Opinion Piece: Current Psychiatry and its Discontents

[Aurator]

It seems our author isn't new to this kind of provocation.

Here is an article he wrote about "Morgellons Disease":

Here's an excerpt:

"It is associated with systemic changes, mostly tiredness, poor concentration, memory loss and mood swings.

These symptoms are of interest as they coincide with that other contentious condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. In fact, both Morgellons and CFS sufferers follow a similar trajectory. Its adherents are intensely militant, propagating their beliefs on the internet and reacting with intense hostility, even threats of violence, to any authorities who challenge their views of the illness. This is bound to have fatal consequences before long, illness terrorism being a threat which can only escalate."

 

[Snowdrop]

Apparently RMK is taking his show on the virtual road. It's also in another online site http://www.ruthfullyyours.com/2017/04/08/robert-m-kaplan-current-psychiatry-and-its-discontents/

and I'm not suggesting to click on it either. The site Ruthfully yours byline: The right news Front and Center.

If you do click through the Quadrant allows comments in RY the comments are closed.

 

[Keith Geraghty]

this writer needs a good psychiatrist sharpish - illness terrorism phobia disorder

 

[antherder]

Sounds like False Intimidation Beliefs to me.

 

[Forbin]

I've never really trusted the cerebrospinal fluid lobby...

 

[alex3619]

That one is news to me. But then again, I don't have CSF, so what would I know?!

Everyone has cerebrospinal fluid.

Its funny but most of the targeted criticism has come from patients with academic qualifications, including doctors, scientists, mathematicians etc. "Obviously" they are not qualified? Not only that, but they are "obviously" wrong? Was the evidence even looked at? How about the more than 100 scientists, doctors and other academics who signed the open letter calling for retraction of one of the PACE papers? How about the other academics who have been treated as if they are patients?

no one has been able to prove that it is viral, the totemic belief of the CSF lobby.

He should read some recent science. Not only is the psychogenic claim debunked in any of its current forms, the evidence is currently looking like ME is most likely about deranged biochemistry. Viruses are one class of trigger, but not the only one. While some viruses are not ruled out as causal, most patients from what I see do not think this is the one and only possible cause.

 

[alex3619]

The handful of angry militant ME and CFS patients (who don't understand how unhelpful threatening behaviour really is), don't actually carry out their threats because they're often too ill to organise anything or even leave the house.

There is an old thread somewhere in which we discussed, in jest, how we might engage in violence. I think it was put forward that due to the effort involved we should use a wheelchair, and then run over their foot, or knock over an empty trash can in front of them. That is about the size of it. I guess he never got the memo that a great many ME patients are too sick to be violent, even planning violence would probably crash most of us. Not to mention that years of suffering have left many of us with a lot of compassion, and so a strong tendency to non violence.

There are some rare incidents of violence, but they are exceptionally rare, given the level of suffering. I have heard of two in all my years, and I have not investigated to find out if they are correct reports.

 

[me/cfs 27931]

Sounds like False Intimidation Beliefs to me.

But someone somewhere has a website. With words on it!

 

[Aurator]

Good forensic work there.

Hopefully, others on our forum got the pun too.

 

[Sean]

Now that is some extremist language, and more than a little defamatory. Murder? Really? Somebody is feeling the butt hurt of accountability about their own profession's grotesque failings.

For those unfamiliar with it – an entirely excusable situation – Quadrant is a shabby little non-entity of an ideological rag in which this kind of vicious rhetorical spray is the standard modus operandi, for no better end that to keep their dwindling band of fellow cultists whipped up into a lather of self-righteous zeal against a 'world gone mad'. Basically it's just ageing white conservative male mediocrities whining endlessly about their loss of privilege and dominion over the world.

It barely even makes a ripple in its own country, let alone on the world stage.

This kind of intemperate language from psychs just proves our case. They are out of control, and have no legitimate defense against their critics, so have to resort to obviously hysterical abusive filth like this.

This one hurts Kaplan far more than us.

 

[Wolfiness]

"Adherents" !

 

[Woolie]

 

[Woolie]

Recent hidden camera shots of illness terrorist militia in training. It is clear that these people are highly trained and extremely dangerous!

 

[Chezboo]

@Woolie your 'illness terrorism awareness' meme is hilarious. I feel it's an important message to get out there so was wondering if you mind anyone using on twitter etc?

 

[Woolie]

@Woolie your 'illness terrorism awareness' meme is hilarious. I feel it's an important message to get out there so was wondering if you mind anyone using on twitter etc?

Use away @Chezboo! Its a stock image so probably a violation of copyright. But since when has twitter ever really cared about that?

 

[Chezboo]

thanks @Woolie

I didn't realise that 'illness terrorism' was an actual thing outside of the poisonous mind of a deluded psychiatrist, therefore thought you had probably created it. Well, you learn something new every day as they say!

 

[Woolie]

Oh yea, I did create it, @Chezboo (its definitely not a thing except in this guy's head!). I ripped off the sick people graphics and wrote the words on top.

 

[Chezboo]

phew! Normal terrorism was bad enough, this illness terrorism malarkey was scaring the bejeezus out of me!

 

[Chrisb]

Does the author have any competing interests, I wonder?
Perhaps the savvy can follow the trail:
http://rmkaplan.com.au/

Self awareness may not be one of RMK's stronger characteristics, given this:

"The disclosure that some prominent researchers have their hands deeply in the drug companies’ pockets is less than a good look."

Do we distinguish between those who take money from drug companies, and those who take it from insurer? Perhaps he does..

 

[Art Vandelay]

Nowhere is this better seen than the festering, if not venomous, public debate over chronic fatigue syndrome (CSF). Despite decades of research, the cause of CSF remains unknown; no one has been able to prove that it is viral, the totemic belief of the CSF lobby.

And, yet, after many decades of claiming that CFS is psychiatric/psychosomatic, not a single psychiatrist has offered a shred of credible evidence to prove that this is the case.

Does the author have any competing interests, I wonder?
Perhaps the savvy can follow the trail:
http://rmkaplan.com.au/

My experience with the psychiatrists in Australia who work in this area (ie, on workers compensation claims) is that they are extremely incompetent and ill-informed (even for psychiatrists). One that I was forced to see didn't even know that insomnia was a common CFS symptom. This article just reinforces my view.

On this, I was talking to a relative last night who was saying that the psychiatrists he has to deal with in the legal system here (eg, those who prepare psychiatric assessments of offenders) are appalling as well.