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I see it as two different and distinct medical professions that involve the brain. Both require different training. It's like dental health -- Oral surgeons and dentists treat the same area, the mouth. OBGYN's take care of the baby in the womb and pediatricians after birth. There's overlap but two very distinct and separately trained medical professions.
Probably a good way to look at it. I also think of neurology as dealing with the nervous system outside the brain....spinal cord etc. Not something a psychiatrist or psychologist would deal with as directly. There could be a problem with the nervous system that doesn't involve the brain itself....traumatic injuries for example. Also the fact that the whole realm involving the brain, how it functions, and how to treat it is expanding rapidly. What may have defined each discipline ten years ago is probably obsolete now. The overlap shifts constantly.
Not stigmatizing. Have suffered with MDD my whole life. But there is no proof of the chemical imbalance theory.
Try telling an employer you suffer from clinical depression and see how fast you get hired. We still have to keep our "illness" under wraps in many situations. I wish that were not the case.
Unfortunately, you are not alone with discrimination in the work place (not to diminish it at all) folks with seizure D/O, coronary disease, MS etc face similar discrimination. The difference with a mental illness is the stigma attached to these illnesses. There is much misinformation, assumptions, fear and just plain old ignorance about mental illness.
The difference is that most illnesses and diseases can be "seen" through diagnostic tests. Mental illnesses involve the thought process so where a similar cancer cell can look the same from person to person a delusional or depressive thought is completely subjective. This adds yet another layer of misery and isolation for the sufferer.
I believe a good medical-professional can do both........ diagnose mental-health problems and form an accurate hypothesis as to whether damage/defect of the central-nervous-system is the main cause.
A skilled neurologist could have nailed the diagnosis of someone like Aaron Hernandez......"Yes, he is a violent psychopath and it is probably caused by his brain being severely damaged". Then that same neurologist would order the appropriate tests to confirm his/her hypothesis.
I believe a good medical-professional can do both........ diagnose mental-health problems and form an accurate hypothesis as to whether damage/defect of the central-nervous-system is the main cause.
A skilled neurologist could have nailed the diagnosis of someone like Aaron Hernandez......"Yes, he is a violent psychopath and it is probably caused by his brain being severely damaged". Then that same neurologist would order the appropriate tests to confirm his/her hypothesis.
It depends on the individual and how far they'll go to seek a diagnosis. I have been to neurologist appointments with/for my son and never once did the doctor say to see a psychiatrist. My son was ten and had a seizure at school. With further testing, we found out his epilepsy is caused by flashing lights and sleep depravation.
I was at his elementary school a lot back in those days. The gather spot before school started was the cafeteria. The way the adults got the kids to calm down, stop talking, and listen up is to turn the lights on and off. His seizure happened in his classroom shortly thereafter. Oh to change back time and know all this!
Anyway, when he was 14 he was diagnosed with bi-polar. His original neurologist was aware of the bi-polar and I remember asking him why my son had two such disorders. He says it happens.
My son is now 33 and it wasn't until recently that the family therapist talks to his psychiatrist and his neurologist. They are all on the same page consulting with each other. We were told how rare that was. So. Years and years later.
If mental illnesses are diseases of the brain, then why aren’t they treated by neurologists? I’m sure there’s a good reason for this. So perhaps someone can explain it. Diseases Like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s are diseases of the brain and are treated by a neurologist. But depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, etc. are also considered diseases of the brain, but they’re treated by psychiatrists. I’m sure this is one reason mental illnesses have such a stigma and why many people don’t think mental illness is real.
Mind sickness does not respond too well to physical chemicals.
The root cause is more likely to be self will, faulty beliefs and outright dishonesty to ones own mind.
Talk therapy can work wonders if a patient is willing to face their truth.
Probably a good way to look at it. I also think of neurology as dealing with the nervous system outside the brain....spinal cord etc. Not something a psychiatrist or psychologist would deal with as directly. There could be a problem with the nervous system that doesn't involve the brain itself....traumatic injuries for example. Also the fact that the whole realm involving the brain, how it functions, and how to treat it is expanding rapidly. What may have defined each discipline ten years ago is probably obsolete now. The overlap shifts constantly.
Great advances have been made in neurology, due to advanced technology and good work.
Understanding the mind and consciousness in general is dismal.
They know next to nothing.
Theyre trying but the mind is intractable so far.
Mind sickness does not respond too well to physical chemicals.
The root cause is more likely to be self will, faulty beliefs and outright dishonesty to ones own mind.
Talk therapy can work wonders if a patient is willing to face their truth.
This goes against the definition of disease. All disease is supposed to have a physical cause that we may or may not be able to determine. And even if we know the cause, we may not be able to treat it. But if you’re saying mental illness is the result of faulty beliefs and so forth, then you’re saying it’s not a disease. A faulty belief doesn’t have a physical cause.
Mind sickness does not respond too well to physical chemicals.
The root cause is more likely to be self will, faulty beliefs and outright dishonesty to ones own mind.
Talk therapy can work wonders if a patient is willing to face their truth.
I wonder about this, too - how much is our life situation, our own insecurities, our support system (or lack thereof), lies in our own mind that we aren't good enough, aren't smart enough, aren't attractive enough, etc.
This goes against the definition of disease. All disease is supposed to have a physical cause that we may or may not be able to determine. And even if we know the cause, we may not be able to treat it. But if you’re saying mental illness is the result of faulty beliefs and so forth, then you’re saying it’s not a disease. A faulty belief doesn’t have a physical cause.
Agree, its difficult to grasp.
What is observed are chemical imbalance but thats a correlate, not proof of the cause.
If you are dishonest to yourself you will be on a collision course with truth. At some point there will be a price to pay. Depression might be the least of it.
This is different from the organic illnesses such as schizophrenia which are brain based.
Theres a massive amount of illnesses that have no physical cause but are called disease by the medical community. Thats as far as they can go.
In recovery circles, where people actually get better, the root cause is proven to be selfishness.
There is no physical root to selfishness, its part of character makeup. My neurons didnt make me selfish, i did. Im sure i caused a few crossed wires in my brain but thats a correlate.
I wonder about this, too - how much is our life situation, our own insecurities, our support system (or lack thereof), lies in our own mind that we aren't good enough, aren't smart enough, aren't attractive enough, etc.
You hit it.
When i start comparing my insides to other peoples outsides...
Thats the lie my ego whispers to my mind.
Then it flips it around and starts telling me how superior and smarter i am than anyone else.
One extreme to the other. All lies.
Theres a clinical term for that when it takes hold. We all know its name.
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We still have to keep our "illness" under wraps in many situations. I wish that were not the case.
