There is a huge problem in the mental health care system, which is that patients are often treated one-sidedly. But at any rate it depends on the issue.

Let’s say someone has built a very negative image of themselves their entire life which leads to several problems such as massive self-contempt, inability to have proper relationships, substance abuse or the like. As a consequence of their life situation they become clinically depressed. If they receive talk therapy, there often is a need for additional treatment with medication. Now that can lead to a lot of things, like numbness, euphoria, mood swings — or nothing at all. But it can lead to a massive improvement of their mental state as well. And really, often it is extremely necessary. Psychiatric medication is not the pharma industry conspiracy that self-professed psychology experts like to illustrate it as.

It’s true that a pill that will help you diminish symptoms of depression will not necessarily take away the other side there is to it. It’s the situation that doesn’t change; depression doesn’t usually come out of nowhere. It could be an environment the patient has problems dealing with, or self-hate, social anxiety, trust issues and whatnot. That part needs to be taken care of just as much. For most patients, the right thing would be to have both medicamentous treatment and proper psychotherapy. And this is often forgotten or simply disregarded.

As for Garden State, of course anti-depressants can make you numb, but not all work the same way or have the same effects. And it happens that for some people medication really does more bad than good, but that’s not the rule.

Also, that’s just one part of the whole. That’s just anti-depressants and not everything there is to psychiatry. For many people with mental illnesses and those suffering from congenital mental problems it is the medication, the psychiatric treatment that makes it possible for them to lead a normal life.

In general I would say that psychology and psychiatry are supposed to work together and not against each other. They’re both essential. Psychology is a scholarly study of mind and behavior, whereas psychiatry has its roots in medicine. That’s the biggest difference.

I hope I could help you somehow and this hasn’t gotten too long. :)

A highly negative attitude usually derives from predominantly bad experiences throughout one’s life. It’s called learned helplessness. If he’s only ever made bad experiences, how can he believe that it’s ever going to get better? The only thing people will say is “You just have to try” when he very likely has done so several times - and failed.

You want him to realize his world- and self-perception is irrational. But even if he did, that’s what most mental problems have to them, once they’re there, they’re there. You can’t switch them off by realizing they’re not sane (if you want to read about it: here). Even though it looks like it’s “just” his perception, he will not stop feeling bad about his “flaws” once he realizes his perception is irrational - his brain has been trained to think certain things over the years. It’s a long and difficult process to get over that.

It’s an important first step for him to acknowledge his situation, though. I think while trying to help him realize things aren’t as bad as they seem, or don’t have to be, you have to stay calm. It’s not his fault. I know you’re just trying to help him. He may experience it differently, though, because people can get very accusatory when in fact they’re worried, saying things like “You never even try”. Often they don’t realize they’re conveying the wrong impression, and it’s not something they do on purpose - but the person they’re trying to talk to will feel attacked for something they can’t help.

The first person to suffer from his attitude is always him, even if he doesn’t know. If you approach him calmly, talking about his suffering instead of what he’s doing wrong, he might listen to you and consider your words. But be patient, it’s normal for him to try to block off - don’t be offended. And as I said, it’s not going to change his life in an instant.

If you think it’s affecting his life, therapy would be an option, if he isn’t having it already.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder

http://narcissisticpersonalitydisorder.org/

:)

Thank you!

Well, you probably just didn’t know better.

I assume you’re talking about clinical depression? In that case, instead of trivializing, try to say things that will make the other feel like you’re really trying and acknowledging their pain.

Tell them they don’t have to be ashamed, that you’re listening and not judging, that however ridiculous they might feel, you will take them seriously and try to understand. Let them know they can call whenever they need something, at all times of day.

Depression is an actual disease. Try to understand that it’s not up to them. Getting better is not a decision they need to make. And you can’t “heal” them either. Just be there for them without being intrusive. It’s all you can do.

First off, the Ben Franklin Effect does not say doing a favor will make you likeable; doing a person a favor will make you like them better — which means you can boost someone’s attitude towards you if you ask them to do you a favor.

Second, I think letting others take advantage of you as a consequence of low self-esteem for the sake of being liked better is ultimately contraproductive as in the other’s eyes, you lose your personal worth and merely gain utility.

This is a tough question. Love is a relative thing and can never be repeated in the exact same way. That’s why expectations are sometimes so high you can’t live up to them and the new relationship is impaired from the beginning. Also, most of the time our memories of how we felt deviate from the truth. We remember the good things in the first place, and when we lack something, in our imagination it’s better than it has ever really been.

Since this is not a rational but an emotional thing, it’s hard to act reasonably.

psychology2010, monsterpsychology, tamburina, psychology-studyofthesoul