stories we tell ourselves

[Blueruth]

for the philosophy minded… really interesting interview with a journalist who writes about mental health . A lot of lessons for anyone really. These are stories about different people with mental illness. Isn’t against med treatment but does bring up interesting questions about our own experiences are determined by other people’s experiences.

Ezra also manages anxiety so there are other episodes in the show notes.

If you get a paywall search Ezra Klein show on whatever podcast service you use.

nytimes.com/2022/10/04/opin...

[Mrspjsmom]

Thanks. I will check it out.

[Isinatra]

Thanks, Blueruth! 👍🏼

[Isinatra in reply to Isinatra]

I had to go to YouTube. I don’t think it was the podcast you were referring to, but the one I listened to by Mr. Klein was awesome.

[Roxylox]

I was able to access it on Spotify. Requires a lot of time, but found the story about the mother who became overly religious fascinating. I must listen to more another time, busy day today.

[Blueruth in reply to Roxylox]

me too! His podcasts are always long but I almost always get a lot from them.

[Blueruth in reply to Roxylox]

I’m listening to the book and am on a section that is so interesting. There are studies that show people who get a mental illness label are less likely to heal. Their outlook is a feeling that they have no control and it is lifetime. Even terminal ill cancer patients have a level of control over the way they live. Meds can be helpful but her premise is that it isn’t taking them or avoiding them that is the answer. It might be therapy only. My opinion is that it is rarely meds alone that really heal. They certainly may help but they are not even intended to be a cure

[Roxylox in reply to Blueruth]

I think going on sites such as this one help us. It normalises our experiences and we form a camaraderie. Therapy can be good if you get the right therapist. I fagree meds alone are not enough.

[Blueruth in reply to Roxylox]

it depends on the people you connect with. I was in a group for bipolar and people just fed each other’s misery. I watched member after member apply for disability or ask their doctors for more meds without considering the logic. She talks about that too. There is a case study of children mimicking there friends symptoms until they had absorbed them. You should listen to the whole story because I’m leaving out details. Point is a group can lift you up or bring you down but there is a little bit of luck there.

In the history of psychiatry they did rely on analysis then added in drugs to help. But at one point (according to the author and another book called madness in America) the idea that they could treat multiple patients in an hour with a pill became very appealing. This fact is disturbing don’t you think? If it was so effective why are there now 100s of variations? Then Prozac happened and the appeal got a bigger audience. In my mind therapy should just go hand in hand at least at the beginning of treatment.

[Roxylox in reply to Blueruth]

My psychiatrist never mentioned therapy to me. The only one to mention it was a practice nurse. You are right about a group all depending on the people you connect with. I first started here on Positive Wellbeing during lockdown. It was heartening.