Re: terms (Psychiatrists, State,Liberty and Schizophrenia)

Errol Back-Cunningham (ebc@ix.netcom.com(Errol)
29 Sep 1996 13:07:46 GMT

Just for those of you who were not aware - there is a perfectly
valid school of thought that maintains that the entire DSM
'Diagnostic and Statistical Model) which
is based on it's Sacred Cow - 'schizophrenia' and all associated
terms - is completely bogus. It is a mechanism of control that
allows the medical/psychiatric profession to make money, control
elements of the public - often to the extent of infringing
civil liberties.

The term 'schizophrenia' was invented as a catch-all to explain the
incarceration of patients suffering from syphilitic paresis.
This took place in the 19th century when pressure was applied to
the medical profession and paresis was a vexing problem. It
was in essence a socio-political invention that gave the medical/
psychiatric practitioners the means with which to incarcerate.
In effect - the means with which to explain away people who were
already incarcerated! It is bogus and was not developed out of any
empirical research - all research subsequent, is an attempt to
explain why it is valid.

The term has been the rotten foundation for entire generations of
psychiatrists/psychologists - who as many of you can see - know no
other option - they are taught that any other view is complete
heresy - terms like 'anti-psychiatric', 'deluded' and ignorant are
used to demonize anyone who attempts to attack their false premise.
Do not forget too - the amount of money to be made from psychotherapy
and it's spin-offs.
A public who are awed by terms like 'schizoaffective' and
'transmarginal inhibition' are likely to pay more to hear equally
good mumbo-jumbo.

It is also - far more seriously - a means of repression - and a
counter to civil liberty. 'If you cause lots of trouble to the state,
we can have you declared insane by means of the DSM and the term
schizophrenia - and put you away - even if you are sane' - the Soviets
and other countries did so for years...)

Errol(Got my degree in psychology in 1982)