Tag: therapy

An FYB Monday Movie: MANIC

Welcome to Another Monday Post Here at FYB featuring the 2001 Movie MANIC  Directed by Jordan Melamed which was Written By Micheal BaCall and Blayne Weaver and Stars Joseph Gordon- Levitt.  I thought this would be an Excellent Monday Post since Mondays are the Most Dreaded Day of the Week, and has the Infamous Reputation for being The Shittiest Day of the Entire Week.

Storyline: The Movie Follows the Fate of Lyle Johnson (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) a Troubled Teen who is Prone to Sudden and Violent Outbursts. After Brutally Beating a Fellow Teen with a Baseball Bat at a Game Lyle in Lieu of Prison, is Committed to the Juvenile Ward of a Mental Hospital. In the Mental Institution Lyle  encounters a Motley Crue of Equally Lost and Troubled Teens just Trying to get by in Life by the Skin of Their Teeth. The Group of His Fellow Wayward Teens becomes Lyle’s Last Life Line as He Struggles to find Meaning in a World that Seems to Defy Understanding.

From The Critics:

“Powerful film packed with profanity and brutality.”

-Nell Minow (Common Sense Media)-

“Shows more hopelessness than optimism but it never less than honest.”

-Micheal O’Sullivan (Washington Post)-

“It’s an undemonstrative, vividly authentic film.”

-Derek Adams (Empire Magazine)-

Thanks For Watching,

   Presented By Les Sober  

Beth Thomas Documentary: Child of Rage (Child Sociopath)

Child of Rage is the 1992 CBS Television Documentary Film about the True Life Story of Six Year Old Beth Thomas. This Bone – Story Chilling with scenes that You WILL NEVER FORGET. The Documentary features Footage of Beth revealing to Her Therapist that She has Tortured Animals and Physically/Sexually Abused Her Younger Brother Eric.

Brief Synopsis:

Jill Tyler and Her Minister Husband Rob decided They wanted to Adopt not just One but Two Children from the American Foster System. In the End the Tylers Adopted Six Year Old Beth and Her Younger Brother Eric. Eric is a Sweet, Shy, and Timid, and it appeared at First that Beth shared the same behavioral Traits as Her Brother. It Turned out that was Not the Case Not by a Long Shot. Beth soon began to have Unexplained Outbursts of Violent Rage for No Apparent Reason whatsoever. In a Short Time Beth’s behavior Deteriorates and Incidents (with increasing Levels of Violence) Start Occurring with Greater Frequency the Tylers went looking for Answers.

The Tyler Approach Beth’s Social Worker Doris and ask Her about the Specifics of Beth’s case file that contains Her Past/Personal Information. Doris Declines to answer the Tyler’s Questions Citing Confidentiality Laws and leave it at that. Times goes by and Beth’s Behavior reaches a Level where Mr. Tyler actually wanted to Keep Eric and relinquish Beth back to the Foster Care System, but Mrs. Tyler refused to give up on Beth.

           

In an unforeseen turn of Events Doris contacts the Tylers and Confesses the Truth of Eric and Beth’s Personal History. Doris goes on to tell the Tyler’s She was Alerted by Phone of a Case of Child Abuse, and She went and Rescued the Children from an Abusive Home (which She admitted was One of the Worst She had Ever seen). When Doris went on to say when She arrived at the Home Eric was in Bad Shape, but Nothing compared to His Sister Beth who even Worse Shape. There were No Adults Present at the Time Doris Rescued the Children as Their Mother was in the Hospital with Pneumonia, and Their Alcoholic Father was off on a Drunken Bender. To top things off Doris informs the Tylers that Beth and Eric in fact have an Older Sister named Stephanie.

Doris along with Mr. Tyler track down Stephanie who a Bitter, Broken, and Damaged Young Lady who was currently working at a Topless Bar. The Story Stephanie told Them was the Stuff that Nightmare are Made of. Stephanie told The Horrible and Harrowing Tale of Sexual Abuse at the Hands of Her Incestuous Pedophile Father. Once Stephanie was Old enough to Fight Off Her Father’s Abuse He began to Abuse Beth who was only an Infant at the Time. Though Thanks to Doris’s Confession the Tylers had the Information They Wanted (and Needed) They still weren’t any closer to the Answer of How Could They or Anyone for that Matter Help Beth overcome Her Childhood Trauma. Its then that Doris suggests a Controversial Treatment for Beth known as Holding Therapy which is Practiced by the Author of the Book Kids who kill (which Mrs. Tyler thought Perfectly Described Beth) Dr. Rosemary Myers.

           

Dr. Myers Examines Beth who Lies in an attempt to Manipulate the Doctor into believing that in Reality there was Nothing at all Wrong. Meanwhile Dr. Myers isn’t convinced in the Least, and employees the Tactic of Reverse Psychology to get Beth to Admit to Her Violent Behavior and Acts of Violence. Dr. Myer ultimately Diagnosis Beth with an Attachment Disorder Known as Reactive Attachment Disorder or RAD.

Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) is a Condition in which a Child is Unable to Establish Healthy Attachment(s) with Their Parents, Guardian or Primary Care Taker……A Child with an Attachment Disorder feels Unsafe and Alone. Children with Reactive Attachment Disorder have been so Disrupted in Early Development that Their Future Relationships are Seriously to Extremely Impaired and Highly Dysfunctional. This Disorder Stems from Having Suffered Physical/Sexual/Emotional Neglect or Abuse in a Child’s early Developmental Years.

           

Note to The Viewer: It is Important to Note that While the Documentary is Informative it Doesn’t Comment on the Outcome. Thats to say They didn’t take the Time to let the Viewers know what happened to Beth once the Documentary was done filming. Luckily though this Sadistic Story actually has a Rather Happy Ending as it turns Out. Beth has persevered over Her Traumatic Childhood of Brutal Abuse, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Nursing. Beth has used what happened to Her and the Documentary to Help Other Children who are dealing having been Victims of Abuse.

Enjoy.

Thanks for Watching,

  Brought to You By Les Sober

The Myths of Mental Health In America

As I mentioned Once Before one of the Many things I find Fascinating is Sociology. It’s true I am Not what You would Call a People Person by any shot of the Imagination, BUT that Aside I find People fucking Fascinating to No End. When I was in Collage at one Point I considered getting a Degree in Sociology (and Hell No I wasn’t about to be a fucking Social Worker. That Job Pays DICK, and will Burn You Out Completely as it Kills whatever Faith You have left in Humanity), Yet Life had a Different Course for Me to take.

I still find Interacting with People to be a Necessary Evil I am utterly Intrigued as to What Makes People Tick. One of the Social Shifts We have seen is How Society as a Whole Feels, Acts, and Thinks about Mental Health.

Not too Long Ago NO ONE Mentioned or Talked about Mental Health Issues Unless it was At Home Behind Closed Doors where Positively No One Else could Find Out. Fast Forward to Today and it’s a MUCH Different Story. People Nowadays Conversate at Ease about being in Therapy, Talk Openly about Their Psychological Issues (ie I’m Bipolar), Embrace the Help of the Psychiatric Community, and  There Mental Health Prescription Drug Ads on TV, the Internet, YouTube, and Plastered All Over Magazines. The Stigma that if You Sought Psychiatric Assistance You were Flawed and Literally Insane, BUT Those Days are all but Gone.

Still there are a Small Group of The American Public that haven’t gotten on The Band Wagon, and still Believe the Outdated and False Claims about Psychiatry, Medications (ie Prozac), Therapy, and Patients. This Post Is Dedicated to Them. LISTEN UP ASSHOLES HERES A CHANCE TO EDUCATE YOURSELF AND BREAK FREE FROM INANE IGNORANCE. SO LISTEN UP.

The Following are the Top 10 Myths and Misconceptions pertaining to Mental Health:

  1. Mental Health Problems are Uncommon or Rare.

In Fact, nearly 1 out of Every 5 Americans WILL HAVE a DIAGNOSED Mental Disorder in Their Lifetime, According to the National Institute of Mental Health.

2. Mental Health Problems Are Caused By The Person Suffering From Them.

While People DO NEED to take RESPONSIBILITY for Their Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors associated with Disorders, They are NOT TO BLAME FOR THEM. There is an Important Difference between taking Responsibility and Accepting Blame, BUT Unfortunately, MANY People CONFUSE these 2 Things

3. Mental Health Problems Are Purely Biological Or Genetic In Nature.

Some Professionals and Mental Health Advocacy Organizations feel that Mistruths like this one will Better Forward Their Professional BIASES or POLITICAL AGENDAS, Yet this remains FALSE. Mental Health Problems are NOT solely caused by Bad Genes  or a Biological Chemical Imbalance, according to the Research We have to Date. ANY Health Care Professional, or Mental Health Avocate who CLAIMS Otherwise is Telling You a HALF-TRUTH to Forward THEIR OWN, UNSPOKEN AGENDAS.

4. Mental Halth Disorders Are Often Life-Long And Difficult To Treat.

Many Times, Individuals with a Newly Diagnosed Disorder such as Depression or Anxiety are told They have to take Medication(s) for it. Yet, when They Question Their Physician about How LongThey must Remain on the Medication(s), They Receive a Muddled, Non-Answer, such as, “As long as You need to.” Most Medications (with Few Notable Exceptions, such as those Prescribed for Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia ) Prescribed for Mental Disorders should be taken for Short Term (Less than a Year) Symptoms Relief. Some Medications have Withdrawal Effects that are often Worse than the Original Problem. QUIZ YOUR DOCTOR about these Issues (such as Length of Time on the Medication(s), Palm for Weening You Off the Medications, Etc.) BEFORE You are placed on ANY MEDICATION for a Mental Disorder.

       

5. Psychotherapy Takes Forever And Delves into Your Childhood Issues.

This is FALSE and Holdover from the Older Days of Psychotherapy. MODERN Psychotherapy, however, can be Stort-Term and Solution Oriented. Most short-term Psychotherapy approaches use a Cognitive-Behavioral Model, which Emphasizes Irrational Thought which lead to Dysfunctional Behaviors and Feelings. This Type of Therapy Emphasizes Learning what Those Thoughts are and How to Easily change Many of Them, often in a matter of only a FEW WEEKS. Most common Mental Health Disorders can Now be Treated in a matter of MONTHS instead of YEARS. Insurance and Managed Care Plans usually cover much of this sort of Treatment.

6. I Can Handle My Own Mental Health Problems, And If I Can’t Thats Because I Am Weak.

The 1st Part of this Statement May NOT be so much of a Myth, as Most People who have a Mental Health Problem DO NOT SEEK TREATMENT for it. Instead, They Rely on Their Traditional Coping Mechanisms (Like Excessive Eating, Drinking, Drugs, Working Longer, Working Harder, Exercising more, Hanging Out with Friends/Family Etc.) to take care of the Problem. Many Problems which may be Diagnosable may also Be Mild enough for this type of Care to be Sufficient.  Talking with Friends, Reading a Self-Help Book, or Visiting an Online Self-Help Group may Not be Enough to Help get You through Your Problem(s).

       

When Your Problem(s) become OVERWHELMING despite Your Best Efforts to Cope, that is a SURE SIGN You need Addition (aka Professional) Help. This DOES NOT mean Your Weak/Weak Minded/Weak Willed or anything remotely like that, It Means You REALIZE and ACCEPT Your Human with Natural Limitations. Seek Appropriate Care/Treatment when Your Coping Skills go Beyond being Able to HELP You Deal with Your Problem(s).

7. If I Admit I Have Problems, Everyone Will Think I’m Crazy and I’ll Need To Be Admitted To A Mental Hospital/Facility For A Very Long Time.

“Crazy” is a GENERIC TERM which is MEANINGLESS in this Context. Everyone is a Little Bit Crazy some of the Time. Having a Mental Disorder Really DOESN’T mean You’re Crazy. It just means You have a Problem, similar to a Medical Disease, which needs Treatment. Would ANYONE think less of You for seeking Treatment if You had Caner?! Then Why would ANYONE think any less of You because You have Anxiety or Depression?! And if They Do, THEY ARE THE ONES WHO NEED EDUCATION AND TO BE MORE OPENMINDED.

       

Most People who have a Diagnosable Disorder DO NOT NEED Hospitalization (Referred to as Inpatient Treatment as its called Now a Days) . Hospitalization is ONLY USED in ETREME CASES, when the Problem puts You in Imminent Risk/Danger or Dying or If You are a Threat To Your Own Safety (ie. Suicidal) or a Threat To Others Safety (ie. Homicidal). Even in the Case You are Hospitalized for Your Problem, it DOESN’T mean that You will be there for Days, Weeks, or Longer. Just like with an Emergency Room You will be Assessed, Treated, and Released as soon as Your Feeling Better.

8. Being Suicidal Means I’m Insane.

Suicidal Feelings are most often Symptoms of Depression or Related Mood Disorder. Feeling Suicidal DOES NOT make You any More or Less Insane than Anyone Else. Suicidal Feelings go away once You begin to Receive Adequate Care for Your Depression or Other Mood Disorder. That’s Why it is So Tragic when a Person actually succeeds in Their Suicide Attempt, Had the Person in Question had been Receiving Adequate Treatment, They could be Alive and Feeling much less Depressed and Suicidal.

       

9. Mental Health Problems Are Best Treated By My Primary Care Physician Or A General Practitioner.

NO MATTER what Their field, nearly EVERY Mental Health Professional AGREES that Diagnosable Mental Disorders are Best Treated by a Trained Specialist (a Mental Health Professional). Weather that Professional is a Psychiatrist, Psychologist, or Other Clinician Trained to Diagnose and Treat Mental Health Problems, You will ALWAYS receive the Highest Quality Care and Treatment when seen by Mental Health Professional as Opposed to a General Practitioner. Mental Disorders should be taken as Seriously as ANY Potential Chronic and Disabling Medical Condition. You go to an Oncologist for Cancer, a Dermatologist for Skin Problems Etc. You should NEVER expect or Demand ANY LESS in the Quality of the Care You receive when dealing with Mental Health Problems.  it is Difficult for General Practitioners to Keep Up with the Latest Researching the Field and Often They Prescribe ONLY a Psychopharmacological Treatment Approach, YET that is the LEAST EFFECTIVE Treatment approach Available.

          

10. Mental Health Professionals (Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Social Workers, Psychiatric Nurses (My Wife is a Psychiatric RN), and Family Counselors etc) Make A Ton OF Money Off Of People Suffering From Mental Health Problems/Disorders.

At One Time in the Not-Too-Distant Past, this was True. BUT NO LONGER. In Fact due to the Vast Expansion of Managed Care in the Mental Health Field over the Past 6-7 Years, Mental Health Care is Often the LOWEST PAYING Healthcare Profession. The Majority of Behavioral Healthcare and Related Professionals work in this Area because the Want To, NOT BECAUSE OF THE PAY. It is a WELL DOCUMENTED FACT that Psychiatrists are Often the LOWEST PAID Physician Specialty Field.

       

I hope You found this Post Informative, Though Provoking, and Helpful.

Thank for Reading,

  By Les Sober