Mental Health

The World Health Organization defines Mental Health as "a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. (1)

xxxx xxxxx, in answer to your post.

Actually they do mention the drugs ...

"Patients experiencing potentially transient psychogenic psychoses are defined as genetically flawed and incurable. They are treated primarily with neuroleptic medications that dampen symptoms but do not alleviate the effects of stress and trauma, which may be evoking spontaneous trances and dissociation. Therefore, transient psychoses with full recovery are comparatively rare for patients in modern cultures."

This article tends to support what I've said in previous posts ...

HealNorm McKenna tells what Schizophrenia and voices are barney holmes
http://www.intenex.net/lists/private/mindfreedom-heal-normality/2010-February/004940.html
http://tinyurl.com/y9ngfm3

HealNorm "Schizophrenic" phenomena is Scientifically proven to be Psychic phenomena
http://www.intenex.net/lists/private/mindfreedom-heal-normality/2010-January/004921.html
http://tinyurl.com/yakpr9t

HealNorm They control the body - they cannot control the mind and Spirit
http://www.intenex.net/lists/private/mindfreedom-heal-normality/2010-January/004916.html
http://tinyurl.com/yesycs5

Dr Castillo, the author of the article is a medical anthropologist and professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii. The same place Terence McKenna lived until his death in 2000. Another "coincidence" I guess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrence_mckenna

The article is certainly well received by me in general as it shows the simple reason that people recover in "premodern" cultures - acceptance and kindness. But I have a few observations ...

"How spontaneous trances can be responsible for delusions and hallucinations. Highly focused attention in spontaneous trances can block out objective reality and create a subjective reality based on fantasy, imagination, or memory and can include hallucinations and delusions." Page 2

Although some material is obviously going to be suspect or erroneous the author makes a critical error. This "subjective reality" is actually real. Popper called it the real "third" world "the objective world of thoughts". Quantum Consciousness research holds this up to be true as does the work of Rupert Sheldrake and other trained Scientists. This is the split that has occurred in Western and other "modern" societies. By abstracting the REAL inner world from reality we CREATED so called Schizophrenia. That mistake is a schizophrenic (small s) act that comes from minds that have made this crucial error of dividing the life of the mind from matter and reality. The two are one and the same.

Again Quantum research holds this up for example in the classic slit experiment and Heisenberg theory shows that the mind of the observer is completely tied up with the observed. This is verifiable Scientific reality now and cannot be discounted as conjecture or fantasy. This is now real.

Therefore although the author identifies the problem he is also propagating the original error yet again.

"...thoughts ascribed to others..." Page 2

To reiterate, not all mental phenomena are real. We all know this. We all make mistakes and get confused. The trick is to discern. Yet some thought ARE other people's thoughts. This is not "scary" or "mental illness". Quantum consciousness research is holding this up showing that we are all part of a global mind. This is not normally visible, especially in modern societies as there are strict taboos against exhibiting it that we all learn. We must teach that it's possible to accept these states of mind and learn how to pursue or manifest them safely - without getting into trouble with the inquisition that stalks modern societies.

"...dissociation..." Page 2

This is actually a state of mind closely associated with plant-based entheogen use (McKenna) where barriers are dissolved. The work of McKenna and others is simply not widely enough understood or even known about in the West and modern societies. Once understood these states cease to become terrifying and are felt as natural and beneficial states. This is the compassion that needs to be taken to those who are terrified of such states and will often do anything to escape them which just damages them and society even more.

I hope we will see more research such as this article and a wider debate about the extraordinary and important issues exposed here.