In the ancient world the unexplained was given expression by a world of spirits. There were good spirits and bad spirits, and then a Great Spirit. The great Spirit was in overall control of things. The lesser spirits were localized, bound to certain places, certain people, certain conditions. These lesser spirits caused the various problems that we have socially constructed as mental illnesses. How to be rid of the unclean spirit? Try magic (the manipulation of nature through spell, incantation or potion) or exorcism by a holy person (and the manipulation of the gods or God).
Enlightened humanity did away with the world of spirits. The religious settled on one spirit (God) and the non-religious found no more room for the spiritual world. All could be explained by what is seen. The inner pain of mental and emotional upset did not go away with the social exorcism of the spirit world. A different story needed to be told. Of course, "Enlightenment" is a narrative of a particular social class. Many (the majority?) have always held on to some invisible world of cause and effect. The Enlightened called it superstition. Enlightened and unenlightened alike still suffered emotional and mental breakdown.
In modern times, then, mental illnesses (as much a mystery now as in the ancient world, I venture to say) have been socialized or medicalized. In other words, interactions with the social world—the self with the Other—cause the internal imbalance and inner pain. Or else it is pure biology—the physical brain malfunctions in some way and it is experienced as mental and emotional turmoil. The new shaman or priest is the talk therapist or the dispenser of brain altering drugs (psychiatrist, medical doctor or licensed psychologist). If interactions with people causes the problem, through encountering and understanding the problem in talk therapy, it will hopefully go away. If a problem in the physical brain is the trouble, do something to the brain (through chemicals or electricity) and the problem will hopefully go away. I am amazed often by the folk who place utter trust in the ability of the new shamans to fix any kind of mental and emotional issue.
The world of spirits is plausible still to many. The rational world of talk and understanding is plausible to others. The physicality of biology to still others.
Still we all have our demons. Still we all face the inner struggles. Most of the time we manage to get through it. Some of the time we feel almost overwhelmed. Very sadly, for some of us, at some points in our lives it all becomes just too much and we face a breakdown. Thankfully, these are most often only temporary. Some dear folk, very sadly, face the inner agony on a more or less permanent basis. There seems to be no help other than an empathetic "bearing-with."
The stories we tell and the remedies we seek are ways we try to make sense of the intractable problems of living a decent life of well-being. Emotional turmoil, mental agony, the affliction of unclean spirits work against our flourishing. Find help, and provide help by all useful means. Inner demons at times are best faced by spiritual means—by prayer, meditation, fasting, the authority of a deeply spiritual Other. Inner demons, at times, are best exorcised by talking through issues, by facing unpleasant memories, by finding new perspectives provided by a wise Other. Inner demons at times flee before the gentle rearrangement of brain chemistry provide by a skillfully trained Other. There is wisdom is not facing demons alone.
A little blogging is always to oversimplify. Yet, perhaps the broad brush-strokes help us perceive a little more clearly.
+Ab. andy
In modern times, then, mental illnesses (as much a mystery now as in the ancient world, I venture to say) have been socialized or medicalized. In other words, interactions with the social world—the self with the Other—cause the internal imbalance and inner pain. Or else it is pure biology—the physical brain malfunctions in some way and it is experienced as mental and emotional turmoil. The new shaman or priest is the talk therapist or the dispenser of brain altering drugs (psychiatrist, medical doctor or licensed psychologist). If interactions with people causes the problem, through encountering and understanding the problem in talk therapy, it will hopefully go away. If a problem in the physical brain is the trouble, do something to the brain (through chemicals or electricity) and the problem will hopefully go away. I am amazed often by the folk who place utter trust in the ability of the new shamans to fix any kind of mental and emotional issue.
The world of spirits is plausible still to many. The rational world of talk and understanding is plausible to others. The physicality of biology to still others.
Whose story? Which remedy?
Still we all have our demons. Still we all face the inner struggles. Most of the time we manage to get through it. Some of the time we feel almost overwhelmed. Very sadly, for some of us, at some points in our lives it all becomes just too much and we face a breakdown. Thankfully, these are most often only temporary. Some dear folk, very sadly, face the inner agony on a more or less permanent basis. There seems to be no help other than an empathetic "bearing-with."
The stories we tell and the remedies we seek are ways we try to make sense of the intractable problems of living a decent life of well-being. Emotional turmoil, mental agony, the affliction of unclean spirits work against our flourishing. Find help, and provide help by all useful means. Inner demons at times are best faced by spiritual means—by prayer, meditation, fasting, the authority of a deeply spiritual Other. Inner demons, at times, are best exorcised by talking through issues, by facing unpleasant memories, by finding new perspectives provided by a wise Other. Inner demons at times flee before the gentle rearrangement of brain chemistry provide by a skillfully trained Other. There is wisdom is not facing demons alone.
A little blogging is always to oversimplify. Yet, perhaps the broad brush-strokes help us perceive a little more clearly.
+Ab. andy