DOCSLIB.ORG

A Philosophical Investigation Into Coercive Psychiatric Practices

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
A Philosophical Investigation Into Coercive Psychiatric Practices MIC, University of Limerick A philosophical investigation into coercive psychiatric practices 2 Volumes Gerald Roche MSc, MPhil, BCL, BL. Volume 1 of 2 A thesis submitted to the University of Limerick for the degree of Ph.D. in Philosophy Doctoral Supervisor: Dr. Niall Keane, MIC, University of Limerick. External Examiner: Professor Joris Vandenberghe, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Internal Examiner: Dr. Stephen Thornton, MIC, University of Limerick. Submitted to the University of Limerick, February 2012. Abstract This dissertation seeks to examine the validity of the justification commonly offered for a coercive 1 psychiatric intervention, namely that the intervention was in the ‘best interests’ of the subject and/or that the subject posed a danger to others. As a first step, it was decided to analyse justifications based on ‘best interests’ [the ‘ Stage 1 ’ argument] separately from those based on dangerousness [the ‘Stage 2 ’ argument]. Justifications based on both were the focus of the ‘ Stage 3 ’ argument. Legal and philosophical analyses of coercive psychiatric interventions generally regard such interventions as embodying a benign paternalism occasioning slight, if any, ethical concern. Whilst there are some dissenting voices even at the very heart of academic and professional psychiatry, the majority of psychiatrists also appear to share such views. The aim of this dissertation is to show that such a perspective is mistaken and that such interventions raise philosophical and ethical questions of the profoundest importance. 2 The philosophical well-spring of the Stage 1 dissertation argument lay in an observation made by Philippa Foot 3 that the “ … right to be let free from unwanted interference ” is one of the most fundamental and distinctive rights of persons, a right which takes precedence over any “ … action we would dearly like to take for his sake.” This – in conjunction with the recognition that some coercive psychiatric interventions are of a gravity as to result in the personhood of the subject being severely damaged if not destroyed – suggested that the concept of personhood play a central role in the formulation of the dissertation argument. For ease of analysis it was presumed that the term ‘person’ could be defined by a set of necessary and sufficient conditions of which ‘minimum levels of rationality’ and ‘ability to communicate’ were the only conditions relevant to the formulation of justifications for coercive psychiatric interventions. This presumption was explicated into a number of postulates which enabled the construction of a rigorous foundation on which to develop the dissertation argument. This argument then sought to determine whether psychiatric assessments of irrationality were accurate and reliable. In furtherance of this analysis it was necessary to examine the reliability of psychiatric determinations in other areas of claimed expertise namely diagnosis, treatment and assessment of dangerousness. This ‘crossing of the disciplinary threshold’ brought to light the dearth of studies on psychiatric misdiagnosis and iatrogenic harm. A variant of the Precautionary Principle was developed to enable the extent of such harms to be estimated. The not insignificant levels of psychiatric misdiagnosis and iatrogenic harm and erroneous assessments of dangerousness which were thus found are of considerable relevance to any ethical analysis of the justification for coercive psychiatric intervention and serve to undermine simple paternalistic justifications. 1 The term ‘coercive’ (rather than ‘non-consensual’) is used to indicate an intervention carried out against the explicit and contemporaneous objections of the subject. 2 Not least because the number of individuals detained in Irish psychiatric hospitals is of a comparable order of magnitude to the number detained in Irish prisons subsequent to a criminal conviction. 3 See Foot (1977), p.102. ii Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own original research and that it does not contain the work of any other individual. All sources that have been consulted have been identified and acknowledged in the appropriate manner. ________________________ Gerry Roche iii Acknowledgements I wish to thank Dr. Niall Keane without whose help and expertise this project could not have been brought to completion. I also wish to thank Dr. Steven Thornton for his assistance at a particularly critical juncture, in the formulation of the dissertation argument. I also wish to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. John Hayes. I wish to thank Ms. Maureen Cronin BL for what much have seemed to her, endless proofreading. I wish to thank Ms. Mette Roche and Ms. Anna Wettergren for their help in translating passages from Norwegian and Swedish respectively and Mr. Charles O’Brien for translating some passages from French. I wish to acknowledge the encouragement to complete this dissertation, given to me by the late Dr. John Walsh. I wish to thank Professor Vandenberghe for the sympathetic understanding which he evinced towards a sometimes fraught and contentious subject matter; his suggestions in relation to the Conclusions were especially helpful. iv Tables of Contents Abstract ii Declaration iii Acknowledgements iv List of Tables vii List of Appendices viii Introduction 1 A: Terminological matters 3 B: The numerical frequency of coercive psychiatric interventions 5 C: Common legal and philosophical attitudes towards coercive psychiatry 7 D: Some dissenting voices from within psychiatry 14 E: ‘Crossing the threshold’ of psychiatry 20 F: Outline of the dissertation argument 23 Chapter 1 : The Stage 1 argument 38 A: Personhood: some preliminary matters. 41 B: The Stage 1 argument structure: initial outline 47 C: Unfolding the argument 48 D: Default Presumptions 56 E: The development of the revised argument in subsequent chapters 61 Chapter 2 : The psychiatric usage of the term ‘irrational’ (I): General 63 A: The Amy case 64 B: Journals, textbooks and diagnostic manuals 66 C: Conclusions 78 Chapter 3 : The psychiatric usage of the term ‘irrational’ (II): Delusion 80 A: The Blehein Case 85 B: The psychiatric definition of delusion 89 C: Problematic aspects of the psychiatric concept of delusion 95 D: Problematic aspects of the psychiatric concept of normalcy 104 E: The justifiability criterion: a philosophical ‘double standard’? 112 F: Conclusions 122 Chapter 4 : Problematic aspects of psychiatric diagnosis 126 A: The Rosenhan experiment 127 B: Some concepts relevant to a discussion of psychiatric misdiagnosis 132 C: ‘Misdiagnosis’: ambiguities and sources 155 D: Estimates of rates of psychiatric misdiagnosis 166 E: Conclusions 182 (Continued) v Tables of Contents (continued) Chapter 5 : Problematic aspects of coercive psychiatric treatments 186 A: Some ethical principles relevant to coercive treatment 189 B: Current psychiatric practice and the Section A principles: a reliance on 202 evidence-based studies? C: Current psychiatric practice and the Section A principles: treatment based solely 212 on the interests of the subject? D: Section A principles vs. Sections B and C conclusions: congruence or conflict? 226 Chapter 6 : Psychiatric assessments of dangerousness 233 A: Some earlier references to assessments of dangerousness 235 B: Mental illness as a predictor of dangerousness? 240 C: The prediction of individual dangerousness ( i.e. risk assessment) 255 D: Coercive ‘treatment’ in the interests of others 275 Chapter 7 : Coercive psychiatric interventions and damage to personhood 280 A: Non-psychiatric radical interventions 285 B: Coercive psychiatric interventions from the perspective of third party observers 295 C: Coercive psychiatric interventions from the perspective of the subject 329 D: Can a coercive psychiatric intervention be said to ‘destroy’ a subject’s 342 personhood? Conclusions : 344 A: A summary of dissertation argument 344 B: The dissertation conclusions and proposals 352 Appendices [Volume 2] 370 Bibliography [Volume 2] 511 vi List of Tables 4 [Volumes 1 and 2] Table 1-1: Indirect assessment of the reliability of psychiatric assessments of irrationality 56 Table 1-2: Possibility of determining L 2 56 Table 2-1: Analysis of more precise usages by journal type 68 Table 4-1: Journal occurrences of the term ‘psychiatric misdiagnosis.’ 167 Table 4-2: Journal occurrences of the term ‘misdiagnosis.’ 167 Table 4-3: The diagnosis of schizophrenia by three different methods 181 Table 4-4: The diagnosis of schizophrenia in relation to 42 individual Black patients. 182 Table 5-1: Reasons for prescribing antipsychotics to the elderly 221 Table 7-1: Possible effects of coercive psychiatric intervention on personhood 284 Table 7-2: Response to attempts by pseudopatients to initiate staff contact 297 Table 7-3: Public perceptions of dangerousness to others: schizophrenia vs . substance 309 abuse Tables in Appendices Table F-1: Presence of cancer compared to mammography results. 404 Table F-2: Predicting Violence with a base rate of 20%. 408 Table F-3: Predicting Violence with a base rate of 6%. 408 Table F-4: Predicting Violence with a base rate of 1%. 409 Table I-1: Frequencies of adverse events in UK hospitals 437 Table I-2: Estimates of misdiagnosis in general medicine 441 Table I-3: Estimates of iatrogenic harm in general medicine 443 Table L-1: Increased risk of stroke associated with antipsychotics use 490 Table N-1: Analysis of journal search results by category 505 Table N-2: Analysis of journal search results by precision 506 Table N-3:
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Constructing the Self, Constructing America: a Cultural History of Psychotherapy Pdf
    FREE CONSTRUCTING THE SELF, CONSTRUCTING AMERICA: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF PSYCHOTHERAPY PDF Philip Cushman | 448 pages | 30 Sep 1996 | The Perseus Books Group | 9780201441925 | English | Cambridge, MA, United States Constructing The Self, Constructing America: A Cultural History Of Psychotherapy by Philip Cushman Rhetoric of therapy is a concept coined by American academic Dana L. Cloud to describe "a set of political and cultural discourses that have adopted psychotherapy's lexicon—the conservative language of healing, coping, adaptation, and restoration of previously existing order—but in contexts of social and political conflict". Constructing the Self argued that the rhetoric of therapy encourages people to focus on themselves and their private lives rather than attempt to reform flawed systems of social and political power. This form of persuasion is primarily used by politicians, managers, journalists and entertainers as a way to cope with the crisis of the American Dream. The rhetoric of therapy has two functions, according to Cloud: 1 to exhort conformity with the prevailing social order and 2 to encourage identification Constructing the Self therapeutic values: individualismfamilism, self-helpand self- absorption. The origins of therapeutic discourse, along with advertising and other consumerist cultural forms, emerged during the industrialization of the West during the 18th century. The new emphasis on the acquisition of wealth during this period produced discourse about the "democratic self- determination of individuals conceived as autonomous, self-expressive, self-reliant subjects" or, in short, the " self-made man ". Therefore, the language of personal responsibility, adaptation, and healing served not to liberate the working class, the poor, and the socially marginalized, but to persuade members of these classes that they are individually responsible for their plight.
    [Show full text]
  • Random Jottings 8.5
    Random Jottings 8.5 Watergate Redux Random Jottings 8.5, Watergate Redux is an irregularly published amateur magazine. It is available in printed form directly from Timespinner Press or through Amazon.com; a free PDF version is available at http://efanzines.com/RandomJottings/. It is also available for “the usual”: contributions of art or written material, letters of comment, attendance at Corflu 31, or editorial whim. Letters of comment or other inquiries to Michael Dobson, 8042 Park Overlook Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20817-2724, [email protected]. Copyright © 2014 Timespinner Press on behalf of the individual contributors. This issue was originally contained in the print edition of Random Jottings 9. For reasons of file size, I’ve broken this section off as a separate issue. The print edition, perfect bound with wraparound color cover, was published by CreateSpace and is available on Amazon for $9.95 retail, though they’re discounting it to $8.96, at least at the time of writing. http://www.amazon.com/dp/ 1499134088/. This issue also contains the letter column on Random Jottings 8, which kind of works. Artwork is by Steve Stiles except for pages 3 and 26, which are by Alexis Gilliland. Photos and memorabilia are from Earl Kemp or Wikimedia Commons. What Would Nixon Do? Finally, my neighbor Mark Hill sent me a link RANDOM JOTTINGS 8 WAS the “Watergate to a Smithsonian Magazine story containing Considered as an Org Chart of Semi-Precious Richard Nixon’s FBI application, which I’ve Stones” issue, an anthology of various essays, reprinted here. The full story is at http:// comic book scripts, and other stuff about the tinyurl.com/NixonFBI.
    [Show full text]
  • (Neurowarfare) in the Electronic Age May 14, 2016 Edition
    B A L A_B_L.com Glossary of termS relating to brainwashing and psychological warfare (neurowarfare) in the electronic age May 14, 2016 edition Nathan Weatherdon BA Political Science, U of Toronto; MA Economics, U Laval Translator and editor of economics research: http://parc-msms.org Teacher Published by the Anti-Brainwashing League (ABL), 2016. www.A_B_L.com B A L A_B_L.com The copyright terms are according to the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license. You are free to: Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially. The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms. Under the following terms: Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use. No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits. Notices: You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation. No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material. Introduction Please read the following carefully, prior to making use of the glossary! Citizens of all nations must be aware of the terms in this glossary, for purposes of cognitive liberty and anti-brainwashing in the electronic age.
    [Show full text]
  • Reconceptualising Beliefs (Accepted Version).Pdf
    Accepted for publication in Theory & Psychology (https://journals.sagepub.com/home/tap) Realising the Potential of General Population Research to Reconceptualise the study of “Delusions”: From Normalising “Psychosis” to De-Familiarising “Normality” David J. Harper Mental Health & Social Change Research Group School of Psychology University of East London London E15 4LZ UK Abstract Over recent decades a research programme involving non-clinical samples has provided a justification for the use of normalising practices within Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis. These studies have found that, contrary to mainstream psychiatric assumptions, beliefs considered delusional are neither rare in the general population nor qualitatively different from “non-delusional” beliefs whilst theories from a “normal” rather than “abnormal” psychology have shown them to be intelligible rather than un-understandable. Yet the programme’s inherent limitations have meant that the potential of non-clinical research has not been fully realised. An alternative research programme is proposed which could elucidate the diversity of belief in the general population by examining the role of social norms and lived belief narratives in unconventional belief communities. This could address the limitations of the normalising programme, provide a necessary corrective to the “clinician’s illusion” bias and prompt a more fundamental reconceptualization of beliefs considered delusional. Keywords: Delusion; Psychosis; Unusual belief; Narrative; Medicalisation DOI: 10.1177/09593543211000429 Corresponding author: [email protected] *ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7843-2119 1 Realising the Potential of General Population Research to Reconceptualise the study of “Delusions”: From Normalising “Psychosis” to De-Familiarising “Normality” The rise of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Psychosis, normalisation and the continuum model of psychosis Philosophy … sees the familiar as if it were strange and the strange as if it were familiar.
    [Show full text]
  • A Philosophical Investigation Into Coercive Psychiatric Practices
    MIC, University of Limerick A philosophical investigation into coercive psychiatric practices 2 Volumes Gerald Roche MSc, MPhil, BCL, BL. Volume 1 of 2 A thesis submitted to the University of Limerick for the degree of Ph.D. in Philosophy Doctoral Supervisor: Dr. Niall Keane, MIC, University of Limerick. External Examiner: Professor Joris Vandenberghe, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. Internal Examiner: Dr. Stephen Thornton, MIC, University of Limerick. Submitted to the University of Limerick, February 2012. Abstract This dissertation seeks to examine the validity of the justification commonly offered for a coercive 1 psychiatric intervention, namely that the intervention was in the ‘best interests’ of the subject and/or that the subject posed a danger to others. As a first step, it was decided to analyse justifications based on ‘best interests’ [the ‘ Stage 1 ’ argument] separately from those based on dangerousness [the ‘Stage 2 ’ argument]. Justifications based on both were the focus of the ‘ Stage 3 ’ argument. Legal and philosophical analyses of coercive psychiatric interventions generally regard such interventions as embodying a benign paternalism occasioning slight, if any, ethical concern. Whilst there are some dissenting voices even at the very heart of academic and professional psychiatry, the majority of psychiatrists also appear to share such views. The aim of this dissertation is to show that such a perspective is mistaken and that such interventions raise philosophical and ethical questions of the profoundest importance.
    [Show full text]
  • FREE||| Constructing the Self, Constructing America
    CONSTRUCTING THE SELF, CONSTRUCTING AMERICA: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF PSYCHOTHERAPY FREE DOWNLOAD Philip Cushman | 448 pages | 30 Sep 1996 | The Perseus Books Group | 9780201441925 | English | Cambridge, MA, United States Rhetoric of therapy Tara Renee Breitenbucher rated it Constructing the Self was amazing Dec 29, We live them out, and yet we must also critique them. Sort order. Cushman developed his theoretical orientation in hermeneutics and relational psychoanalysis. Bergin, A. Jan 26, Matt rated it it was amazing. Showing Impact of client and therapist religious values on clinical judgments. This is an ambitious book. Create a free personal account to download free article PDFs, sign up for alerts, customize your interests, and more. The results showed that there Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy no significant relationship between religious and professional beliefs. Paperbackpages. Sign in to make a comment Sign in to your personal account. Sasisfaction is not possible with the empty self. Namespaces Article Talk. Overall this book accurately questions the movements of psychology and how they relate to the political systems in place. Cloud said that the rhetoric of family values blames the absence of the "traditional" family as the cause of social ills. Gartner, Constructing America: A Cultural History of Psychotherapy. Drawing from an impressively deep understanding of both American cultural history and theories of psychotherapy, Cushman eloquently argues that the constructs of self which are culturally active during particular historical eras are supported and perpetuated by the systems of psychotherapy that emerge during those eras. Philip Cushman. It requires some investment on the reader's part, as it's written at a pretty high level, and that is part of its greatness.
    [Show full text]
  • Ro Yal Irish Academ Y Ann Ual Review 14 15
    COVER TO PRINT_Layout 1 09/12/2015 11:21 Page 1 Royal IrishRoyal 14 review annual Academy 15 Royal Irish Academy annual review 14 15 CELEBRATING 230 YEARS www.ria.ie Royal Irish Academy, 19 Dawson Street, Dublin, D02 HH58. Tel: +353 1 676 2570 RIA COVER TO PRINT_Layout 1 09/12/2015 11:21 Page 2 A Big Thank You The generous contributions of our members and friends enables the We are Ireland’s leading body of Academy to carry out its work everyday and have made the following experts in the sciences and humanities projects possible: We influence policy-making • Art and Architecture of Ireland in Ireland and abroad; conduct research • R. J. Hunter Grants Scheme and give grants; hold events and talks • Kevin B. Nowlan Archive and run exhibitions; publish books and All contributions are gratefully received and will be used journals; and have a library of ‘for promoting the study of science, polite literature and antiquities’ international importance as the Academy has been doing for the last 230 years. We would love to work with you... www.ria.ie TEXT TO PRINT_Layout 1 09/12/2015 11:10 Page 1 Inside 230 years of the Royal Irish Academy p6 — It is your Academy p9 — Meeting Ireland’s need for information on challenging issues p11 — Raising awareness of Irish research and scholarship p21 — Nurturing talented people and supporting research and scholarship p35 — Members p51 — Grants p59 — Accounts p65 TEXT TO PRINT_Layout 1 09/12/2015 11:10 Page 2 13,053 RIA books sold in 2014/15 €163,726 in grants awarded in 2014/15 19 4,484 visits to the St Patrick’s
    [Show full text]
  • |||GET||| Feminist Theory After Deleuze 1St Edition
    FEMINIST THEORY AFTER DELEUZE 1ST EDITION DOWNLOAD FREE Hannah Stark | 9781472529220 | | | | | Gilles Deleuze Sample Achieve. But when substantives and adjectives begin to dissolve, when Feminist Theory After Deleuze 1st edition names of pause and rest are carried away by the verbs of pure becoming and slide into the language of events, all identity disappears from the self, the world, and God. The facing page contains an inscription by woman suffragist Susan B. Truth changes what we think; it alters what we think is possible. Show More Show Less. It takes key terms in feminist theory such as, 'difference', 'gender', 'bodies', 'desire' and 'politics' and approaches them from a Deleuzian perspective. Print print Print. If they are silly, it is only because society trains them to be irrelevant. Ecosickness fiction imaginatively rethinks the link between Print print Print. Top Questions. Feminismthe belief in social, economic, and political equality of the sexes. But how does Deleuze square his pessimistic diagnoses with his ethical naturalism? The Age of Feminist Theory After Deleuze 1st edition turned into an era of political ferment marked by revolutions in France, Germany, and Italy and the rise of abolitionism. He wrote that Anti-Oedipus follows a similar theoretical direction to Lyotard's Libidinal Economythough he sees several significant differences between Deleuze and Guattari on the one hand and Lyotard on the other. Oxford: Oxford University Press, Find Your Rep. Deleuze and Feminist Theory. Various means of deterritorializing are alluded to by the authors in their chapter "How to Make Yourself A Body Without Organs" in A Thousand Plateausincluding psychoactives such as peyote.
    [Show full text]
  • Bipolar Disorder
    Bipolar Disorder PDF generated using the open source mwlib toolkit. See http://code.pediapress.com/ for more information. PDF generated at: Thu, 08 Dec 2011 00:32:40 UTC Contents Articles Overview 1 Bipolar disorder 1 History 18 History of bipolar disorder 18 Emil Kraepelin 20 Karl Leonhard 24 John Cade 26 Mogens Schou 29 Frederick K. Goodwin 31 Kay Redfield Jamison 33 Symptoms 36 Hallucination 36 Delusion 44 Emotional dysregulation 50 Anhedonia 51 Dysphoria 53 Suicidal ideation 55 Sleep disorder 58 Hypersomnia 63 Insomnia 66 Psychosis 78 Racing thoughts 89 Bipolar spectrum 90 Bipolar spectrum 90 Bipolar I 91 Bipolar II 93 Cyclothymia 101 Dysthymia 103 Major depressive disorder 108 Schizoaffective disorder 138 Mania 147 Mixed state 153 Hypomania 155 Major depressive episode 159 Treatment 163 Treatment of bipolar disorder 163 Carbamazepine 170 Gabapentin 176 Lamotrigine 186 Oxcarbazepine 195 Topiramate 199 Valproic acid 206 Sodium valproate 215 Valproate semisodium 220 Lithium pharmacology 222 Lithium carbonate 229 Lithium citrate 232 Lithium sulfate 234 Non-pharmaceutical treatment 236 Clinical psychology 236 Electroconvulsive therapy 253 Involuntary commitment 274 Light therapy 285 Psychotherapy 291 Transcranial magnetic stimulation 304 Related subjects 311 Affective spectrum 311 List of people with bipolar disorder 312 Bipolar disorder in children 324 Organisations 330 International Society for Bipolar Disorders 330 Icarus Project 332 References Article Sources and Contributors 335 Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 343 Article
    [Show full text]
  • How to Tame a Demon: a Short Guide to Organized Intimidation Stalking
    How to Tame a Demon A Short Practical Guide to Organized Intimidation Stalking, Electronic Torture, and Mind Control By Robert Duncan BA, MS, MBA, PhD Higher Order Thinkers Publishing, Boise ID 83703 Please obey copyrights. We put our mental energy, creativity, research, and skills into information distribution. Information wants to be free but do not distribute this book in any form without author or publisher consent. ISBN -13: 978-1492912668 ISBN-10: 1492912662 © 2014 by Higher Order Thinkers Publishing Acknowledgements Special thanks goes to Cynthia Hamil, who is a great soul and inspiration to all. Chet Slater ([email protected]) is thanked for the book cover design, an incredibly talented artist. Mark Hammes ([email protected]) is thanked for ideas and editing. Caution: The advice in this book is just that. Always consult a medical professional for treatment, check your local laws, and many suggestions may be dangerous. The author and publisher take no responsibility for damages that may result from outcomes by reading this book. Dedication To the heroes, those who care about humankind’s future, freedom, due process, and brave enough to take on powerful corrupt institutions which lead to tyranny. Table of Contents Introduction Demons Glossary of Terms Government Mind Control Programs The Awakening What is their game? Assumption of Life Goals Goals of a Targeted Individual The Controllers’ End Game Traps to Avoid Frequently Asked Questions: What is a “TI” (Targeted Individual)? Why me? Did I do something wrong? How long will I be in this program? How many people have had these experiences? What is their agenda? Seeking Help or Assistance Questions: Why won’t my family and friends believe me? It is so blatant and obvious why doesn’t society stop it? Will it ever end? Should I get life insurance? Why don’t people believe me? Is there a way off this EH torture and organized stalking list? Should I trust doctors? Should I go to the police or FBI? Why does valium and xanex help to defeat some of the effects? I went to a doctor.
    [Show full text]
  • Page 01 Aug 04.Indd
    ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Sunday 4 August 2013 26 Ramadan 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5781 Price: QR2 QE to emerge Qatar crush as key player Hong Kong, in the region top Group B Business | 17 Sport | 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 FC Barcelona in West Bank Govt announces Qatar never Eid holidays DOHA: The Emiri Diwan yesterday announced holi- days on the advent of Eid Al Fitr. asked Twitter The ministries and other government department and general authorities and insti- tutions: The holiday will start on Ramadan 1434 AH corre- about users sponding to August 6 and ends on August 15, while employees are to resume work on August 18. Site admits secrecy failure The holidays for Qatar Central Bank (QCB), other banks and financial corpo- DOHA: Qatar is the only Spring revolutions much to the rations under the control of Arab country which has not discomfort of Arab governments. QCB and Qatar Financial requested Twitter adminis- Meanwhile, Twitter’s UK gen- Markets Authority (QFMA) tration for information about eral manager apologised to yes- will be three days and the the users of the popular social terday women attacked by “trolls” QCB’s governor is to fix the networking site, nor has it ever on the microblogging website, as starting date of the holiday. asked it to delete a tweet. it updated its rules on abusive QNA This is shown by Twitter in its behaviour. transparency report for the first Tony Wang posted a series of Barcelona President Sandro Rosell (centre right), Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub half (January to June) of 2013 tweets saying abuse was “simply (centre) and Barcelona soccer players pose for a picture at the Palestinian President’s office in the West posted on its website.
    [Show full text]
  • Psy 08/03 P418-423 Bell Et Al
    Delusional thinking ) OBAL K OURTESY (C Beliefs about ICTURES P OLUMBIA .C RIVER D AXI T delusions ROM F VAUGHAN BELL,PETER HALLIGAN and HADYN ELLIS on the sometimes fine line between normality and abnormality. ARLY in his third month of office, from the delusion that the assassination The sprawling and eccentric VALIS is a President Reagan was on his way would cause Jodie Foster, the actress from novel based on delusions resulting from his E to address a conference when John Taxi Driver (a film which Hinckley was own psychotic breakdown, which he drew Hinckley fired six gun shots at point blank obsessed with), to fall in love with him. on for much of his prolific career (see box). range, wounding the president and three of In the same year the award-winning author From these and many other examples, it his entourage. In the controversial trial that Philip K. Dick, whose books have been would appear that unusual or unlikely followed, three defence psychiatrists turned into major Hollywood films, such beliefs have significant consequences and successfully argued that Hinckley was not as Blade Runner, Total Recall and Minority continue to captivate the interest of many guilty, on the grounds that he was suffering Report, published one of his last books. of us. But to examine such claims we need to know what is meant by a delusion. How do delusions differ from other abnormal beliefs? Does the study of delusions provide PHILIP K. DICK a productive way of understanding beliefs? Many novels and short stories by Philip K.
    [Show full text]