"Is psychiatry a religion?" (2008 article)

[Dolphin]

I wasn't sure which forum on aboutmecfs.org to put this link. Doug highlighted it on another forum/list and I thought it was worth plugging.

Is psychiatry a religion?


http://www.scribd.com/doc/13266911/Is-psychiatry-a-religion


J R Soc Med 2008;101:579-582
doi:10.1258/jrsm.2008.080044
2008 Royal Society of Medicine


ESSAY

Is psychiatry a religion?

Rob Whitley

Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center, 2 Whipple Place, Suite 202, Lebanon NH
03766, USA E-mail: rob.whitley@...

It is not that exciting but I still found it interesting enough.

With regard to the section, "Priests and psychiatrists", I would have added the exercise programmes and the like psychiatrists in the ME/CFS area push.

 

[Nina]

Hi Tom,

interesting article. Since getting ill with this disease I have often figured that medicine in general is closer to religion than to real science.

How many times have doctors told us: "I don't believe you have an organic disease" without even taking an effort to prove their views? Their whole approach often struck me as rather unscientific and their views as being created by beliefs, hierarchical thinking (with the patient always representing the lowest level in their system) and tradition.

I really learned to appreciate doctors who admit when they don't know something and who are totally aware that today's medicine is not even close to having figured the human body (and mind) out.

 

[Dolphin]

You make good points, Nina.

 

[Lily]

I really learned to appreciate doctors who admit when they don't know something and who are totally aware that today's medicine is not even close to having figured the human body (and mind) out.

Me too, Nina. Too bad they seem to be so few of them, at least in my experience.