Which of you think that the Paranormal Section should be put in a Mental Health Alternative Section.?

Question

Don't yell at me...lol..I'm JUST askin'. (Won't the skeptics love this one!!) Actually, I think it would be a good place because some of the people in Mental Health are probably people who are psychic etc...but diagnosed as something else.(because drs. aren't really familiar with the paranormal.)

Answer 1

I think it should be in social science

or society and culture

Answer 2

I would agree with one person here. the Paranormal section should be in its own area of this forum, Not under any other as a sub catagory, but its own dedicated catagory. After spending time with a couple of questions in the spirituality section and seeing answers from other sections, I actually find this area refreshing due to the knowledge of most people who participate here show.

Answer 3

I like your question.  I think it should be in a catagory all its own.  It's an interesting subject, is it not?

Answer 4

Actually, I've pondered that some people might actually be in a mental health clinic and not crazy for the reason you listed. It would be so easy for individual to think he/she is losing their mind if they did something *impossible*.

Answer 5

Actually it is a very good question!

I've had docter's mention this to me before, confidentially because of occurances they have witnessed around some patients.

Answer 6

I understand why you're asking and I read some of the answers you've received here. But I think all that reasoning would be lost on just the fact that YA uses a simple hierarchal categorization, and I think people would get the wrong idea if paranormal was lumped under mental health.

Answer 7

Usually guys like me hang out giving answers in the physics arena since usually I find the most arrogant their or the most enlightened.

Answer 8

Actually I think you bring up an interesting point. Most psychologist, counselors, therapist have no idea (education or training) in what for lack of a better term is a normal paranormal experience versus a schizophrenic or psychotic episode and readily (and frequently) misdiagnose clients/patients that leads to harmful (and inappropriate) medications and unhelpful (at the least) therapy. There are different characteristics readily identifiable between the two experiences.

Many people do not report experiences because of being labeled "crazy" or mentally unstable by both debunkers (I'm talking to you welcome in reality PD) and uninformed mental health professionals. The fastest way to get a client to stop talking to you is to deny and reject their experience was real. This drives away from therapy people who may actually require therapy and want help.

In investigating cases I have come across cases that could probably best be reasonably explained by hallucinations due to substance abuse (in one case prescription pain killers) and medical problems (in one case anemia combined with eyes problems). In both cases mentioned above there was a component of belief in the paranormal (one of them religious based) and I wouldn't have been able to offer help if I went to "debunk" their reported experiences.

These (and many cases like them) is why I returned to school and now have a Master's degree in psychology and a license as a Mental Health Counselor.

As I have said many times before investigators can take different approaches to cases. Let me now make clear my belief that investigating a hotel that is famous for a haunting is different than a family asking for help with a paranormal experience.

As one article (that I admit is highly skeptical of skeptics) concluded:

"Those who have had the experiences but encounter the debunking attitudes of apparent “scientific authorities” are likely to conclude that science is a dogma and inapplicable to important aspects of their lives. Vallee (1990) has suggested that debunkers “are among the primary contributors to the rejection of science by the public” and are “contributing to the growth of irrational movements in modem society” (p. 21). Ironically, CSICOP’s activities will likely inhibit scientific research on the paranormal and might potentially foster an increased rejection of science generally." (link below)

I would say that this is definitely and doubly true in my experience with paranormal experiences and mental health.

Thus, I would not move this section to Mental Health but I do think it is an appropriate discussion in a Mental Health Forum and I wish that Mental Health Professionals (I consider most as uncaring, unethical, billing agents) cared  enough to inform themselves about issues relating to the paranormal and mental health.

Thank you for an interesting (and probably controversial) question.