|
|
Post by sonnyt2 on Sept 15, 2017 20:54:56 GMT
As a religious person, the idea that all psychological phenomena could be reduced to biological impulses is simply disheartening. However, I also belong to a society that appreciates quick fixes and instant gratification. I think that generally, people are much more likely to address physical ailments rather than psychological ones because our society places a lot of trust in to medical research and we have began to rely on painkillers and medication to alleviate pain almost instantly. At this moment in time, there are no such resolutions for psychological issues, and most methods of improving them include diligence and a lot of effort on the part of the individual seeking help. More to the point, I do believe that there will come a time when certain popular phenomena such as anxiety will be reduced to a biological explanation, and more importantly, I think that it is an explanation that lots of people would subscribe to because that could potentially mean that anxiety disorders could be treated as fast as headache. This idea may well change the way we view ourselves as individuals with agency, but it may also mean that people will be more inclined to treat there psychological and emotional problems with the same regard they treat physical problems, which I think could be positive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Sarmila Param on Sept 15, 2017 22:51:52 GMT
I agree with many things in your response! Especially the part where you mention how our society relies on quick fixes. I think that mental illness is not dealt with to its full extent in our society, and we jump to easy 'fixes', which can be medication in some situations. I recently saw a documentary titled 'Take These Broken Wings -- Healing from Schizophrenia, Cure without Medication'. The documentary follows two patients who were schizophrenic, but did not take medication, and instead were exposed to intense psychotherapy. These patients were undergoing therapy 6 days a week for as long as 8 years, and were eventually cured. The film also looks at the pasts of the patients, and both went through very traumatic experiences which could explain that unhealed trauma leads to schizophrenia. It was crucial for these patients not to take meds during their psychotherapy so that the psychotherapist could work with the full extent of their mental illness.
There has also been research done where they have found that in tribal communities, and people living in hunter gatherer societies, only 1% of the population struggles with mental illness, whereas our societies definitely look at larger numbers.
It is not to say that biology doesn't play a part at all, because it certainly does. But I do not believe that psychology can be 'reduced' completely to biology.
|
|
