I go to support groups for people with mental health issues because I have PTSD. One thing I have noticed is that support groups are often unsatisfying. Frankly they don’t go anywhere much of the time. They tend to be similar to 12 step groups, which are religious and based on submission. I think there need to be secular alternatives to these groups. It is important that the groups actually go somewhere. It’s bad enough people have to go through these crisis situations, to make people work within a religious frame work is kicking someone when they are down. What tends to prevail in the mental health groups is this ideology that is centered around taking your medication and doing what your doctor tells you to do.
I would prefer to find treatment based on natural medicine for psychological issues. Frankly I don’t know if we will ever get there based on a religious framework. I don’t believe in any ideology that is based on submission. I think the helping professions tend to be more religious than other areas of society. No one wants to go through hardship because of how horribly they are treated by everyone, including their doctors, shrinks and support group leaders.
Part of the reason people do not go to the doctor is because they don’t want to have their will taken away from them. Doctors sometimes do no respect the autonomy of others. What is really important is that people find a doctor that they can work with.
Interesting. I’m not aware of any secular support groups built around mental health treatment. Are you attending the support group under a doctor’s care?
There are many secular support groups built around mental health treatment, especially addiction treatment.
http://www.addictionrecoveryguide.org/resources/recovery/rational_and_secular