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Guest
·http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/tv_and_radio/onelife_prog6.shtml
Sounds VERY interesting. Starting at 10:35pm (english time) on BBC1.
Sounds VERY interesting. Starting at 10:35pm (english time) on BBC1.
"The Madness in Me"-tonight on BBC1
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Guest
·I will Terri*, thanks for asking 
Glad you brought this up Wendy, as I was going to post a thread on this program.
Yep, I saw it to. It was a documentary about this woman who lived in a 'crisis centre' - a place for people who are usually locked up in psychiatric hospitals, but given respite care and therapy in normal surroundings. This poor woman - god knows what her diagnosis is, if she has any at all. To start with, she had non-epileptic seizures (no known physical cause), extreme emotional volatility, panic attacks, sleep walking, catatonia, seeming a touch of bi-polar...and probably a lot more. It was extremely difficult for the therapists and carers to make any sense of what was wrong with her (it all started abruptly, three years previously) as she almost completely clammed up when confronted with her emotional problems. The most she could explain was that she was 'afraid', and 'wanted to die'. Because of what, she didn't seem to know.
The program itself didn't really explain much, just followed her around filming her when she was freaking out, and the 'help' she was receiving, although extremely well intentioned, did her no help whatsoever it seems.
Now, disclaimer time. Probably, multiple disclaimer time. During the program they occasionally went to interview her family. First off, there was her father - a seemingly decent old chap, then..........oh boy....her mother, a priest (yes, yes, I know - prepare thyself) From her demeanour, and what she said, she found her daughters problems 'shameful' and 'nothing to do with psychological problems'. She wasn't one of those nice comely priests, friendly, full of empathy, that you expect, she was spiteful, vindictive, sarcastic to the therapists. When they got the daughter and the family together, oh yeah, it all kicked off. Obviously some major issues there...what they were, it was never made clear.
But it made me think, and this is where the Disclaimatron 2005 (tm) is going to get a battering. I had a chat with my mother after the program, who has 30 years of experience as a nurse, sister, matron, on a variety of psychiatric wards, mostly, but not exclusively, for young people with psychotic disorders. I used to wander around the wards as a kid, as we used to live in the staff houses in the various hospitals....I saw some terrible stuff there...but anyway. Keeping in mind that my mother is very spiritual, I asked her the following:
"What do you think are the major causes of serious psychotic illness?"
Her reply, in summary, was this:
1.) Drug/Alcohol abuse.
2.) Genetic predisposition and/or physical/emotional abuse
3.) Religious indoctrination / "Brainwashing" (her words)
Now, my point is this. (Finger poised on the Dislcaimertron). Drugs, alcohol abuse are illegal, frowned upon, dangerous, etc. Physical and/or emotional abuse likewise. But.....Religion ? Actively encouraged. We have a law being proposed in this country, cleverly named "The Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill", which, if passed as law, will prevent anyone criticising religion. I.e, if someone says something about religion that may be deemed to incite hatred, however mild (causing offence is deemed 'hate'), then it will go to court !!!!!!
Excuse me, while I jump off a cliff. The world is going to s**t. Is it me? Am I missing something here ? Am I that stupid?
Anyway that program, it was very sad. Very sad.
Yep, I saw it to. It was a documentary about this woman who lived in a 'crisis centre' - a place for people who are usually locked up in psychiatric hospitals, but given respite care and therapy in normal surroundings. This poor woman - god knows what her diagnosis is, if she has any at all. To start with, she had non-epileptic seizures (no known physical cause), extreme emotional volatility, panic attacks, sleep walking, catatonia, seeming a touch of bi-polar...and probably a lot more. It was extremely difficult for the therapists and carers to make any sense of what was wrong with her (it all started abruptly, three years previously) as she almost completely clammed up when confronted with her emotional problems. The most she could explain was that she was 'afraid', and 'wanted to die'. Because of what, she didn't seem to know.
The program itself didn't really explain much, just followed her around filming her when she was freaking out, and the 'help' she was receiving, although extremely well intentioned, did her no help whatsoever it seems.
Now, disclaimer time. Probably, multiple disclaimer time. During the program they occasionally went to interview her family. First off, there was her father - a seemingly decent old chap, then..........oh boy....her mother, a priest (yes, yes, I know - prepare thyself) From her demeanour, and what she said, she found her daughters problems 'shameful' and 'nothing to do with psychological problems'. She wasn't one of those nice comely priests, friendly, full of empathy, that you expect, she was spiteful, vindictive, sarcastic to the therapists. When they got the daughter and the family together, oh yeah, it all kicked off. Obviously some major issues there...what they were, it was never made clear.
But it made me think, and this is where the Disclaimatron 2005 (tm) is going to get a battering. I had a chat with my mother after the program, who has 30 years of experience as a nurse, sister, matron, on a variety of psychiatric wards, mostly, but not exclusively, for young people with psychotic disorders. I used to wander around the wards as a kid, as we used to live in the staff houses in the various hospitals....I saw some terrible stuff there...but anyway. Keeping in mind that my mother is very spiritual, I asked her the following:
"What do you think are the major causes of serious psychotic illness?"
Her reply, in summary, was this:
1.) Drug/Alcohol abuse.
2.) Genetic predisposition and/or physical/emotional abuse
3.) Religious indoctrination / "Brainwashing" (her words)
Now, my point is this. (Finger poised on the Dislcaimertron). Drugs, alcohol abuse are illegal, frowned upon, dangerous, etc. Physical and/or emotional abuse likewise. But.....Religion ? Actively encouraged. We have a law being proposed in this country, cleverly named "The Incitement to Religious Hatred Bill", which, if passed as law, will prevent anyone criticising religion. I.e, if someone says something about religion that may be deemed to incite hatred, however mild (causing offence is deemed 'hate'), then it will go to court !!!!!!
Excuse me, while I jump off a cliff. The world is going to s**t. Is it me? Am I missing something here ? Am I that stupid?
Anyway that program, it was very sad. Very sad.
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1,479 Posts
Oh my God Martin! :shock:
You'll be like the first one in line at the court. We'll be seeing you on CNN. :shock: Really, that is crazy as hell. There they go with that religious freedom stuff. You might have to move to America, the land of the free. 8) ( Very interesting finding out a little bit about Martin)
Thanks for the take on the program. I imagine it's hard to make something that has so many unknowns jell.
What did you think, Wendy?
You'll be like the first one in line at the court. We'll be seeing you on CNN. :shock: Really, that is crazy as hell. There they go with that religious freedom stuff. You might have to move to America, the land of the free. 8) ( Very interesting finding out a little bit about Martin)
Thanks for the take on the program. I imagine it's hard to make something that has so many unknowns jell.
What did you think, Wendy?
G
Guest
·Martin, Terri. While I was watching I wrote some stuff down of what I saw in this documentary. I had hoped to hear more out of the girl, but ofcourse that was exactly what the therapists were trying to do, and they got nowhere with her.
Through the documentary I got very annoyed with the girl. I think she had Borderline PD. You could see she was in a lot of distress, and most of the time, I found her to be very very manipulative.
The therapists were much too lenient with her. And I think its a shame that the therapy didnt work, not because the girl was unreachable, but mainly because the therapists didnt give her the right kind of therapeutic treatment.
The girl was playing them all along with her fits and temper tantrums, and I was quite amazed the therapists didnt see this, as it was so obvious (basically the girl was behaving like a little girl all the time). In stead of teaching her to be responsible for her own behaviors, they were rewarding her for it, by allowing her to manipulate them with her emotions and not putting up firm boundaries and show her the consequences of her behavior. Basically what I saw was the therapists reinforced the girl's dysfunctional behavior and thus not helping the girl (although their care and help was 100% truthfull).
I would definitely have given her a hard time. In the sense as to put a stop to her bullshit. That would be the first step...lol. But of course in kind of 'tough love' way. But, my blood boiled when watching her!
It was clear to me there was a battle going on with her mother (although a few parts of the docu I missed).
I was curious to where this girls behavior came from, and it was interesting her family was involved, but I couldnt get too much out of it either.
As you said Martin, the mother was cold, and very invalidating towards her daughter. What struck me was what the mother said about the girls panic attacks.
indicating to her daughter that when she had a panic attack and if she (the mother) acknowledged that, the girl's panic attack instantly disappeared....
Shows there is a lot of control from the mother over her daughter (and vice versa), and her mother knowing what she is doing (?). Not sure about that.
I also noticed, that the girl was behaving better (maybe feeling better?) when she was with her mother.
Also it was said that the girl had many talents and was encouraged by many to make use of these talents.
I cant escape the feeling that this girl was afraid to grow up. And instead
put her drama up and make her own life miserable, also to get the much needed attention (validation) she didnt get from her mother. But the mother, yes, cold, cold, unfeeling and unsympathetic. The father, absent. Mother reigned the home.
These are my thoughts on it. I have to watch it again to be more sure, as I missed a few parts. For example that the mother was a priest, I didnt know that, Martin.
I really felt it was kinda tragic the therapists werent able to help the girl. If all the therapists she will encounter in her next therapy programs would be like them, there is really little hope for this girl. Only if she would realize further in her life that her behavior is very counterproductive, there is hope.
But saddened with the lack of knowledge of the therapists. There was one female therapist, who no doubt meant very well, and tried to talk to the girl very empathically, but giving too much space for any further manipulation from the girl's side. Very sad.
Through the documentary I got very annoyed with the girl. I think she had Borderline PD. You could see she was in a lot of distress, and most of the time, I found her to be very very manipulative.
The therapists were much too lenient with her. And I think its a shame that the therapy didnt work, not because the girl was unreachable, but mainly because the therapists didnt give her the right kind of therapeutic treatment.
The girl was playing them all along with her fits and temper tantrums, and I was quite amazed the therapists didnt see this, as it was so obvious (basically the girl was behaving like a little girl all the time). In stead of teaching her to be responsible for her own behaviors, they were rewarding her for it, by allowing her to manipulate them with her emotions and not putting up firm boundaries and show her the consequences of her behavior. Basically what I saw was the therapists reinforced the girl's dysfunctional behavior and thus not helping the girl (although their care and help was 100% truthfull).
I would definitely have given her a hard time. In the sense as to put a stop to her bullshit. That would be the first step...lol. But of course in kind of 'tough love' way. But, my blood boiled when watching her!
It was clear to me there was a battle going on with her mother (although a few parts of the docu I missed).
I was curious to where this girls behavior came from, and it was interesting her family was involved, but I couldnt get too much out of it either.
As you said Martin, the mother was cold, and very invalidating towards her daughter. What struck me was what the mother said about the girls panic attacks.
indicating to her daughter that when she had a panic attack and if she (the mother) acknowledged that, the girl's panic attack instantly disappeared....
Shows there is a lot of control from the mother over her daughter (and vice versa), and her mother knowing what she is doing (?). Not sure about that.
I also noticed, that the girl was behaving better (maybe feeling better?) when she was with her mother.
Also it was said that the girl had many talents and was encouraged by many to make use of these talents.
I cant escape the feeling that this girl was afraid to grow up. And instead
put her drama up and make her own life miserable, also to get the much needed attention (validation) she didnt get from her mother. But the mother, yes, cold, cold, unfeeling and unsympathetic. The father, absent. Mother reigned the home.
These are my thoughts on it. I have to watch it again to be more sure, as I missed a few parts. For example that the mother was a priest, I didnt know that, Martin.
I really felt it was kinda tragic the therapists werent able to help the girl. If all the therapists she will encounter in her next therapy programs would be like them, there is really little hope for this girl. Only if she would realize further in her life that her behavior is very counterproductive, there is hope.
But saddened with the lack of knowledge of the therapists. There was one female therapist, who no doubt meant very well, and tried to talk to the girl very empathically, but giving too much space for any further manipulation from the girl's side. Very sad.
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1,479 Posts
Wendy, Thanks so much for all your thoughts on the program. Do you think that perhaps people who have dealt with all kinds of issues can "read" other people maybe even better than a psych? I think it's possible. It was interesting to see your take on her.
Maybe if Martin comes on tomorrow we'll see if he had her pegged in the same way.
Thanks again for watching and taking the extra time to post.
terri
Maybe if Martin comes on tomorrow we'll see if he had her pegged in the same way.
Thanks again for watching and taking the extra time to post.
terri
Interesting Wendy. Thinking about it again, I guess you could say that she was a manipulator, a child in a woman's body. The way she retained insight while 'freaking' out, does give credence to the idea.
Yes, agreed, you're right about her. Although, I still think her mother has a lot to do with it - and that's not just because of my bias.
Incidently, I think it was her mothers dog-collar that gave it away ! :wink:
Yes, agreed, you're right about her. Although, I still think her mother has a lot to do with it - and that's not just because of my bias.
Incidently, I think it was her mothers dog-collar that gave it away ! :wink:
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