Re: Is depression a brain disease?
- From: "kez" <kelseylewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 1 Dec 2005 12:14:21 -0000
"monkfish" <fonkmish@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6yPif.211$Y7.199@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> "kez" <kelseylewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:3v1ls0F12sfq7U1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Lady doctor in New Scientist says this is the impression given my the
>> medical profession, but she feels it's not "phenomenological" enough.
>>
>> Is she using that word right? I thought it was something to do with
>> literary theory.
>>
>> Anyway it read like she meant to say "holistic" but was embarrased in
>> case
>> people thought she was a Reiki practioner and not a proper doctor.
>>
>
> Dude, the type of psychology i am primarily interested in is of a
> "phenomenological" nature. It is closely allied to existential
> philosophy:
>
> "Existential phenomenology attempts to characterize the nature of a
> person's
> experience of his world and himself. It is not so much an attempt to
> describe particular objects of his experience as to set all particular
> experiences within the whole context of his being-in-the-world. The mad
> things said and done by the schizophrenic will remain essentially a closed
> book if one does not understand their existential context . . .
> " . . . [T]he account of the issues lived out by the individuals studied
> in the following pages is intended to demonstrate that these issues cannot
> be grasped through the methods of clinical psychiatry and psychpathology
> as
> they stand today but, on the contrary, require the
> existential-phenomenological method to demonstrate their true human
> relevance and significance" - Ronnie Laing, 'The Divided Self'
>
> Check out the following link for more general info about philosophical
> phenomenology:
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phenomenology
>
> To criticize the medical model of mental illness on the basis that it is
> not
> "phenomenological" enough is to suggest that the idea of depression (or
> whatever) as being the result of the oft-cited "chemical imbalance in the
> brain" fails to capture the full human significance of these conditions.
>
> More precisely, phenomenologically-speaking, the experience of depression
> must be understood within the context of the unique life situation of this
> particular individual who is currently depressed. Your own current low
> mood
> must be understood in terms of the loss of Indi, for instance, and the
> still-bleeding wound that has left in your life (amongst other things).
> To
> describe such feelings as the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain
> is
> clearly ludicrous.
>
> In contrast, Wikipedia, describes holistic healing as:
>
> "A holistic approach to healing recognizes that the emotional, mental,
> spiritual and physical elements of each person comprise a system, and
> attempts to treat the whole person, concentrating on the cause of the
> illness as well as symptoms. This approach often focuses on traditional
> medicine and avoid pharmaceutical drugs. Examples of holistic therapies
> include Reflexology, Indian Head Massage, Reiki and Acupuncture."
>
> The difference between the two approaches, although somewhat subtle, is
> quite distinct: Phenomenology is about understanding experience
> ('experience' is the key word here); holistic practises are more
> treatment-orientated, bringing multiple techniques to the problem but
> leaving to one side the actual nitty-gritty of the experience of suffering
> from these conditions. If you want to understand what it is really like
> to
> suffer from depression, a phenomenological approach will tell you more
> than
> a holistic one, and can hence yield more information about ultimate causes
> beyond brain chemistry.
>
> I hope that makes sense.
>
>> P.S. I have managed to genocide my voices now which should be good but
>> why
>> am I still crying
>
> Lots of people who don't hear voices also cry. Sorry, dude :-(
>
>> P.S.S. Don't tell my pdoc I genocided my voices he would be upset
>
> Now that, my friend, is going to cost you ;-)
>
>
> regards,
>
> T.
>
>> -- kez
Well if doctors are into stuff like that, then that sounds good. But I've
never managed to talk to a doctor about anything much apart from symptoms
and medication. They just don't have time on the NHS! If you could see one
for an hour, maybe they could get into your experiences, but it's usually 10
minutes and then out the door, just enough time for them to ask you how
you're doing and then review treatment.
I would be more interested in talking to a doctor about my "stuff" though,
than a psychologist. The medical expertise of doctors is a lot better than
some windy psychological theory in my mind.
I have asked therapists and doctors for advice about stuff that was
bothering me too at times but they never offered any. One psych nurse even
said he couldn't help me because the problem wasn't medical! I think
sometimes I would like to be guided a bit because I can feel very lost and
have no-one I can talk about some of my "stuff" with.
Anyway, it's very interesting
-- kez
.
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