Posted on 09/27/2005 8:01:08 PM PDT by april15Bendovr
Question to My colleagues in the Mental Health Field?
As a Counselor I ask this question of my colleagues in my field because we live, eat, breath and excrete liberalism every day.
I haven't read Michael Savage's book "Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" yet but it does sound like an interesting diagnosis.
If so what are the criterias that would make up the illness?
Conservatives in our field could come up with some very interesting answers and I would like your input to add or reinforce my point.
First would be to look at the self explanatory quote "Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains." - Sir Winston Churchill.
Second can liberalism be a disease like alcoholism or drug addiction where people echo the patterns of their parents? They know they are liberals but cant tell you why or how they got that way? They can tell you their parents were Democrats. Sound Familiar? They also seem to have the same denial coping mechanisms that cloud their reality that their life is a mess. I guess you could also use Public Schools and College Professors as an example similarity to the gateway drug of indoctrination.
Can liberalism be just like an Axis 2 personality disorder where they like their illness so much they couldn't possibly part with the symptoms due to secondary gain? Like Borderline Personality and Cutting?
I like diagnosing liberals with a form of Munchausen's Syndrome or Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy. In many ways in the larger scheme of things they perform these symptoms on society rather than on a child our themselves (picture entitlement programs). Its really more of a metaphor than a diagnosis I am presenting here so don't take me completely serious.
Definitions
Munchausen's Syndrome refers to a psychiatric disorder where patients pretend to have illnesses, and therefore are subjected to many medical tests and surgical procedures. Of course, these would never have been performed if the patient had not tried to fabricate them. However, the most notorious patients have often had dozens of surgical procedures for factitious (false) symptoms. Thus, this is a form of self-mutilation.
Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy (MSP) is a parenting disorder where parents, usually the mother, fabricate symptoms in their children, thus subjecting the child to unnecessary medical tests and/or surgical procedures. In some cases, the parents also inflict injury and can kill their children in the process. MSP is not rare in Apnea Programs. Apnea is the perfect disorder for MSP, because infants appear normal between episodes. Therefore, a parent can bring her baby to a medical facility, fabricate a history of an apparent life threatening event, and the baby will be admitted, many tests performed, sometimes even surgery (such as tracheostomomies) are performed. MSP parents can be quite good at this, often switching from doctor to doctor so that it is difficult for one individual to put it all together. There have been documented cases of MSP in apnea clinics. However, these are much rare than "true" infant apnea.
I witness liberals dividing society by Race, Religion, Economic Class and Gender under the auspice of implementing socialism and using a hidden agenda. The tools they use are Fear, Anger, Manipulation and Intimidation. Ends Justify the means.
We have all heard the quote "give a man a fish and you have fed him for the day teach him how to fish you have fed him for life." I know I am being drastic here but we know working in this field as a helping hand is better than being a hand out care-taking enabling liberal. Thats the difference for us.
My vote goes for Borderline Personality Disorder.
Liberals have all the rage, dependencies, behavior ruled by fluctuating moods,glorification and/or deprecation of parental figures,depression and narcisisstic infantilizing of others.
Besides...the best criteria for Borderline is " when you just can't decide on a diagnosis, its usually Borderline!"
Diagnosis... Your NUTS. That was so much simpler.
I'll let you know after I consult the invisible Gnomes who live in my shrubbery. I'll ask them when they are done knitting the new bath tub.
His nuts? What about 'em?
Don't know about borderline, but definitely Axis II. I'll have to give it some more thought...
I do feel like a cowboy at a Rap convention.
After a review, I am going to have to go with a Cluster C: Dependent Personality Disorder
I quote (emphasis mine):
"The essential feature of the dependent personality disorder (DPD) is a pattern of excessive need to be taken care of that leads to submissive behavior and fear of separation (Reference 3). Clients with DPD feel helpless and incompetent; they show passive compliance with others and a weak response to the demands of daily life (Reference 6). These individuals will subordinate their desires and refrain from making demands; they may tolerate abuse to maintain a relationship. DPD clients deny or minimize trouble; they avoid tension and limit their awareness of both themselves and others (Reference 5). They appear friendly, naive, and self-effacing (Reference 7).
...
Individuals with DPD may enter treatment via the criminal justice system or self-referral. Early in treatment, they appear attentive, appreciative, and easy to engage. When substantive change is required, however, the resistance toward independent functioning and autonomy become apparent. Beyond antidepressants (Reference 5), DPD clients do not usually need medication. The passive dependence characteristic of this personality disorder reinforces reliance on mood-altering drugs. Iatrogenic addiction is a significant concern.
Confrontation should be modified; confrontation that emphasizes self-empowerment will assist in addressing characterological issues. Abstinence should be a goal of treatment. If it is a prerequisite, most clients with DPD will remain self-destructive in the service of existing relationships. Use must be confronted; termination may be necessary when DPDs are not ready to let go of negative or abusive relationships." What do you all think?
Of course not. Definitely on the Axis II spectrum.
; )
You OBVIOUSLY havent read the reports I have .. you see.. youre just glib.. youre talking about a pseudo-science. If you had your facts straight, youd know all the Ritalin in the world cant make you feel better than sleeping with Katie Holmes does. :)
Seriously.. good post from the "right" side of a left wing profession I'm so happy to call home.
I would venture it's Axis I for those under 30 (like Oppositional Defiant or Conduct Disorders) and Axis II for those over 30 (Antisocial or Borderline Personality Disorders).
Free Republic is my group therapy.
Can we call that The Liberal Development Model?
Conservative psychiatrist here. I've given this long thought. Many dependent entitled people gravitate to liberalism, but I must confess I have many friends and family who except for their political insanity, seem quite normal, and in many ways exemplary, in their everyday life.
My only explanation for this is that for many liberalism is a source of political power. I think what happens is they dissociate the personal benifit that they derive from their politics from the social harm it incurs.
Well Doctor that would still fall under AXIS 2 and
Dissociative Disorders. Just Kidding
I was thinking more the FDR/Johnson Developmental Model, since they were to liberalism what Freud was to psychiatry (and coke).
I think it's the way their brains are wired. I think they process information differently. Maybe they are more right brained. That might be why they have no common sense or logic but are slaves of their emotions.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.