This is not a profession, but a witch hunt for the most addictive substances possible. First, ADD was decided on by a show of hands, not clinical information, and then it was decided to treat it with the most addicting stimulant known, methylphenidate. And all that harmless Valium handed out freely to the bored housewife, no addiction there. Then add it all the Vit. A prescriptions, Ambien, or its pre runner, Dalmane, or its other versions, temazepam, and you've got to give them something, to get them going in the morning.
I could go on for hours, but you get it, uppers, downers, and something like benzos to take the edge off in between. Add in the narcotics, and you've made your patient completely numb.
All physicians should be mandated to read Dr. Breggins books on the subject! Oops no need for psychiatrists and brain numbing drugs! No more school shootings. Brain’s nutritionally deficient and being in a dysfunctional home are the root causes.A few are wired wrong due to poor prenatal care! My view!
Agree! Big Pharma keeps the truth suppressed to keep pushing the mind altering drugs for profit! Ritalin marketing in the 90’s was so successful that by December it was difficult to keep it in stock due to DEA regulations!
In the Soviet Union a person would be declared insane and locked up in a mental hospital for not believing in Communism's goodness. Expect that here if things go bad enough.
I am from Slovenia, I hope you will understand what I am writing, because English is not my language. I have been following Dr. Coleman for a long time and I always look forward to his articles or videos. I worked in a school for many years and had the opportunity to see how extremely intelligent children are Ritalin was given to children who were bored and "restless" during class. What I remember most was the boy and his change in behavior after the first Ritalin pill. I was literally speechless when I saw this wonderful, funny boy who all of a sudden he sat in a chair, listened calmly and after three hours complained to me that he didn't feel well, that he had a headache, etc. Thank God he had parents who immediately noticed the changes, came to school (after a month of "Ritalin life ") and demanded that they immediately stop giving him Ritalin. The only one who stood by them (and their child) was me, all the other teachers, psychologists, etc. were so angry that they were slandered that they were bad parents , that they are selfish because other children cannot follow the lessons because of their son (although I always took him out of class when he started to get bored and took him for a walk), in short, this boy and their wonderful parents (in the end we are just because of this experience they became good friends) they were ridiculed for eight years, they were labeled as parents who are not suitable for raising a child, they called the center for social work, where they had to put up with bureaucratic employees and almost had the child taken from them. Today he is a wonderful man, he thinks with his head, he is successful and still immensely funny and intelligent. I could write about other cases, but I don't want to be too long. Thank you Dr. Coleman and greetings from Slovenia (I know quite a few here too people who follow you, your book The Myth of Dementia was recently published in Slovenian 👌)
Thank you so much for your interesting and vital comments. People like yourself have to come together and then we can make a difference. That is why the divides us every way they can, they are scared of you, your intelligent observations make them 'honest,' and they are led by the father of lies so they only have truth diluted down to be buried amongst the lies.
Psychiatrists have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. Why would you go to such people for advice on how not to commit suicide? That makes no sense.
Their whole paradigm is wrong, so their advice is wrong. They think that we are nothing more than meat machines that have become defective, and they can twiddle some knobs in our brains to make us feel better. Even if we were just meat machines, which we are not, their tools are hopelessly primitive. They are like watchmakers trying to repair a watch with a stick. But we are so much more than meat machines. We are spiritual beings.
Our spiritual health along with our biological health need to be addressed. Toxic medicines will not make us well.
If I remember correctly, it was the psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk in his book about Trauma "The Body Keeps the Score", said that the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual' of Mental Disorders was designed for Insurance Companies. He said that he was one of the psychiatrists that helped to design it. The manual was never designed to diagnose people. It was so the Insurance people could categorise people for payments. However, it turned into a monster and a weapon against some people.
I can only suggest that people read his book as my Trauma was never dealt with effectively in Therapy. I have used the services of 4 psychiatrists in my 45+ years of 'psycho-therapy'. The others were variations of Psychologists and Therapists of some sort dealing with the mind and body.
My last lot of therapy was with a psychiatrist and at first I was making progress, but I am a difficult person and very soon it turned bad. There is a lot to share and I can say that I've had and am having a good life and want for nothing but my depression was never dealt with. Therefore, I can only say that things are not always dealt with scientifically but then again [I obviously have Stockholm syndrome :) ] I learned to speak up in the end and that was great.. however, the last person, a male, didn't appreciate me when we had a big argument one day.. and I was told 'don't talk to me like I'm a dog'. I half apologised to keep the peace, but inwardly I thought, "you have badges on yourself mate, I never talk to dogs badly!”
Some of the best advice I got from psycho-therapists was when they told me quite plainly ‘a truth’.
One was a male who asked me about my money situation. In 20 years of group therapy, therapy, therapy courses - no-one asked me such a thing.. a few months later, I started paying off my debts and saving money.
But these people want to talk (or perhaps not talk), about dreams, deep stuff and not long winded talking that goes around and around. They want you to think positive or even suggest that ‘you are too sensitive’. This is all.. la la la..not scientific as Vernon Coleman states: If Medicine was a Science….
Don't get me wrong.. I love all this shit..
I ended my last therapy in 2023. I plan not to do therapy again, ever.. 45+ years is enough and I would prefer a coach, a grandfather with a good head on his shoulders or even search the internet.
The one thing I've learned, since it all ended, was to think about what is Professionalism and what is Friendship.. I had them mixed somehow.. I learned, off my own back, that previously I was going to friends - many are psychotherapists - and telling them about my problems - I figured out that I actually did this because the 'psycho-therapists' I had been seeing were not assisting me or giving me what I needed/wanted.. the guy that talked about Money did!!
I say all this because if you are in therapy or thinking about it.. do not put up with any of this shit..
If you want deep analysis - then do it;
if you want some relationship advice, state this and stick to it.. the goal is to get relationship advice – not to wander all over your landscape.
Unless, you do want to wander all over your landscape, but, make a new contract with yourself and with the therapist.
I read an article from, 2012, Jonathan Alpert – a psychotherapist and he said something like , "most people have daily problems that they cannot sort out and just need some coaching or pushing and not hours of 'how do you feel'. He suggests, "if they knew how they felt, they wouldn't be sitting in my office!" This helped me to realise that the 'psychiatrist' I was seeing - five years’ worth - was the wrong person for me... but it took a lot to extract him out of my life or should I say, 'for me to extract me out of his life'... I actually think he was shocked in the end when I turned up and said, 'today is my last day'.. we had spoken about me leaving but not when..
Again, there are many 'medical' people out there who are not professional -whatever that means for you; there are other people - a mechanic I can think of - who does not act professionally while charging for their services or wasting a family members time!
In the end.. unless you have something physically or mentally wrong; you might only need the ear of someone to listen and advise you... An example might be: "your loved ones are acting like arseholes'" This might be good to hear from a stranger... not hours upon hours of therapy! But are you prepared to pay for hours upon hours of a Professionals time just so you can Vent; get it off your chest and not really solve anything?? This may seem like a kind way to go but in the end you will need to act. This is my experience. I still have a difficulty acting, despite five years of venting (I mention about acting down the page).
But I do know some therapists that are good.. friends of course.. but scientific.. mmmmmmmm my doctor is hardly scientific... "you have a cold? try all of this.." Ten items on a prescription is not scientific to me!! Not anymore......
Edit: I fixed up some typos, changed a couple of words.
This morning I woke up and thought – I’m not against science, I am not against just chatting and trying to sort out problems but in the end ‘one needs to act’. Whether we accept it or not, we act when we go to the toilet, get out of bed in the morning, go for walk.
Some of my earlier ‘depression’ problems would have, maybe, been sorted very quickly if I had, had a Therapist/person who regularly pushed me with the goal of me being self-reliant and an example could have been, “how is the daily 20-minute walking going?” or, “have you thought about doing a cooking course?” or, “how is it with you and money?”
BUT with a regular follow-up and open discussion… not this mythical ‘we talk about it today and all is fixed and never talk about it again bullshit’.
I wanted also to say something about the so called ‘non-scientific’ medicines like Homeopathy. I have used this and had good results. Be aware of people against things. What works for you may not work for me… our society wants everything to be the same, it is cost effective. But, if you are suffering.. well I can only say.. in hindsight and as a suggestion.. get a second opinion… Effectively I have no answers but I realise now at nearly 70 years of that I kept pushing some things that I should have let go.
Basically my message is: be open but not stupid.. you must decide.. you need to learn to take care of yourself and try to learn to stay clear of the rocks in the river or the pot-holes in the road.. At the end of the day, no amount of anything will stop you hitting the rocks in the river if you don’t actively work on changing your behaviour without destroying yourself…
This posting has kept me interested and disturbed. It is my disturbance but it worries me in this world now that people are not getting good treatments based on Science.
I have never had a Therapist for psychological problems give me a sheet of paper after our first meeting that outlines what we spoke about, what the next move might be and subsequent ideas for treatment. This isn’t a new hair style we are speaking about, this is your psyche, your well-being, your ability to get on in the world without being crushed.
I’m not dismissing it all but if you have Relationship problems or (out of the blue to mention this) problems with Sex, don’t you think that it should be openly discussed and with purpose?
There is room to discuss dreams or your associations BUT within the framework of the ‘piece of paper’ that is handed to you after your first meeting the new Psychotherapist.
In my own thinking I can imagine that in the framework or office of a therapist that such discussion and actions might train you to become a better manager of your own life and how you operate in your Professional life or everyday life!!
I could imagine, as hard as it would have been for me in my twenties, that if a therapist brought out the Piece of Paper and asked, “how do you think we are going with these subjects, goals, ideas?”
If that was happening I might have, there is no perfection here, had the courage to be more direct with my bosses or family or friends or business dealings. An example could have been negotiating a pay rise or going back to a shop with a faulty product… instead of just going along with the normal passivity that I developed within myself and then later exploding and being told, ‘you are so aggressive’.
Sure, there are courses but in therapy we are paying someone for ‘self-development’ aren’t we?
I am very stirred up by this posting and I think it is because I have paid a lot of money for ‘treatment’ that didn’t benefit me but I seduced myself into believing that it was good for me.
I actually recorded some of my sessions with the last therapist. I cannot advise you to do this because it is considered illegal in many parts of society, but, I wanted to remember ‘what did happen today in that session’? I learned that I waffled on about shit. I heard this professional trained person saying things that I found just not correct or made me feel totally unheard. I never told him that I had recorded some sessions and I have kept this basically, to myself in fear of being taken to caught or some such thing.
But I did learn that I was wasting time in my sessions. I was avoiding discussing the deeper sufferings in my life. It helped me to realise, “I’m paying money for this and I’m throwing it away by not getting to the difficult parts of my life.”
However, do you have the courage to tell your therapist, “I wish to record our sessions”? What if they say no? I didn’t have the courage to even suggest it.
I found it interesting, in this context, to think about: why is it that when I rent an apartment, buy a car, get a loan from the bank; that I’m agreeing to all sorts of conditions and yet when it came to me and my Self-Development I was not even prepared to ask the Professionally trained Psychotherapist in front of me, “I want to record my sessions”, in fear of being dismissed…
I used my SmartPhone.
But all of this is up to you and I’m responding to the non-scientific that Vernon talks about.
Reminds me of my father. Out of the 6 kids they had there were 4 girls. My father said he didn’t care who or what we brought home as long as it wasn’t a psychologist! 🤣🤣🤣. His history; he grew up in an orphanage, joined the military and then spent 13 months in German POW camp. He despised them.
This is not a profession, but a witch hunt for the most addictive substances possible. First, ADD was decided on by a show of hands, not clinical information, and then it was decided to treat it with the most addicting stimulant known, methylphenidate. And all that harmless Valium handed out freely to the bored housewife, no addiction there. Then add it all the Vit. A prescriptions, Ambien, or its pre runner, Dalmane, or its other versions, temazepam, and you've got to give them something, to get them going in the morning.
I could go on for hours, but you get it, uppers, downers, and something like benzos to take the edge off in between. Add in the narcotics, and you've made your patient completely numb.
Congrats, you've graduated to Big Pharma.
All physicians should be mandated to read Dr. Breggins books on the subject! Oops no need for psychiatrists and brain numbing drugs! No more school shootings. Brain’s nutritionally deficient and being in a dysfunctional home are the root causes.A few are wired wrong due to poor prenatal care! My view!
SSRIs given to school age children cause 99% of the school shootings. No one will ever convince me of any difference. AR-15, 1959 introduction.
Agree! Big Pharma keeps the truth suppressed to keep pushing the mind altering drugs for profit! Ritalin marketing in the 90’s was so successful that by December it was difficult to keep it in stock due to DEA regulations!
That’s not especially scientific. You don’t decide before you experiment. You don’t declare that “nothing will ever change my mind about this.”
That’s a very belief-oriented approach.
In the Soviet Union a person would be declared insane and locked up in a mental hospital for not believing in Communism's goodness. Expect that here if things go bad enough.
It is already happening!
I am from Slovenia, I hope you will understand what I am writing, because English is not my language. I have been following Dr. Coleman for a long time and I always look forward to his articles or videos. I worked in a school for many years and had the opportunity to see how extremely intelligent children are Ritalin was given to children who were bored and "restless" during class. What I remember most was the boy and his change in behavior after the first Ritalin pill. I was literally speechless when I saw this wonderful, funny boy who all of a sudden he sat in a chair, listened calmly and after three hours complained to me that he didn't feel well, that he had a headache, etc. Thank God he had parents who immediately noticed the changes, came to school (after a month of "Ritalin life ") and demanded that they immediately stop giving him Ritalin. The only one who stood by them (and their child) was me, all the other teachers, psychologists, etc. were so angry that they were slandered that they were bad parents , that they are selfish because other children cannot follow the lessons because of their son (although I always took him out of class when he started to get bored and took him for a walk), in short, this boy and their wonderful parents (in the end we are just because of this experience they became good friends) they were ridiculed for eight years, they were labeled as parents who are not suitable for raising a child, they called the center for social work, where they had to put up with bureaucratic employees and almost had the child taken from them. Today he is a wonderful man, he thinks with his head, he is successful and still immensely funny and intelligent. I could write about other cases, but I don't want to be too long. Thank you Dr. Coleman and greetings from Slovenia (I know quite a few here too people who follow you, your book The Myth of Dementia was recently published in Slovenian 👌)
Thank you so much for your interesting and vital comments. People like yourself have to come together and then we can make a difference. That is why the divides us every way they can, they are scared of you, your intelligent observations make them 'honest,' and they are led by the father of lies so they only have truth diluted down to be buried amongst the lies.
Psychiatrists have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. Why would you go to such people for advice on how not to commit suicide? That makes no sense.
Their whole paradigm is wrong, so their advice is wrong. They think that we are nothing more than meat machines that have become defective, and they can twiddle some knobs in our brains to make us feel better. Even if we were just meat machines, which we are not, their tools are hopelessly primitive. They are like watchmakers trying to repair a watch with a stick. But we are so much more than meat machines. We are spiritual beings.
Our spiritual health along with our biological health need to be addressed. Toxic medicines will not make us well.
Or politicians. WHAT COULD GO WRONG? San Francisco Using Tax Dollars to Buy Vodka and Beer for Homeless Alcoholics
How bad does life in San Francisco have to get for voters there to reject progressive policies?
https://www.micdroppolitics.com/articles/what-could-go-wrong-san-francisco-using-tax/
He was sent to the hospital for a mental evaluation and released on NO BAIL. 16 so no other info was released. Only that he was a he.
Parishioners stopped teen with a rifle from entering church with 60 children inside
Children were inside St. Mary Magdalen in Abbeville, Louisiana, waiting to take their first Holy Communion, the church said.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/parishioners-louisiana-stopped-teen-rifle-church-childrens-mass-rcna151925
Why should you never trust a psychiatrist?
Because they're crazy?
If I remember correctly, it was the psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk in his book about Trauma "The Body Keeps the Score", said that the 'Diagnostic and Statistical Manual' of Mental Disorders was designed for Insurance Companies. He said that he was one of the psychiatrists that helped to design it. The manual was never designed to diagnose people. It was so the Insurance people could categorise people for payments. However, it turned into a monster and a weapon against some people.
I can only suggest that people read his book as my Trauma was never dealt with effectively in Therapy. I have used the services of 4 psychiatrists in my 45+ years of 'psycho-therapy'. The others were variations of Psychologists and Therapists of some sort dealing with the mind and body.
My last lot of therapy was with a psychiatrist and at first I was making progress, but I am a difficult person and very soon it turned bad. There is a lot to share and I can say that I've had and am having a good life and want for nothing but my depression was never dealt with. Therefore, I can only say that things are not always dealt with scientifically but then again [I obviously have Stockholm syndrome :) ] I learned to speak up in the end and that was great.. however, the last person, a male, didn't appreciate me when we had a big argument one day.. and I was told 'don't talk to me like I'm a dog'. I half apologised to keep the peace, but inwardly I thought, "you have badges on yourself mate, I never talk to dogs badly!”
Some of the best advice I got from psycho-therapists was when they told me quite plainly ‘a truth’.
One was a male who asked me about my money situation. In 20 years of group therapy, therapy, therapy courses - no-one asked me such a thing.. a few months later, I started paying off my debts and saving money.
But these people want to talk (or perhaps not talk), about dreams, deep stuff and not long winded talking that goes around and around. They want you to think positive or even suggest that ‘you are too sensitive’. This is all.. la la la..not scientific as Vernon Coleman states: If Medicine was a Science….
Don't get me wrong.. I love all this shit..
I ended my last therapy in 2023. I plan not to do therapy again, ever.. 45+ years is enough and I would prefer a coach, a grandfather with a good head on his shoulders or even search the internet.
The one thing I've learned, since it all ended, was to think about what is Professionalism and what is Friendship.. I had them mixed somehow.. I learned, off my own back, that previously I was going to friends - many are psychotherapists - and telling them about my problems - I figured out that I actually did this because the 'psycho-therapists' I had been seeing were not assisting me or giving me what I needed/wanted.. the guy that talked about Money did!!
I say all this because if you are in therapy or thinking about it.. do not put up with any of this shit..
If you want deep analysis - then do it;
if you want some relationship advice, state this and stick to it.. the goal is to get relationship advice – not to wander all over your landscape.
Unless, you do want to wander all over your landscape, but, make a new contract with yourself and with the therapist.
I read an article from, 2012, Jonathan Alpert – a psychotherapist and he said something like , "most people have daily problems that they cannot sort out and just need some coaching or pushing and not hours of 'how do you feel'. He suggests, "if they knew how they felt, they wouldn't be sitting in my office!" This helped me to realise that the 'psychiatrist' I was seeing - five years’ worth - was the wrong person for me... but it took a lot to extract him out of my life or should I say, 'for me to extract me out of his life'... I actually think he was shocked in the end when I turned up and said, 'today is my last day'.. we had spoken about me leaving but not when..
Again, there are many 'medical' people out there who are not professional -whatever that means for you; there are other people - a mechanic I can think of - who does not act professionally while charging for their services or wasting a family members time!
In the end.. unless you have something physically or mentally wrong; you might only need the ear of someone to listen and advise you... An example might be: "your loved ones are acting like arseholes'" This might be good to hear from a stranger... not hours upon hours of therapy! But are you prepared to pay for hours upon hours of a Professionals time just so you can Vent; get it off your chest and not really solve anything?? This may seem like a kind way to go but in the end you will need to act. This is my experience. I still have a difficulty acting, despite five years of venting (I mention about acting down the page).
But I do know some therapists that are good.. friends of course.. but scientific.. mmmmmmmm my doctor is hardly scientific... "you have a cold? try all of this.." Ten items on a prescription is not scientific to me!! Not anymore......
https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/in-therapy-forever-enough-already.html
Edit: I fixed up some typos, changed a couple of words.
This morning I woke up and thought – I’m not against science, I am not against just chatting and trying to sort out problems but in the end ‘one needs to act’. Whether we accept it or not, we act when we go to the toilet, get out of bed in the morning, go for walk.
Some of my earlier ‘depression’ problems would have, maybe, been sorted very quickly if I had, had a Therapist/person who regularly pushed me with the goal of me being self-reliant and an example could have been, “how is the daily 20-minute walking going?” or, “have you thought about doing a cooking course?” or, “how is it with you and money?”
BUT with a regular follow-up and open discussion… not this mythical ‘we talk about it today and all is fixed and never talk about it again bullshit’.
I wanted also to say something about the so called ‘non-scientific’ medicines like Homeopathy. I have used this and had good results. Be aware of people against things. What works for you may not work for me… our society wants everything to be the same, it is cost effective. But, if you are suffering.. well I can only say.. in hindsight and as a suggestion.. get a second opinion… Effectively I have no answers but I realise now at nearly 70 years of that I kept pushing some things that I should have let go.
Basically my message is: be open but not stupid.. you must decide.. you need to learn to take care of yourself and try to learn to stay clear of the rocks in the river or the pot-holes in the road.. At the end of the day, no amount of anything will stop you hitting the rocks in the river if you don’t actively work on changing your behaviour without destroying yourself…
I hope this makes sense!!
Additions: 1 August 2024.
This posting has kept me interested and disturbed. It is my disturbance but it worries me in this world now that people are not getting good treatments based on Science.
I have never had a Therapist for psychological problems give me a sheet of paper after our first meeting that outlines what we spoke about, what the next move might be and subsequent ideas for treatment. This isn’t a new hair style we are speaking about, this is your psyche, your well-being, your ability to get on in the world without being crushed.
I’m not dismissing it all but if you have Relationship problems or (out of the blue to mention this) problems with Sex, don’t you think that it should be openly discussed and with purpose?
There is room to discuss dreams or your associations BUT within the framework of the ‘piece of paper’ that is handed to you after your first meeting the new Psychotherapist.
In my own thinking I can imagine that in the framework or office of a therapist that such discussion and actions might train you to become a better manager of your own life and how you operate in your Professional life or everyday life!!
I could imagine, as hard as it would have been for me in my twenties, that if a therapist brought out the Piece of Paper and asked, “how do you think we are going with these subjects, goals, ideas?”
If that was happening I might have, there is no perfection here, had the courage to be more direct with my bosses or family or friends or business dealings. An example could have been negotiating a pay rise or going back to a shop with a faulty product… instead of just going along with the normal passivity that I developed within myself and then later exploding and being told, ‘you are so aggressive’.
Sure, there are courses but in therapy we are paying someone for ‘self-development’ aren’t we?
I am very stirred up by this posting and I think it is because I have paid a lot of money for ‘treatment’ that didn’t benefit me but I seduced myself into believing that it was good for me.
I actually recorded some of my sessions with the last therapist. I cannot advise you to do this because it is considered illegal in many parts of society, but, I wanted to remember ‘what did happen today in that session’? I learned that I waffled on about shit. I heard this professional trained person saying things that I found just not correct or made me feel totally unheard. I never told him that I had recorded some sessions and I have kept this basically, to myself in fear of being taken to caught or some such thing.
But I did learn that I was wasting time in my sessions. I was avoiding discussing the deeper sufferings in my life. It helped me to realise, “I’m paying money for this and I’m throwing it away by not getting to the difficult parts of my life.”
However, do you have the courage to tell your therapist, “I wish to record our sessions”? What if they say no? I didn’t have the courage to even suggest it.
I found it interesting, in this context, to think about: why is it that when I rent an apartment, buy a car, get a loan from the bank; that I’m agreeing to all sorts of conditions and yet when it came to me and my Self-Development I was not even prepared to ask the Professionally trained Psychotherapist in front of me, “I want to record my sessions”, in fear of being dismissed…
I used my SmartPhone.
But all of this is up to you and I’m responding to the non-scientific that Vernon talks about.
Again, I hope this makes sense.
Reminds me of my father. Out of the 6 kids they had there were 4 girls. My father said he didn’t care who or what we brought home as long as it wasn’t a psychologist! 🤣🤣🤣. His history; he grew up in an orphanage, joined the military and then spent 13 months in German POW camp. He despised them.
Have a son with schizophrenia. He has a wonderful Dr. that listens to us! We'd be lost without him.
Alice Miller Psychoanalyst who past away was the best. There are others that are modern too.