Reflection (2014)
As of late I have become bothered by the term Mental Illness. I am afraid that in our efforts to understand the struggle of natural human experience, we have become all too quick to label normal human developmental experiences and the associated internal effects of those as Mental Illness.
I wonder what is gained by developing a common language and labels for difficult human experiences. For example, the natural cycle for substantial loss is periods of apathy, disconnection, lifelessness, and withdrawal from others. It is a part of the healing phase, as well as deep and sorrowful bellows that unleash the pain of the loss. The releasing of the emotions lets loose the pain and heals the heart. The release is also a part of the healing phase.
Shutting down these natural healing states through medication or labels prevents the healing that needs to occur to be free of the loss. The same is true for trauma. To label these states as Mental Illness in my estimation is tragic and resembles the concept of “Blame the Victim”
The Dali Lama, a man of great peace and equanimity once described a scenario of a monk who passed by a dead man on the road, he laid down with the dead man and sobbed uncontrollably. Two other monks came by and said, Why are you crying, the monk lying on the road with the dead man said, “ Because I am SAD”
Being of great peace and presence does not take away the emotions that occur in us or the need to express them. They simply provide a foundation to come home to once the pain has been expelled.
Lori
As of late I have become bothered by the term Mental Illness. I am afraid that in our efforts to understand the struggle of natural human experience, we have become all too quick to label normal human developmental experiences and the associated internal effects of those as Mental Illness.
I wonder what is gained by developing a common language and labels for difficult human experiences. For example, the natural cycle for substantial loss is periods of apathy, disconnection, lifelessness, and withdrawal from others. It is a part of the healing phase, as well as deep and sorrowful bellows that unleash the pain of the loss. The releasing of the emotions lets loose the pain and heals the heart. The release is also a part of the healing phase.
Shutting down these natural healing states through medication or labels prevents the healing that needs to occur to be free of the loss. The same is true for trauma. To label these states as Mental Illness in my estimation is tragic and resembles the concept of “Blame the Victim”
The Dali Lama, a man of great peace and equanimity once described a scenario of a monk who passed by a dead man on the road, he laid down with the dead man and sobbed uncontrollably. Two other monks came by and said, Why are you crying, the monk lying on the road with the dead man said, “ Because I am SAD”
Being of great peace and presence does not take away the emotions that occur in us or the need to express them. They simply provide a foundation to come home to once the pain has been expelled.
Lori
