According to the demographics in research, anyone can develop a mental illness. Although some disorders are mild, others are serious and long-lasting. Fortunately, many of these conditions can be helped with a variety of interventions. The primary treatment methods for psychiatric disorders are psychotherapy, psychotherapeutic medications, and other complementary and alternative therapies.
One of the biggest challenges that someone can face is whether to take medications. There are four large categories of psychotherapeutic medications based on the symptoms for which they are primarily used: antipsychotic, antimanic, antidepressant, and antianxiety medications. In addition, stimulants are used for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Compared to other types of treatment, psychotherapeutic medications are relative newcomers in the fight against mental illness. This is even true as compared to complementary and alternative treatments as many of them have been around for thousands of years. The first psychotherapeutic medication, chlorpromazine, was introduced 41 years ago. These medications have made substantial changes in the treatment of mental disorders. People who previously would have spent years in mental hospitals may now only go in for brief treatment, or might receive treatment at an outpatient clinic.
In some instances, psychotherapeutic medications can make other kinds of treatment more effective. For example, someone who is too psychotic to talk, for instance, cannot get any benefit from psychotherapy. In these types of situations, the appropriate medication may improve symptoms enough so that the person can participate in therapy.
Symptom Relief, Not A Cure
One of the problems with psychotherapeutic medications is that they tend to mask the problem by only reducing the symptoms. In othert words, they don't actually get rid of the problem. These is even true of other the counter medications. For example, aspirin can reduce a fever without clearing up an infection that is causing it. Similarly, psychotherapeutic medications act by controlling symptoms. Like most drugs used in medicine, they correct or compensate for a biological malfunction and do not actually cure the illness.
Although psychotherapeutic medications do not cure mental illness, but can lessen discomfort and behaviors. In many cases, these medications can help a person get on with life despite side effects, continuing mental pain, and difficulty coping. For example, antipsychotic drugs like chlorpromazine can eliminate auditory hallucinations experiences in schizophrenia.
The length of time someone must take a psychotherapeutic medication depends on the disorder. Many people schizophrenia may have to be take indefinitely. Other people with less severe problems, such as mild anxiety, may need medication for a single period perhaps for several months and then never have to take it again.
Problems with Reliability and Effectiveness
Like many substances, psychotherapeutic medications do not produce the same effect in everyone. Some people may respond better to one medication than another while others may need larger dosages than others. One person might experience annoying even life-threatening side effects while another does not. Everything affects a person's reaction to a particular drug, including age, sex, body size, genetics, and diet.
Recently, the effectiveness of the most popular group pf psychotherapeutic medications has come into serious question. A large number of studies have shown that antidepressant medications do not work any better than sugar pills for depression, even the severest forms. This is not to say that antidepressants don't work; the studies showed that while antidepressants do work to reduce the symptoms of depression, sugar pills work just as well, and without the side effects.
Questions for Your Psychiatrist
If you're experiencing mental illness and thinking about taking medication, it's important to see a psychiatrist as opposed to a general doctor. This is because a psychiatrist receives exponentially more education and experience with psychotherapeutic medication than does a general physician. To increase the likelihood that a medication will work well, a patient needs to actively participate with the psychiatrist, such as explaining past medical history, and other substances being taken, including medications, supplements, and herbal preparations.
According to the he U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a patient should ask a doctor the following questions before taking any medication:
* What is the name of the medication, and what is it supposed to do?
* How and when do I take it, and when do I stop taking it?
* What foods, drinks, other medications, or activities should I avoid while taking the prescribed medication?
* What are the side effects, and what should I do if they occur?
* Is there any written information available about the medication?
Although many treatment evaluation studies have examined the efficacy of the psychotherapeutic medications, much remains to be learned about these medications. The National Institute of Mental Health, other Federal agencies, and private research groups are sponsoring studies of these medications on an ongoing basis. Scientists hope to improve their understanding of how and why these medications work, how to control or eliminate unwanted and dangerous side effects, and how to make the medications more effective. Meanwhile, complementary and alternative medicine has become the first choice of many people suffering from mental illness who do not want to experience the side effects of psychotherapeutic medication.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Transpersonal Psychology and Fasting
Just as with other time-honored spiritual practices, fasting addresses many of the principal concerns of transpersonal psychology. The primary way it accomplishes this is by initiating transformative change through peak experiences.
As a spiritual practice, fasting provides the opportunity for releasing earthly ties, joining with the sacred, and creating feelings of deep connectedness. In a lecture titled Exceptional Human Experiences (EHEs): Their Relevance to Transpersonal Psychology, William Braud said:
The experiences serve as reminders of Something More, of our
interconnectedness with others and with all nature, and
sometimes they serve as confirmations or affirmations of
decisions made and paths taken.
One of the chief aims of transpersonal psychology is to examine the characteristics of this type of exceptional human experience. Rosemarie Anderson explained the scope of this inquiry as follows:
Whenever possible, transpersonal psychology seeks to delve deeply
into the most profound aspects of human experience, such as
mystical and unitive experiences, personal transformation,
meditative awareness, experiences of wonder and ecstasy, and
alternative and expansive states of consciousness.
As a spiritual custom, fasting addresses all of these occurrences, many of which have been classified under the umbrella of exceptional human experiences (EHEs). Fasting is often done in religio-spiritual practice as a means to gain access to other rituals or experiences, many of which involve multiple EHEs. In 1994, Rhea White created a system of classifying EHEs, the majority of which have been found to occur during periods of fasting.
Within White’s classifications are five specific categories of EHEs; mystical, psychic, encounter-type, death related, and exceptional normal.
Under the first category, “mystical experiences,” the majority of EHEs listed have been associated with fasting, including conversion, peak experiences, numinous dreams, revelations, species consciousness, stigmata, transcendental odors, transformational experiences, and wilderness experiences.
Under the category of “psychic experiences” the most common experiences related to fasting are intuition, out-of-body experience, precognition, sense of presence, shared EHEs, synchronicity, unorthodox healing, and xenoglossy (speaking in tongues).
The next category, “encounter-type experiences,” accounts for many of the experiences of the fasting Catholic saints and Native Americans. These EHEs include apparitions and encounters with angels, divine figures, and other species.
All of the occurrences under White’s category of “death-related experiences” can potentially be attributed to fasting experiences due to the fact that in some religions (most notably Jainism) adherents intentionally fast to death. These types of death-related experiences include events such as life review, past-life recall, and near-death and deathbed experiences. The last of White’s categories of EHEs are termed “exceptional normal experiences,” most of which can be readily experienced while fasting. These EHEs include aesthetic experiences, “aha” experiences, déjà vu, dreams, empathy, exceptional human performances, experience of the new, hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences, inner movement, inspiration, lucid dreaming, nostalgia, microscopic vision, and performing/witnessing noble acts.
Many of the EHEs described by White have been reported in association with fasting. The following represents some of these examples.
Individuals often experience a number of EHEs simultaneously during an ongoing experience. When Stephen Larsen discussed the healing power of fasting dreams, he indicated how the ancient Greeks would fast for three days before being healed in a dream by an apparition of God (Larsen, 2001). This set of EHEs represent—at minimum—numinous dreams and divine encounters. Visions and communication with divinity have long been a goal of fasting participants.
Donald Rothberg discussed the occurrence of visions, revelations, and divine encounters while fasting, explaining how ascetic practices bring about these experiences:
A number of different practices may induce the desired vision or
dream . . . Other means used include fasting and other ascetic
practices, community rituals, and the use of psychedelics.
Typically, these practices make possible a dream or vision in
which there are revelations from spirits, either from one’s own
guardian spirit or from other spirits.
Throughout history, visionaries have fasted in order to obtain mystical revelations.
As a spiritual practice, fasting provides the opportunity for releasing earthly ties, joining with the sacred, and creating feelings of deep connectedness. In a lecture titled Exceptional Human Experiences (EHEs): Their Relevance to Transpersonal Psychology, William Braud said:
The experiences serve as reminders of Something More, of our
interconnectedness with others and with all nature, and
sometimes they serve as confirmations or affirmations of
decisions made and paths taken.
One of the chief aims of transpersonal psychology is to examine the characteristics of this type of exceptional human experience. Rosemarie Anderson explained the scope of this inquiry as follows:
Whenever possible, transpersonal psychology seeks to delve deeply
into the most profound aspects of human experience, such as
mystical and unitive experiences, personal transformation,
meditative awareness, experiences of wonder and ecstasy, and
alternative and expansive states of consciousness.
As a spiritual custom, fasting addresses all of these occurrences, many of which have been classified under the umbrella of exceptional human experiences (EHEs). Fasting is often done in religio-spiritual practice as a means to gain access to other rituals or experiences, many of which involve multiple EHEs. In 1994, Rhea White created a system of classifying EHEs, the majority of which have been found to occur during periods of fasting.
Within White’s classifications are five specific categories of EHEs; mystical, psychic, encounter-type, death related, and exceptional normal.
Under the first category, “mystical experiences,” the majority of EHEs listed have been associated with fasting, including conversion, peak experiences, numinous dreams, revelations, species consciousness, stigmata, transcendental odors, transformational experiences, and wilderness experiences.
Under the category of “psychic experiences” the most common experiences related to fasting are intuition, out-of-body experience, precognition, sense of presence, shared EHEs, synchronicity, unorthodox healing, and xenoglossy (speaking in tongues).
The next category, “encounter-type experiences,” accounts for many of the experiences of the fasting Catholic saints and Native Americans. These EHEs include apparitions and encounters with angels, divine figures, and other species.
All of the occurrences under White’s category of “death-related experiences” can potentially be attributed to fasting experiences due to the fact that in some religions (most notably Jainism) adherents intentionally fast to death. These types of death-related experiences include events such as life review, past-life recall, and near-death and deathbed experiences. The last of White’s categories of EHEs are termed “exceptional normal experiences,” most of which can be readily experienced while fasting. These EHEs include aesthetic experiences, “aha” experiences, déjà vu, dreams, empathy, exceptional human performances, experience of the new, hypnagogic/hypnopompic experiences, inner movement, inspiration, lucid dreaming, nostalgia, microscopic vision, and performing/witnessing noble acts.
Many of the EHEs described by White have been reported in association with fasting. The following represents some of these examples.
Individuals often experience a number of EHEs simultaneously during an ongoing experience. When Stephen Larsen discussed the healing power of fasting dreams, he indicated how the ancient Greeks would fast for three days before being healed in a dream by an apparition of God (Larsen, 2001). This set of EHEs represent—at minimum—numinous dreams and divine encounters. Visions and communication with divinity have long been a goal of fasting participants.
Donald Rothberg discussed the occurrence of visions, revelations, and divine encounters while fasting, explaining how ascetic practices bring about these experiences:
A number of different practices may induce the desired vision or
dream . . . Other means used include fasting and other ascetic
practices, community rituals, and the use of psychedelics.
Typically, these practices make possible a dream or vision in
which there are revelations from spirits, either from one’s own
guardian spirit or from other spirits.
Throughout history, visionaries have fasted in order to obtain mystical revelations.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Doctoral Dissertation Research on Depression
Doctoral Dissertation Research
3 lucky participants will win a new iPod shuffle*
Now inviting participation from individuals who are:
- between 18 and 75 years old
- willing to do online testing twice; once and again in 14 days
That’s all there is to it. Doing the online testing will take about 15 minutes each time.
If you qualify and would like to participate,
go online to http://www.TranspersonalResearch.net
This is my research as a Ph.D. Candidate at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. I am conducting my doctoral dissertation research on depression (you do not need to be depressed to be a participant).
For more information, please contact me, Randi Fredricks, Lead Researcher
research@transpersonalresearch.net (800) 957-5655 or (408) 315-0645
* NOTE: Full Participation automatically enrolls you in a drawing for a new iPod shuffle (there will be three lucky winners)!
3 lucky participants will win a new iPod shuffle*
Now inviting participation from individuals who are:
- between 18 and 75 years old
- willing to do online testing twice; once and again in 14 days
That’s all there is to it. Doing the online testing will take about 15 minutes each time.
If you qualify and would like to participate,
go online to http://www.TranspersonalResearch.net
This is my research as a Ph.D. Candidate at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology in Palo Alto, CA. I am conducting my doctoral dissertation research on depression (you do not need to be depressed to be a participant).
For more information, please contact me, Randi Fredricks, Lead Researcher
research@transpersonalresearch.net (800) 957-5655 or (408) 315-0645
* NOTE: Full Participation automatically enrolls you in a drawing for a new iPod shuffle (there will be three lucky winners)!
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