[Marxism] RE: Psychiatry: Proyect's nurse friend..

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Proyect's nurse buddy wrote:

> <<Where I work diagnosis is not given out lightly. Treatment teams meet
> and go over the symptoms, history, contact family and friends, private
> MD, (with the patient's permission), observe behavior and patients
> participate in an initial treatment plan with the symptoms that will be
> targeted during their time in the hospital. No one is discharged without
> followup care including housing, if needed, and day treatment if needed.
> Insurance issues are dealt with. Emergency Medicaid is obtained if
> needed etc. We try our best.>>
[...]
<<<<<All drugs have
potential side effects. It's a matter of risk vs. reward.>>>

 It is generally the pattern that greater effort goes into determining
diagnoses in a hospital (perhaps, because of the 'resources'
available). This is rarely, however,  the case in a clinical setting,
where the slightest indications of symptoms of a 'mental illness'
can be seen as worthy of diagnosis and medication (and especially
when the patient had been previously labeled with a mental illness).
This explains why there has been such a climb within the last
decade (something like 300 percent) in the number of kids being
presribed ritalin (a cocaine-like substance) as well as potentially
dangerous anti depressants.

It is also the rosy  side/role of hospitals that Proyect's pal paints.
The darker side is that ALL patients lose their fundamental right as
citizens to refuse therapy. This
puts the patients in a catch 22, as not accepting treatment (which
with few exceptions means drug therapy) is considered an
indication of your illness, and may lead to indefinite
institutionalizatioin and 'therapy', whereas by 'cooperating' (read:
conforming), your 'symptoms' may worsen, yet this too will likely
be considered a sign of your 'illness'.

Usually, someone who is not "responding"  to medications will be
kept in hosptal indefinitely. The presumption is always that some
medication
will eventually be found to manage the symptoms -- and
irrespective of the long term side effects. Cognitive therapy is rarely
ever considered a option.

The notion of " risk vs. reward" is also horseshit, as the risk is
ALWAYS thrown on the patient: either you respond to therapy, or
don't leave the hosptital, irrespective of the consequences for your
health. The so-called "rewards" is that you fulfill the expectations of
the doctors and nurses: i.e., behave according to social
prescriptions. It becomes a game of "passing", whereby a patient
tries at all costs to hide his/her symptoms from public view.

This approach has nothing to helping people empower themselves,
it is about scaring people into conformity and in the process
keeping them docile and dependent.

DOQ




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