To question the status quo in the mental health arena is taboo and invalidating (to some). To question if a chemical imbalance exist seems to some that I am saying that it is not real; that it is not biological — that their extreme struggle did not exist, or could have been easily remedied. Nothing is simply in biology, nothing is simply about brain neurochemistry; and currently in 2020 — we know nothing, comparatively to the upcoming centuries.
If you are reading this, you would be a future thinker — as you are reading this on a website designed on a futuristic decentralized cryptocurrency website. There are all kinds of futuristic thinkers; including in medicine and neurobiology. I am just all around ready for a revolution in thinking and perceiving the world. There is a lot more that we are going to learn about the brain in the upcoming centuries — so, no. I cannot sit here and say that mental illness is 100% caused by a chemical imbalance. Knowing how much we do not know about the brain and human consciousness makes me ponder.
I will never talk someone out of taking medication if that is what is best for them. If medications work for some of you who have been diagnosed — I am genuinely happy for you. That is one way to treat mental illness; and I am not a medical doctor. I am to be a chiropractor. I am educated, I just have a different model. I do not prescribe medication, I do not encourage people to stop taking them. I speak about medications and brain chemistry on a philosophical level. I speak about how the brain works due to an honest obsession and fascination — I speak about this because I want to do research on this. I want to go on in the educational world — forward onto perhaps a philosophy doctorate (PhD) in a field related to neurobiology later in life in order to answer some of my deepest questions about neurophysiology.
I honestly just desire to understand, and the current model has some big wide gaping holes that are unexplainable using this theory of the brain and mood. Genetics cannot be the strong hold answer; I too am just forward thinking. It’s far to permanent when our bodies are dynamic and plastic in nature. That’s been consistently proven over the years. True psychiatrist and psychologist understand that mental illness is multifactorial; it is located on a bio-psycho-social model of disease. There are many reason for a persons symptomatology.
And the disease model is a large philosophy in medicine, currently it is the only player in modern mainstream medicine. And it’s one that I want to leave behind, not change — but peruse a new line of thinking about the ever changing nature of the body, one that is buildable and one that can adapt. The mechanistic ideal of the surgeon works, and yet not everything is as easy as a broken bone.
As the general public, most do not understand medical philosophy and how it applies to education. For example what is the difference between a D.O. and an M.D.? Currently they have the SAME medical scope of practice according to the American Medical Association. They just began with different ideals of the function of the body. Andrew Stills, who founded osteology colleges had a fundamental belief that blood flow was of key importance to the humans ability to function. His writings are very interesting.
I got a broken bone held together by ribbon tattooed on my leg at eighteen. Symbolism has always meant a great deal to me. And honestly throughout the years, the meaning has really changed. I keep understanding deeper connections to the drawing I have permanently on my body. I’ve been obsessed with literature and symbolism for awhile. Every single one of my pieces have a story and a meaning. I know that others do not have to — I do, I have too.
Some things are not as easy as a broken bone. While in the system, I felt as if they were trying to staple back together these emotional wounds with force and on a timeline. I did not respond well to this type of treatment. I know that others would agree with me; it was harsh, swift and fast. We were met with medications, needing us to “accept” and agree the reasons our parents sent us away, and therapy that felt more like brainwashing than help. There has got to be a better way. There has got to be more resources for parents struggling; there has got to be better help for teens — of all socioeconomic status. And quite honestly, I am not sure what the solution is?
It is something that I am brainstorming and education myself about. I was to shout it from the roof tops sometimes — to just hold on, there is help. You are not broken, you are enough — you don’t have to die. There will be answers to big huge problems in the mental health field; lets keep learning together. Let’s keep pressing forward for change, let’s keep pressing forward for better solutions. Scientists should not settle for “good enough”.
I consider myself a scientist of sorts. I won’t settle for you — I want my future patience to have the best care available. I want to create a sense of hope for the future, I want to be as educated on the subject as I possibly can — just so I can maybe be one voice (of many) who can contribute to the expansion of knowledge about the human brain. And just maybe that could help those who believe they are broken.
Just because you believe something, does not mean that it is true.
There is hope, hold on.