Yeah...
That isn't 100% true.
Our understanding of genetics has greatly advanced our understanding of psychology.
And pharmacology is only part of the equation.
Whereas in the past people were taking shots in the dark to explain things, there are now pretty solid tools to explain behavior in a way one would use a lock-solid diagnostic test like an MRI to diagnose a malady.
I don't care what the scientists know and what kind of researches they make, and that they have more diagnostic tools at their disposal to make their researches more compelling and their understanding better; I care about the therapies that are available to the public, I care about the researches that are available to the public(they don't publish the researches that don't fit their agenda), and I care about the diagnostic tools that is available to the public. In general, I only care about what is available to ME.
Nothing has changed from the past. Nothing significant at least. You say that people were taking shots in the dark to
explain things...okay, so what?
Doctors take shots at the dark to treat patients--They don't check me for hormones and neurotransmitters imbalances; you either have psychiatrists ask for a personal background and story and then give you pills(if you go to them, they will 100% give you pills), or you have your GP or some other idiot doctor try to push you pills.
What's available to us is what the pharma companies put on the market; pills that have gone through very short trials and little researches(poor control group, very short term trial), and the repercussions are astronomical for us, the consumers. They simply don't care. You know how many law suits some of those pharma companies have? but it's chump change for them, so they keep on going.
SSRIs and the likes are fucking garbage. You take an SSRI to "fix" your depression which is explained by your doctor that is caused by serotonin deficiency...how does he know? lol. And all of the things that they don't tell you...like, the fact that it inhibits dopamine so you start to lose the small pleasures in life and motivation(that's what they call a zombie), and then to"fix" that they prescribe another pill that works on that receptor..blah,blah, blah. And after a while it loses all efficacy because your brain has developed tolerance, and then you stop and you body feels worse than ever...why? because your brain chemistry has been altered. This often forces the person to get back to whatever medication he was on.
My biggest gripe is that doctors don't give a shit. They give pills to people that go through temporary stresses/injuries and people that are still going through changes...like puberty.
Instead of pills being the last line of action, they are first line of action. Which is insane. There are so many things you have to try beforehand, especially when young, and it blows my mind what they do. Patients and parents of teenagers/young adult are often clueless, and they give their utmost trust to these doctors, and at times at the expense of their own kids.(I had been a victim)
Now you got therapy. Main form of therapy largely stayed the same...you talk and the other person just nods(my best and most meaningful talks had been with a normal person that understands and relates to my situation, not a doctor). Sure you got some alternative treatments and different kind of approaches like DBT/ACT, which is great for those that have personality disorders and the likes, but for people that have depression or anxiety it is usually not the answer.
I'll say that treating personality disorders is much better nowadays in the sense of therapy. Even as far as medication goes, but here is the problem: The doctors/pharmas are so greedy that they give the pills that should be prescribed to patients with personality disorders to people that do not suffer from it; they give it to people with sleep problems, they give it to people with mild depression/anxiety...they give it to much, much more people that the medication had originally intended to be given to. These pills are
dangerous, but they don't care.
Now about recognition and awareness. I truly believe that people in the past had less mental problems. We are a victim of our lifestyle and advancement. people are not supposed to live this way; the loneliness, endless competition(not just against people that you don't know, but against your own peers, friends and even family), technology which causes kids to not develop proper social skills, etc. People also have more more physical illnesses because of unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits, and less of movement because of technology...too much time watching TV and sitting in front of the computer.
People are supposed to live in groups, they are supposed to help each other and feed off one another...they are supposed to be their own psychologist; people within the same group shouldn't be competing and fighting one another. Let's face it, people don't really care about your issues, even if they make it seem so, especially if the one you are talking to don't share the same issues. People become more and more unique and different from one another, which in my opinion is an issue in itself because it creates jealousy and inability to relate with one another.
The reason people accept depression and other mental disorders much more nowadays is because IT IS so widespread and common. Almost everyone at one point in their life experienced some sort of depression, so it's only logical that they would relate and accept it. It has nothing to do with whatever this psycho industry is trying to do. They are only taking advantage of it to push more pills and advertise their products using a very peaceful commercial with happy and beautiful people(like all the least healthy products like Cola..go figure) while mentioning some of their disgusting side effects.
If depression was not common, people wouldn't relate to it and wouldn't know how to even approach it, and even feel aversion towards people with it. That's what people do, they don't understand any type of significance unless they experienced it, or something similar.
Bottomline, this world is all about the money. They won't develop, support or find a solution if it doesn't generate a lot of money. For example, it is known that hormones control how you feel and as a big affect on depression. Take testosterone therapy for example, in most countries it is not a common practice at all, and it is often seen in a bad light, and you to get it you have to go through hell to get it(and you get a shitty treatment). Heck, even in the US, to get a proper treatment you have to go to private costly anti ageing clinics..why? because otherwise it would be cheap. It will only become common practice once it becomes regulated through patents and other shit that will make it a product and therefore more costly.
Bad advertising is much worse than good advertising, and testosterone got that rep for some reason. Damn, everything that makes a man a man now seems like it's bad. Hormone treatments for women is so common, everyone knows about a female menopause, why no one talks about the male menopause/andropause? Why no one talks about behavioural changes and depression in male teenagers? it's far more likely that is it hormone related than any kind of imbalance.
Anyways, I'm of the belief that researchers/medical people/humanity have far more solutions that are known to the general public, and most of it is through genetics. Genetics is very very advanced, but that doesn't mean it concerns you and I at all. There is no reason for anyone of power to cure any of your money making issues, and therefore make them lose or hurt their ability to make a living. If they did, there would be far less jobs and there would be very little need of doctors like surgeons, psychiatrists and the likes..no need for any short term relief/services.
Maybe it will happen some day, but for that to happen the world will have to look fundamentally different and base itself on something completely different than money.
Nonetheless, like some have mentioned here, there isn't enough concrete evidence to show that psychiatry has the answers. And I don't subscribe to the popular, secular, and more progressive explanation of things, which tries to say that poverty, marginalization, lack of economic opportunity, and being a minority or a woman are the cause of most problems. Love is a rich good-looking white dude with all the success anyone could want; how could he possibly have problems per that narrative? But I know some NBA guys like David Robinson, A.C. Green, and Tayshaun Prince who have lived out their faiths and witness well to what Christ taught. I just believe there is more to life and peace than what the brain, genetics, and external factors can tell us. I like Love as a player, but I could always tell through the years that he was trying to hide stuff. Like so many of us, he has to search for the answers to the difficult questions of, what is my purpose, what should I live for, and how do I deal with the problems life throws at me? What is my foundation for dealing with the human struggle? Basketball is a nice escape, and NBA players can make a nice living off it, but it can't be all there is to life.
