tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post4108843943326005217..comments2024-03-22T00:30:09.536-07:00Comments on The Neurocritic: Magic Buttons, Silver Linings, and Two-Edged SwordsThe Neurocritichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-45833002369818806602012-05-06T07:44:39.214-07:002012-05-06T07:44:39.214-07:00You've done a wonderful job as usual of access...You've done a wonderful job as usual of accessing and summarizing the relevant research. I, however, after looking at said research myself, was alarmed at the way some of these studies posed the question, as the results returned by the subjects seemed to romantacize pathology, rather than truly address a 'positive.'<br /><br />Note that Jamison's study asks what people like about their MOOD SWINGS--and of course they like enhanced productivty, sociability, etc. But that is part and parcel of a manic episode--and almost every BD person loves their mania. But they love it--and are often medically non-compliant to keep it--at the expense of their inevitable fall into the morass of depression.<br /><br />The most reason Lubban study again addresses enhanced productivity, sexuality, and sociability. Readers: Meet Mania.<br />These are not positives of BD--they are symptoms of a grave illness not being properly managed, and to publish information touting such 'silver linings'romanticizes mania, part of the pathology, encourages medicine non-compliance, and does not at all answer what is positive about BD, except to say that people enjoy the 'feel good' part of an unmanaged illness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-47447406311515798842012-04-24T09:33:11.505-07:002012-04-24T09:33:11.505-07:00Thanks for this. I think it's true we shouldn&...Thanks for this. I think it's true we shouldn't romanticize suffering or insist on positive attitudes when expressions of anger or loss etc. are important. Nevertheless, I wonder to what extent individuals with mental illness suffer because they are told they are not 'normal' and the way they are is labelled as sick. Not to say it would be all perfect were it not for labeling. But there is such stigma still and judgment that must contribute to the suffering. Everything has positive and negative elements, and it's always problematic to focus on only one side. I think it's worth at least acknowledging the positive sides of such conditions (as you have attempted).andyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08675541236217035743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-12885076620117817132012-04-23T17:48:23.243-07:002012-04-23T17:48:23.243-07:00Neuroskeptic - Thanks. And good point about the la...Neuroskeptic - Thanks. And good point about the lack of specificity. Barbara Ehrenreich wrote a great book called <i><a href="http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/brightsidedexcerpt.htm" rel="nofollow">Bright-sided</a></i> in the US and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smile-Die-Positive-Thinking-America/dp/1847081355" rel="nofollow">Smile or Die</a></i> in the UK. In the second chapter (<i>Smile or Die: The Bright Side of Cancer</i>) she talks about her own experiences with breast cancer and how expressions of anger and sadness were frowned upon, to the point that some patients really did talk about the "bright side" of cancer. She goes on to critically review the history of American optimism. She also paints an unflattering picture of Martin Seligman and positive psychology.<br /><br />At any rate, I don't know why it's in vogue these days to extol the benefits of major depression.<br /><br /><br />Warren Davies - All that said, the authors of the papers here do mention things like building resilience and positive psychology as important elements of treatment.The Neurocritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08010555869208208621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-38411258936853547852012-04-23T02:53:30.477-07:002012-04-23T02:53:30.477-07:00Reminds me of a Star Trek episode where someone ha...Reminds me of a Star Trek episode where someone has a chance to go back and remove an injury they had as a teenager, then see what their future was like. And it was boring because it taught him that life is precious, you have to make the most of it etc.<br /><br />And it's just a better way of framing mental illness, if post-traumatic growth exists then treatment can focus on coming out of it better off, rather than just dealing with the issue, or learning to live with it.Warren Davieshttp://generallythinking.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21605329.post-17094264548068920402012-04-23T01:47:38.551-07:002012-04-23T01:47:38.551-07:00Good post. I was struck also that in the Parker st...Good post. I was struck also that in the Parker study, of the unipolar people who did report advantages, they mostly were "increased understanding of depression" or "increased empathy to depressed people". etc.<br /><br />A number of them seemed to be mental health professionals who felt being depressed had helped them diagnose & treat depression.<br /><br />I'd say that's all very well but it's not specific to depression.<br /><br />You could say the same about cancer. I'm sure having cancer helps you to empathize with people with cancer but that's not a 'benefit of cancer' as such, it's just life experience.Neuroskeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06647064768789308157noreply@blogger.com