Jess,
If you really want to help these people, quit your job and focus on lobbying advertising companies to get unhealthy bodies being passed off as the norm on mass media. Also, lobby to get junk food advertising banned. Eating disorders are uniquely westernised cultural phenomenon.

Same goes for the drug-alcohol users, we need social change not the medicalising of difference and despondency.

Mental health issues are political, not medical.

Jess,
Loren Mosher's Soteria proved that so-called mental health experts are not necessary, neither is toxic medication. The best people to assist people that are experiencing problems with life are people who have learned to cope with life's problems. That's why the psychopharmacology industry cut Mosher's funding and closed the Soteria down. Psychiatrist or psychologist that believe their own diatribe are dangerous people and should be avoided. Both of these fields are no more scientific than tea leave readers. A psychology degree does not make you an expert in mental health. Anyone that is doing ok in life is a mental health expert.

I also work in the field as a volunteer so get off your high horse. We have been lobbying the Govt for funding to setup a residency mirroring the Soteria project, we are close to achieving this. We wont be asking Psychologists or Psychiatrists to participate. Their will be no labeling or toxic medication.

http://www.moshersoteria.com/

Sorry to everyone else for getting off topic but my my original point is I agree with Matt's comment.

Ted,
I am not scientologist! Got it?

Jess,
Yes I most definitely am stating the the whole field of psychiatry, psychology and mental illness labeling is a social construct.

You're obviously a believer and I am not.

Look up social constructionism on wiki.

Read Michel Foucault.

Psychiatrist and Psychologists are just highly paid social control agents.

Wow, you're right! The sky is blue. But then again, language is a construct so maybe the sky is ug.

Gender is a social construct. Without the fields of psychiatry and psychology, there would be no mental patients. Without prisons there would be no criminals.
Psychiatry and Psychology need belief to exist. The list goes on and on........

Normality is a social construct.

Look at anthropological studies of indigenous cultures where capitalism doesn't exist, look at other cultures and how beauty is measured.

I'm poor and I have no problem finding partners. I do have a massive....though ;-)

Matt,
I couldn't agree with you more!

DW,

No lab test exists to identify a single mental illness in humans. No lesion has ever been found for any mental illness.

Check out the Rosenhan experiment on wiki to see just how accurate schizo diagnosis is. LOL This mouse experiment is just junk science!

Andrew,
I think you should read a few anthropology studies and broaden your horizon.

Why don't these so-called scientist get a grasp of archeology and realise that symptoms of schizophrenia (such as hearing voices and visions) are not only normal in many cultures but even desirable as voice hearers are seen as having close links to the spirit world.

Some of us are wise enough to see the our christian materialist culture for what it is, a social construct!

Schizophrenia (and mental illness) is, a means of reality enforcement and social control applicable to westernised culture.

I am an indigenous Australian, my culture is over 60,000 years old. The scientists should learn about our culture and our dream time.

I feel sad for the tortured animals. :-)

Many people around the world have been effected and deeply saddened by the establishment of the United States of America. This rock is just a starting point for worldwide grief.