Thomas Insel: Toward a new understanding of mental illness

[Waverunner]

Today, thanks to better early detection, there are 63% fewer deaths from heart disease than there were just a few decades ago. Thomas Insel, Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, wonders: Could we do the same for depression and schizophrenia? The first step in this new avenue of research, he says, is a crucial reframing: for us to stop thinking about "mental disorders" and start understanding them as "brain disorders." (Filmed at TEDxCaltech.)

 

[Crux]

Thanks Waverunner;
This was an excellent presentation,simply and clearly put, by a man who looks to be an important influence for the future of the understanding and treatment of brain disorders. " Brain Disorders", is a much more appropriate term, even proven by the physical changes illustrated here.

 

[AbbyDear]

good to think about early detection, but i worry about how much we we simply blame on genetic pre-disposition, and persons experience. i believe that many (if not most) of these problems have physiological causes/origin. Lets try to realize what they are or might be. i believe also that many of these problems are due to out-of-control immune system, whether the brain/hormones/neurotransmitters are involved directly or not. what sets this in motion is another question we should try to answer (as before). but we are all subject to possible allergens whether it be food, air-born chemical or environmental, mold, etc. stress is another thing that may set things in motion, even to a point when taken removed the condition still remains. reading about gluten/lectins and its destructive effect on the gut lining (not to mention brain receptors) may also set many up for such conditions, as our society is inudated with wheat, corn, and grains. almost every meal...

 

[Waverunner]

I also think, that the term "brain disorder" is much better. Our understanding of diseasesimproves day by day but we still need to push hard, in order to overcome outdated paradigms and flawed explanations. There is still a long way to go but as long as we move forward, I'm optimistic, that actual cures can be found.

 

[Enid]

Thanks Waverunner - about time too.! Now if we could just get the UK "all in your minders" on board too.........

 

[Waverunner]

Thanks Waverunner - about time too.! Now if we could just get the UK "all in your minders" on board too.........

I don't want to offend any of these people but sometimes things only go the following way:

"A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it." - Max Planck

 

[Bob]

There are other threads about this, in case anyone is interested:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...vided-as-mental-health-bible-denounced.23053/
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...ort-for-dsm-5-humiliating-blow-for-apa.23063/