what you sow

  Saw a short expose on a man that is a motivational speaker. When he was in school, he had issues with learning. He was diagnosed with IED (intermittent explosive disorder) a mental disorder. It is pretty much as described. Fits of anger bordering on rage occur over the littlest of issues. It is treatable by medications and therapy. He received the help he needed and finished his schooling and wrote a book about that. Now he goes school to school talking to the kids about how he was treated differently on account of that, the stigma associated with it, and how he overcame it all. A story of survival. 

  All of that is all well and good and I'm glad he made the best of a bad situation. Whatever medications and treatments he received appear to have everything under control. What was disturbing to me however was this proclamation. One in five children suffer from this disorder. That's what the professional are saying, one in five! So, they are saying what we used to call "tantrums" are really a mental disorder. Not only that but 20% of the population have it! And the cure is medications combined with mental health counseling. Better living through chemistry? 

 The Dupont company had a slogan "Better things for better living through chemistry" the "through chemistry part was dropped in 1982, however. The promise was a better life and the ability to solve any human problems through science. Well at least mask the problem, if not correct it. It's my thinking that is what is going on more so than any solutions being offered. Science may indeed be able to offer an explanation for the behavior, but that doesn't mean they can eliminate it. Still, like I said, if whatever they are doing works and helps others that's a good thing. Timothy Leary also thought a better existence was possible through chemistry. 

  I listened to the story and thought about what was being said. One in five people, at least school age children, have this disorder. But if you are treated for it and succeed, that's a feather in your cap. And that is where I begin to have a problem with all this better living through chemistry stuff. It appears to me that the more issues and problems you have that you can later say you overcome, the better it is for you. These circumstances being called the removal of stigma. 

 What is stigma? It's a sign. Stigmata in the Christian religion is when the marks of crucifixion appear on a person. But we think of stigma in a different way. We think stigma is a bad thing. It's a false belief or health condition. Often thought of as prejudicial. If you have behaved in a certain fashion, contrary to the norm, the expected response, or hold beliefs that do not agree with reality, but change your behavior later, none of that should be held against you. In fact, you should be rewarded for that very action. It should never be mentioned again unless you don't get your way, then you can use that as a badge of entitlement. Should I not acquiesce, I can then be accused of perpetuating stigma! 

 I suppose there are those that will simply say I'm a grumpy old man, out of touch with the world and set in my ways. I've heard that before and I admit, I've even said that before to others. I have been around a while and seen a lot of things change socially and politically. It is a constant topic with me, morality, ethics, and common sense. I did come from a time and place where God helps those who help themselves was often the advice of the day. I heard, "buck up" a lot as well. That was accompanied with, I'll give you something to cry about. All intended to impart some sense of maturity. I soon learned the world doesn't revolve around me. I learned to cope with the world, how to conduct myself in a civil fashion and I didn't feel like a victim. A far cry from what I'm hearing from an awful lot of "professionals" these days. 

  Emotional cripples abound surviving on that "better living through chemistry" mentality. And yesterday I heard one in five will require some form of medication and therapy for their lifetimes just to get along with others. Without it they will throw a fit, have tantrums and create all sorts of problems. But they have a mental issue. And the thing is, from my point of view, a good number of the "causes" today concern mental health issues. I'm being told all of that is just fine, it's normal behavior and completely natural. A good number of those behaviors where in the DSM not that many years ago, they were diagnosable mental health issues. Well, another old adage says you reap what you sow. That is certainly the truth, the long and short of it. Today we sow the seeds of doubt. You can't do it on your own. You need help! Today we are told, trust the science. Better living through science. Just trust the science, you can't do this on your own.