Suicide - Mental Illness or Spiritual Crisis?

David Webb - suicide survivor

Exclusion and EmbraceConversations about spirituality and disability

3rd Australian conference, October 2001

Is Depression a Genuine Illness?

• defined solely in terms of symptoms

• the many forms of “depression”

• the many causes of “depression”

• mental illness and madness - the disabling them-and-us exclusion of psychiatric labels

• depression as a cause of suicide?

• the ‘beyondblue’ initiative

The Medical Model.

• an illness of the brain, the organ of the mind

• the chemical imbalance of the brain theory

• anti-depressant medications

• is subduing symptoms “recovery”?

The Psychological Model.

• a dysfunction of the mind

• from psychoanalysis to cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

• “talking cures”

• notions of self - the mind as the essence of our being

• are better coping strategies “recovery”?

The Psychosocial Model.

• disability due to social exclusion

• nurture and develop strengths and talents rather than pathologising

• change environmental sources of disability

• more wholistic, interdisciplinary

• must also heal society/communities

Current trend - the biopsychosocial

approach

The Psychospiritual Model.

that which is other than mundane and gives meaning and purpose to being

•the suicidal question: “What does it mean to me that I exist?”

•a question the mind cannot answer: that which is other than mundane

•liberation through spiritual awareness: meaning and purpose to being

A Way Forward …

a reconciliation of science and spirit

•embrace the differences - humbly accept our ignorance - an ecological, interdisciplinary

approach - learning to speak with each other

•resist exclusion - reject them-and-us labels - challenge illegitimate authority - citizens not consumers