Does darwin need a mental health professional? What type?

[darwin]

My health insurance will now pay for me to visit a psychiatrist, psychologist, or other mental health professional. It will pay the full price.

 

I am not sure how I should approach this.

 

I don't want to start taking their drugs. I am pretty much against drugs. I won't even smoke marijuana. I don't think I would ever have started on drugs if my father hadn't gotten me started on marijuana when I was 14 years old.

 

I don't want to "get my life together" or any other such unpleasant thing. I would like it to be more like "The Bob Newheart Show". I knew a rabbi who was also a psychiatrist, but he moved away. His patients would jump on his trampoline in his backyard.

 

What do you recommend?

 

[This message has been edited by darwin (edited 01-14-2002).]

[JRdd]

A few recommendations to start:

 

Turn your closed eyes to the pre-noon sun as if you are looking right at it, and bask like that for five or ten minutes. This does some kind of serotonin thing, some actually physical chemical reaction with the happy hormones.

 

Walk in nature every day.

 

I knew a professor who wrote a book on healing through laughing. This is also some physical chemical reaction thing (along with the emotional involvement). One man cured himself of cancer by holing up with a load of humourous videos and laughing himself silly for a few weeks.

 

Exercise.

 

Cordcutting is good. Visualise the unhealthy ties to your dad or whoever, and visual taking a knife of scissors or sword and severing it. This may have to be repeated. Some people start rebuilding their tentacles as soon as they are cut off. This may take focus and practice but is actually simple to do.

 

These ideas may be too mystical for the practical and scientifically-orientated Darwin. But at least we can agree on chanting and how it affects every level.

 

Now I need to take more of my own advice.

 

Good luck, Darwin.

ys, Jayaradhe

[darwin]

I definitely don't want a repeat of the last time I went to a psychiatrist. Several years ago, I had the medical insurance that the employees, students, professors and staff at Harvard University get. That insurance forces you to go to their University staff to get recommendations for further visits. I had a friend with mental problems who was a Harvard University student, and he told me to go the psychiatrist who was the head of the psychiatry department at Harvard.(I think his name was Dr Katlin) It was a miserable visit. He asked me where I met my wife, (I later learned that this is a way to try to find out a persons social/religious background) I told him that I met her at the Temple. He asked me what I did at the Temple. I told him that I chant. He then said "that could drive a person insane". I immediately said "or sane". The whole session was abusive and nasty. I couldn't believe this type of thing could happen these days. We had talked for about 45 minutes, with him asking all the questions. He refused to recommend me for further visits to other professionals.

 

A few weeks later, I went back to get a copy of what he had written about me. All he had written was a one line bogus diagnosis, and: "His house is furnished by things he got in the trash. He goes to the Hare Krishna temple. He is married to a (my wife's race!)."

 

[This message has been edited by darwin (edited 01-14-2002).]

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

See if it will cover payments for alternative treatments, like massage, accupuncture, etc., or a psychiatrist version of these (if there are any).

 

[Tarun]

Darwinji: never listen to discouraging words.

Such persons haven't even reached Gene Autry's toenails!

And what to speak of Gaudiya Vaisnavism.

Good accupuncture sessions or massage can help anyone.

Don't let non-devotionals invade your privacy.

asat-sanga tyagi vaiSNava acAra

Turns out in every instance, old furniture is far better than new.

Let that half-ass Harvard Psycho professor stick his store-bought flakeboard & plastic where Surya don't shine.

Bob Hewhart did a great God in Heaven skit with?

Maybe Jack Klugman? Recall that one?

I was jumping on JalakAr's trampoline during ZrIla NArAyaN Mhrj's last Jun2001 Alachua lecture because the disciple he asked to stand up & speak began to make some incorrect statements.

And besides, I needed the exercise.

Or was it exorcise? Depends whom you ask. Okay, both.

[samarpan]

Originally posted by jijaji:

I'm afraid you might have to go for a full on labotomy Darwin.

It may be diffuicult here in the states but perhaps you can find someone willing to preform it in mexico or somewhere.

Sorry I have no advice for a home procedure, although you have my blessings if

 

[This message has been edited by samarpan (edited 01-31-2002).]

 

[This message has been edited by samarpan (edited 01-31-2002).]

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

Dear Darwin

 

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

So you are searching for help from a--well I won't say that...how bout "something outside"--Please be carefull with this 'outside'--as you have noted in your past experiance--these problem solvers can be a problem--actually if truth be told there may well be no benefit [especially these days!] to see these kinds of "Medical" Healers--as Srila Prabhupada says:

 

...So psychiatrists generally their patients are crazy fellows. Generally they treat crazy fellows. Is it not? No sane man goes to a psychiatrist. [laughter] Is it not a fact? So all these crazy men sometimes makes the psychiatrist a crazy also. So more or less, everyone is crazy. That is the... It is not my layman's opinion... Gita Lecture April 1976

 

We share a collective Craziness in our material world--that we all are 'crazy'--is confirmed by so many factors now--if you have a brain chemical imballace that is another matter--but I think your issue is that you are struggling with the modes and maya and you are not getting enough association outside this virtual world--and that must change.

 

One thing to consider is that offences can have the same effects as mental imballance.

 

We have to be sure to not be creating offences to the Shastra by wanting to "amend it" and of course offences to the Holy Name--but, if you do some Real Service [cleaning etc.] at the Temple on a regular basis then you will begin to see that you have a 'Shelter' in that Service.

 

Bhagavad Gita--Chapter 2 Text 51:

 

The wise, engaged in devotional service, take refuge in the Lord, and free themselves from the cycle of birth and death by renouncing the fruits of action in the material world. In this way they can attain that state beyond all miseries.

 

From the Preface to the Gita:

 

A living entity is happily the part and parcel of the Lord, and thus his natural function is to render immediate service to the Lord. By the spell of illusion one tries to be happy by serving his personal sense gratification in different forms which will never make him happy.

 

In a Letter to a Ms. Hochner in 1967 Srila Prabhupada clearly explained:

 

...Devotional service means to apply one's energy in the service of Krishna. That is the instruction of the Bhagavad-gita...

 

So we can expect problems--if we do not have a fixed Shelter of 'Service' in Krishna Conciousness--we will be tossed in the waves of the lower Gunas.

 

So your first priority--if at all possible--is to take this kind advice:

 

"For you personally I would advise contacting, and visting if at all possible, HH Tripurari Swami."

 

Darwin--could you ask for a better Lead--just leave preconceptions behind--and contact that devotee to send a message...

 

Your Servant,

 

Bhakta don

 

[This message has been edited by Bhakta Don Muntean (edited 01-16-2002).]

[jijaji]

I'm afraid you might have to go for a full on labotomy Darwin.

It may be diffuicult here in the states but perhaps you can find someone willing to preform it in mexico or somewhere.

Sorry I have no advice for a home procedure, although you have my blessings if you try!

 

jijaji

[valaya]

Now now, jijaji prabhu...Darwin, before stumbling any further into the lair of the beast, I humbly request you place yourself in the capable compassionate hands of a genuine `mental health professional` who is so much more as well. For you personally I would advise contacting, and visting if at all possible, HH Tripurari Swami. You can Email me if you'd like to discuss this, or anything else. valaya a la maya

 

------------------

Radhe Radhe always Radhe!

amanpeter@hotmail.com

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

Dear Darwin:

 

All Glories to Srila Prabhupada

 

Here other 'to the point' advice for us to think about:

 

Shrimad Bhagavatam 6.1.63 Purport:

 

Unless one is very strong in knowledge, patience and proper bodily, mental and intellectual behavior, controlling one's lusty desires is extremely difficult. Thus after seeing a man embracing a young woman and practically doing everything required for sex life, even a fully qualified brahmana, as described above, could not control his lusty desires and restrain himself from pursuing them. Because of the force of materialistic life, to maintain self-control is extremely difficult unless one is specifically under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service.

 

Now of course our situation is much much worse than that of Ajamila--just see the struggle to pollute--even animated tv shows with a so-called rating of 14+ like Family Guy insert horrible smut inuendo into almost every scene.

 

What to speak of this internet...

 

So we have much more need to:

 

As far as possible he patiently tried to remember the instructions of the Shastras... [sB 6.1.62]

 

So this is like the crux of it:

 

...Because of the force of materialistic life, to maintain self-control is extremely difficult unless one is specifically under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service...

 

 

Your Servant,

 

Bhakta don

 

[This message has been edited by Bhakta Don Muntean (edited 01-16-2002).]

[gHari]

I recommend reading the last post (posted 01-13-2002 09:10 PM) on this thread:

http://www.indiadivine.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000838.html

[darwin]

Thank you everyone for your kindness and concern. I am giving serious consideration to your good advice. I am not feeling like responding to this issue right now, but I am reading everything you write. Maybe my quietness helps me to listen.

 

Your servant,

 

darwin

 

 

[This message has been edited by darwin (edited 01-17-2002).]

[gHari]

Darwin,

 

It is good to avoid drugs, especially those offered by dentists, like novocain and laughing gas. For remember, our goal: transcend dental medication.

 

Dr. gHari<font color="#dedfdf">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-18-2002).]

[valaya]

Originally posted by gHari:

Darwin,

 

It is good to avoid drugs, especially those offered by dentists, like novocain and laughing gas. For remember, our goal: transcend dental medication.

 

Dr. gHari<font color="#dedfdf">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-18-2002).]

 

Look's like gHari's on a roll--now where's that rock? nyuck nyuck

 

 

[samarpan]

try chanting you may get to like it

 

[This message has been edited by samarpan (edited 01-31-2002).]

 

[This message has been edited by samarpan (edited 03-04-2002).]

[darwin]

The History of Lobotomy

 

MASS MURDERERS IN WHITE COATS (FROM HARVARD TO BUCHENWALD: A CHRONOLOGY OF PSYCHIATRY AND EUGENICS)

 

[Tarun]

Lobotomy is tamoguN; lava-matra is nirguN, beyond 3 modes.

lava-matra sAdhusanga sarva siddhi haya: try this.

[darwin]

 

This is the original gray and black form of Ultraman Tiga from 30,000,000 years ago, who was an ally of the evil giant Camilla and her two giant friends. He become the Tiga of light that we know and love after discovering a sense of justice.

[Bhaktavasya]

Originally posted by jijaji:

I'm afraid you might have to go for a full on labotomy Darwin.

It may be diffuicult here in the states but perhaps you can find someone willing to preform it in mexico or somewhere.

Sorry I have no advice for a home procedure, although you have my blessings if you try!

 

jijaji

Well, Jayaradhe DID recommend humour!

 

 

[JRdd]

Originally posted by gHari:

Darwin,

It is good to avoid drugs, especially those offered by dentists, like novocain and laughing gas. For remember, our goal: transcend dental medication.

 

Hare Krsna! gHari, why would you say "especially" drugs like novocaine? (Not heroin? Or Prozac?) This is not a religion of masochists. Not everyone is a ksatriya by nature, and it certainly wouldn't disqualify one from devoteehood just because one chose to take some form of painkiller. Even George Harrison was on special medication to ease his pain and thus increase the quality of his remaining days with his family and friends, in full concentration/meditation. I am not a glutton for pain but normally I endure a great deal, for weeks even, before I will resort to medication, when I simply need a break from the pain. To my knowledge Srila Prabhupada did not forbid this. His premise, like Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, has always been practical: you do the needful, according to time and circumstances, in order to best serve and be in consciousness of Krsna.

In the context of this thread, I would have thought the word "especially" would refer to addictive or ongoing (as opposed to a one-off hit of novocaine) drug use, particularly of the psychotropic kind (and even here I would not argue for absolute abstainence, seeing what happens to some with certain chemical imbalances that stop taking their medication, and become dangerous to themselves or others. Krsna gave us the healing herbs, but not everyone finds out what they need).

 

Just wanted to make this point, not to nitpick but to shed light on what may be confusing to a reader or two out there.

 

ys, Jayaradhe

 

 

[JRdd]

Another thing along the same lines: If one eases one's stress by watching movies or playing golf or whatever, how is that different from easing one's physical stress with a pain killer? In fact, the former is more apt to distract one from Krsna (although devotees do often view flicks from that special devotee perspective).

 

[valaya]

Originally posted by gHari:

Darwin,

 

It is good to avoid drugs, especially those offered by dentists, like novocain and laughing gas. For remember, our goal: transcend dental medication.

 

Dr. gHari<font color="#dedfdf">

 

[This message has been edited by gHari (edited 01-18-2002).]

Don't fret, Doc., I got it...guess ya gotta be transcendental, eh? Now c'mon, we got work to do! nyuck nyuck

 

 

[gHari]

Totally agree, JRdd. Somewhere Prabhupada wrote that pain is not good for Krsna consciousness. I will be the first to reach for the ibuprofen and continue religiously until the pain is gone. And I surely wish your pain would subside; whatever it takes to alleviate it you must do.

 

The novocain was to set up the childish pun between the words medication and meditation; as though a typo in 'transcendental meditation'.

 

I was quite sure that our Darwin was referring to recreational drugs. But then I do remember a rather pleasant euphoric buzz from the demerol shots they gave me for my kidney/gall stones. I actually popped the remaining pills even after the pain was gone, just for the ride. I even went back to the hospital faking another kidney stone attack to get more pills, but they were wise to the nature of legal drug junkies. Guess I had/have an addictive nature. Now, just Baby Blue.

 

Reality is so very addicting.

[darwin]

Who is Ultraman? A red and silver giant alien from a popular 1966 Japanese live-action TV series, who comes to Earth to defend humanity from hostile monsters and aliens. He stands 40 meters tall, weighs in at 35,000 tons, and can fly at Mach 5.

 

 

How do the humans transform into Ultras? Most humans require a transformation device. Hayata was given the Beta Capsule, which he raises with his right hand to release the energy that turns him into Ultraman.

 

 

[This message has been edited by darwin (edited 01-31-2002).]

[Puru Das Adhikari]

Darwin Prabhu,

Greetings.Ultimately our mental quantum will only be at peace or undisturbed when we come to realize our true self. Until then you may have to take other measures to help you to engage nicely in devotional service.

 

The four regulative principles of freedom, and the regulated practices of vaidhi bhakti will all assist anyone who is struggling with the mind. It is very clear from the Bg. that Krsna's instructions to Arjuna concerning control of his mind are meant for us. However if we are not on the liberated platform this can be theory, only jnana and not vijnana.

 

Therefore if you have a broken bone yo go the the orthopedist, a cavity you go t othe dentist. If you have sever mental imbalance you may simply need to go to a professional to get correct medication to help you keep balance. Disease, means dis ease. Not at ease, due to some problem in the air, bile or mucus of the body. Mental illness is can be a result of chemical imbalance in the brain or bad circultion of life air in the head.

 

Why not take assitance from some of the many "new age" groups around and see if they can reccomend any therapist or psychiatrist who is sensitive to the religious practices of others, and not just a pill pusher for the chemical companies. Good luck to you.

 

In the meantime, these forums are certainly good group therapy, and I am sure you will get many positive suggestions from the assembled devotees, how you can get help for solving your problem, immediate and ultimtely eternal.

ys

unclepuru