Socialrolevalorization.com

Social Role Valorization Versus Drug Therapies Mellaril is not by any means unreasonable.” Happily, he goes on to suggest alternatives, but welfare organisation, contacted me to tell of a the “reasonableness” of Mellaril, given the notice he=d just received from Novartis (July 31, above Novartis notice, in any situation seems 2000) concerning Mellaril (thioridazine HCI).
Its first paragraph included the following: This special issue of the SRV Journal brings “Mellaril. (and similar drugs) have been together a series of articles and a letter that first appeared in Mental Retardation as well as Wolf arrhythmias and sudden death.” Three rigorous Wolfensberger=s lengthy and so far unpublished small scale studies found that Mellaril could critique of drug therapies, which are highly produce serious cardiac arrhythmias which relevant to anyone who serves devalued persons could kill. In the second paragraph, we are told that Mellaril should only be used when all else fails. “Mellaril is now indicated only for schizophrenic patients who fail to show an acceptable response to adequate courses of on drug therapies was written in response to a treatment with other antipsychotic drugs.” simple challenge that was laid out by Andrew (underlined in original). We quickly surveyed all the children we had contact with (over 750) schizophrenia) and asked the doctors to change dangerous and that they killed and maimed countless of their purported beneficiaries.
Wolfensberger (1994) had written in an earlier article, among the many sites concerning the above Novartis notice listed on an internet search engine, I found a question posted by a 100,000 premature deaths a year, considering distraught parent of a three year old girl, whom how many people are on such drugs, the doses, she described as very bright and articulate.
and the duration. Of course, one will rarely see According to the mother, her daughter Ahas the drugs listed as the cause of death. More horrific tantrums when she is not >in control= of likely, one will see entries such as pneumonia a situation” (Child Behavioral Health Forum, or heart failure, which themselves were caused by the drugs." It is my opinion (and you will be pediatrician recommended using Mellaril to able to read for yourself) that Wolfensberger “ m o d i f y” h e r d a u gh t e r = s d i a gn o s e d responded to this challenge in spades and gave “Oppositional Defiant Disorder - ODD.” A them much more than what they had bargained physician then responds to her question about for. O=Brien=s (1994) synopsis points out that the use of Mellaril in such situations and begins this controversy is about two issues: On the one by stating “The recommendation to employ hand, are Wolfensberger=s assertions true? And if so, what does the dispute about the credibility 90% of cases, of a drug therapy of one kind or of Wolfensberger=s evidence disclose about the another (Siler, 1978). In 1999, Canadians spent situation of socially devalued people (p. 377)? $8.3 billion CDN (or about $5.5 billion US), This article will address the first question; prescriptions for Canada=s population of close second in his "Signs of the times" article that to 30 millions (Picard, 2001). In the USA, retail also appears in this issue. However, I will sales of prescription drugs have gone from 78.9 attempt to discuss what it all means for Social billion dollars in 1997 to 154.5 billions in 2001 (Moynihan, 2003a). Indeed, for 2001, moneyspent for medication represents 12% of all Pharmacotherapy is ubiquitous
health care costs in Canada, up from 5.8% in1980 (Romanow, 2002). Prescribed drugs are et al. is not an "SRV" critique of drug educational and even social problems. Thus therapies, but it is nonetheless relevant to SRV drugs get hyped to cure impotence (Carney, practioners and to others who compete against competitor to SRV inspired interventions, and (Branswell, 2002). Indeed, some prescription ensconced as it is in the medical model, it is a drug enthusiasts and much media hype suggests high powered, high status and immensely rich that some new modern drugs, such as Prozac competitor. Today, people willingly seek out and Ritalin, should be taken by most people to medical practitioners in the hope that they will enhance their alertness and drive (Hall, 2003).
find some miraculous magic bullet that will Dr. Peter Breggin (1994), in his bestselling cure all that ails them. Countless billions of Talking Back to Prozac, discusses media and dollars are spent yearly, dispensing drugs to particularly television coverage of the Prozac hopeful patients and researching and marketing new drugs for just discovered or even not yet discovered maladies. New drugs are hailed in increased alertness and drive, weren=t Prozac the popular media as miraculous: One need but users getting an unfair advantage in the business remember the multimillion dollar hype around Prozac; here was certainly nirvana in the making (Breggin & Breggin, 1994). The ethos on advertising but have also developed other of the age is well captured by the following forms of social influence to convince one and quote from the National Post (Eversen, 2001) all of the necessity of drug therapies. Moynihan article on bed-wetting ABoys who fidget too (2003a), writing in the British Journal of much get Ritalin. Kids with earaches or sniffles Medicine, documents the increasing get penicillin. Shy or nervous kids get Prozac.
entanglement of drug companies and medical And now, a drug for bedwetting" (p.A1).
Of course Mellaril is but one of the many countries, 80 to 95% of doctors have regular contacts with drug representatives and are contact with people across the Western World.
educated to a very positive view of medications, There are literally thousands of different and their prescribing habits are less appropriate medications in the medical pharmacopoeia to as a result. Gosden and Beder (2001) document choose from. For at least 25 years now, medical an Aastroturf" strategy of advocacy by drug treatment usually means the prescription, in companies. Astroturf is the creation of artificial grass root organisations to promote drugs and employment, citizen advocacy, have either been the theories behind them, in effect, a strategy of reduced or frozen for the past ten to fifteen someone else=s mouth, someone who, on theface of it, has no interest in the matter. Thus, Making problems into diseases: The so-
survivor groups, family groups, and parent called organic basis of mental, behavioral
groups of so called mentally ill individuals are and social problems
extensively funded and supported by drugcompanies in order to garner their support andto support the chemical agenda. These front The citizenry, patients and their families groups such as the National Alliance for the day-to-day problems are illnesses and that Mentally Ill (NAMI), and the American Council chemicals will do the trick. Doctors are also indoctrinated into believing that drugs are the organisations receive extensive support from indoctrinated about the organic basis of so called "mental illness." Leo and Joseph (2002) handsomely by linking their goals to what they in their review of the most widely used and hope to have defined as a grass roots popular cited textbook on neurology show that the movement. The authors point out that the flip chapter on schizophrenia written by a Nobel side of this is rather less innocuous: AThe policy Prize winner misrepresents the evidence for the intention . . . is to weaken civil liberties protections in mental health laws in order to controversial nature of the findings, the less increase the number of people eligible for than robust arguments in support of the thesis, and the alternative (and more compelling) hypotheses are not even presented. Doctors in drug therapies is well illustrated by the amount training reading this chapter (and many have) come away with the idea that the theory is fact newspaper articles in Canada show that the and that there is only one course of treatment: expenditure on medication increases 10% every year when inflation rates are at the 1 or 2 per The Canadian Press recently introduced a cent level. Health care and medical services story with the following: ADrug companies are take up 9% of the Canadian Gross Domestic >disease-mongering= in a bid to sell healthy Product (GDP) and almost 15% of the US GDP.
consumers pills for a range of problems such as In both countries we are constantly warned baldness and shyness, doctors say. ‘There is a about a crisis in health care funding with lot of money to be made from telling healthy waiting lines at emergency departments and the people they are sick,= say the authors of a series lack of availability of ever costlier and more of articles in tomorrow=s British Medical complex high tech equipment and high cost Journal (BMJ). >What for many people is a mild functional disorder—requiring little more than health services more than 15 times what it reassurance about its benign natural course—is spends on social services. Not surprisingly, currently being reframed as a serious disease when all new available dollars go to health care attracting a label and a drug, with all the the result is that social services are effectively associated harms and costs=" (Branswell, 2002).
The article referred to in the BMJ was titled community residential services, supported ASelling sickness: The pharmaceutical industry and disease mongering" (Moynihan, R., Heath, the case for the organic basis of schizophrenia, I., and Henry, D., 2002). They document how the protypical psychiatric malady, has yet to be the pharmaceutical industry has medicalised made and more importantly that it probably human problems in order to expand markets and never will. Very simply, the brain is too increase profits. Some of the tactics include a) claiming that certain conditions are frequent and wide-spread (rather than exceptional), thus relationships between a specific problem and a readying people for, indeed getting people to specific brain process. Schwartz & Begley expect, certain diagnoses; b) turning ordinary (2002) document the incredible complexity of ailments into medical problems; c) interpreting the brain and how its structure is constantly mild symptoms as serious; d) interpreting personal problems as medical; e) turning risks report on the brain’s lifelong plasticity and into diseases. What all of this amounts to is the recent surprising findings of neurogenesis (the production of new brain cells) throughout life.
profitable/costly way of viewing the human Add to that 50 or more known neurotransmitters (Valenstein, 1998) and it becomes obvious that A respected research psychiatrist speaking the wild claims of pill pushers and some brain at a recent Ontario child welfare conference researchers should at the very least strain our affirmed that over 20% of Canadian youth had "clinically important" mental disorders that As for the genetic basis of "mental diseases" required professional treatment. In sombre tones he told us that governments had to fund more (2002) review of the Human Genome project mental health services to reduce the suffering, reports that researchers, contrary to the otherwise the financial and social burden of this triumphant press reports, did not find what they class of kids could have a major deleterious expected. Indeed, it would seem that we share impact upon Canadian society. Much of what psychiatry has to offer these kids and their mouse. It had been proposed as central dogma that DNA genes control the proteins that control Drug companies have become very effective the different amino acids that give rise to our and they have achieved remarkable returns on different traits. This linear theory suggests that their advertising (not to mention research) "in each living thing there should be a investments. But like the drugs, these strategies one-to-one correspondence between the total have had deleterious secondary effects that we will explore presently. However, it is worth proteins" (Commoner, 2002). However, because mentioning that once people are socialized into there are too few genes this can no longer be the believing that any problem is an illness, they case. Commoner also suggests that genes are will in turn see doctors more often and turn up even more interactive and dynamic than had in hospitals more frequently, thus leading to the been first believed. The results of the Human health care funding crisis where more and more Genome Project should at the very least temper of the Western World=s gross national product is the enthusiasm of those in human services who devoted to unproductive medicine. Prescription drug costs end up being the tip of the iceberg.
physiological basis of human problems such as Leifer (2001), Schwartz & Begley (2002), schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, etc. Joe Szasz (1988 and 1996), Whitaker (2002), and Tsien, a leader in brain research is quoted as Valenstein (1998) all compellingly argue that saying: "Frankly speaking, we still know so little, we know no principles, no operating code for memory. We know a lot of genes, but we don’t have a coherent picture, and I think that is instructions long before our brain reached the problem with the whole area of therapeutic the sophistication of, oh, a banana slug’s.
research and development" (Hall, 2003 p. 65).
There is a materiality to life, and biology, physiology and genetics are part and parcel of simply too paltry to spell out the wiring diagram for the human brain" (Schwartz & statement is essentially meaningless. The human genome, interactive as it is with the However, even when there is clear evidence environment, is so complex that it is quite of brain damage, as with Alzheimer’s disease, unlikely that we will be able to identify the there is no necessary link with behavioral or specific locus of any individual problem or given trait. Moreover, the individual is not the static result of his genetic inheritance but rather community of the Sisters of Notre-Dame. He a dynamic continuously changing person whose writes that brain pathologists have to wait till after a person’s death to diagnose with any kind chemistry are tempered and prodded by life of certainty that a person has the brain lesions experiences and life conditions. Indeed, many that are associated with dementia. Before a person dies "there is no definitive test—no schizophrenia, hyperactivity and the like, are in blood workup or even brain scan—that can and of themselves complex and multifaceted provide absolute certainty in a living person." and quite untraceable to specific genes in the (p. 88) that he has or hasn’t Alzheimer’s.
genome or cells and "circuits" in the brain (or, Indeed, though there is a strong correlation for that matter, specific past experiences or even between the organic pathology associated with sequences of events), thus multiplying even Alzheimer’s on the one hand, and dementia and further the ultimate causal complexity. Thus, bizarre behavior on the other, there is no the genetic origin of the organic basis of mental necessary link. "Sometimes Markesbery [a brain and behavioral problems rests on very flimsy pathologist involved in the study] finds little evidence of Alzheimer’s in a sister who had the "Although it would be perfectly reasonable to posit that genes determine the brain’s extensive evidence of Alzheimer’s" (p. 86).
The above also highlights the problematic aura of certainty that seems to cloud the Project drew to a close in the early years of diagnostic enterprise of modern mental health how notoriously unreliable diagnosis can be for different genes. About half of them seem to clearly organic problems such as heart disease and other physical problems, even using such responsible for such tasks as synthesizing a techniques as the electro-cardiograph (ECG) or neurotransmitter or a receptor. The brain, remember, has billions of nerve cells that techniques. Maddux’s (2002b) debunking of make, altogether, trillions of connections. If the atheoretical Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) should confirm that the reliability of a placebo effects are usually underreported. The psychiatric diagnosis and its link to any organic Shapiros add that given current knowledge, "the distinction between antianxiety, sedative, and pontificating certainty of a given psychiatrist.
hypnotic effects is unclear and is largelyassociated with the dosage" (p. 95). There is Pharmacotherapy is at best controversial
very little to distinguish between many differentdrug types. Thus the theories that underlie the specific usages of such drugs are to say the least rest on very flimsy evidence, one should not be Alvaro (2002) points out that new theories surprised that the chemicals that are used, in must be met with healthy skepticism, especially keeping with such theories, are not really effective. Shapiro and Shapiro (1997) in their unverifiable knowledge claims. Occam=s razor massive overview of the placebo argue that requires that one should always prefer the explanation that is the most economical; or, in research generally, the same cannot apply to other words, the simplest explanation until mental health or psychiatry. Indeed, the authors disproven is the best. The very complexity and document how mental health and psychiatry are interactivity of the brain and the human genome mitigate against such theories being useful.
methodology in these fields lacks rigour (see Alvaro goes on to point out that Occam=s razor also Leifer, 2001; Shean, 2001; Valenstein, is not a metaphysical dictum but rather a 1998; and Whitaker, 2002). It is not, of course, methodological tool that obliges one to not only that there is no research; quite the contrary.
be aware of what one knows but also to be However, the authors conclude that not much is aware of what one doesn’t know. Occam=s known about mental illness today after all this research. They describe the drug therapies of propose in a theory the things that we know and today as the current logical endpoint in the those that we can relatively easily ascertain, rather than suggest causes and effects that are theoretically dubious somatic methodologies beyond the scope of our comprehension and, used over the past century which include insulin c o m a , e l e c t r o c o n v u l s i v e t r e a t m e n t , certainly applies to theories that purport to psychosurgery, and more recently the use of (causally) link organic and genetic phenomena to behaviors, thoughts or other life problems. tranquilizers and antidepressants (see also The prescription and use of drugs and other somatic treatments requires that we believe such Shapiro & Shapiro (1997) and Kirsch and theories (Valenstein, 1998). The general public Sapirstein (1999) report on the many studies might be able to claim ignorance for their beliefs, but for experts it requires a remarkable degree of self-delusion (Whitaker, 2002). All of effectiveness range of placebos. Moreover, this recalls Wolfensberger=s (1994) critique of Shapiro and Shapiro (1997) question the value modern life. One of the signs of the times he of methodologies that compare inert placebos to noted was the "The >Crazification= or active drugs when in fact active placebos should >Insaniceration= of the People of Modernism" be used. Inert placebos tend to take the "blind" where he asserts that "More and more, I have out of double blind studies, suggesting that noted lately that even among educated people, arguing issues in terms of evidence has become an irrelevant exercise. They simply assert as undergirds Prozac where it selectively "blocks truth what they want, or what they wished the or inhibits the reuptake process for serotonin.
truth were, or what they have to mouth in order (which leads to) increased firing of nearby to be accepted by those groups to which they postsynaptic nerves. (that then leads) to the improvement of mental disorders, including depression" (p.23). The fact that this is modern culture that despite the outlandish scientifically unlikely (Breggin & Breggin, nature of the theoretical schemes that undergird 1994; Valenstein, 1998) does little to diminish somatic treatments for problems of living, a the patina of science and the confidence of the public and professionals. Science is high psychoactive and other forms of medications in religion today, and faith and hope are foremost in the methodology of medical and other human undoubtedly more effective and valid. However, s e r v i c e s . I n d e e d , e x p e c t a n c y this simple observation suggests that the effectsCplaceboCare always present (Shapiro medical model and its appurtenances are highly and Shapiro, 1997) and explain as much as 85% valued, even desired, and convey powerful of any given prescription drug effects (Kirsch and Sapirstein, 1999; Shapiro and Shapiro,1997). Imagery is powerful and feeds back into Image enhancement and prescribed drugs
the purported competency impact of drugs. Thepotency of a drug lies mostly in the imagery that surrounds it. This seems to suggest that such imagery is positive, particularly since it is difficulty or problem, not surprisingly one of ensconced in the image of an organic wound establishment, of social workers, of parents and so many others is, "There must be a drug out model, its great public acceptance as the way of there that can help?" Drug therapies are so "understanding" suffering and life problems pervasive that they constitute today a valued requires a more sophisticated analysis. Indeed, it could be argued that the "sickness" model intervention to deal with problems of living.
does not so much devalue as make invisible the After all, with former US presidential hopeful, more appropriate causes and thus targets of our Robert Dole, hyping Viagra in the popular press solicitude. Wolfensberger and Thomas (1983) (Carney, 1999), it is not surprising that on the write that imagery conveys information to others about social status, social roles, similarity imagery problems that affect massive public to others, competence, and other personal characteristics (p.36-37). Though prescription From an SRV perspective, we need to spend drugs are prescribed quite democratically, some some time examining the imagery "problems" drugs seem to be given more often, and in more combinations to some groups than to others.
becomes sickness and disease. Certainly the Ritalin cuts across most social boundaries but it imagery concerning drug therapy is confusing: is mostly used with so-called hyperactive children and youth, who seem to mostly come pharmaceutical companies are enveloped by the out of poor dysfunctional families (Breggin, high gloss of science. Breggin & Breggin 1998). The use of drugs with vulnerable classes makes the treatment seem normative. It creates Drugs and competency enhancement
the illusion of "normalization" and disguises thegreat differences in living circumstances andexperiences that are the more likely causes of D r u g s a r e p r e s c r i b e d t o r e d u c e debilitatingCcompetency inhibitingCbehaviors problem is organic, genetic or medical, then the extreme case) is also an SRV issue, and the person (and immediate social environment, simple fact is that most if not all drugs exact an including parents) can be held blameless for the enormous competency cost from their purported problem. There is no doubt that the claim that beneficiaries. Indeed, Wolfensberger makes it alcoholism is an illness and genetically based very clear, quoting from drug compendiums and has been a great solace to many individuals and the establishment literature, that countless drugs their families. As Vaillant (1995) points out, are indeed toxic and very dangerous; not only alcoholism is a very complex phenomenon that do they diminish faculties and competence but defies being reduced to an organic explanation.
The same can be said for so called hyperactive, situations produce death. Wolfensberger=s ADHD children (Ravenel, 2002). The organic explanation of their misbehavior and lack of overwhelming. But his critique is not singular.
internal controls means that the poor parenting The psychologist, researcher, and well known skills of their parents, and the poor classroom management skills of many teachers, are never Association with recognized establishment bona It would seem that Western culture has been fides, devotes a whole chapter to a relatively effectively socialised into accepting as fact that devastating critique of drug therapies.
organic, material causes are at the heart of most if not all life problems. Not surprisingly, disease-illness mongering is a multibillion arguing that, on the whole, drug therapies for dollar industry that preys on our desire to be social and psychological problems only mask relieved of blame, the responsibility of effort, symptoms and do not provide anything that the exercise of will and self-discipline and might look like a cure. Seligman=s point is that especially solidarity with others who are cognitive or pedagogical modalities, though more demanding, are often more effective and universally accepted and this suggests that the overt imagery is positive, which is why the Indeed, as Wolfensberger and Seligman and pharmaceutical industry spends millions of so many others have pointed out, many drug therapies came about accidentally. By and manipulation adds to the very potency of drug large, much of the medication that is today treatments. Indeed, studies show that, from prescribed for problems of living, psychiatric 1981 to 2002, antidepressant placebos seemed illnesses and the like were first developed for to increase in potency, as the general population overcame its early skepticism and reluctance to antipsychotics were initially developed to use medication for mental problems (Brean, combat asthma. Valenstein (1998) writes that chlorpromazine first came about through the work of chemists with the Geigy Corporation controversial, it may help you understand synthetic dyes. Indeed, chlorpromazine is a derivative of coal-tar and was first developed as a synthetic dye. (It would seem that many diseases. Your body regards the drug as a chemical companies interested in developing mobilized to fight it off. A side effect is that synthetic dyes, but found more profitable these mobilized defenses happen to kill off endeavours for their toxic products.) "In the the disease. The true side effect of a drug is course of doing research on phenothiazines and to arrest the disease. The main effect of the synthetic dyes, it was discovered that some of these compounds also had biological properties potentially useful in medicine" (p. 21).
Chlorpromazine which is a phenothiazine was Indeed, the first and foremost effect of most drugs is competency diminishment and death Antihistamines decrease muscle tone, reduce nausea, increase sedation and in some instances And make no mistake, these drugs do harm.
induce mild euphoria. Initially, these were Whitaker (2002) relentlessly documents how viewed as problematic side effects. However, a drug therapies are the natural continuation of number of European scientists saw that such a previous somatic therapies such as insulin shock, electro-shock and lobotomies, and that anaesthesia and then, later, as an antipsychotic these were built upon other less subtle tortures as it seemed that this drug reduced the salience including the tranquilizer chair, the iced water of hallucinations and delusional thoughts in "In 1953, when Smith, Kline & French eventually marketed as Largactil (a drug of chose Winkelman to be its lead investigator many actions), Mellaril and Thorazine. The impact of these drugs was considerable.
surgical lobotomy was still seen as a good Though not universal on all patients, some researchers described its impact as a veritable medicinal lobotomy as it induced hibernation when Winkelman reported his initial results, and so on. Early research studies reported that in the Journal of the American Medical "some patients appeared heavily drugged and Association on May 1, 1954, he praised the seemed indifferent to what was going on around drugs for being similar in kind. The drug In many respects, the purported benefits of many of these drugs are nothing but secondary patients immobile, waxlike, and emotionally effects. Seligman posits an interesting theory about how drugs work, which shows the extent Moreover, over time, patients using these drugs to which he, at least, views them as dangerous develop very disturbing side effects, some of competitors to other intervention modalities. them totally irreversible. Patients often showed "You might entertain the naïve image that dyskinesia, and a whole host of other physical foreign disease and kills it, like a falcon difficulties, some of them life threatening.
attacking a rabbit. I have a different image (Valenstein [1998] echoes this argument) that damage, but insulin for instance, extends the what we today hold as the stereotypic behavior life of the diabetic, whereas many psychoactive and demeanor of chronic schizophrenia patients drugs reduce life expectancy and competence.
is most likely related to the long term effects of Valued persons who have been misled by their very toxic chemicals rather than anything doctors and advertising often direct their reactions to the courts. Ray Moynihan (2003b)documents how recent research is showing that The role of medicine taker and the
hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which has developmental model
been dogmatically used with (post) menopausalwomen for over thirty years does not The role of medicine taker seems to statistically improve quality of life, but does increase the risks for cancer, heart disease and even be argued that we are coming to view the dementia, among other things. Not surprisingly, medicine taker role as one that engages the one drug manufacturer that has made as much person in preventing being cast into the sick as 3 billion dollars (US) a year had over (in May role. Drug companies are at work shaping the 2003) 16 class action suits filed against it in the image of drug taking so that it becomes viewed USA alone. We have yet to witness similar as performance and competency enhancement, empowered actions on behalf of people on long and illness (or at the very least symptom) prevention. We invest increasing significance, money and time in the regular rituals of taking to make the case for powerful, albeit effortful, all kinds of chemicals including vitamins, pedagogical SRV-coherent interventions, one minerals, so-called organic preparations with must realize that alternative and facile drug the hope of improving health, performance and therapies will always be recommended as an life span. All kinds of preparations, some of alternative. The modern mind, as it is, with its which were once simply food and beverage (i.e., preference for cutting to the chase and getting herbal teas, red wine) are now being taken for quickly to a solutionCits here-and-now-ism as "medicinal" reasons. However, just as the client suggested by Wolfensberger (1994)Cseems to role is different for devalued, in contrast to always prefer the quick and in this case the valued, persons (Wolfensberger & Thomas, nasty solution of drug therapies. "When 1994), the role of medicine taker is transacted in fundamentally different ways and for different individualistic pursuit of what is sensually reasons. One of the most important differences gratifying, then we get >here-and-now-ism=: A resides in the control that the person exercises concern not just with myself and my material in taking drugs. Valued persons take up the role and sensual wants, but with me and my wants of medicine taker with the (often misguided) this very minute, in disregard of othersCand belief of health, performance and life enhancing even of myself in the future" (p. 20). Before benefits. Devalued persons are often coerced advocating for alternative SRV sympathetic into medicine taking and it is viewed as a intervention strategies, we need to take heed of condition of their continued citizenship. For the Wolfensberger=s critique of this well entrenched devalued medicine taker, taking a drug, or competitor, and the culture that seems to yearn following a drug regimen, is often the condition for being admitted into a classroom, or for leaving a psychiatric hospital. The chemicals odds with the medical model. Philip Roos in his 1971 article, who, by the way, attributes the developmental model to Wolf Wolfensberger, neuroplasticity and even neurogenesis.
d e v e l o p m e n t al m o d e l w a s i n f a c t "Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of neurons However, more recently, Smith (2002) argues connections between neurons], to blaze new that there is a fundamental incompatibility paths through the cortex, even to assume new between socio-pedagogical interventions and roles. In shorthand, neuroplasticity means the medical model. Indeed, service schemes It would seem that the brain rewires itself continuously based on our experiences. The developmental model are in a great competition with the medical model for dominance in the prevailing notion that the brain is fixed and service structure, for the availability of scarce immutable at puberty and that from puberty on resources, particularly funding, and even for the the brain degenerates, leading us eventually into hearts and minds of the general population.
senility and death. In fact, neuroplasticity Surprisingly, for truly organic and medical occurs throughout life; it occurs quite naturally problems, the developmental model is of great because of experience, because of exposure to importance. Albert Bandura=s (1995; Maddux, new stimulation, to new environments, and 2002) self-efficacy, which is clearly in the leads us to produce all sorts of new behaviors.
developmental model, has had a great deal of Moreover, research shows that the brain is self- healing in a number of ways. First of all, there disease is organic and yet the best treatment is is considerable neurogenesis throughout life.
developmental in nature. Heart patients are Neurogenesis is the creation of new neurons supported and trained in making important life (brain cells). It had long been thought that the style changes–cigarette cessation, regular brain produced no new cells after birth (or at least after puberty). But now researchers agree relaxation–which are nothing more than the acquisition of new life competencies. Thus, it neurogenesis: One of course is in the womb, the is even more surprising that problem areas that second during puberty, and the third major are not clearly organic or medical have become moment of neurogenesis is at the onset of totally captured by the medical mind-set. Heart patients or the victims of strokes or automobile report that researchers have found evidence for accidents and the like go through extensive neurogenesis throughout life (see also Gage, regimens of training, rehabilitation, and 2003). A recent special issue of Scientific competency acquisition. Yet, for literally American (September 2003) is devoted to the thousands of so-called hyperactive children, the veritable revolution in brain science which treatment of choice is a pill, and teachers, includes numerous reminders that it is still a parents, social workers, and the children themselves are thus exempted from making the effort that promotes skill acquisition and the reutilization, can overcome considerable brain Moreover, pedagogy, practice and effort are damage. For instance, damage to a portion of known to produce organic changes, even in the the right side of the brain will lead the left-brain brain. Schwartz and Begley (2002) document to take over some of those same functions.
Parts of the brain that are left unused because of a loss of function, for instance because of discovering how far these findings will go in blindness or deafness, will lead the brain to allowing individuals to reclaim lost functions.
It’s important to note that neuroplasticity is very consistent with the developmental concept established that the reading of Braille with the of resilience (Cicchetti, 2003; see also Lemay & index finger is processed in the visual cortex Ghazal, 2001). In fact, they go hand in hand.
that, of course, has been abandoned because of Resilience starts with the notion that negative childhood experiences are not necessarily The neuroplasticity of the brain is very good devastating throughout life, that positive development can follow adversity. What we developmental viewpoint of human functioning particularly, neuroplasticity supports this. This intriguing part of the Schwartz & Begley book notion of mindfulness and attention is also in is how willfulness, mindfulness, volition, and keeping with the personal characteristics that attention can be used quite effectively to rewire many resilient people have, that they are able to turn their minds to the future and not dwell on is habitual and almost autonomous. However, the past. It’s never too late to learn; it’s never when we pay attention to things or when we too late to go on to other things. All of this is direct our attention to certain activities or to mentioned findings of the "Nuns' study" environment, brain functioning is incredibly enhanced. Tying one’s shoelaces, of course, is significant brain damage due to Alzheimer’s mostly automatic, and when we do it a small were nonetheless able to lead lives with no sign portion of the brain is firing away allowing us to of dementia: It would seem that because of their do it. However, if we pay attention to the task, engaged intellectual activity, they are able to the amount of brain circuitry that is devoted to use other unaffected parts of the brain to get on the task increases dramatically. Indeed, simply imagining doing the activity (the mental activity only) fires up the same parts of the brain, overcome paralysis and Obsessive Compulsive suggesting that imagining things (imaging them Disorder patients overcome obsessive thoughts tells us very clearly that none of this means that practicing. Indeed, with stroke patients, it is there is an easy fix for these problems; quite the now used as an important part of therapy with patients being invited to concentrate and mindfulness requires a lot of effort, a lot of imagine using limbs that are now paralyzed.
repetition and, eventually, a mastery over one’s Thus, stroke victims are trained to develop self. This is remarkably good news that should mindful effort in an attempt to start reusing bolster the effectiveness claims of SRV and limbs that had previously been thought to be It then would seem that through sustained treatments are ineffective and that theories that conscious effort, one is able to relearn to use limbs that have been lost to paralysis, and not so problems to organic causes are very simple surprisingly to change one’s thought patterns as minded. More importantly, the evidence also approaches are very effective in treating truly organic diseases, including damage to the brain.
departure of the medical model and thus of But drug companies and psychiatry have been doctors, psychiatrists and nurses from the lives singing a seductive siren’s song that, despite of many if not most mentally retarded persons.
very poor science, seems to have convinced a However, the recent flurry of interests and large portion of society that there are simple and research in the so-called dual diagnosis (mental facile solutions to the problems of daily life.
retardation combined with mental illness) has Modern psychiatry and drug companies tell us led to new confusions and of course to the re- endowment or of faulty wiring and chemicals in accompanying mental health-medical model.
the brain. This fits in with our culture of victimology that, as Seligman (1993) points out, service modality has been one of improved life has led to a massive reduction in the ethic of experiences and conditions with more or less personal responsibility where individuals do not t r a i n i n g , f o r m a t i o n , s u p p o r t a n d accompaniment, we are now today confronted retardation. Given the state of our medicalized premise that each individual has important culture, this should come as no surprise.
reserves of potential that can be, with effort and Wolfensberger’s monograph, that follows herein (pp. 42-66), will serve as a good tonic for those who promote SRV-inspired interventions, development and self-improvement. SRV’s and help fight off the medicine taker role in position is certainly a more dignified and uplifting perspective on the human being but developmentally powerful and culturally valued unfortunately not as compelling as a magic roles that lead to a chemically free good life.
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The citation for this article is:
Szasz, T. (1996). The meaning of mind: Language, Lemay, R. (2004). Social Role Valorization versus morality, and neuroscience. Wesport: drug therapies. SRV-VRS: The International Social Role Valorization Journal, 5(1&2), Vaillant, G. E. (1995). The natural history of alcoholism revisited. Cambridge: Harvard

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