The point is not that mental illness comes from being a malingerer or personal failing. I think we all experience symptoms which can make life very difficult to function through. Nobody is saying you can just ‘get over it.’ But how we deal with these symptoms is a choice. It is not all chemicals and brain structures. To get where I am, I had to choose to do the work I do.

While it is impossible to stop being depressed or stop having mood swings, I learned it is possible to stop having those to rule your life... It *is* possible to push through and go on with life, even if you are in a bad place at the moment. I like to believe that one can learn to live with the symptoms.... not because I believe people are fakers.... but because I believe in people. And I believe in myself..

It is also possible to learn to appreciate some of those emotions, instead of just trying to get rid of them. They can be channeled into something. Because look at it this way, you are never gonna get rid of it, even if you go by what modern science says. One still has episodes. It is still life long thing... so maybe one needs to change their attitude to wanting to be normal and than they have chance for living better, more fullfilling lifes.

I am just saying what worked for me. If you are gonna call me a faker, go ahead. But I would think it would be unfair... and hypocritical.

As for the discussion on PTSD – is it really considered to be ‘disordered’ to experience some difficulties because you killed someone and were almost killed yourself? I agree that I would be worried if someone did not experience aftereffects due to these kinds of extreme situations. Nobody’s trying to be disrespectful or undermine the suffering of these people. On the contrary – maybe it requires more than modern psychology can fully account for? Psychology is a science. It’s distant and detached, even while trying to help. And there are some personal issues it does not tackle well. I think looking at the brain certainly has it’s place, but sometimes the problems run deeper, and more help than just psychological help is needed for these problems.


No "treatment team" in the world can help one with answers to some question. When human life and its value, morality and right and wrong come to the equation... one is alone there to deal with it... maybe with some deities above. I am not even sure if it would be moral of some psychologist or psychiatrist to try to seriously address someone's moral struggles... as Ellie said.. it is not a book.

and addressing PTSD as mere issue of changes in brain... again is it really wrong and disordered for the person to be changed after traumatic experience? Of course they need to learn to live with it so it does not destroy them... but I think that adressing this as something that happens and is a natural reaction of human in inhumane conditions... one could learn from their experience and grow.
There was article on PC newsfeed about a pill to erase bad memories. But if it worked... would it be moral to give such pill to a person coming from combat?

I agree with a lot of what you say, Vibe. Nevertheless, there are those who do say or at least imply mental illness is something to just get over. As I have said, I take responsibility for my well-being.

and there *are* those who dwell on their illness as their identity... I had the "pleasure" to meet pack of young and not-so-young-anymore people at one party. It was a contest who has more expensive *private* shrink and better pills and who hates monday mornings more. They talked this over expensive wine... nouveau riche (if I wanted to complain I would say these are the people who stole the Velvet Revolution... they got it wrong, terribly wrong) with no aim in their life... besides their jobs and money (most of them hold positions with English name, where the English just indicates that they don't really do anything that contributes anything in the society...). When I mentioned I volunteered in Eastern Europe, they asked me "why?". See to them depression was just another fad, like house in "satellite town", hip car, LV purse and chivava dog or and vacation on Seychellas or whatever the trendy destionation is.

This is just one example, somehow extreme... but hey, it speaks volumes.

I have no idea what you are referring to when you say more than just psychological help is needed at times. I have not quit on trying to get better.

The concept of soul is often sneered as not scientific. I posted about soul and my journey not so long ago and did get some snarky reception

I think the only elephant in the room is the lack of understanding.

Indeed... trying to ran personal trauma through brain imagining... is lack of understanding.

Somehow I hope not Vibe. It is thought that PTSD may effect the natural process of chemicals in the brain. I am leary of medication and I am trying to do the work without trying to put chemicals into my brain.

Look, I don't think it matters here if the brain changes or not. Meds can only help this much.... and is not that much at all. Pill will not help you deal with the past. There is not chemical that would learn you to come to terms with it, let you move on and learn from your experience without it haunting you.