Does the Field of Psychology Drive Americans Nuts?

by Andy Caldwell

America needs to make up its mind about people who are losing theirs. That is, our country has way too many contradictory theories on how to deal with the problem of mental illness which has become a national crisis. That is, an estimated 25% of our population suffers from some form of mental illness.

These many crises include the significant number of mentally ill people who are homeless. The state of California has thrown tens of billions of dollars at the mentally ill, including homes and mental health treatments, along with disability payments, and the problem has only increased. California, according to some statistics, now has 50% of the nation’s homeless.

Many of these people are “dual-diagnosed” meaning they also are drug and alcohol abusers. The homeless pose several threats to communities via their encampments, including community degradation and wildfires. And breaking the law is a way of life for many homeless.

Santa Barbara County spends over $200 million per year on this clientele with very limited success. What’s worse? County supervisors are doing everything within their power to divert criminals from jail to therapy (thereby justifying reducing the size of the jail) if they are considered mentally ill. However, with such meager success overall, what benefit is it to society to divert people to therapy, if the therapy isn’t working, rather than treating them while they are behind bars for the crimes they have committed?

Blaming it on the Parents

Here is where societal contradictions go off the charts. While our county is busy diverting the mentally ill from jail for the crimes they personally commit, other people are being charged as accessories for the crimes of the mentally ill. The most chilling case involves Jennifer and James Crumbley who have been convicted of manslaughter because their teenage son killed four students at his high school. This is the first time in our history that a parent has been convicted of manslaughter for the crime of their child. Prosecutors said the parents deserved the 10–15-year sentences because they bought their teenager a gun, even though he was experiencing severe mental health issues at the time, including hearing voices.

In another case, an assistant principal of an elementary school is being charged because of her ineptitude in handling a violent 6-year-old who shot his teacher. She is potentially facing decades in prison.

Maybe Blame lies with the Drugs

This begs a multi-billion-dollar question: if the Crumbleys had got their kid into some intense counseling regimen, which almost always includes prescription drugs, would it have helped? Do you know how many teenage mass murderers were under psych treatment, including the two young men who committed mass murder in Isla Vista? That is, many of the prescribed drugs for mental illness come with a warning that they may increase violent tendencies.

According to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, Harvard University’s Dr. Joseph Glenmullen believes that “antidepressants could explain the rash of school shootings and mass suicides over the last decade. The irritability and impulsivity can make people suicidal or homicidal.” A study of 950 acts of violence committed by people taking antidepressants found 362 murders, 13 school shootings, 5 bomb threats or bombings, 24 acts of arson, 21 robberies, 3 pilots who crashed their planes and more than 350 suicides and suicide attempts. Medical studies show that patients with no history of violence, can develop “violent urges to assault” while under the effects of psychiatric drugs.

Before the development of the secular field of psychology in the last century, the effort to treat people with mental and emotional problems was called “soul care.” The primary practitioners were pastors. Within this biblical and spiritual framework of diagnosis and treatment, soul-wounds were not treated with drugs. Instead, a healthy regimen of accepting personal responsibility for wrongdoing was advised, along with offering forgiveness for wrongs suffered.