mental illness in the news, again.

[mopinko]

few things dampen my regard for my fellow liberals like the reactions to stories like this one.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2309657

[DemExpat]

1. I think I understand how almost impossible it is for

people who have not experienced severe emotional anguish (or depersonalization, etc.) to fathom what drives people to do things like this.

It doesn't upset me - their inability to understand - I just see it as one more area where consciousness raising is very much called for - and it is good to have discussion about it as you did in that thread...just plug in your ideas about it and plant little seeds......

DemEx

[NMMNG]

2. People who have no understanding of mental illness

commonly have that sort of reaction. It is disheartening and frustrating. :banghead:

[mopinko]

3. funny, tho

that thread sunk pretty fast. when women do that shit, it seems like there are a million threads with a million comments. bad dads just don't strike the same chord with people, do they?

[NMMNG]

5. Mothers are held to a higher standard

They are the childbearers, the nurturers, the gentler ones. They're expected to die protecting their children. If they turn on their children it arouses more fear and scorn than when a father does it.

[mopinko]

6. yup

it's called sexism.

[Bluerthanblue]

7. its so deep rooted Mo-

the need to 'blame' and the scapegoating of women.

We women bear the blame regardless- in many peoples minds- probably unconsiously even in our own.

My take on the 'blame women- women are subservient'? There is a ....subconcious jealosy in a man, that it is not his body that brings forth new life- That in itself is a kind of 'power'- that men cannot wield. (yet)

The neanderthal notion, that physical force can have the upper hand-

The pain that comes with truly feeling emotions- actually experiencing the gut-wrenching agony of grief, sorrow, loss, sorrow. Men "TEND" to desire to 'fix' things- to 'control' situations-
To avoid pain, at great cost- (speaking in VERY sterotyped language here- there are huge exceptions to all of this).

Mental Illness, is the reality that sometimes people absolutely CANNOT control themselves- and it is not because they are 'weak'- 'evil'- 'not trying'- 'selfish'- 'lazy'- 'desire attention'- or any of the other outs, people would like to lay of those who suffer with mental illness.

Because, if 'we' acnowledge that just like any other organ, our brains, can malfunction, and have that exhibit itself in our behaviour- then, that leaves EVERYONE 'vunerable' to not being 'in control' of themselves. It levels the playing field.

ie: bird flu when it remains exclusive to the birds, is disturbing, but we can 'cope' with the threat- (unless we are birds)

If/when that flu crosses the divide, and is something that we can't avoid by not 'being' a bird, but are equally susceptible to, then it becomes a disaster- and something we MUST 'control'-

i'm not making much sense here-
sorry-

blu

[mopinko]

8. i have to agree

not sure with what, exactly. lol.
seriously, i do agree that all this crap is deeply seated. and i hope that we evolve past it all one day.

[Random_Australian]

10. The one ecxeption I'll take - about why men feel like that.

Good guess on the info given, but I would say it is not jealousy - there is insecurity that women may not bear them children, but not jealousy; also the main desire to control I would argue stems more from the metaphorical desire to get the lions share of the kill, if you see what I mean.

(As in, the leader gets more food (and whatever other needs satisfied), and the leader is the one who can control the rest of the pack)

**This post was intended to be snark free**
My apologies in advance if it there was.

[EFerrari]

4. You know, I almost posted to that thread but was having a

"I'm too tired to live let alone explain" day and didn't. My bad.

People get scared and act/post straight out of their fear. Maybe we can do better.

[carl_pwccaman]

9. But what is there to explain...

I take it that there are plenty of people who have various mental disorders who do not harm other people, do not kill anyone, who may harm or kill themselves but don't take anyone with them.

I think it is a mistake for people who have never so harmed or killed another, to act as if they are really like such people ethically or emotionally.

There is something different about different illnesses, but even with similar syndromes, different people react differently.

Why not allow violent people, or people who in their confusion, harm others, be seen as separate from others, among people with psychological issues?

I think this is an issue of people not being able to make distinctions.

I.e., not all people with psychological issues do these things, only few do, and those few who do, either have violent pasts or aren't on medicine, or are drinking, or a combination of these.