What Do You Think of the Medical Model of Mental Illness?- Vol. 548 -May 7, 2020
This was a question that was asked by a person on Quora and this is how I answered it:
This is the definition of the medical model of mental illness: “The approach argues that mental disorders are related to the physical structure and functioning of the brain” from Susan Boyd who wrote an article in Simply Psychology on just this topic.
I personally have many issues with this particular model based on similar observations from my own history as well as my hypnosis clients, to the observations that others have made in their responses to this question. However, there are many more reasons that people may have issues that look like they have to do with neurotransmitters, etc, yet go way beyond the neurotransmitters per se.
Let us ask the question as to what allows a person to make neurotransmitters? Well, neurotransmitters are made by the amino acids that come from the protein that we eat. However, what happens if someone has a leaky gut or maybe is malnourished because they cannot afford or perhaps access healthy lean proteins? Well, they may find themselves feeling depressed, unable to sleep or, a myriad of other types of symptoms that look psychiatric in nature but are merely a case of malnutrition. There was a writer here on Quora who wrote a very well researched article on her terrible symptoms of depression and neurological pain which all lead back to a B12 vitamin deficiency. All the while the doctors were telling her that she had depression.
Kelly Brogan, M.D. is a holistic psychologist who works very hard to get her patients off of psychotropic medications because the reality of the situation is that you are not suffering from a lack of these medications. What her patients are lacking is a healthy diet and what every single living organism needs in order to live based on its needs which also includes sunlight and movement for animals.
I have written many times on Quora of my own 14 years of being treated by a very gifted psychiatrist who was able to decrease my bipolar symptoms with the appropriate use of medication, however, that was not the underlying cause of the problem. The underlying cause of the problem was that of emotional feelings of being unworthy as well as a couple of other underlying negative emotions. I was able to release that with a technique that I had been using with my clients for the previous 8 months before I learned how to do this for myself for my particular issue. The answer came when I learned what needed to be released and that isn’t something the trainers are going to teach people who have no understanding of mental health issues. Once that was done, the bipolar was gone! That was back in February 2014. So, no I didn’t need to take all those meds for all those years and have some slight issues with kidneys – the reason I was taken off the medications. The kidneys are fine now, but if left unchecked, that could have been the end of Suzanne.
Sadly, the medical model does not understand that our thoughts create our lives. Our emotions are integrated with our thoughts and these need to be dealt with in a manner that works – not just endlessly talking about the same old crap which goes absolutely nowhere. It is a matter of clearing this crap out and moving on with life so these issues are no longer in our present.
When one understands the cause of the problem being much deeper than the manner in which the psychs are taught to look, then perhaps there would be many fewer people being incorrectly diagnosed with a stigmatizing illness being placed on toxic medications of marginal use, while actually treating them for the problem they have, not the one that a totally untested manual has to say that clusters a bunch of symptoms together that misdiagnose many more patients than one would want to consider. I learned that from my time working in with psychiatric patients.
Thank you, Andie, very much for having the guts for asking this question, because it is about time people woke up to the fallacy of the mental health system. This is not to say that one never go see a psychologist or psychiatrist, however, it is to say that their methods are limited and if medication is involved, often not worth the risk of your body becoming addicted to them even if they call it “antidepressant withdrawal syndrome” vs. addiction. The difference is that you don’t get high on the substance (Prozac in this case), but your body is still addicted to the substance as an example. One does, however, get addicted to benzos and amphetamines and a bunch of other crap they dole out. So use your best judgment before going there. Deal with the underlying issues be they emotional or physical.
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About Suzanne
Suzanne Kellner-Zinck founded Dawning Visions Hypnosis in 2002, She has become an innovator in the use of hypnotism and neuro-linguistic programming in the areas of obsessive compulsive disorders such as: eating disorders, sexual addiction and substance abuse as well as working with those with anxiety and mood disorders.
Her clients have come to work with her from across the United States and as far away as Africa to help them to finally be freed from these emotional issues that once ruled their lives. Today she is in the process of bringing her work to many more in the form of ebooks and other downloadable formats.
She is a member of American Holistic Medical Association and the American College for Advancement in Medicine.
Prior to founding Dawning Visions Hypnosis, Kellner-Zinck worked within vendor programs for the mentally ill working to help them to live up to their fullest potential. Many of her previous clients were able to move out on their own and find fulfilling work.
Kellner-Zinck is a Certified Trainer of Hypnosis and Neuro-Linguistic programing through Tad James Company, Inc. and a Master Hypnotist and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming through Advanced Neuro Dynamics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in education and political studies from Curry College.
Dawning Visions Hypnosis is teaching people that they can indeed leave their unwanted behaviors behind as they move forward to living fulfilling and joy filled lives.