There is also a far broader question here, concerning the conceptualisation of 'mental illness'. i'm not going to start quoting Szasz, who i have some fundamental disagreements with - But there is a question as to what these experiences actually are, & who defines what it all is.
Even if there are physiological differences - Does that necessarily equate to a biomedical illness in a strict sense? It's debatable. There may well be an evolutionary function of the condition.
SHAMANS AMONG US: Schizophrenia, Shamanism and the Evolutionary Origins of Religion - Joseph Polimeni, author
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Schizophrenia is one of the most enigmatic human experiences. While it can cause terrible distress, it doesn't fit the mold of a classic medical disease. In Shamans Among Us, Joseph Polimeni shows that today's schizophrenia patients are no less than the modern manifestation of tribal shamans, people vital to the success of early human cultures. Spanning human history and including discussions of evolution, the definition of disease, and the nature of psychosis, Shamans Among Us is the most detailed and comprehensive evolutionary theory yet assembled to explain a specific psychiatric diagnosis. "Joseph Polimeni's scholarly book challenges several traditional concepts of both evolutionary biology and medicine. I strongly recommend it to all those who dare to think outside the box." - Martin Brüne, MD, author of Textbook of Evolutionary Psychiatry.
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Well worth a listen -
Published on 25 Sep 2013
A Video Lecture by Dr. Joseph Polimeni entitled "Shamanism and the Evolutionary Origins of Schizophrenia"
Another recent project -
Home - Crazywise
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9y...3XAjNKcRxOpAPA