This may be of interest to somebody, or it may not. It is written by a person with medically unexplained seizures so is a different approach to the norm.
It doesn't look there is much if any statistics which might suit some people.
It's open access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059131113000034
ETA: I haven't read it myself.
It doesn't look there is much if any statistics which might suit some people.
It's open access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059131113000034
ETA: I haven't read it myself.
Review
Philosophy matters in brain matters
Siri Hustvedt,
United States
Abstract
Purpose
Although most neuroscientists and physicians would argue against Cartesian dualism, Descartes's version of the psyche/soma divide, which has been controversial since he proposed it in the seventeenth century, continues to haunt contemporary neurological diagnoses through terms such as functional, organic, and psychogenic. Drawing on my own experiences as a person with medically unexplained seizures, I ask what this language actually means if all human experience has an organic basis.
Methods
Close reading of a textbook chapter on psychogenic seizures.
Results
I expose the author's unreflective embrace of psyche and soma as distinct entities, his inherent bias against illnesses labeled psychogenic, and the implicit sexism of his position. I further argue that even when a patient's symptoms are not alleviated, heightened self-consciousness and narrative framing can strengthen his or her sense of agency and have therapeutic benefits.
Conclusion
The ethical treatment of patients requires a respect for their stories.
Keywords
Cartesian dualism;
Functional;
Organic;
Psychogenic seizure;
Agency;
Narrative
Last edited: