(March 2, 2014 at 5:33 pm)Alice Wrote: Have you considered that there might be a reason these threads go that way?

I consider many possibilities. I know why threads go that way. Ignorance, spite, but mostly it just happens because people get into mundane irrelevant arguments over terminology or other shit that generally has little if nothing to do with the point of the thread.

In other words, the reason threads go that way is we all have the attention spans of gnats.

You all know I'm right!

(March 2, 2014 at 5:33 pm)Alice Wrote: Yes, that's good. Well, not good. Well... maybe.

My thoughts exactly. I don't know what this means for me, my friends, my family, my future...if anything...but maybe everything.

(March 2, 2014 at 5:33 pm)Alice Wrote: I'm too pretty to be a narcissist.

*chuckles* I needed a smile today.

Hi, as a hard scientist I have absolutely 0 confidence in the snake oil of the entire field. I am not alone, the DSM is no longer accepted as evidence in many courts, as being unreliable pseudoscience. If courts and lawyers (not exactly rocket surgeons think it is BS, imagine how bad it really must be. There is only 1 test the MMPI that has had any statistically valid, but perhaps not scientifically valid study. There is absolutely 0 probability that the test you took is scientifically valid and not just a self promotion tool by a crooked snake oil salesman to sell his own services. Run, don't walk, away. If you have problems address them directly, at the source, such as interpersonal problems become better at relating to people, substance addiction, stop using, economic, be more greedy and seek additional options, etc. The simplest and direct answer is usually valid, don't believe bs that is sold to you any more than religion. If this is related to legal troubles search under google for Doubert test or Doubert hearing for the applicable federal law establishing most of this as legally unreliable.

I absolutely agree with RSB that psychological tests are useful for research, however they're next to useless for individual diagnoses. It'd be like trying to diagnose diabetes from a reading of your blood iron levels.

As for the direct method suggested by rsb, while this may work much of the time, a root psychological cause presently unknown to you may also result in self-destructive behaviour as a control or comfort mechanism.

(March 7, 2014 at 1:30 pm)rsb Wrote: Hi, as a hard scientist I have absolutely 0 confidence in the snake oil of the entire field. I am not alone, the DSM is no longer accepted as evidence in many courts, as being unreliable pseudoscience. If courts and lawyers (not exactly rocket surgeons think it is BS, imagine how bad it really must be. There is only 1 test the MMPI that has had any statistically valid, but perhaps not scientifically valid study. There is absolutely 0 probability that the test you took is scientifically valid and not just a self promotion tool by a crooked snake oil salesman to sell his own services. Run, don't walk, away. If you have problems address them directly, at the source, such as interpersonal problems become better at relating to people, substance addiction, stop using, economic, be more greedy and seek additional options, etc. The simplest and direct answer is usually valid, don't believe bs that is sold to you any more than religion. If this is related to legal troubles search under google for Doubert test or Doubert hearing for the applicable federal law establishing most of this as legally unreliable.

Funny thing about "legally unreliable," are you aware that the Social Security Administration views the DSM as perfectly legitimate in providing a basis for being considered disabled as long as certain standards are met by the individual?

Also, rocket surgeons...?

Now, how do you figure I deal with my interpersonal problems and become better at relating to people, how do I stop using, how do I teach myself to become more economic and greedier and all that shit?

What's your magical answer? Or is it going to end up sounding exactly like what the psychological therapy course will run? And as I have stated before on this site; tell the whole "you can just deal with it on your own!" thing to schizophrenics. I'm sure they can work out their hallucinations and delusions and psychotic episodes on their own if they just attack the source.

Finally, it's amusing you say you're a hard scientist, and then say there is 0 chance of something. That's what a not-scientist would say. Remember, there are no certainties of anything in the realm of science, no absolutes.

Psychology and psychiatry are valid practices of medicine. People undergoing treatment through them quite often see improvement in the functioning of their daily lives, whereas people who try to power through their problems on their own typically end up falling apart. This is not a discussion I am having again. Either give me the information I requested, or don't post in this thread.

(March 11, 2014 at 12:19 am)Creed of Heresy Wrote: Now, how do you figure I deal with my interpersonal problems and become better at relating to people, how do I stop using, how do I teach myself to become more economic and greedier and all that shit?

When it comes to that rsb has no idea. As I mentioned, you need to address it under the proper care of a qualified professional who is capable of diagnosing and addressing the core issue/issues.

I'll give you an example, that may or may not apply to you, but it applies to countless others and I've known some of them personally - victims of child molestation. This event is capable of mentally scaring the victim, and the victim may create emotional attachment to certain behaviours as a coping mechanism. That's actually quite normal in and of itself, and something that just everyone does when faced with trauma, but when it becomes a problem is if the behaviour is unhealthy or other negatively impacts upon a person's life.

Another example - ADHD. Studies have proven that the majority of children diagnosed with ADHD and treated with Ridilin can be instead treated without any medication and have all of their symptoms/behaviours disappear. This is by no means an invitation to throw out your children's medication if they're diagnosed with it, but it's a sure and certain invitation to seek medical care from a specialist who may be able to better treat the child than through the family GP.

Quote:And as I have stated before on this site; tell the whole "you can just deal with it on your own!" thing to schizophrenics. I'm sure they can work out their hallucinations and delusions and psychotic episodes on their own if they just attack the source.

Do as much as you can for yourself, I think that's always important. But it's an incomplete answer, and you know this even if rsb does not. Just ignore him he's clearly not very knowledgeable and probably watches too much DrPhil.

You need to see a specialist, which from what you've said it sounds like you are doing.

This all is very true, yes. I personally am highly against the idea of giving medications to children until the age of 15, after which, it should be up to the individual whether or not they wish to take medication for it. quite often, ADHD in kids is just simple rambunctiousness. Knew a few people who supposedly had ADHD who had no attention spans, but they ended up just fine, and showed no further or showed minimal ADHD-like traits after they had cleared their teens. But then there was a few who had it and it got much worse. I've seen different approaches work, but interestingly, the most effective ones are the ones that aren't limited to just one treatment method, but rather the breadth of what is available. What a surprise, uh? But yeah. I didn't go in and have them diagnose me out of the blue, and my psychologist was hesitant to say I'm borderline, but after some discussion she admitted that I fit the archetype too closely for there to be any doubt, and suggested I get a second opinion through my psychiatrist just to be sure. Which I'll be doing on Monday. After that, I dunno. Treatment is obviously a goal, but I dunno where to even begin, which has me worried. But, hell, recognizing a problem is the first step to getting it fixed, so I probably shouldn't despair. Honestly, I'm still me, I'm still who I was before I suspected it, and maybe once I'm done, I'll be me without the endless second-guessing and emotional padlocking.

I'm a narcissist. I'm just too awesome to really care.

(March 11, 2014 at 6:59 pm)Creed of Heresy Wrote: quite often, ADHD in kids is just simple rambunctiousness.

Untrue. When ADHD kids display hyperactivity only, it means they've been misdiagnosed. As a kid, I displayed all the classic symptoms, particularly attention, memory, organization, and time management problems. If I had been medicated younger, 6th grade wouldn't have been nearly so bad.

@futile - Actually, what is commonly called ADHD is the symptom, and not the cause, so targeting the cause can usually eliminate the need to medicate the symptom. But it's not 100% and some children still require medical treatment.

(March 11, 2014 at 6:59 pm)Creed of Heresy Wrote: Treatment is obviously a goal, but I dunno where to even begin, which has me worried. But, hell, recognizing a problem is the first step to getting it fixed, so I probably shouldn't despair. Honestly, I'm still me, I'm still who I was before I suspected it, and maybe once I'm done, I'll be me without the endless second-guessing and emotional padlocking.

I think a bit of worry is perfectly normal, as you say though you shouldn't despair!

(March 11, 2014 at 7:41 pm)CapnAwesome Wrote: I'm a narcissist. I'm just too awesome to really care.

Me too fuck those losers.