Is Mental Illness a Myth?

Have I piqued your interest or accidentally insulted you? I did not make this question up. Thinkers and physicians for many years have wondered the same thing. Mental illness is confusing. It is not diagnosed as is physical illness via tests for microbes, probing for damaged or diseased tissue, nor compiling a list of objectively measurable symptoms. Mental illness is diagnosed via a system of symptom clusters published in one or another manual, the contents of which are agreed upon by scholars in the field. The problems arise when the contents of those manuals change over time, because mental issues are not clear-cut diseases as are physical illnesses. Things are added and subtracted over time--but we could not imagine a time when influenza would stop being called a disease!

Science tries, year after year, to isolate specific markers for mental illness. Tests come and go, but the construct remains elusive. We can objectively test for the flu or cancer or diabetes or a broken leg, but we cannot test in a way that never changes, for depression, schizophrenia, or anxiety. This does not mean that you are not suffering with your problem. It only means in this context, that your problem is mislabeled by being lumped in with physical illness. This is important for many reasons. I hope you are still with me as I elucidate why I, and others like me, believe calling mental problems "diseases" hurts those who suffer with them.

Exciting news: New Article Published

I had the pleasure of working with Irving Kirsch, PhD on an article for the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis on a pet topic of mine-- why psychotherapy is superior to medication in the treatment of depression. Dr. Kirsch has been the author of many meta-analyses (taking the results of various research studies and combining them to increase the effect size and draw general conclusions)( The Emperor's New Drugs , Irving Kirsch: Deja Vu all Over Again , Listening to Prozac and Hearing Placebo).

The conclusion of these many studies continues to be that antidepressant medications involve a high risk of side effects with little potential for gain, while psychotherapy, including psychotherapy using clinical hypnosis, is safer and more effective. I enjoying being part of the following article and offer it for your edification:

Suggestion in the Treatment of Depression
Irving Kirsch, Carol B. Low
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis
Vol. 55, Iss. 3, 2013 221-229.

Abstract

Meta-analyses consistently reveal that most of the response to antidepressant treatment can be obtained by placebo, and the difference between response to the drug and the response to any treatment is not clinically significant for most individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Furthermore, the best predictor of antidepressant efficacy is the response to placebo during the so-called placebo run-in period. It can also be shown that a significant portion of the placebo effect is expectancy. These data thus indicate that suggestion is a central factor in treating depression. Therefore, the use of hypnosis, which is based on suggestion, as a treatment adjunct can be expected to enhance treatment outcome.

Happy New Year--we can help you enhance your mood: call 630-249-9183 or write Dr. Low today.