This chapter is in my opinion an excellent example of disease entity. Davis first discusses religious explanations being the force behind obsessions. It was being characterized by demons taking over the body-it's treatment being exorcisms. A collection of conditions called a quartet made up the forces behind madness, which in the eighteenth century defined the new kind of mental distress of the era. The quartet included hysteria, hypochondria, vapors, and spleen. From the reading I believe the quartet explained the underground reasons behind mental illnesses and disorders of the time. I really liked the following two theories of the eighteenth century-organ theory and nervous disorders. From the examples presented in the book, I can definitely agree with the disease entity belief, that we were not wrong before, just have a different set of definitions. Davis mentioned "humors interacted in creating an out-of-balance system; vapors arose from specific organs and affected other organs, particularly the brain". After reading this statement, I actually said oh my, that makes sense (of course if I lived in that era). I also agree with the idea of philosophers being better suited to treat a disorder of the mind then a physician only because I believe philosophers studies were based on the mind and they are in a better position for a more efficient analysis, as was the case, described by J.J. Belloc on page 44. Over these past centuries cases of mental illnesses were being categorized as more common and larger groups of people which wasnt the case in the earliest of times. Davis then says the condition does not yet have the name "obsession" but it emerges from between two models. This was the defining cause for me to believe that obsession is a disease entity and not disease hence the title, origins of obsession. This chapter was extremely informative as well as interesting to read!!!
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
THIN
Friday, September 23, 2011
Freud and the "Rat Man"
With the rat man consulting Sigmund Freud as his personal psychologist I believe was a mistake no offense to Freud, only because I believe his views on people in general were biased. He tends to relate current issues to sexual and candid sexual desires - as is the unwanted case with the "rat man". On the other hand, I have agreed with Freud's impressive capability to avoid possible transferent reactions to his patient. I can continue to add that in reference to what we have learned the rat man's case has presented evident traits of the OCD disorder.As we have described the characteristics of obsession the rat man is the perfect picture: his feelings have expressed all attributes. He has inappropriate (not in his character) thoughts of rats eating away at his anus which I believe originated from his days in the army. He also has recurrent thoughts of cutting himself with razors to the intrusive thoughts of something unfortunate happening to his fiancee, not to mention, all thoughts having a dominant feeling of unwanted-ness.
I also do not believe that the rat man's rat thoughts/dreams were repressed sexual desires, I believe when objects such as this overpowers a person's mind, there is a void that this tangible factor is filling.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Now and Forever ( Lennard J. Davis chp8)
Now and Forever is an accurate title for this chapter because Davis has gone into a detailed explanation of the ambiguity that the obsessive compulsive disorder offers. He has raised a lot of points, in this chapter-many of which I agree with. One profound thought in particular that I have agreed with, is "the broken brain" theory, which is the analysis of the brains model and it's effect on OCD sufferers. Lennard J. Davis mentioned, "we have to be careful not to attribute to the brain single locations for activities that are socially determined, constructed, and complex. The human brain did not necessarily evolve to shop,...there isn't a place in the brain for shopping. There well may not be a place I'm the brain for OCD either". Many of the biological explanations that researches and doctors come up with for theses sufferers have obviously worked for some people and not others. Hormone supplements, or chemical medications may be the answer for one person but not the next. I believe this concept has been proven especially when Davis has mentioned the minor cases of OCD have been easier to suppress compulsions, faster than the severe cases, or even eliminate symptoms all together. If it's taken the 30 year time span for us to determine now, we have every 1 in 40 people experiencing some form of OCD then ultimately this process of reaching the true understanding of what this disorder is controlled by and originates from, has to undergo further in depth research. Hence adding to the disease entity theory which he also refers to in this chapter.
Tormenting thoughts and secret rituals
When individuals are experiencing OCD this article definitely illustrates the picture of what these propre struggle with on a daily basis. I'm glad Osborn has given four different cases for us to take a look at. The media - in my mind - plays a major role in how society views people with this disorder. I can admit I was one who believed OCD was just recurring actions that were uncontrollable, with no apparent explanation as to why these people did what they did. After reading, my view has shifted!!!! I was amazed to see that OCD in some cases as described by Osborn is, "the battle in the mind that can come to rule peoples' lives". The cases of filth, harm, lust, and blasphemy, were all different OCD cases but illustrated a common trait from different sides of the spectrum. Raymond shaking uncontrollably from the his spill fantasies seemed nothing compared to Sherry's thoughts of hurting/killing someone (including own child). Upon further reading, I became even more amazed at the internal struggle that Jeff faced when his thoughts pushed him to think was his gay, a pervert, and wanted to have sex with his dog, ALL UNWANTED THOUGHTS. It's unfortunate to know that this disorder still has no cure, because the evident picture that Osborn has portrayed for me is these people was, are, or have been living in a prison within their own bodies for so long in mere hope of rising themselves of the mental suffering...