Week 3 Presentation: Mental Health Industrial Complex and Clash of Self

Week 3: Mental Health Industrial Complex and Clash of Self 

ASA189B

Franchesca Flores

Photo from, "Why New Shaman Healing?" from New Shaman Healing

Western medicine has shown that it is capable of producing medicine for any kind of symptom, visible or not. Cases with broken arms and bacterial infections are able to physically be detected through scans and x-rays, that are then treated with medicines such as antibiotics and ibuprofen. With cases that trace back to the brain such as social anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder, there is no physical evidence that shows a problem through x-rays and scans. The closest thing to display this disorder is through CT scans and MRI’s where they will show the different activity that happens throughout the brain. 

In the documentary, Big Pharma Big Money, they begin by focusing on the topic of psychological distress and when it was originally diagnosed as a problem back in the 1800s. Originally this “imbalance” was cured through leeches and bleeding from the humorous, and removal of organs that are not necessarily needed in the body such as the spleen and tonsils. Through trial and error, doctors have evolved from their original hypothesis of curing these psychological symptoms through bleeding to taking a pill that will help one balance their brain chemistry. The real question to ask ourselves is, is this the final and correct way to help treat physiological orders that are not necessarily detectable? Claudia Keyworth, a former pharmaceutical sales representative, states that the explanation for psychological disorders are through a chemical imbalance of serotonin and dopamine. Although, there is no evidence and study to prove this hypothesis. In fact, it has been a collection of prior evidence that has been adopted in western medical culture and television advertisement to the point where so many people believe it, that is becomes a factual statement. 

            Watching the documentary was eye opening for me, I personally have never been interested in taking prescribed medication due to my allergy to pharmaceutical drugs. The reason is because of the current phenomenon of doctors that do not necessarily give their complete attention to their patients, due to the other patients they are assisting at the same time. I am able to understand the need to multitask and time constraint there is in the medical field, although I do not entirely agree. There have been cases where people have passed away due to allergic reactions from medication, or they were either mixed up with another person’s information from the multiple patients that the doctor is dealing with. It is more than critical that the doctors are attentive to what they are doing and the cases they are dealing with and not just doing it for a quick buck. 

            The most horrific part of the documentary was the fact that the creators of these drugs would prescribe them to patients that have mental retardation or other psychological problems and further find out the bad symptoms to them after the fact. Drugs like Thorazine produced in 1970, was able to immobilize unwanted behavior not only to people who were in mental hospitals, but the world. Later doctors found that this drug was irreversible when too much was ingested in the body. The creators and supporters of this drug did not entirely care to acknowledge the fact that their creation was able to immobilize people for life. Which resulted in them making a drug that was less powerful than the first. It was then given its pharmacy name, Miltown, or also known as its street name, “Mothers Little Helper.” Where it can be seen to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, pain and stress. This drug was not only for people who were incarcerated, but it was also for the general public. It was suggested for pregnant women, stay at home mothers, and white collared workers. Another name that it developed was, “Executive Excedrin,” in comparison to the store-bought medicine Excedrin that alleviates pain and headaches. The creation of this medicine was not made in result of an actual incident or case where someone needed the drug, but because there was so much money invested into the project that the person who is funding the project would lose their money and result in a failed project. The lack of consideration towards actual humans and their lives in the medical industry is upsetting. It has been built up to be revolved around money and the benefits one can obtain from the product, instead of the actual health and concerns of the individual. This process will then eventually have people in worse conditions than they are originally were, become dull, or even have the people develop an addiction or dependence on the drug itself. 

            Other countries such as people in the Eastern parts of the world, or indigenous heritages will look into the spiritual aspect of these psychological problems, rather than ingesting pharmaceutical drugs to “alleviate” these symptoms that Western medicine diagnose. In the article, “What a Shaman Sees in A Mental Hospital,” by Stephanie Marohn, she explains the calling from the soul of the person that results in “psychological disorder.” “What those in the West view as mental illness, the Dagara people regard as ‘good news from the other world,’” stated by Dr. Somé. They explain that the increasing pain of people who are incarcerated is because the spirit is attempting to merge themselves with the physical world in order to send messages to this world from the spirit world. Spirits and souls live with everyone, but these spirits are drawn to people whose senses are deprived of feeling or awareness. Which is why people who appear to be oversensitive in the Western medical field are diagnosed with unusual sadness, anger, or both and these symptoms and cases get classified as “mental-disorders.”

            Other cultures in the East such as Indian, Hindu, and Buddhist religions try to learn from Western medical practices and medicine by enhancing the lives of their people rather than finding the best way to make a quick dollar from them. In the essay, “Combining Indian and Western Spiritual Psychology,” by Doug Oman, he explains how Indian cultures are questioning and trying to combine both medicine and spirituality together, emphasizing mainly on the topic of psychological disorders. “The Indian psychology movement aims to reclaim traditional riches while expanding and refining the best of modern psychology.” Empirical research is currently dominating the Western psychology of religion and spirituality with surveys and tests from their patients and subjects. Where as spiritual experiences are reported from cultures in the Eastern part of the world as factual information. It is quite difficult to form the words of these experiences at times, which is why they are not focused on as much in the Western field of psychology and medicine. This is why Indian cultures are suggesting the combination of both practices with traditional healing of spirituality through ones culture alongside the medical field. Not only will there be another way to help heal people from their “mental-disorders,” but there will be more of an understanding of people and their cultures alongside the growth of medicine and psychology.