Psych question

[STG]

Many people view psychotherapy as a form of control. Should therapy be a form of social control where professionals help others to conform/cope with society, or a means to encourage individual expression even if not socially acceptable? We had a whole discussion about this in my abnormal psych class...lets hear some opinions

[cookderosa]

Many people view psychotherapy as a form of control. Should therapy be a form of social control where professionals help others to conform/cope with society, or a means to encourage individual expression even if not socially acceptable? We had a whole discussion about this in my abnormal psych class...lets hear some opinions

I would absolutely agree that psychotherapy is a form of social control, but likely not in the way you might expect. I think psychotherapists have manufactured a demand for their "expertise" and thus are desperate to continue forward and generate "research" in ways that insinuate credibility to their field. Psychology is the antithesis of science, and I could make an argument that it's like a religion in many ways, and people looooovvvveeee their magical thinking. When you mix in a little self-indulgence, you have a thriving industry.

But then again, I think clinical psychology should be eliminated and psychiatry be the only licensed mental health professionals ...and I think anthropology should be a co-requisite for anyone taking psychology so you can temper your observations with a basic understand of ethnocentricism and culture...but you didn't ask those questions lol.

[PonyGirl93]

I would absolutely agree that psychotherapy is a form of social control, but likely not in the way you might expect. I think psychotherapists have manufactured a demand for their "expertise" and thus are desperate to continue forward and generate "research" in ways that insinuate credibility to their field. Psychology is the antithesis of science, and I could make an argument that it's like a religion in many ways, and people looooovvvveeee their magical thinking. When you mix in a little self-indulgence, you have a thriving industry.

But then again, I think clinical psychology should be eliminated and psychiatry be the only licensed mental health professionals ...and I think anthropology should be a co-requisite for anyone taking psychology so you can temper your observations with a basic understand of ethnocentricism and culture...but you didn't ask those questions lol.

Wow, um, that's pretty extreme. The antithesis of science? Basic psychology principles are quite common sense; you tell a kid that they are crap for long enough, they will believe you. You smack them every time they smile and eventually they will stop smiling.

I agree that it is often implemented poorly, but you can't attack the science because it is not always used correctly.

Imagine if anyone who had a problem and felt like they needed professional help to work on it went to a psychiatrist. There wouldn't be a single non-medicated person left in the US!

[sanantone]

Psychiatrists often refer people to psychologists for counseling and therapy because most psychiatrists do not do psychotherapy, but know the value of it. From my experience with a family member, psychiatrists are just good for filling out prescriptions and don't get to the bottom of the issue. I wish my family member would have gotten real therapy on top of the medication and maybe things would be different today. I think people are over-medicated these days for certain mental health issues and psychiatrists are to blame. Sometimes, it just takes some psychotherapy to work through issues like mild depression. You don't always need to take a pill that often comes with serious side effects.

89% of Psychiatrists do not Provide Psychotherapy - Psych News

Psychiatry Doesn’t Do Psychotherapy Anymore | World of Psychology

[ryoder]

My only experience with psychology is having read a CLEP book on the subject but I think its a science in its infancy. I am a computer programmer and was a computer technician for many years and I can tell you that there is a way to determine the root cause of every problem.
The human brain and central nervous system is far too complex for psychologists to truly know the root cause of any problem. It doesn't mean they shouldn't try to make inferences by observation though.

One day we will totally understand the workings of the brain and at that point, psychology will be more of a pure science.

Take what I say with a grain of salt since I am just a computer programmer who read one psychology book

[cookderosa]

Wow, um, that's pretty extreme. The antithesis of science? Basic psychology principles are quite common sense; you tell a kid that they are crap for long enough, they will believe you. You smack them every time they smile and eventually they will stop smiling.

I agree that it is often implemented poorly, but you can't attack the science because it is not always used correctly.

Imagine if anyone who had a problem and felt like they needed professional help to work on it went to a psychiatrist. There wouldn't be a single non-medicated person left in the US!

yes, antithesis. Psychology attempts to measure things that can not be measured. You can earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology without ever taking science (for science majors) which, IMO, is a central theme and flaw of the field. Psychologists in many states are even lobbying for prescription writing privileges, odd since none have even taken chemistry let alone pharmacology, organic chem or biochem. Scary stuff.

Science is used correctly by scientists, it's the soft sciences that misunderstand-misrepresent-cloud the issues.

I also didn't say people should take medication, or that psychiatrists should do psychotherapy. You and Sanatone went there on your own.

Full disclosure, I was once enrolled in a master's program seeking a degree in psychology- I dropped out, and I'm not a fan. I'm sure your class loved this question, and everyone spent the time stroking egos about how valuable they're degree is going to be to society...but I wonder why you asked the question here?

[sanantone]

What do you expect psychiatrists to do if they aren't doing psychotherapy or prescribing drugs?

I think New Mexico and Louisiana have already moved in the direction of letting psychologists prescribe medication after consulting with a psychiatrist. This would end up being much cheaper for the patient. If this becomes a trend, I'm sure degree programs will adjust and add psychopharmacology courses. You would think after studying all of those years that psychiatrists would be better at prescribing medication. It's not an exact science and they have to adjust doses or even have the patient change medications several times. All doctors have to assume that the medication is safe; they don't really know if it's safe. I was prescribed Vioxx as a teenager and that drug turned out to be dangerous. Pharmacists don't even always know what they're doing. I have never found a pharmacist useful when asking for advice. I complained to my pharmacist once that I thought my allergy medication was giving me headaches and she told me that my headache was probably coming from sinus problems and the pain should be alleviated when I take my next dose. Well, all I had to do was go on the drug's website to read that the medicine actually causes headaches.

[STG]

But then again, I think clinical psychology should be eliminated and psychiatry be the only licensed mental health professionals ...and I think anthropology should be a co-requisite for anyone taking psychology so you can temper your observations with a basic understand of ethnocentricism and culture...but you didn't ask those questions lol.

Here's what we watched in class about psychiatry...

[STG]

I'm sure your class loved this question, and everyone spent the time stroking egos about how valuable they're degree is going to be to society...but I wonder why you asked the question here?

Lol I was just wondering what other people thought about it...we spent a whole semester about such questions...it was quite interesting

[STG]

I believe that psychotherapy is a method of control to some extent, but is generally a desired control by majority of society. The answer to this question will vary based on the population that it addresses. Are we institutionalizing individuals who cannot properly care for themselves? That is a method of control, but it is a safety measure for both the individual and society. It is a better solution than having mentally ill patients living at train stations in garbage bags, reeking of urine and hosts to lice and other creatures that breed in filth. Although we may be taking away their free will in such decision making, we are also providing them with the opportunity of living with dignity, having healthy food to eat and clothes to wear. (I am talking about current society here, not the institutions of 20 years ago). Are we addressing people that suffer from depression, anxiety, and other stressful disorders that interrupt daily living? Therapists aim to help individuals who come to them to seek help. They do not pick people off the street and decide if they are incapable of dealing with their current stress. People that are suffering from these disorders are not interested in the individual expression of what is weakening and restricting them from functioning optimally. They are interested in being rid of the “ties that bind them.” The issue here is affected more by general society view and tolerance than it has to do with the mental health professionals that have been trained to deal with society’s judgments. Everything is a bell curve, and there are always norms. If a society is largely comprised of what it considers “normal” people, and the minority of the society is considered “mentally ill,” it would seem logical to help the “abnormal” conform to society, the same way that the mentally retarded on the IQ spectrum are remediated through therapies, or placed in homes if they are unable to care for themselves.