And now, to throw another monkey wrench into this discussion: what do you all think about forced or "assisted" treatment for those with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar illness? My view is that these most severe illnesses are biological, although other factors can perhaps play a role in exacerbating them, and correct treatment is essential. Here's a link to a group called the Treatment Advocacy Center, which is controversial:
http://www.psychlaws.org/ On the board of directors is E. Fuller Torrey, who has written extensively about schizophrenia. My opinion is that although abuses exist, this type of treatment can be necessary and even life saving in some cases. Torrey has spoken out condemning the tendency of shrinks to focus on the "worried well" who are a lucrative source of income and relatively easy to treat, while ignoring those with the most serious illnesses. I think that is something of an oversimplification, because severe depression and anxiety can be quite debilitating, but it's undeniable that society has in many cases abandoned the most seriously ill. The new generation of anti-psychotics: geodon, zyprexa, etc. are called "atypical" and are thought not to cause tardive dyskinesia, at least not as often any maybe not at all. It is commonly agreed that anti-psychotics can help with the "positive" symptoms such as hallucinations. They are less successful with the "negative" symptoms such as apathy and social withdrawal. When someone develops a relatively safe drug that combats negative symptoms, I think there will be a breakthrough in the quality of life for those with schizophrenia. I hope that happens soon. Both positive and negative symptoms are thought to be due to abnormalities of dopamine in the brain: positive caused by too much, negative by not enough. It's ironic that dopamine can be present in both excess and insufficient quantities in different parts of the brain, but that's the current theory as I understand it. I am not psychotic, although at a couple of highly stressful times I have experienced some vaguely psychotic symptoms. They are frightening. Fortunately I don't have to take any medication for them however. I used to live in fear that someday I'd have a real schizophrenic breakdown, but I've been reassured that at my advanced age of 33 it is highly unlikely. I feel very bad for people who are schizophrenic, because it involves tremendous suffering. Mary
