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