thought for the day

 

While researching some details for my latest novel, I ran across something published in 1976 that reminded me of the bad old days. Less than thirty years ago it was commonly believed that schizophrenia was caused by circumstances- mostly by overbearing mothers or effeminate fathers. Much of the terminology is defunct now, but Freud is still considered so,so smart. The book that I'm reading is sad because the husband of the mentally ill woman blames himself for her bizarre behavior. We now know that chemicals in the brain cause this, and many other psychotic breaks.

Which got me thinking about the days when everyone believed that asthma was caused by nurture- bad parenting in particular. No one today would try to cure that by talking to a shrink about it.

But guess what. Even though psychotic illnesses require medicine, talking to a psychiatrist is still considered part of the treatment. This confuses me. If I had a broken arm, I'd want a cast and some pain killers. I would not want to pay some goof to listen to me complain about it. That's what I have friends for.

Nancy Sherer

 

 


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