Perceptions of Mental Illness Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Perceptions of Mental Illness Throughout this course, much of what we have discussed has depended strongly on an interpretation of scientific information. We have questioned, criticized, accepted, rejected, and formed our own ideas about topics in neural and behavioral science. A book which I have instruct recently arrestms to fit in with this type of discussion. Blaming the Brain, by Eliot Valenstein, describes the major biologic theories of cordial illness and the lack of evidence we have to fully fend for them. What Valenstein fights is that we have come to a point where we accept each(prenominal) mental illness as purely biological in origin, and have discard older ideas about social and psychological effects, rather then attempting to see how these two different types of explanations fit together. While some may argue that this shift has helped to signifi ignoretly de-stigmatize mental illness, it also has caused a neglect of pregnant factors which must play a role in th ese disorders. In 1999, in a report by the Surgeon General, it was stated that research into the biology of the brain is a potent antidote to stigma, but it was also evince that psychotherapy not be forgotten as it sometimes plays a large role in recovery. Finding middle ground Although we do not know all there is to know about disorders of the noisome system, I believe that it is very plausible that mental illness is in the main the result of disturbances in the nervous system. Although in extreme situtions, some bring things like, it reduces a complex human activity to a slice of shamed brain tissue (4). I wouldnt go this far to assume that this is all there is to it, although I also dont believe that all mental illnesses can fit into the same box. While s... ... fallacies of no-fault addictionhttp//infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/brynmawr_main?http_rc=400&class= session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Fweb7.infotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F672%2F823%2F362489 06w3%2Fpurl%3Drc1_EAIM_0_A53551866%26dyn%3D3xrn_5_0_A53551866%3Fsw_aep%3Dbrynmawr_main&cont=&msg=No+ academic term+cookies&sserv=no5)Schizophreniahttp//infotrac.galegroup.com/itweb/brynmawr_main?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Fweb7.infotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F672%2F823%2F36248906w3%2Fpurl%3Drc1_EAIM_0_A53551866%26dyn%3D3xrn_5_0_A53551866%3Fsw_aep%3Dbrynmawr_main&cont=&msg=No+Session+cookies&sserv=no6) Scientists Call for polish off to Neurology-Psychiatry Divide http//mentalhealth.about.com/?once=true&rnk=r7&terms=neuroscienceValenstein, Eliot. (1998). Blaming the Brain. New York The Free Press