
MentalHealthError: an exception occurred - seedifferently
http://www.kennethreitz.org/essays/mentalhealtherror-an-exception-occurred
======
tcj_phx
When reading this piece, it's important to keep in mind that psychiatry
diagnoses symptoms, not causes.

> During my hospitalization, I was diagnosed with "Bipolar Affective Disorder
> with Psychosis",

... which was caused by... ?

> Bipolar Disorder is something I've had for a while (unknowingly), _and will
> have for the rest of my life._ (emphasis added)

If he hasn't had the symptoms all his life, there are causes behind the
label's development. Some people get all the way through their life without
becoming bipolar. Why is it that this particular human specimen developed
these symptoms? The profession doesn't care, because they can sort-of medicate
the symptom away.

> I now know how to manage it, with the proper blend of awareness,
> _medication,_ and sleep. (emphasis added)

My girlfriend is tapering herself off her nuthouse-prescribed sedatives. If
the professionals at the nuthouse had cared about causes, they would have
looked deeper than their patient's superficial symptoms. Maybe they take their
own kool-aid.

~~~
joepie91_
I can only wholeheartedly agree with this, at least in the practical sense.
It's not known to me whether this is the theoretical _purpose_ of psychiatry,
but by-and-large, it's definitely how it works out in practice.

~~~
tcj_phx
> It's not known to me whether this is the theoretical purpose of psychiatry

The fringe of the mental health profession objects to treating people’s
symptoms as if they are the problem. The mainstream has standardized on a
perverse standard of care, where they precisely “diagnose” patients with one
of the meaningless labels contained in the DSM.

The author of 'The Doctor Isn't In' [1] is an older psychiatrist who is not
kind to the mainstream practices of his profession. Another piece of his is
'How Psychiatry Lost Its Way' [2].

[1] [https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-doctor-
isnt-...](https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/the-doctor-isnt-in/) [2]
[https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-
psychiatry-l...](https://www.commentarymagazine.com/articles/how-psychiatry-
lost-its-way/)

