There's No Such Thing As A BrainChemical Imbalance

[shann0]

Big Pharma makes up new disorders, telling us it's a "chemical imbalance", when they have no way to measure such a thing. It's completely made up so they can make oodles of cash off our ignorance. ???

[PrisonerOfHope]

And don't forget all the money they make from treating all the side effects! Fact is, NO ONE knows what the long-term effects of messing with brain chemicals will be.

Doctors are quick to put people on anti-depressants, and insurance companies love it because it's far cheaper than traditional talk therapy.

These people are all going to have to answer for their greed one day.

[shann0]

It's the go to diagnosis when they can't figure out what's wrong... "We don't know what you have, lets try anti-depressants...."

[mitchrg]

I agree that the Pharmicalogical field gets alot of money from physicians who write prescriptions and that society is overmedicated. I also believe that it is undermedicated too. I would have to disagree that the psychiatric community make up new disorders. Every few years those who issue the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders review the classifications of Mental disorder. They don't make up new ones.
I was once one of the individiuals who was against giving out medication. I was against those who blame problems on their parents and for the most part I remain so. Some of my views changed once I went to school and worked in the field of Mental Health. The views I hold now are what is called Bio-Psycho-Social. Basically this view states that the personality is developed from three factors. A person's biological chemistry, their psychological developement and the environment that we live in. I certainly am not excusing sin. On the contrary. In cognitive Behavioral Therapy, thought processes are challenged and new ones are developed. Behavior had consequence or rewards. I have always viewed my work in mental health as removing stone in the field so that the seeds of the gospel could be planted.

[shann0]

Did you happen to watch the video michrg?

[mitchrg]

Yes, I did. And as I said, I know that the industry is abusive and America is over prescribed and under prescribed. It's difficult to find a therapist who will use medication as a last resort and only as a temporary tool to allow the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. What I cannot deny is the result I personally have seen of the abuses and the successes in the feild of Mental Health. Regarding the question if I had watched the videos, that's why I disagreed with the video's statements about "new made up" disorders. Although medications are repackaged and abused, the disorders themselves are reclassified to better clarify the disorder.

[shann0]

So then are you saying that there is a way to measure "brain chemical imbalances"? Because if there is no way to measure such a thing, then the disorders based on chemical imbalace such as Bipolar Disorder, Depression and Manic Depression etc are fabricated illnesses.

The brain is a closed system, and the chemistry inside the brain can't be measured to determine that a chemical imbalance is the cause of such behaviors.
There may be some psychological disorders, (Not as many as they come up with year after year) but it's impossible to prove they're from chemical imbalances and to sell them as such is dishonest. Especially when they hock them on tv ads as the answer to problems that are normal and common everyday emotional issues. Most people don't need chemical intervention. They need Jesus.

[mitchrg]

Actually there has been way that Chemicals have beeen measure thru Brain scans. Neurotrasmitters can be measure including their effects of the brain. Brain chemical are neurotransmitters which control how brain cells communicate with each other. Prescribed medications stimulate the brains natural chemical to do the job they were designed for. PLEASE DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME. I agree the system is greatly abuse and most of those who suffer from mental illness are not properly treated or even diagnosed. I believe that medication is a last resort and only for the purpose for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to work. It's as simple as understanding Psychosematic effects on the body. Anxiety has been linked to ulcers. That is a chemical release in the body. So to is depression's declining affect of the release of dopamine or sarotonine in the brain. These effects can be measure by MRI's and other brain scans. Again, THE SYSTEM IS BEING ABUSED. But lets do real Biblically based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to determine the need for PROPER medication. We need to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water.