.
Discussing Misconceptions
I am going to start with this misbelieve because it may be the one which puzzles me the most.
The big corporations invented mental illness in order to profit from it. 😕
At the same time I appreciate that for some people the concept of mental-illness is a difficult one to fathom due to its subjective nature, I also struggle to understand why this is the case. Because I am yet to meet, or read in medical literature, about someone who has not been through some sort of struggle with their mood, thinking or behaviour from time to time. For instance, have a look at the following experiences:
Disorganized thinking – when was the last time you felt you needed to put your thoughts in order?
Hallucinations - Have you ever had the impression you heard someone calling your name, for example?
Confusion between reality & imagination - Was it a dream, did I see it in a movie, or did it really happen?
Shifts in mood - Are you familiar with feeling confident in one occasion and insecure in another?
I don’t know about you, but within the past twenty-four hours I experienced two out of the four examples I listed above, and guess what? They are all experiences that people living with mental conditions such as psychosis, schizophrenia and bipolar go through. True, such experiences are constantly recurring in the lives of the individuals afflicted by the aforementioned disorders. And it is precisely the recurrence that warrants a diagnosis. Still, my point is, this is not a far-fetched reality for people who have not received a diagnosis.
So, how unrelatable can the above experiences be for someone to the point they state they have been created by corporations? I am not quite sure.
I know you are talking about the pharmaceutical industry
I am not a big fan either; but, perhaps, for different reasons. Like this one:
There is evidence demonstrating that ADMs (anti-depressants) are not more effective than Cognitive Therapy in the treatment of depression.
Ps: Don’t be intimidated by the chart. I put it here mainly for purposes of illustration 😇
The chart below illustrates the findings of a study conducted in individuals who had mild to severe depression. The clients treated with an ADM as well as those treated with Cognitive Therapy showed significant improvement after 8 weeks, when compared to those treated with placebo (a sugar-coated pill). After 16 weeks, though, patients being treated with ADMs and Cognitive Therapy exhibited almost the same response.
Amazing! Right? Well, not so much! In this same research the authors discuss how neither Cognitive Therapy nor ADMs provide the definite solution. As they also point out to the fact that these patients are also more likely to have another depressive episode when compared with the general population.
I have quite a blunt way of viewing this: the fact that someone has been treated for depression either with medication or therapy, doesn’t magically turn their lives into a walk in the park from then onwards. Adversities will inevitably come again and depending on their overall context and history they may fall into a depressive state once more.
All because of our wicked society, you tell me.
Well, not all but, most mental issues, mainly those rooted in stress are associated with the life style and social values cultivated nowadays, yes. The pursuit for instant gratification, the “always-on” life and the keeping up with the Joneses are just a few of such contributors.
This is an observation made especially by psychoanalyses, which, in a nutshell, puts forward the following:
Mental distress is the product of the civilised, rule-bound world we live in.
Still, while there are those who can recover from their emotional difficulties without medication there are those who cannot. Yet, they still return to fully function in life and in many cases that is because of treatments with ADMs which they either took for a period of time; or, take on a daily basis. For sure the corporations profit from such cases; however, the profit I choose to focus on here is that of the families who have their loved ones once again emotionally stable, and that of the individual who is no longer haunted by so much suffering. These are cases that I have come across both in my off-line life and here, on Steemit, through your most wonderful comments.
Comments left on my last post
..... I started having several panic attacks a day and eventually stopped sleeping because the panic attacks would wake me up almost immediately. It was probably the lack of sleep that caused the anhedonia. It took several medications and about six months to bring me out of that downward spiral and I do think I exhibited resilience. But I'm not sure resilience alone would have been enough to get my body to start sleeping again and stop hitting me with continuous shots of adrenaline ....
.... I feel that medication can play a very important role in treating some of these disorders. I know that in my case it has been a game changer and has significantly improved my quality of life.... My anxiety manifested as frustration and anger, and my coping strategies were inappropriate. Going onto a medication enabled me to better manage my behaviour and in conjunction with a psychologist, work to develop more appropriate coping strategies when feeling stressed, frustrated or anxious....
These are both extracts of comments generously left by two different readers on my post Depression – Where to Draw the line?.
I would like to thank again these two kind people from the bottom of my heart for leaving such meaningful, hopeful messages (they know who they are! 😘).
Moving on to another misconception.
Psychology only studies sick people. 😯
This is not an accurate statement! And, it concerns me for the following reason: it is this sort of hostile thinking that disseminates uninformed preconceptions.
You don’t even have to leave my blog to find out this is not the case.
Studies such as this one on Evaluative Conditioning was conducted in emotionally stable adults, and explores how people come to like and dislike things through association. This study further delivered a better understudying for the cases of PTSD, when, for example, people re-experience their traumatic event as a result of an encounter with a song, something someone said or an image (triggers)that they associate to their traumatic events.
Further, don`t forget the classic psychological research The Obedience to Authority Study, in which the participants were all mentally adjusted, family men. Through studying perfectly healthy adult males this study unveiled some of the reasons why good people may, depending on the circumstances, go against their moral values and harm others. Finally, within my blog you can find yet another study that was not conducted in mentally-distressed individuals; but rather, in a group of little children with the purpose to discover how deep their understanding of friendship goes.
But, I must admit I understand why some people come to the conclusion that psychology is mainly concerned with the negative aspects of human existence. Especially because this was indeed the case for quite a few years. There is an explanation for this, though, which I will tell you a little bit about next.
Traditional Psychology & Positive Psychology
Psychology emerged as a science with three main purposes:
- Find a cure for mental ill-health
- Improve general well-being
- Identify and nurture high-potentials
In fact, these were aspects of human life which received greater attention from academics prior the wars; but, particularly after the second world war the first purpose – find a cure for mental ill-health - understandably became its focus, as so many veterans returned home from the battle field afflicted by dissociation and terrifying flashbacks. Thereafter, the works of psychology mostly shifted towards the treatment of the mentally-ill.
However, there is much more to psychology than the treatment of mental distress. For example, Positive Psychology is a branch within the field that focuses on aspects of human life concerning well-being; some of these aspects are: personal growth, individual potentials and all the features of existence that, as some psychologists like to describe, ‘make life worth living’. The main therapeutic approach within this branch is, perhaps, Humanistic Psychology, which I have already talked about on a previous post.
Acceptance, love and compassion are nowadays subjects largely researched by Positive Psychologists and are topics I will indeed discuss here in the near future.
Final thoughts
Am I trying to tell you that psychology holds the grand solutions for all humanity’s troubles? Absolutely not! Because it doesn’t. And this is why I try to raise your awareness about things such as situations that call for the use of anti-depressants and those that do not. Whether I write about Humanistic Psychology or The Diagnosis of Mental Illness I point out its strengths and weaknesses.
You see, my aim is not to persuade you about anything; what I try to do here is to bring you information with its pros and cons, because I believe in your critical thinking capacity.
[Original Content by Abigail Dantes - 2018]
Reference List:
DeRubeis, R.J., Siegle, G.J and Hollonh, S.D (2008) ‘Cognitive Therapy versus medication for depression: treatment outcomes and neural mechanisms, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, vol.9, pp. 788-96.
Seligman, M. (2002) Authentic Happines, New York, The Free Press.
Dear Reader,
Last week I shared with you my struggle to accept Luca’s situation with his parents and treatment, and you were generous enough to not leave me alone with my frustration. You also shared with me some of your emotional difficulties.
What about if for this post we created a space for positivity and commented on that thing in our lives (it can be anything) that we would not change for anything in the world and why! For example:
I would not change for anything in this world, the years I have spent with my husband. Because he makes me feel truly comfortable with whom I am.
I wish you all a wonderful weekend & hope this post has broadened your view and understanding about the field of psychology and mental health a little bit more.
Hello again. As I read through your beautifully written post, I had several thoughts about some of the points you made. Let me see if I can recall them all.
You mentioned that even though the people in the Cognitive Therapy/ ADM research got better, it does not mean that they would not need help anymore. I completely agree with this even though I'm not an expert in these things. In fact there is a saying where I come from which says:
**A crazy man could never be so completely cured that he would stop soliloquizing
Of course, this is not to suggest that soliloquy is a symptom of craziness but the point is whatever caused mental illness in the first place including the life pressures that encouraged it, would still be there if the subject is immersed back in the society without the appropriate support to help him or her cope with these ever present challenges.
You mentioned people who think that psychology only studies the negative and you are right again. Most people from this side of the world think there is no need for the psychologist when everything is going well. But, really what is the definition of things going well? In my opinion, there is no normal and we are all slightly unbalanced and as you said, we all go through some of the things people with mental illness go through repetitively. So who is to say what event would trigger one of those events into a recurring one that would require a cure?
Another reason why saying that psychology studies only negative conditions must be wrong is that it is impossible to study only negatives and achieve anything because there would be no reference point. There would be nothing to compare a condition with and determine it to be less than a perfect condition. Having said that, I must add that I love positive psychology. I'm sure that what Shawn Achor calls The Science of Happiness is a part of it.
Finally, I particularly like the part you mentioned that majority of what stresses us is seeking immediate gratification. I read a definition of suffering somewhere about ten years ago and it stuck. It said that suffering is a product of seeking gratification that are likely to fail. In other words, we suffer when we want satisfaction from things that we cannot have.
One thing I will not change about myself are the difficulties which I experienced early in life which made me adopt the attitude that everything that has happened or would ever happen to me, is preparing me for the wonderful life that awaits me.
Thank you so much for your work. You are everything we hope for in a human being. ❤️
This is a beautiful comment and I can sense that this resonates personally with you. To anyone out there suffering from mental health issues, please seek help. Cognitive behavioral therapy and anti depressants in combination do have a significant effect on alleviating some of the symptoms which can then kickstart a person into proactively trying to adopt coping mechanisms that help them deal with life stressors. I agree that it is not the only solution and to truly cure depression one has to target the routes of their problems, but medications and therapy do go a long way in aiding this process.
Thank you so much for your compliment. I can tell that you know the subject well. We are all vulnerable one way or another.
Good back up reply and ur good
This is a beautiful, insightful comment filled with relevant observations @churchboy :)
If only people could be at least as half open minded as you are. Well, then, there would not be prejudice and stigma in the world, I suppose.
I am so pleased with the observation you made about all of us being vulnerable to mental-suffering. Of, course, some of us are more vulnerable than others. Still, this is something people should keep in mind before making some sort of judgement towards those struggling with the thoughts and emotions.
Thank you so much for always stopping by and sharing with us you most amazing reflections.
You really spoil me ❤️
ps: Guess what I am preparing for dinner tonight? Chicken soup. Ahahahaha
Chicken soup, I hear, is good for the soul. Since I am nowhere I can share the soup with you, you must eat for two. I'm already spoilt by you. Thank you.
men, I missed this.. would have had u share the video of the soup so I can eat mine from the computer because chicken soup is one of my favourite. @abigail-dantes
Ahahahahah ...... chicken soup is delish! 😄 Hope granny is feeling better 😊🌷
Yes sis I have a a lot to tell you. shes feeling much better now, far better than before.. The remedy you gave me is still working.. I'm really grateful my friend.
Grandpa's burial was on friday, I told you right?
Oh my :) How wonderful! Things will only get better from now on. I am sure you will all miss grandpa, but it doesn’t have to be in a sad way 😊
Yh @abigail-dantes I hope so too, thks for everything.. And Yes sis, I really miss him.. Lol and no more sadness tho, but he will forever be in our hearts. Heres a post i made realating to his burial.
https://steemit.com/photography/@happymichael/grandpa-s-burial-ceremony-ended-in-photo-shoot
Abby, it has been a while. Do I have the schedule wrong or were you supposed to post today? Well, I just came to see what you would talk about this week. I hope your work is going well. All the best.
Hello my dear @churchboy. Your message made me smile 😊
I am going to post in a couple of hours - I am just finishing work now. I will do it on my lunch break. This week’s post will be about aceptance, being present and awareness. I hope you will like it!! Ps: Just to let you know I try to post every Friday around midday my time (I live in Portugal).
Lots of love to you my dear 😘😍❤️
Thank you, dear Abby. I saw this reply at the same time as the time I saw your post. I will read it now. Thank you for the reply. You're appreciated. I have updated my calendar concerning the date you post. I hope you're having a great day.
such an extraordinary philosopgy
Thank you for giving always the relative view on your speciality. I like it a lot and in case people do have to see a therapist/psychologist/neurologist etc. it is good to know that behind every profession there is a human being which can relativize in what they work. You seem to be this kind of person and your clients (?) or colleagues will reflect this to you.
There are so many unknown and unseen and unconsidered factors behind a psychological issue and it is not possible to explain and name all of them. In order to do that, a single person must serve the knowledge of all faculties and all the rest:)
I live in a world with certain conditions and from what I see people are indeed trying (sometimes too hard) to cope with what is either demanded from the outside and what from the inside. Taking anti-depressants is what many people do (even without having exact numbers, I know myself a lot of them and I even wouldn't consider them having huge issues but mild forms of depression). I would say people are much more adaptable in what they DO in every day life as in what they SAY about this matter. I can state that I am totally against taking pills and curse the pharma but at the same time I silently take my medicine in the evening.
I am 47 years old. And looking back at my life I am happily constructing and de-constructing it and make it good - even the most painful times in my life were good for something (maybe the best in retrospective). There, where I had to leave my comfort zone, I learned how to be human.
Are you 47 @erh.germany? Gosh ... I thought you were more like 147 .... I don't know ... you are always so wise and full of understanding about human nature. The more I read your writings, the more I look up to you.
I never really have a lot to say about your comments. I just read them, make a few notes and take snapshots of them (I do these with another few too). That way it is easier to return to them and learn something else every time I reared it.
Thank you my dear :)
Lots of love to you.
ps: (I am 36).
I am sending my TLC to you, too:)
Though I am now Methusalem and a Guru for you - LOL!!! Ask my man and he will probably beg to differ:)
Back to serious: It really is not easy to take such a compliment. I work on taking them. The easy ones are about style and hair: no problem. The difficult ones are about what you just said.
See, I learn from you as well.
You are always welcome and I thank you, too ❤️
Hola estimada @abigail-dantes! :)
Te cuento que sufro de epilepsia y esta patología ha afectado mucho mi vida en todos los aspectos, algunos de los epilépticos sufren una condición, llamada "el déjà vu y el déjà senti", este fenómeno lo causa el lóbulo temporal asociando una imagen con un recuerdo o experiencia vivida, pero no es así haciéndome mi cerebro una mala jugada, causando en mi un gran malestar ya que mi cerebro entra en corto circuito, causándome un mal general (mareo, nauseas, debilidad en el cuerpo) la neurología lo llama el "aura" es el justo momento antes de un ataque epiléptico, así que entiendo completamente a lo que te refieres cuando hablas de ciertos episodios de confusión, realidad, sueños, etc.
Me agrada esa parte tuya de no querer adoctrinar y de respetar ciertas creencias, pero yo veo que tus aportes informativos sobre estos temas, si son un adoctrinamiento en el área de la psicología y eso me encanta, créeme has despejado muchas dudas con estos temas, enfocando como primicia cual debería ser el tratamiento para las personas con depresión leve o severa, tomando como primera opción el tratamiento cognitivo, placebo y como última opción y no menos importantes los tratamientos con ADM.
En estos días conocí a una muchacha que la diagnosticaron bipolaridad, ella me contaba que no sintió ningún efecto con los fármacos que le colocaron, que empezó a asistir a una iglesia Cristiana y eso le ayudó más, aprendiendo a controlar sus ataques de ira, pero solo es el caso de ella, no todos los casos tienen los mismos resultados.
Es cierto que estas terapias no convierten sus vidas de la noche a la mañana, es un proceso largo que se debe llevar, tanto así que hasta el entorno que le rodea debe cambiar un paciente con depresión leve o severa, porque en la mayoría de los casos esa condición es causas por el estrés social y en eso sin lugar a duda estoy de acuerdo contigo, en el caso de mi mamá el estrés social se ha sumado a su depresión :(.
Para finalizar! la psicología puede que no tenga todas las soluciones para todo lo que abarca esta ciencia, pero si parte de ellas por las décadas de estudios y tratamientos, algo si te digo es mejor poco que nada!
Te envió un beso y un Abrazo Doctora.
This is a truly heartfelt comment @javisem. Thank you for letting me know that case of the young woman leaving with bipolar. It is very, very interesting (as well as your case). You always bring me interesting information. I appreciate it very, very much.
I would also like to thank you for voicing your positive outlook on psychology. It is this sort of feedback that motivates me to keep doing what I am doing here :)
All the best to you and your family!
I told your sister that next week I will be posting an article about acceptance (I will keep you mum in mind!).
I send your mum all my best wishes.
:D
Gracias por su estima y consideración! La aprecio en gran manera, voy a estar pendiente de ese artículo porque de verdad me interesa, anoche me llevaron de urgencias al hospital con una severa neuritis en pecho y espalda todo debido a que? Al impacto del estrés social que estamos viviendo, pero tengo fe que los Venezolanos vamos a salir de esto! Aprovecho para invitarte a leer mi ultimo post en el hablo de que Steemit esta despertando conciencias! Un saludo nuevamente mi Doctora.
I strongly disagree to this idea because in my opinion, you first need to have a concept of what is normal before you can know what is abnormal. Applying this thought to Psychology, Psychologists can only determine who has a mental illness if and only if they have a standard of a psychologically healthy mind. And in order to have that, they have to continuously study mentally healthy and unhealthy people alike.
And to participate in your positivity corner...
_**I would not change for anything in this world, the physical, psychological, and mental abuse I have received from my eldest sister when I was a child until adolescence. Because that experience is what made me compassionate, understanding, caring, and loving person that I am now. Knowing how painful and hard it was, made me promise to myself that I would never do those things to others, and in every way that I could, help prevent other people in experiencing that kind of pain and hardship.
It may be a little gloomy for a positivity post, but it's the thing that I wouldn't change for anything in this world. And the outcome was very positive, isn't it? Hahahhaha
Thank you for another worthwhile post @abigail-dantes!
**Hugs and kisses! :) **
It is indeed the outcome that counts my dear :D
If only people could have the emotional strength and resources to look back at their difficult times with a positive outlook, there wouldn't be so many people falling victim to their traumas and defining themselves through it. You are truly beautiful @annepage
Also, thank you so much for writing down here your rationale on the studies of psychology! Beautifully through through.
A big hug and many kisses back to you :)
Hey again! (is it Friday, already?!)
This time your article shocked me. Absolutely no irony or space for joke
I cannot believe that there are such misconceptios about our profession and psychology in general. Really?!
At first I got really angry but as I continued reading how you explain them in a calm and educating manner I could not notice how much effort and patience you've put in your words. Admirations about that. Really.
Your article once again proves to be a really valuable and original content regarding psychology and it's obvious that you are consistent and I may say successful towards your ultimate goal to educate people about psychology and improve the quality of the hashtag. Thank you! Once again I cannot simply pass your article and not resteem it! Have a nice week(end) and I will visit you next Friday :)
Thank you for your encouragement @dysfunctional! You never fail to leave a comment filled with positive words. Knowing that I have people like you around really motivates to address this reality!
All the best to you my dear :)
It cannot be said otherwise. My comments are simply a reflection of what your articles are. :)
Another great post Abi! I have two thoughts:
That does not mean that we shouldn't do anything about that, of course! Doing research, educating and designing our society in a way that benefits our mental health is something beautiful. So I'm happy that positive psychology is getting recognized (and it's a wonderful antidote to awful poor quality coaching).
By the way, there is also a rather radical claim made by James Hillman that psychopathology (or psychopathologizing as he would say) is one of the core of human Soul, and that's innate to the psyche. And without it we wouldn't be humans.
gosh, why steemit changes "2." to "1."... :(
Wow @saunter! Thank you for taking the time to stop by. I love all the info you always bring to me.
This is SO true! It made me giggle :D
I could not agree more with:
THANK YOU :)
My pleasure!!!
I once heard a clinical psychologist say that in practice most of his time is not spent trying to cure mental illness but instead helping people with life problems. This seems to fit in with purposes 2 and 3 that you listed above.
As far as purpose 1 goes in my own experience we seem to be nowhere near having a cure for any mental illness. As you pointed out medicine and therapy can help with some disorders but usually people will still suffer from episodes throughout their life.
I think the mental life of individuals is poorly understood from a biological and even moral standpoint. For example, when dealing with repugnant intrusive thoughts people with OCD are taught that they are not choosing to have these thoughts and therefore in some sense are not responsible for them. However, for many people internally it feels as if they are choosing to think these terrible thoughts.
If you asked a normal person about having a normal thought such as "I am going to go eat lunch now" the person would most likely think they are choosing this thought because it agrees with the fact that they are hungry.
I have asked several psychologists about this distinction in thinking and they have essential told me that we don't know how this works. There seems to me many philosophical questions that arise about the nature of thought that arise here that are not well understood.
Sadly, this is something I have to agree with you Tim. Despite how far this field has come, particularly over the past two decades, human mind and behaviour still remains a challenging quest for scholars and scientists. I put this down partly to our individual differences.
I suppose that the day we have the answer for questions such as the one you ask about intrusive thoughts we will have unveiled the fundamentals of consciousness. There are indeed many fascinating assumptions out there; yet, they come with many, many gaps!
All the best to you always Tim.
Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by, read and comment :)
HI. I have read your text and I have to comment on it again because this is one of the best texts I have read about myths related to psychology
First of all, when it comes to the treatment of depression, I completely agree with you. It is better to cure depression with any form of psychotherapy than antidepressants. However, we can not completely renounce traditional psychology and pharmacotherapy because some disorders, such as schizophrenia, require both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Leaving one of these two will not lead to improvement, both need to be present.
I agree with you that psychology is not patocentric, it is more focused on development of health and personality. So, unlike psychiatry which is patocentric and deals exclusively with pathology, psychology deals with health, helping people to reach their peak and self-actualization. Also, in the treatment of psychiatric diseases, psychology starts from the question: what are the healthy and undamaged functions in a diseased man’s body and how can they help a person in recovery?
And finally, the biggest myth - the mentally ill people are dangerous! Mental stigma is very widespread. People suffering from mental disorders have a significantly difficult life because of the symptoms they have, and people are afraid and avoide mentally ill people and therefore their symptoms are aggravated. A mentally ill person is out of the society, unheard of, and hence, since she is aware of it, she is sinking even more. It is necessary to raise awareness of the fact that mentally ill persons are not dangerous and psychopaths, and the whole society should engage in providing assistance to these people.
Hello @top5attractions thank you for stopping by once again. I do remember your previous comment on my post. Very much like this one if incredibly informative and insightful.
I really appreciate the further clarification your comment brings to this topic. So, let me just highlight one (out many) important thing you said here, which I think it deserves the attention of those scrolling through this feed:
Thank you once again for taking the time to leave this message here!
All the best to you :)
We will have further chances on discusing and exchanging our points of view - that's for sure. Because we have in common one very important thing - love towards psychology. :)
Thanks for the clarifications, so many misconceptions out there. Hallucinations affects me sometimes. I'll walk up to my mum and be like "mum you called me right?" She'll be like; "no, I was just talking to your dad". Some say it's a temporary moment of insanity. It's really weird when they're many persons there.
Talking about not changing anything in my life, that will be my family. No matter how difficult it gets for us most times, our love keeps us going. That is what keeps us together, knowing we got each other's back. Only after I get married in some years to come, will I lessen the bonds a little.
Hey @jaffa8 :)
How have you been?
Thank you for sharing your instances of auditory hallucination! It is this kind of comment that helps to bring a certain level of commonality to experiences that sometimes defines someone as mentally ill (of course there is much more to this, but you know what I mean)!
So lovely to hear the thing you wouldn't change in your life :) It is a very comfort feeling indeed to know that in life we have a family we can count on. When you get married, you my lessen the bonds a little (as you put it), but you will also have another family to count on !!
All the best to you always.
Have a great evening.
Oh.. Good evening.. there are always grades haha. I guess I'm good since it's been long the hallucinations happened. Life has really been fair to some extent.
From one family to another, life goes on.
Seems we are in a close timezone, I thought maybe you will be having your breakfast or something. How are things on your side of the world?
Hey @jaffa8
Good to hear you are well! Life has been good for me too, even though it has been incredibly busy. Thank you for asking :)
❤️
I love your posts so much! :D Sorry, just had to say it! :D
The money aspect of all diseases is a... hard one.
There's money to be made from a sick person, no denying that, so it makes sense that some think that we are only made sick for others to profit from us. Especially in the US and countries where you need to pay for whatever medical treatment you receive. I live in Slovenia and these things are free of charge, yet still people believe the same - that we are "kept" sick for profits.
And while this could be a solid point, keeping people sick, but alive, just to maximize profits... at the same time such a person cannot work, cannot make money, doesn't spend money.
It's all a vicious cycle of modern consumerism. Make money, spend money. And to make money, well, you need to be "healthy".
At least that's how I see it.
I think that most of the misconceptions about psychology arise because Psychology is a science that studies the most complex organ in our bodies. We don't understand how it works on "a molecular level", much less how it works to make us... us. Which is what Psychology is all about.
And with us humans there's always a lot of misconceptions about stuff we don't understand.
Some people admit to having no idea, some people pretend to know and come up with a "logical explanation", and some try their very best to scientifically prove something.
Problem is, scientific proof takes a hell of a lot longer than making assumptions. And once people are content with their little assumptions, or lies they were fed... they become defensive about them, no matter if you prove them wrong. Not to mention you need to cross paths with the truth in the first place. Sadly, it's not so easy to find :p
Oh and.. about drugs...
Much like your stomach, kidney, liver, .... ... Our brain is an organ.
Sometimes it might need a little chemical help on its way to success.
Oh my, my @svashta. Bravo!
Let me just say, that the last two sentences of your post say so much in the most straight-forward way possible! I wish I had thought that :P
Also, thank you for pointing this out:
And I am learning that some people are just absolutely in love with their assumptions! But, I have also seen that some of them are more flexible that I had initially thought, which is wonderful.
All the best to you my dear.
Indeed, we are all hardwired to resist change... Also resist the change of opinion. So once there a person establishes one opinion, it will cling onto it and resist to give it up. :3
It then depends on the individual if he's ready to at least embrace another point of view or not, but there's always some resistance toward an idea that says something different than what you believed in so far. ^^
All the best to you also! :D Can't wait to read your next post, whenever that is :D
I am making an effort to post every Friday @svashta :)
Hmmm. I might just need a reminder for Saturday then to make sure I check your blog :P
I might just try and come up with something psychology-based myself :p
I am, after all, very much interested in all this ^^
Oh Gosh @svashta it would be great to have more quality content in the psychology tag. Please do! :)
Digs up some old recordings of talking to self on psychological and phylosophical topics. I very much enjoy talking to myself and trying to cover every aspect of a certain subject.
I think I might have something to post indeed :3
Maybe not as scientifically backed as your articles, but something to make you think for sure ^^
Very well put together.
I am currently doing a Masters in social work and I was very surprised to learn that many individuals in the program look down upon the field of psychology. I guess because in their mind - psychology only looks at the individual and not society. However, that is another misconception. Psychology often looks at the individuals interaction with their environment(s).
I am definitely a strong believer in therapy over medication. I personally think that if medication is being taken then it should be used in conjunction with therapy. I think that the overall goal (unless the issue is 100% biological) should be to eventually get off the medication. However, that is only possible if the individual also works through the cognitions that seed the issue.
Anyway, great post. Have a great weekend.
Hello @leaky20
Thank you for bringing this information to our discussion. Good point! After all the interaction: individual-environment is the main focus of social psychology (one of the few branches of the field).
The points you raised about treatments combining medication and therapy is undeniable, particularly in conditions such as OCD, for example. However, sometimes for many this is not possible either because of financial reasons, lack of understanding, or because of the medical system they have access to.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment :)
All the best. I wish you a great weekend too!
That is a good point as well. Therapy can certainly be expensive and its often not covered by insurance/benefit plans. Some conditions are probably more suited to therapy compared to others - as you suggested. Good points.
It's strange to me to see people lash out against psychology. Perhaps it's resistance to understanding themselves or possibly appearing weak or sick.
To me, mental illness is a sliding scale, and like you mentioned, we all experience certain "mentally sick" episodes. And daily.
One's particular brain chemistry and sensitivity allows certain people to better handle these things than others (the resilience you mentioned in your last post). For one person the feeling of anxiety of talking in front of others is felt, accepted and they do it anyway--for others, it can initiate a full-blown panic attack. Having strategies to better deal with these emotions can only be positive in my book.
And on the point of we all experience these things--think about the last time you had an argument in your head. That thing someone said to you; how could they? And what you would say now, oh boy they're gonna get it! We sometimes get lost in the arguments in our head. Then think of the crazy homeless lady walking down the sidewalk arguing with herself. Not much difference there except the ability to control oneself and not let those "inner" voices out. Maybe not the best example but one I think a lot about in regards to the sliding scale of mental health.
Really enjoying the comments and conversations your articles are bringing out @abigail-dantes
I love your comments @cizzo :)
My Gosh ... the example you used here of the homeless lady is a great one! As well as the conversations we have in our head etc ... it is this sort of thinking that helps to debunk prejudice against people living with mental-illnesses, the realization that what they experience is not really that alien to us after all!
Thank you for always enriching our discussions with your beautiful comments.
All the best to you always.
So I am writing my comment while reading with a few questions I have when they come up (I will delete them if I feel they have been answered later in the post as this is more so I do not forget them)
At one point you state "There is evidence demonstrating that ADMs (anti-depressants) are not more effective than Cognitive Therapy in the treatment of depression." but is it not also true some other mental disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, can actually manifest and be misdiagnosed as depression and treating these conditions with the same medication as depression is less effective?
Not certain if I worded that in a way that makes sense. So to elaborate, in my psych class when we went over personality disorders we were told that someone being symptomatic of depression cold really be showing signs of something else and due to the limited information you are only perceiving it as depression. This can be dangerous as some of those conditions can be worsened by the use of certain medications (this was a big reoccurring conversation when going over a lot of personality disorders).
So to restake my question, could the 16 week disparity of depression treatments (with ADMs compared to CT) be influenced by the potential that some of those diagnosed with depression might have another condition manifesting itself that way? Like not necessarily a personality disorder but maybe something like anxiety built up and manifested depression like symptoms (or depression itself) and that by sing antidepressants instead of something more suited to fix the cause of the depression might actually decrease effectiveness?
I might be wrong on this, and if you feel I am please correct me.
My next question is in relation to the part about how mental illness is in part related to society now. For reference I will refer to the first statement in that section made here:
So my question is specifically about the stress part. Has stress not existed in humans forever or have we been cultivating an environment that is more and more stressful?
No questions relating to this section about psychology only studying sick people but rather just some random things that I have read over time that support your claim that I found interesting. So when I first read that header for the, section I will call it, I immediately thought of the Standford prison experiment as the book written on it was the first thing that had spiked my interest in psychology. In fact, one of my first one-on-one conversations with my psych professor was talking about how that experiment spiked interest and she responded by talking about how she had actually written her dissertation on that, might have been another major paper that she wrote but one of her major papers she wrote was on the subject. We had a lot of interesting conversations, and even had a few disagreements on certain topics but our disagreements were really civil. Still one of my favourite professors I have ever had and everyone else I know that had a class with her rates her as one of their favorites.
(statement, not question) This statement is something that could be changed and used for pretty much every situation. Psychology is a tool, one of many that can be used. I really respect how you approached this post! My apologies about any confusion that may arise from this reply by the way.
This is a very clear comment @kryzsec, you put your queries forward in a straight-forward manner while also making interesting, relevant observations (with no confusion). And there is one here that I liked in particular! I will let you know when we get to it! :)
Your question about a possible misdiagnosis of a patient due to him or her be concealing information from the clinician is a reality that mental health professionals diagnosing patients face everyday. Sadly, this is why sometimes the same patient receive many different diagnosis through the course of the treatment. Something that is frequently seen in cases of borderline personality disorder (as you mentioned) and bipolar. When the client fails to report, let's say, their episodes of mania and only discuss the low-mood with the clinician. Well you know about this ...
So answering your question (that contained nothing wrong in it!):
This is indeed a possibility! But not in this particular study because after the 16 week treatment, the research continued for another 2 years, throughout which the participants were regularly evaluated; therefore, making the likelihood of any other comorbid and or different condition other than depression be dismissed rather low. Of course this is a systematically conducted experiment. In real life things do NOT work quite like that :/ This is when the contribution of family and friends becomes essential for the therapist, as it provides "other eyes" to the overall situation.
And here comes the part I like the most :)
What a great question this is because it comes together with an insight "Stress always existed in human existence".
Yes, and stress is one of the very components on our biology that has allowed us to thrive as a species! However, the notion that Biological Psychologists put forward is that although culturally humans have come a long way from their ancestors, the timespan of a few ten thousands years is not sufficient to allow the biological evolution that modern life demands from our species. In other words, our brains and emotional systems are still pretty much the same from back in the day when our species lived in small kin-groups as hunters/ gatherers.
Thank you very much for you incredibly kind words about my writing.
They are very encouraging :)
All the best to you always.
ps: In my view there is nothing more constructive than a respectful discussion among people with diverging opinions! I suppose that is why you liked that teacher you mentioned.
Wow this response is quite amazing! I have to thank you for answering my questions as you did. I wish the best to you as well!
Marvelous post! now it have turned into a habit and every time you make a post i am waiting for a quiet night to read it deeply without any distractions. once again i wanna share my thoughts and maybe express some of them as questions too.
The fact that still people think that big corpo invented mental illnesses looks totally funny to me but after i kept reading and came to the point of the good old saying that psychology is for the sick people, i really try to find and think ways of how we can solve this issues. How are gonna make more and more people understand that psychology really is? The education plays it's part and have further rooms for improvement but after that what or better, at the same time what else? public speeches free to everyone,mouth to mouth by former patients,better share of information through the media and internet, more money into researches?
The other thought i wanted to share and can be related not only with that matter and in generally with everything around us is how are we gonna make people make a research before forming an opinion for something and why they don't do it in first place. My guess can be out of boredom and because mostly everyone prefers the easy solution but exactly is that factor of laziness and how we can change it or help them change it to be more correctly in order to help psychology and every other thing in life get the ''face'' it deserves
Finally the thing I would not change for anything in this world is the place i hold my friends and family and things i would have done and i will do for them.
Here I am!! Actually, I have been looking forward to reading your comment :)
The question you ask here (How are gonna make more and more people understand that psychology really is?) is one I have been asking myself for quite a while. And the interesting thing is that ever since I started blogging on Steemit, I have found out that the misconception is much greater that I initially thought.
Education indeed plays an important role in debunking misinformation, but not in its traditional sense. What I mean by this is: we cannot expect that, let's say, schools teach kids about the fundamentals of psychology or mental health. That would be inappropriate! But, sometimes in my reflections I think we could expect that in schools we could be taught to not be so quick to form an opinion. We are not really taught, in a formal way, to do what you suggested: do a little research, balance things outs before making a final judgement, and this is the dangerous part: sticking to it forever with no flexibility (this is relating to the part you say we just become lazy)!
The beautiful thing, however, is that modern life has provided us with means such as this platform to educate and be educated. There are many open-minded people out there who are brave enough to leave their comfort zone and challenge their own beliefs. For example, you say in your country there is a huge misunderstanding of what psychology is all about. Yet, you don't fall for it, and that is why you end up in discussions and debates such as this one :)
So lovely to hear the thing you wouldn't change in your life! It does feel great having a loving family and loving them in return.
All the best to you my dear.
:)
Hello my dear :)
I will come back to your comment tomorrow, ok? It is late now and I must get some sleep.
All the best to you & bye, bye for now :D
What I mean by this is: we cannot expect that, let's say, schools teach kids about the fundamentals of psychology or mental health
After reading this and ofc quickly realized how true it is, i stopped reading your answer for a moment and thought: why can't we learn psychology and or specifically positive psychology in the form of games with from young children. For example in elementary school to exist a psychology lesson with games among the kids and students that will help them from communicate and bonding with each other to learn some basic things and ''thinking'' that will help them in life! the teacher could be called psychologist and not just teacher and slowly slowly from early age the kids that will grow into adults will form a way different opinion than previous generations had and probably decrease the misconception to a certain point if not completely
Oohhh what a beautiful idea! 😍 I vote for you for president!
hahaha and when i make my public speech i will announce that i have your full support! now i have the proofs too here on the blockchain.... forever :p
😂😂
haha whenever you want and have time i won't bite :P
goodnight and sweet dreams!
Great the way you unpack these things.
About the pharmaceutical industry - have you really encountered people that believe that the industry CREATED mental illnesses? Or do people more believe that the drug companies push drugs that come with serious side effects (that can then become the causes of other illnesses!!), are not all that effective, and are cost prohibitive to many Americans (not the case overseas, can't tell where you are)?
I know that the DSM is often criticized as a tool for social control - Things like defining religious extremism as a mental illness, or defining particular illnesses as "women's" diseases, etc. But my impression was that those criticisms are more leveraged at the field of psychology than the pharmaceutical industry.
I'm a sociologist/market researcher, so I spend a lot of time studying what "regular" people think. I've encountered strong feelings against the pharmaceutical industry and even stronger feelings against drugs for the treatment of mental health disorders frequently. I would sum up the feedback I've gotten as people being afraid to take medications that take action on the brain, fear of side effects, and strong desire to master moods and mental disorders independently through better overall health practices. I do encounter anti-pharmaceutical company sentiment, but it is usually related to other issues, such as the prohibition of cannabis, price gouging (in the US), buying off congress people (US), taking measures to keep effective but unpatentable products off the market, a neglect for nutrition, and animal testing.
Just wondering if you could give me some more detail about the anti-pharma sentiment. I'm always very interested in the directions that public opinion are moving.
Have a great day! Thanks for a thought provoking post.
Hello @soleil-research :)
Thank you very much for such an interesting comment. I am fascinated by the observations you made here! I can relate to them in the way that they remind me of some of the discussions I've had.
To answer your questions - from your first paragraph.
Well, I have encountered people who believe in both that the industry CREATED mental illnesses and that the drug companies push drugs that come with serious side effects that can then become the causes of other illnesses.
Believe it or not, some of these people are actually educated in many ways. I have had the most pleasant conversations with some of them, about other topics though. But, unfortunately, yes ... they just have this deep belief that the 'big companies' (including anything from the pharma industry, to banks, to the entertainment industry) are just there to profit from us. In order to do so they ever 'create mental illnesses'.
Like I said, it only concerns me because the stigma out there is already too much and this sort of belief spreads even more prejudice towards those living with mental illnesses :/
Thank you once again for taking the time to stop by and comment :)
All the best to you.
Thanks for clearing the air a bit more on mental disorders. I know I had a lot of misconceptions (and still do), but talking with family and friends about mental issues and reading articles like this helps tremendously.
On that note, I wouldn't change my family or friends for anything in the world. Without them, my life would lack purpose, fun, and warmth.
Hello @tking77798 :) It is so nice to see you here. You have no idea how much respect I have for people who admit their misconceptions. For me it shows humility and open-mind! Beautiful ... there is nothing in this world that someone with your kind of attitude can not achieve :)
Lovely words you brought here about your family & friends!
Thank you for this incredible comment.
:)
Unfortunately, mainstream media and personal set of beliefs create a great deal of misconceptions about a vast number of useful and easily explainable concepts, including sciences such as psychology, but also many hobbies and personal preferences.
My apologizes for not reading the post fully this time - I'm getting too easily irritated by the fact that some people have extremely unmindful misconceptions and beliefs, so I went through the first four misconceptions only briefly. : )
That said, thank you for explaining the difference between pre-wars and post-wars psychology focus, it is quite logical but I've never thought about it. I think that the second two out of three basic psychology purposes should become more and more widespread in the modern world.
I would not change for anything in this world my hobby of dancing the Argentinian tango every evening - it makes me relaxed and connected to myself and other people. : )
Cheers!
Why am I not surprised?? :D Well, why would you change something that is good for your brain, you mind, you body ... oh! You are very fortunate @lifenbeauty
Don't you apologize for anything this post wasn't written to address people with your kind of mindset anyways :) Yet, you are so flexible you still find something productive out of it! I am glad you liked the explanation about pre and post war psychology!
All the best to you.
:)
It is always a pleasure to read your input on this often misunderstood subject. The misconception are so much that one may likely end up towing the wrong path if you are guided by public opinion.
PTSD is one of the branch of phychology that have little attention in my side of the clime.
Is that a myth that hearing your name called when no one is calling is a sign of good mind?
I have my suspicion that that may just be an old wives tale. Thanks for shedding light in ways things work behind the scene in this field.
What a lovely thing to say @greenrun. Thank you :) Of course, the pleasure is mine to have you taking time to read my writing and providing interesting feedback!
I have never heard this notion before Green :DIt makes me think I should write about hallucinations in the future. They can be really spooky sometimes!
All the best to you my dear :)
It sounds superstitious and there's a good chance it is just that. Please do write about hallucinations, and see if you could add the angle of being under drugs like anaesthetics. My cousin said he hallucinated throughout his surgery. Thank you.
Hi @abigail-dantes! Thank you for further insights re psychology and areas of healing and treatment. I agree, anti-depressants may not be for everyone but it can help, I know of several people who've been treated successfully with anti-depressants, and are now living successful lives.
On a positive note, the thing that I wouldn't change in my life is my spirituality, because I've learnt to be patient and accepting and non judgemental of all things, irrespective of race, age, gender or disability, whether people are good, bad or ugly.
I believe people are not born bad, it's the circumstances in which they find themselves that can determine the life choices they make. Peace.
Thank you for saying this @fiercewarrior. You know, while medication such as ADMs is not on top of my list as the means to improve someone's mental well-being. I am truly bothered by the stigma people under this sort of people have to face.
So great to hear about your spirituality, all the things you listed in your comment are precisely what Humanistic and Positive psychologists call self-actualization ... I still am on my path there. I could not agree more with your last sentence, the environment most definitely plays a role on defining who we become.
Peace :)
Yeah that's true, people are stigmatised, it's unfortunate because like you outline in your post, we are all predisposed to mental illness in one way or the other. I think most people are afraid of what they believe to be a breakdown, which is actually a break through. When it's perceived as a 'break through' by the medical profession, I think only then there will be permission to take time out to heal from the wounds we bury.
In terms of your path to self-actualisation, from your posts and insights, I don't believe you've got that far to go! Peace.
Ohhh ... that is very nice of you @fiercewarrior :)
ps: this is beautiful :
:)
This was a really great post Abigail! I hope you make more in this vein, because the world is filled with misconceptions (about all science, and certainly psychology). Just presenting people with information can do a lot to help correct the misconceptions, doing what you did here, not by telling people how wrong they are, but by just presenting them with the facts in a non confrontational manner.
Thank you for taking the time to comment @justtryme90. 😊 I am very pleased with the feedback I received from this post, as it seems it got people opening up and challeging their beliefs. This makes me feel more comfortable to discuss other misconceptions in the future again, for sure.
All the best to you always.
Have a good day! 🌷
I just read your article, first time reading your content. I want to start of by saying well done, very well articulated. As a 4th year medical student and someone who is actively pursuing my residency in psychiatry, I can tell you first hand that mental health issues are real. Not only are they real but they can be very debilitating, stopping people from loving their lives to their full potential. Whether it being a mood disorder, or though process disorder its all very difficult. I think the need for mental health awareness is crucial as we grow into this society of instant gratification. It sets up people for alot of misconceptions which could be deemed as failures.
One thing I would like to point out is that the medical literature actually shows that the combination of both CBT and anti depressants has been shown to be the most effective in dealing with depression. There are some who dont benefit, and there are treatments for them as well (Electric convulsive therapy, Vagal nerve stimulation). The point being is that if anyone out there is suffering please know that there are people that care for you and want to help you.
Having suffered from a major depressive disorder myself back in 2010, I know how scary, lonely and frustrating it is. Questions like "will I always be this way?" or "What is making me feel this way?" And without the right help I could have not gotten myself out of it. But I am much stronger becuase of it and have learned various coping techniques that have helped me become a stronger person.
Again, bravo on the article. Will be following you!
Hello @elfakiym thank you for a truly nice motivating comment! I feel I am very lucky for having people like you leaving such encouraging words about my work here, which is to debunk misconceptions about mental-health and psychology within my humble means! And yes, thank you for pointing out the greater benefits of having a combined treatment of ADMs and CBT. I am aware of that. But, there is so much one can address on a single post! :)
I would also like to thank you for sharing with us your own experience with Major Depression, it is this sort of attitude that helps to reduce the stigma around this subject. I am pleased to hear you found your way out of it and that that experience has turned you into a stronger person.
All the best to you always!
It's interesting how you mention misconceptions regarding how psychology holding the answers to all of mankind and the human conditions common struggle is actually pretty common, and it's very sad to see. There definitely is a lot of misinformation out there and you're doing a great job clearing some of these up with your blog.
Positive psychology definitely does have a major influence on mental health, and a lot of the time, subsequently physical health benefits greatly as it is manifested as increased energy and mental clarity as a result of not being weighed down by a negative mental state. I mean, who can feel 'healthy' with brain fog every day?
Of course nobody who knows what they're talking about is saying that medication is not the way to go and all medication is bad in all clinical cases, it's just simply many people who go on medications for their mental health issues could do just fine without them and potentially are misdiagnosed, or simply exhibit symptoms of an illness that are very similar without having the illness and could benefit with a little positivity in their lives.
Thanks for making such a well written post for the average Steemian to learn and explore this super innovating field of psychology. I'm so glad I discovered your blog.
Well @chunger, you may consider yourself as an average Steemian, but this is no average comment! Thank you so much for adding your incredible reflection on psychology, positive psychology and medication to this debate! I truly appreciate it.
All the best to you.
"I don’t know about you, but within the past twenty-four hours I experienced two out of the four examples I listed above, and guess what? "
You either had a really bad day, or you'd better see a doctor!
What I wouldn't change? My childhood memories, I just had a blast and they are my refuge when I feel like shit.
Most times for me, it because of a bad day
I suppose that is only natural! :)
Ahahahah Ahahahahah
That was not a really bad day. But, I was overwhelmed and tired!
That is a lovely thing to say - about your childhood. Also, very interesting to hear that you use those nice memories as a strategy to make you feel better. Very smart indeed! :)
You are always mean to me, but you have a special place in my Steemit heart! 😘
hahahah
Thank you Abby, enriching as always
I've personally been a skeptic about the effects of medicines on mental health, glad you shed light on that :)
And fantastic positive vibes you are spreading there ! So happy to read about you and your husband, that is the most beautiful thing!
I have so many things to be thankful for in my life .. Being alive is one amazing blessing .. family, health, home...
Have a great weekend my friend !
Thank you my dear for your constant support!! I am so pleased to hear this post has broadened your view about ADMs (you made my evening). It has made my evening. If only more people could be as open as you to challenging their beliefs, there would not be so much stigma towards mental health.
Great, beautiful message you finished your comment with :) all the best to you and to your family!
Lots of love!
another mind opening post miss @abigail-dantes 👍👏 , let me answer this part, oh so sorry i don't know how to do the one with vertical lines on the lwft and right
"Disorganized thinking – when was the last time you felt you needed to put your thoughts in order?
Hallucinations - Have you ever had the impression you heard someone calling your name, for example?
Confusion between reality & imagination - Was it a dream, did I see it in a movie, or did it really happen?
Shifts in mood - Are you familiar with feeling confident in one occasion and insecure in another?"
Disorganized thinking , i think i had that just yesterday , i dont know how to thunk what to think what to do , ugh! so i end up crying with my sister abigail last night ,😥
Hallucination? i think havent experience to see something others cant but sometimes yes! i think i can hear someone calling me but actually there's no one, oh no!!!
with confusion between imagination and reality , i think never been to that
with shifts in moods, oh gosh miss @abigail , i think i got that everyday , but i think i can manage
last night was very crying moment hahaha, maybe emotional stress, and yes i agree with what you said that a lot of people would think that if a person would seek advivefrom a psychologist they think that person is crazy or psychotic , to be honest when i wasstill studying and was young that's the same belief i got , but having been exposed to different types of people and knew their experiences i knew psychologists or psychiatrist isn't just for mentally ill people , thanks for this miss @abigail, thanks for always inspiring me too, i really can feel my big sister in you, sometimes i dont feel like writing what i do i visit profiles like yours and then i said , go! just continue writing, it's not always about the money , it for yourself , social life at least and an online diary😁 . God bless you more miss @abigail-dantes 👍👏😘😘😘❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for stopping by my dear :)
I truly love reading your comments. I am very happy to hear my posts have been educating you in the field of psychology - this is very important! 😁
I hope you have had a better day with no crying today. I am very proud to hear you see a big sister in me. This is a beautiful thing to say. You see how you have so many beautiful feelings and emotions inside you? Don't let the negative ones dominate them :)
Lots of love to you tooo ❤️
oh! my heart is beating so fast!!! you notice mw again!!! 😍😱. you know yesterday i really don't know what's wrong with me cant think of anything to write that's why i just wrote a tagalog poem that's like saying i was confused yesterday hehe. then earlier this morning just written something about learning , thank you very much miss @abigail-dantes, i hope sooo too, that today will be another great day , i love you sister miss @abigail-dantes and thank you!!! 😘😘❤️❤️❤️
hi miss @abigail-dantes good day to you, im sorry i dont know how to be in contact with you, just want to ask a little favor . kindly support and welcome my kiddos account po : @mini-zephalexia , i made it for them for future savings and to share their fun activities , thanks a lot miss abigail hope you'll notice my comment , i am thinking maybe if you have a dicors chat group? hehe. love you miss @abigail , by the way i told my sister abigail about you and that's why she's interested to join steeit too 😊❤️❤️❤️
hello @abigail-dantes again very good posts!
If we talk about something that would not change for anything in life would be the pleasure of being a father, for me it is the best experience one can have to see them grow, educate them and their occurrences from day to day. so I think that this should happen to most parents but, from my humble opinion psychologically speaking that helps us because the tendency to neglect the joy and the positive has changed in recent years, since the emergence of positive psychology whose father is Martin Seligman, psychologist of renowned international prestige, and following the advance in the scientific study of emotions, where we could mention Paul Eckman from psychology and Antonio Damasio from neuroscience, among others. They explain that both a psychologist and other health professionals in recent years are interested not only in solving mental and psychological disorders but also in decreasing the discomfort of people in order to help them achieve happiness and well-being.
What a beautiful comment so full of love and well-informed messages @catire383
Thank you a lot for contributing to this discussion with such a positive message :)
you're welcome, it's a pleasure for me comment your posts which help us understand things that we even do not know you elevate our minds. greeting.!!
Saludos mi buena amiga Abigail, Dios te bendiga! Leyendo su post me llamo la atencion sobre lo de las creencias. Desde mi punto de vista cuando se hay un trauma o trastorno mental muchas veces confiar nuestras penas y angustias a Dios es una forma mas segura de recuperarse antes de recurrir a la ayuda medica, no digo con esto que no se trate medicamente puesto que Dios es quien le da sabiduría a las personas y gracias a El la ciencia es ciencia. En mi aspecto personal asumo y creo que mi mamá se ha mantenido en pie después de la muerte de mi hermano es gracias a la misericordia de Dios y su fe en El. Gracias por instruirnos de verdad que estoy tomando cada uno de sus escritos y trato de discutirlos con mi hermano @javisem para así orientarnos y ayudar con el avance de nuestra mamá.
SO happy to hear you find my posts helpful @jayoxaju. I will keep your mum in mid during my writings for next week, when I will be discussing acceptance :)
Thank you for your kind words.
All the best to you and all your family!
Gracias a usted, d verdad que hemos buscado ayuda pero nadie nos explicaba tan claramente las cosas, quien iba a pensar que mediante esta plataforma encontraria una persona primeramente tan humana y con tanto amor a su profesión dispuesta a ayudar a quien verdad lo necesita. Pido a Dios algún día poderla conocer y que mi mamá tenga el privilegio de también conocerla y que ella misma pueda drenar todo su dolor se que usted seria de bendición para ella.
Things are actually changing even though media plays a vital role in creating misconceptions. Certain things implanted in the minds of people by such means will take some time to change. Even most of the doctors have started to use the term psychosomatic. In my opinion, I think it is vital that everyone start to do a self evaluation, think over their own preferences more than what they hear, as there are both positives and negatives to be considered.
Absolutely @bala41288! and it is because of vehicles like this we can people have access and a broader view of topics such as psychology, politics etc... We are no longer confined to what the TV channels, magazines and papers select to show us.
All the best to you :D
Several if not lots of factors affect one's behavior. Such as his surroundings, upbringing, circle of friends and media. What seems to be crazy to someone could be just normal to another, that is why it is sometimes hard to tell whether it is a problem already or just being per se natural.
As I am also not fond of just popping pills to cure everything, I think that better to let natural ways be used more often especially if it is not properly diagnosed as something as only an artificial medicine can cure.
So well put @zararina! You know, I am the first one to criticize mental-health professionals that are too quick to prescribe ADMs. Only yesterday someone told me that his little 9-year-old niece was prescribed with such medication... well, I just sigh really. But, my point as well is that there is a huge stigma around people who actually need they ADMs to fully function in life, and this is what I would like to address.
Thank you for leaving such a concise, but yet truly insightful comment. All the best to you :)
Media gave the wrong notion of what psychology truly is. I wouldn't blame the masses who think that it's mainly for mentally ill people. One can Be in a stable condition and still be examined. We all forget the positive reinforcements of psychology.
Wasn't available when this was shared.
Meanwhile things I wouldn't change would be 'me'. I have grown to love me the more. The choices I made I will live with them. Thanks for sharing!
Hello dear @sweetestglo-eu :)
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and leave a comment! It means a lot to me :)
I love what you said about being you. I suppose that when one reaches that stage in life everything else falls into place. Acceptance is indeed a huge step towards self-actualization.
All the best.
I love your post very much, it is very interesting, nutritious and reflective since I change my way of seeing psychology. In the experiment that was done with people who used antidepressants and cognitive therapy was applied, I could understand that antidepressants are not the definitive solution to treat depression, since the people with this affection should go to therapies with specialists in the matter that will help them to leave their depression and teach them techniques that help them face a relapse. The depression today is very frequent, due to our lifestyle and the prejudices that afflict us in our society. A factor that influences us is that of wanting to satisfy others leaving our values, principles and thoughts below, and that affects us directly, first because people are never satisfied with what we do for them and secondly because we leave our essence of what we really are on our side to satisfy them.
Something that happened to me and changed my life was the death of my father, he smoked and died of cancer in the larynx caused by the cigarette, I also smoked and the experience of seeing my father suffer and die because of that disease. He made me think in time and gave me the strength to quit and be able to guide others who have the vice of cigarettes.
Congratulations, am really happy for you, it is very hard to stop habits, you are lucky to have learnt from your father
Hello @urbano579 thank you very much for leaving such a well-informed comment about our mental distress and the harsh reality of today's life style.
I also would like to thank you for the incredibly important message you left about the dangers of smoking. I know so many people who still smoke (can you believe it?) and think they are immune to the terrible effects of cigarettes! So, you comment is a very valid eye opener.
All the best :)
thank you very much @abigail-dantes and we will continue to help all those people who need an orientation to stop the vices or especially the smoking
Hello Abigail, greetings from Venezuela.
I was interested in your post, psychology has always called my attention to the fact that it studies human behavior and the principle of them.
I understand what you mean by antidepressant medications, and that is that some people go to the extreme where it is necessary to use them and in many of them it brings good results as others do not, everything depends, because we are minds and bodies different. But if its use is necessary, this possibility should be considered.
And of all the post I liked the emphasis you make on the error: "Psychology only studies sick people".
I affirm that effectively it is not so. When I was a girl I had to go to the psychologist and it was only with cognitive therapy, this allowed me to drain the fear that infused me the continuous marital fights that my parents. This caused me emotional instability and this therapy helped me. And today I am simply normal. It is not for people sick nothing more, also the psychology attends those details that can affect the growth or development of the human being in society.
I always had doubts about these terms psychiatry and psychology?
Could it be said that positive psychology and negative psychology are the same psychiatry and psychology or are different terms?
I hope you can clarify the doubt @abilgail-dantes.
Hello @rosibelsac :)
What a beautiful, insightful comment you left for me here!
Thank you so much for discussing the treatment you underwent as a child. It is this sort of information that promotes a better understanding of what psychology entails. It is through acquiring understanding that we can diminish prejudiced views not only about psychology, but also about mental-illness.
As far as I know, there isn't a branch or a field called negative psychology. The study of the human path towards self-actualization is called positive psychology and its opposite is termed either Traditional psychology or psychology as usual.
As for the difference between psychiatry and psychology, here we go:
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in the treatments of mental-illness. Just like a cardiologists is a medical doctor who specialists in heart conditions.
Psychologists are mental health professional who study human behavior and mental processes. They cannot prescribe medication. When a psychologist sees a patient in need of an anti-depressant pill, they refer that patient to the psychiatrist. They then work in conjunction, one providing therapeutic care and the other the medical care.
Hope this has helped you to understand things better :)
All the best for you.
Very well, thank you very much @abigail-dantes, I understood the message. Excellent information that you publish. I hope to continue reading to you to learn. Successes
I've experienced this. In one of the cases, the voice was so distinct and clear that I thought it was my mum. Though someone told me that it was a sign of a healthy mind.
Also, in the case of hallucination, I know someone that tends to see and hear things. But most surprisingly, some of the things she sees come to pass. Does this one suffice for hallucination?
Nice piece buddy
From a neuropsychological perspective yes Sam, the situation you described would be regarded as hallucinations, yes :)
Thank you for always stopping by my dear.
I truly appreciate your support!
All the best to you always :)
Thanks for the kind reply buddy. I'm honoured :)
clean post :) , beautifully written.
Well there are alot of things which make sense to your life and keep it focused and straight, every time you are on edge they lift you up from that state and bring you happiness, with the passage of time these things change or their role in your life changes, life around my "tag" of people is tied mainly to 'Parents' and 'Allah Saeen' and mainly it is Parents who keep themselves and 'Allah Saeen' alive in life of common people like me. It is beleived psychology in our culture that once you are married then your life does not belong to you, it is trickled down to your children, nucleus of your life gets shifted to your children, so suddenly you become parents and as time passes your children become parents and "Allah Saeen" stays same, interweaving all the beads in one thread.
So if 'Allah Saeen' gets out of equation then all people would generate a selfish society which would take only care for their own children.
So the cycle is repeating perfectly in some scenarios and in the other scenarios 'helplessness, poverty and hopelessness' taints the cycle.
So in my case it is my 'Parents' who keep me going in all difficult situations and help me come out of those dark times.
Hello @kay-khosa :)
It is always great to have your comments on my feed! thank you so much for sharing some aspects of your culture with us. I sounds beautiful, because the values are beautiful :D
All the best to you and all your family always my dear :)
Again a good psychology post. In my life I have seen many people who have prejudices about psychology and if some family member has a problem of depression or attitude they are unable to help taking them to a therapist, but in my personal opinion, psychology helps us in any circumstance of our lives and In this world where everything is becoming more stressful, we are many who at some time experience a picture of depression and frustration in our lives. I do not think antidepressants are the best option, I think the best is therapies because they help us channel our fears and frustrations because in them we can learn the effective techniques that we must take to intervene in the different circumstances that arise. in life. These therapies are very good, because we also learn to prevent relapses so that learning is maintained throughout our lives, It is true that every day we experience symptoms because of the stress we are subjected to daily, today I heard my daughter call me from her room to find that I was still asleep, the mind played badly and I keep forgetting things.
When I was a teenager, I experienced many family problems due to my mother's preference for my older brother. This situation, although painful, would not change her in my life as it made me grow as a person and made me stronger and gave me an insight into what not to do with the children, that you should not have preference more for one child than another because you should love everyone equally because they are all our children, I am sure that as a mother I learned that lesson.
Woooow, thanks for sharing this, also learnt the same thing from my mum
Thank you so much for pointing this out in a such well-informed manner @mili2088. You comment is beautiful!
Also, it is great to see that you have turned the difficult memories and moments of your childhood into a lesson in life that, therefore, has made you a better mother/person. You children are very lucky for having you as their mum!
All the best to your family.
Thanks @ abigail-dantes, if it was hard but I got over it and gave me a lesson to break that chain and that I would not make the same mistake with my children. From the bad that one lives also can take out good things and can grow as a person.
Somehow this seems like de javu to me.
Yes. Especially when I have to make presentations in my case. I think its called imposter syndrome or so. The feeling that you know nothing and everyone else knows more than you.
Hahah, I resonate with this. From where I am from, when they say "someone has psycho", hmm it means the person is sick upstairs. And pyscho rhymes with psychology. No offence meant. Lol
I will need to have that as soon as possible. I cant wait for next friday. That will give me a new paradigm shift.
Hello dear @turpsy :)
Thank you so much for sharing with us some of the mental experiences I highlighted on my post. I said this before; but this is something I will never get tired of repeating, it is this sort of open-minded attitude that brings a certain commonality to the experiences people living with mental-illness go through. It hopefully makes us all reflect that there is no reason to see individuals suffering from schizophrenia, for example, in a different way or have prejudiced views towards him/her.
So, I can only thank you for helping to fight this sort of opinion through sharing your own experiences. I also thank you for being open-minded enough to challenge your own misconceptions @turpsy. For me, there is nothing that people with this kind of mentality can not achieve in life.
All the best to you always my dear.
Bye bye for now :)
Thank you for your words.@abigail-dantes. Buen fin.
@abigail-dantes, again, great post. Before I continue, I want to preface my comment... Do I believe we are in general an overly medicated society? Yes. However, with that in mind, I'm really glad you ended your post with encouraging us to focus on the positives in their own lives because the bottom line is, regardless of what we may think we know about Lucas and others who medicate, we need to be careful about judging the steps others take with their own well-being because we don't know all the facts. Much love. 😍
Hello dear @karencarrens :)
Yes, thank you for making this message so straight forward. This is precisely one of the goals of this post. Like I said, I am not asking everyone to start 'loving' ADMs, all I would like people to be able to do is in your words:
Much love to you always!
Have a great week 😍
Hello my friend @abigail-dantes, I once spoke about you putting up quality and original posts with educating contents some days back and here is another wonderfully written post. Thumbs up for being original and helpful.
firstly, I must confess, I have never had this kinda lesson before and I must say that I am really fortunate to have met you. I am indeed grateful to you.
Okay, lets proceed to the real deal. Reading this post got me really surprised for I never knew that there are such misconceptions about our psychology in particular. This post has opened my eyes and I can relate to all the points you gave but being that I wont be able to write on all four examples you you listed, I will give my own experience on the one that baffles me most, HALLUCINATION.
Hallucination affects me most times, I wont deny about that 'cos I've had it a couple of times and I'm beginning to feel something is wrong. Thank God for you @abigail-dantes. here's my experience.
When i was younger, there were times I would be sleeping in the middle of the night and hear someone call my name. It seemed so real that I would rush to my parents room to answer the call but whenever I got to their room, I would meet a great surprise waiting for me, "they were still asleep", and I would say to myself, "who called me then?" and I would return to my room with my question unanswered.
This happened for nights till I got tired and reported it to my parents. My mum then told back then that whenever I hear such strange voice calling my name, i should just say "HOLY GHOST FIRE" because she believes its diabolical. So i started saying "Holy ghost" when i heard my name being called by 'someone unseen'. it then stopped after a short period.
Now I'm 20 and I still hear my name called by someone and sometimes I go to meet my Aunt or Granny and ask "if they were calling me" and the reply would be no! I still get confused when this happens but I thank God you are here to help me. I therefore seek your assistance on this.
Lastly, I want to thank you for always bringing us solid information with its pros and cons as you mentioned in the post. Please do not relent, That's I why I don't mind the length of your post, I have no other choice than to read them because I gain a lot from each one of them. Thank you for everything @abigail-dantes you are doing well.
I am not an expert in hallucinations @happymichael, but I am confident to let you know that there is nothing abnormal about how you experienece it. This is nothing for you to worry about or think there is somethibg wrong with you. So just you know how common it is just have a look at some of the comments here, so many say the same think 😊. I know they can be spooky sometimes, I feel like that specially when I am on my own; but it is nothing more than our brains playing a tricky on us! When you know this is easier no to get concerned about it.
Have a wonderful week 🌷❤️🌷😊
ThankGod, I was already thinking the fallen angels have my name on their list.. Thanks for the info @abigail-dantes.. You are wonderful.
Happy sunday and have a great week also my humble psychologist. 😘
A single chart!? I want more charts and mathematics describing the human condition! >:O
Absolutely true, physics holds the grand solutions for all humanities troubles. Depression? Lasers, what can't laser guns can't fix. PTSD? Schizophrenia? Lasers again, blast those visions away. Hyperactivity? Shooting lasers will make someone tired enough to not be as hyperactive.
I am going to laser you 😎
Ps: Thank you so much for stopping by!
😘
Told you lasers are the solution to everything :D
😂
hahahaha
Well explained as usuall, enjoyed reading it. Would like to see about most contraversial doctrines of psychology when you'll have time and if you'll find it worthy writing about. :)
Only idiots refuse to change their minds - i changed it, a bit. Keep it up!
You are wonderful @ocupation! 😘
Thank you for this beautiful, open-minded feedback. It truly made me smile :)
I found myself in this article so i decided to let you know :)
Wooow, Halucinations are like normal things that happen, i have had it at least one in a while. Thanks, keep up the great work
Ahahahahaha
Of course it is @mhizkemmie! It can be really spooky sometimes, right? But, it is nothing more than our brains playing tricks on us :)
yes, thanks anyways
@abigail-dantes. You are right in pointing out the sea of difference between both fields. We all to a degree have a bit of the symptoms outlined in your write up which is normal considering the stress of living in this time period. Psychology- study of the mind has come a long way thanks to the dedicated scientists who have logged in countless hours to better understand the connection between the human psyche and a diseased mind removing the profits from the placebo peddling Multi-billion dollars drug companies. Looking forward to your series on Positive Psychology.
Hello @badmusgreene :) How great to see your comment here!
Thank you so much for leaving a comment with such a positive view about psychology! I truly appreciate it. Have a great weekend and all the best to you :)
@abigail-dantes. Thank you for the insightful post. It was thoroughly mind refreshing. Have a lovely weekend as well. Cheers
I'd agree that antidepressants are no more effective than CBT but the real evidence lies in the fact when used together we get much better results than using either alone!
On top of this in many countries medication is FAR cheaper than CBT and accessibility to healthcare becomes just another issue.
At the end of the day we need to work with what we can use.
That being said great article, I really enjoyed reading it!
Hello @tfcoates :) Nice to see you here!
What a very valid and relevant point you raised about the cost of CBT and ADM treatments! :/ So, true!
May I ask you what you mean by real evidence? :) I am very glad to hear your enjoyed this post!
All the best.
Thanks for the question, I guess I did miss-word! I didn't mean to imply the evidence you were referring to was flawed in any way
I guess I should have used the term relevant evidence. I guess I mean that comparing antidepressants (SSRIs/ SNRI really as TCAs are a little out of date) against CBT isn't really a useful practice when their efficacies are so similar and when (if both are available) that both should really be used in all cases. Side effects of SSRI/ SNRI are usually quite benign but the added benefit of using them in conjunction with CBT means that combining the two should be considered best practice in all situations.
It would be useful to compare the two methods against each-other would be useful if we were considering using one or the other, but there's not a good argument for just using one in this scenario.
This is all assuming mild-MDD with no other complications, as all the figures go askew once we have other mental health comorbidities.
Am I making sense? :/
Of course it makes sense ! :) Thank you for replying 🌷😊
Wow @abigail-dantes this is another amazing blog coming from you. I had always contemplated why psychology has a lot of misinterpretations maybe because of the influence of media or societal systems. You are right there are a lot of factors that contributes to these misinformations. But I guess this is what makes psychology more interesting!
This is why we have to develop our critical thinking skills in order to be able to think for ourselves. Rather than just taking other’s opinions for our own :)
Thank you for commenting!
I totally agree. I resteemed this post because of its amazing contents as always. @abigail-dantes
Thank you for all that you contribute to the Steemit community. ❣️🐓🐓
😘🌷❤️
It is true that there are many people who weave misconceptions about psychology but it is because of the misinformation that exists on this subject, but psychology has different focuses, psychology is from childhood development to how beings feel, think or act. Today many people go to psychological help due to the many sorrows that overwhelm them, seeking help to cope with the stress, exhaustion and pressures that the world around us currently gives us, which indicates that psychology can not then be only for people who are mentally ill and as for the taking of antidepressants I do not agree, that is a short-term solution and what people who are having a depressive picture really need is a long-term solution that helps them recover and that solution is therapy cognitive, it helps them recognize and confront the causes that gave rise to depression and teaches them techniques that will help them face a new episode.
Positive psychology is very beautiful and a different way of seeing psychology, I have always heard and seen that psychology studies the negative aspects of a person but positive psychology studies the positive of a person as his: emotional intelligence, his wisdom, creativity , humor among others. It is worth mentioning Martin Seligman, since he was the one who gave the definitive impulse for the creation of positive psychology. Very good your posts are very informative, this type of information is very necessary to be able to change the way of psychology and be able to help and help others, thanks.
One thing that would not change in my life would be to have left my parents' house, I was very happy but decided to become independent and that made me mature, in my house I had everything and they did everything to me, once I left there it cost me a lot adapt to my new life, but I learned to give value to things and earn them and that did me a lot of good, I feel that I grew up.
Hello @stefany12, thank you for taking the time to read and for contributing to this discussion with your ample understanding about psychology. Let me just say that I absolutely love the thing you chose not change in your life. It is a huge step moving out of our parent's home; but, despite of all the challenges we face it definitely is an invaluable experience in the lives of those who do it.
All the best for you :)
Thank you, leaving our parents' womb is very important as we learn to value things and we also learn to value our parents and see the great sacrifice they make for us, it is an exceptional experience