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Chewbacca · 09-02-2004, 12:08 AM

An interesting topic that I understand firsthand.

I went through a period of extreme mental unstability not unlike schizophrenia early in my study and practice of Shamanism. Sparing the difficult to describe details, I grew out of this phase over the course of several months- perhaps a year, with a far more clearer understanding of what it means to be spiritual, compassionate, and empathic. Afterwords I discovered this is not an unusual expirience for someone on a path like mine.

It turns out in some cultures, exhibiting signs of mental illness was a desirable trait for a shaman as it proved a closer than usual connection to the unseen realm and the ability to channel spirits.

My wife is in charge of a carehouse for Schizophrenics. It is kind of like a halfway house designed to provide some normalcy for sufferers who's illness is not severe enough for hospitalization yet still merits 24 hour a day available care. I have met and gotten to know many of the residents.

I do have to wonder if any of those folks were born in another time and culture if they would be considered one of the holy members of the tribe, rather than one of the sick and in need of constant care.

One thing is clear- Schizophrenia is a treatable disease of the brain and pysche. It does not simply pass due to sheer willpower and/or personal revelation alone as was the case in my expirience.

I find it both curious and heartening the DSM-IV now has a designation for what I went through but I am skeptical as well. For one, it would be a bad thing indeed to diagnose a person as having a "spiritual problem" when they actually have a brain disease.

In my case I had some guidance and personal insight that what I was expiriencing would pass and was part of the path I chose. If it were not for this guidance and insight I would have probably ended up seeking professional help and would have been quite doubtful if a counselor told me I was simply having a 'spiritual problem'.

My point-I say treat schizophrenia like schizophrenia until it is evident it is not.

09-02-2004, 12:08 AM	#25
Chewbacca Zartan Join Date: July 18, 2001 Location: America, On The Beautiful Earth Age: 52 Posts: 5,373	An interesting topic that I understand firsthand. I went through a period of extreme mental unstability not unlike schizophrenia early in my study and practice of Shamanism. Sparing the difficult to describe details, I grew out of this phase over the course of several months- perhaps a year, with a far more clearer understanding of what it means to be spiritual, compassionate, and empathic. Afterwords I discovered this is not an unusual expirience for someone on a path like mine. It turns out in some cultures, exhibiting signs of mental illness was a desirable trait for a shaman as it proved a closer than usual connection to the unseen realm and the ability to channel spirits. My wife is in charge of a carehouse for Schizophrenics. It is kind of like a halfway house designed to provide some normalcy for sufferers who's illness is not severe enough for hospitalization yet still merits 24 hour a day available care. I have met and gotten to know many of the residents. I do have to wonder if any of those folks were born in another time and culture if they would be considered one of the holy members of the tribe, rather than one of the sick and in need of constant care. One thing is clear- Schizophrenia is a treatable disease of the brain and pysche. It does not simply pass due to sheer willpower and/or personal revelation alone as was the case in my expirience. I find it both curious and heartening the DSM-IV now has a designation for what I went through but I am skeptical as well. For one, it would be a bad thing indeed to diagnose a person as having a "spiritual problem" when they actually have a brain disease. In my case I had some guidance and personal insight that what I was expiriencing would pass and was part of the path I chose. If it were not for this guidance and insight I would have probably ended up seeking professional help and would have been quite doubtful if a counselor told me I was simply having a 'spiritual problem'. My point-I say treat schizophrenia like schizophrenia until it is evident it is not. __________________ Support Local Music and Record Stores! Got Liberty?