Why do People  ?

The most appropriate answer to that question is probably the reply given by President Clinton when asked why he did what he did with "that woman." "Because I could," he replied to a probing reporter. I started posting almost 4 years ago because I could, and never really expected that many people would take interest in what I write. I really just needed a place to vent and explore and express my ideas from time to time. Other than my work, I have shown more commitment to this journal than any other project I've undertaken. My writing style is intentionally original and at times incorporates controversial ideas which on occasion may evoke emotional response from a commenter. I know my perspective on life is unique, mainly because of who I am and what I do for a living. When I feel passionately about something I will fight with everything I have to win the cause. Most people I associate with either love me or misunderstand me or may be in transition.

Validation of oneself is crucial but can be detrimental or meaningless if the validator is invalid. I think with my journaling I have sought validation, in a sense. There are other ways besides blogging to vent and to express oneself. So validation has been a source of motivating me to continue posting here. I was thrilled and in disbelief when Author Neale Donald Walsch actually read a few entries and used the word "intriguing" to describe his opinion. Last month Blog Burst and Reuters posted my In Treatment and Intervention article nationally in their entertainment section. Didn't get a lot of clicks but it did feel good to be accepted as a legitimate writer instead of just a novice. Sometimes the thrill of the chase is much more exciting than the capture. Strangely I feel less motivation than ever before to continue posting. I'm really not mad about much anymore. There were several personal crises over the past couple of years but they have only made me stronger and helped to clarify where to go from here.

At times I have tended to displace my frustrations on to politics. The Bush Administration made that quite convenient as an option. I think most people capable of critical unbiased thinking have seen for themselves how bad this President was for the country, in general. Due to the ending of an era I must redo my Satire Page. I think I'll focus less on politics, unless McCain wins the election in November.

I guess my reason for this post is to state that I will probably be making fewer posts in the future. I don't want to shut completely down at this time. I still have a lot of thoughts.

What if there were no stress?

There might then be no such thing as mental illness. People such as me would be out of work. I don't think I'd like living in a world with no stress at all, for our lives would become quite dull and lack excitement. I often wish that death didn't exist but then I remember that our reality is based entirely on the fact that an opposite is essential for anything to have value. Without bad, good could not exist. Without hot, there could be no such thing as cold. Without large, how could there be a such thing as small. So this world is meant to be transient. When we are aware that our time is finite, we should appreciate the opportunity to make the most of each day. I believe there is a place known as eternity and a thing known as infinity. I can't wrap my brain around the concept of either for I am contained within them both. Nothing is impossible within the realm of eternity and of infinity. If you can imagine it then it already exists. The minds of the greatest scientists have been blown by such thought.

The Big Bang Theory proposes that our rapidly expanding universe was birthed from the explosion of a singularity point of reference that was infinitely small. That means it was so small that it continues to get smaller forever. Imagine that! What happened before The Big Bang? Even Einstein is clue less on that one. When man became aware he had a conciousness he eventually gave birth to religion and to science. On the other side of the beginning of Creation or the Big Bang most of us believe God exists. Since God is believed to be the source of all. it is inherently impossible for us to escape our creator. Of all creatures on earth, only man is believed to have the ability to exercise a will that is completely free. Even the metaphorical Satan lacks this ability for he can do nothing that is sincerely good, despite a million disguises to appear good. Angels may do only what they are created to do. But man can cause the greatest pain and suffering for others or choose peace. love, and happiness. Free will is what gives real  meaning to such actions.

I began this entry because of thoughts I've had about the stressors faced by many of the patients seen over the past several days. Sometimes I'm given more credit than I deserve by patients for the understanding I seem to show involving the plight they may be facing at a given time. After doing this a few years a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist develops an understanding of the most likely behavioral options for almost any person in a given situation. Humans respond emotionally to any stressful situation. There are only 4 basic emotions: happy, sad, fear, angry. Happiness is a derivative of Love. All other emotions are derived from the core emotion of Fear. If one can control a persons' fear then one pretty much has control of that person until they are no longer afraid. Fear usually trumps anger because fear will keep one alive much longer than anger alone. Sadness seems to exist basically to validate happiness or may be experienced in the absence of joy.

The human experience entails each of these emotions at the appropriate time and place. An emotional imbalance results in mental illness or mal adaptation. An emotional imbalance is precipitated by what is known as psychosocial stressors. There is actually a hierarchy of these stressors that was first proposed by Maslov or some other important Behavioralist. I do know that Maslov proposed the basic needs paradigm which essentially states that you won't get much done with treatment if your patient  lacks a source of food, clothing, shelter, and love. Even when the basics are met, certain life stressors challenge ones coping mechanisms. At the very top of the stress hierarchy is the death of a child. Patients I know who have survived this emotionally catastrophic event and put them self back together are exceptionally strong. They have passed the ultimate personal emotional test of enduring personal loss and pain. They have proven that whatever else befalls them in life can never hurt more than what this experience did for them. Second only to the loss of a child is the loss of a parent, sibling, or spouse. Further down the list are other major life stressors such as loss of health, loss of job/finances, relocating, and of course going through a divorce. Even pleasant events such as getting married or having a baby can tip the scales the wrong way at times.

Coping mechanisms are crucial in surviving the stressors of human life. Stress can be thought of as rain. How can one stay dry in a heavy down pour? Certainly not by trying to push the raindrops back up into the sky. Using an umbrella or other means of shelter is much more feasible. With stress we cannot always avoid it or hope it will not return for it is guaranteed in this life. The better coping skills one has developed or inherited, the better one copes when the storms of life start to rage. Sometimes healthy coping may exist simply of accepting help when it is offered. Or resisting the urge to withdraw in fear and isolation when those negative emotions try to take over. 

HBO's  In Treatment  is unbelievably believable . . .

as a portrayal of a week in the life of a psychoanalyst. The usual stereotypical myths seem to be done away with for the first time in a television program. The therapist is allowed to be viewed as a human being struggling with real emotions and real problems. The beauty is how well the boundaries are defined, giving the viewer a unique window into the lives of the characters that the characters themselves don't have full access to. The viewer is allowed to see dirty laundry air in an argument between the therapist and his wife. The viewer also witnesses the therapist receiving supervision from a colleague. In one scene the therapist uses a plunger to unstop the toilet. Interpretation? I found it quite interesting when a coincidental meeting happens between two patients leading to a potential hook up right outside the therapists door. The viewer has the unique perspective of being exposed to the intimate issues of both patients and the therapist. This makes it hard to wait to see what will happen next. Due to ethical standards this perspective is not a possibility in real life, making it all the more intriguing to view.

 Monday's case of Laura, a 30 year old attractive anesthesiologist, is an excellent portrayal of the process of erotic transference that sometimes occurs in therapy when a patient believes them self to be in love with their therapist. This boundary is sacred and simply can never be violated at any time for any reason by a therapist. A fitting metaphor is when God instructed Adam not to eat from the forbidden tree. Irreparable damage to a patient can occur from the therapist not protecting this boundary. All residency trainees in psychiatry are well instructed of the importance of managing this situation appropriately because so much is at stake. The usual protocol involves seeking appropriate supervision and considering transferring the patient to another therapist. Despite the preparation and instruction psychotherapists receive, occasionally there have been cases of therapist getting in over their head and risking and losing everything. This can only be attributed to the fact that therapists are imperfect and can be vulnerable to the same addictive impulses as anyone else. For the reasons mentioned, it is a treat to view the therapist character on this program deal with this issue in a realistic portrayal.

A & E's Intervention is essentially reality TV involving the life and struggles of addiction. It is valuable as an educational resource for understanding what pain addiction causes for the addict and all associated with them and what a challenge it is to overcome an addiction. Addiction is a disease of the brain itself that results in repetition of detrimental behavior. Though the addict is totally out of control they tend to either deny, rationalize, or minimize their behavior. Enabling individuals tend to fall into the void created by the addicts lack of self control and responsibility, thus allowing them to continue the process. An intervention occurs when family, friends, and a therapist invite the unsuspecting addict to a meeting where they are carefully provided confrontation and given an ultimatum to get help now or be cut off. The addict is provided an opportunity to change direction with a strong support base. Resistance is almost guaranteed to occur during confrontation. The addict must accept that they will eventually die if they do not accept this road to recovery. As far as entertainment goes, Intervention becomes less interesting to watch over time because the plot is always essentially the same. Lure the addict into confrontation, provide an ultimatum then hope and pray. HBO offers an additional resource with some interesting clips known as Addiction.

I think the shows above are quite useful for those involved with mental health care or substance abuse and  those with just a general interest.