[USMA '71]

Westen, a tenured professor of psychology and psychiatry

No offense to any Freepers but psychology and psychiatry may just be two of the most IMPRECISE "sciences" out there. Why should anyone believe this guy when it is obvious that his versions of reason and logic are clouded by his level of "higher learning"?

[Conservaliberty]

No offense to any Freepers but psychology and psychiatry may just be two of the most IMPRECISE “sciences” out there. Why should anyone believe this guy when it is obvious that his versions of reason and logic are clouded by his level of “higher learning”?

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I am inclined to agree with you. Unless restricted to treating mentally ill patients, psychology is pretty much bunk. Psychiatry, in the medical realm, is useful and necessary, but it is indeed imprecise. I am going to ‘come out’ here and admit that I have been diagnosed with bipolar-depression, generalized anxiety disorder, bulimia nervosa, and trichotillomania (compulsive hair pulling). Psychiatry saved my life; without my doctors I would not be in the secure place that I am today. But—three years of medicine experimentation and titration—along with the fact that no combinations will work for the same people, and the fact that people are still not entirely sure how the medicine works, just that it does—indicates how imprecise the science is. Psychology is even more fuzzy, but I have benefited a lot from those who pioneered cognitive behavior therapy.

However, note that I say these things must be limited to the MEDICAL realm; when mixed with sociology, they immediately transform into bunk.

To sum up—medical use=good. Sociological use=total and complete bovine excrement.

Of course, sociology is pretty much bovine excrement anyway. :)