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Although it is remotely possible that they were abducted or have somehow left their body, the
lack of any substantial confirming evidence has left scientists doubtful of such claims. If they
were not really abducted or did not really leave their body, what else might have happened to
them? You might discuss with students alternative explanations for these experiences. Since
some researchers have been able to recreate out-of-body sensations in the laboratory by
stimulating areas of the temporal lobes, might this explain some of these experiences? While
scientists believe so, many of those who have had these experiences do not. Since no one really
knows the answer yet, there is plenty of room for speculation on this topic and it makes for an
interesting discussion, because it is a topic about which many students are quite curious.
Narcissistic Personality
Some people have argued in recent years that narcissistic personality disorder has become the
characteristic disorder of our time. They have argued that the “baby boom” generation, in
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particular is the most self-centered and “spoiled” generation in American history. Some have
even used this idea of generational narcissism to explain some of Bill Clinton’s problems with his
sexual behavior. Do students agree with this idea? Why or why not? What influences have
fostered this belief? At what point does normal self-interest become narcissistic and self-
defeating? How does intrusive press coverage into the personal lives of public figures and
constant hyping of celebrities, athletes, and even criminals by the media contribute to this?
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Is Mental Illness a Myth?
Dr. Thomas Szasz has forcefully argued for years that mental illness is a myth. His position is
that mental illnesses are labels we attach to social nonconformists as a way of punishing,
discrediting, and stigmatizing them for their nonconformity. You might discuss this with
students to see if they agree with this somewhat radical notion. While it is true that historically,
political regimes have sometimes labeled their opponents as being mentally ill as an excuse to
imprison them, there is little evidence that all people with mental illness are just being labeled for
being a threat to the social order. What evidence is there that mental illness is more than just a
method of labeling those whose behaviors makes us uncomfortable?
What Is a Nervous Breakdown?
When discussing mental illness, many students will mention knowing someone who has had a
“nervous breakdown,” and will ask what it is. You might discuss the fact that the term "nervous
breakdown" is not a valid clinical term; technically, there is no such thing, However, it has been
informally used by the general public to describe a variety of mental health problems. Sometimes
it has been used to describe an individual who has experienced a psychotic episode. Other times
it has been used to describe an individual who has had a major depressive episode. You might
discuss with students the types of symptoms shown by someone they have heard has suffered a
nervous breakdown. Perhaps they can find a more clinically accurate diagnosis of what the
person has actually experienced.
TIMELINE
Year Event
1793 Philippe Pinel was appointed head of the Asylum of Bicetre, France. He
immediately sought to improve living conditions and treatment of patients.
1796 William Turk opened the York Retreat in England, a country asylum without
bars or manacles.
1824 Eli Todd founded the Hartford Retreat in the U.S., an institution that sought
to provide proper medical, as well as psychological, treatment for patients.
1841 Dorothea Dix began her campaign for proper care and housing of the
mentally ill.
1859 Charles Darwin published On the Origin of the Species by a Means of Natural
Selection.
1896 Sigmund Freud eschewed use of hypnosis as a therapeutic tool.
1900 Sigmund Freud wrote what many considered to be his best book, The
Interpretation of Dreams.
1908 Clifford Beers, a former mental patient, founded the National Committee for
Mental Hygiene in Connecticut. Among the Committee’s charter members
was William James. The committee later became known as the National
Association for Mental Health.
1911 Eugene Bleuler coined the term “schizophrenia.”
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19141918
World War I was fought.
1929 The Great Depression began in America.
1935 Portuguese psychiatrist Egas Moniz performed the first lobotomy.
1940s David Shakow was influential in establishing clinical training programs in
American universities.
1940s Electroconvulsive shock therapy (ECT) gained popularity as a therapeutic
tool.
19391945
World War II was fought.
1942 Carl Rogers published Counseling and Psychotherapy, introducing the client-
centered approach to therapy.
1950s Both psychosurgery and drug therapy were introduced in the U.S. Problems
with psychosurgery were eventually realized, and drug therapy proved
highly successful in controlling many types of psychological disorders.
1952 The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association was
published.
1952 Hans Eysenck attacked the value of psychotherapy as a means of improving
mental health.
19501953
The Korean War was fought.
1958 Joseph Wolpe developed a therapeutic technique known as systematic
desensitization.
1961 Thomas Szasz published The Myth of Mental Illness, suggesting that
psychological disorders have been conceptualized incorrectly.
1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
1967 Neal Miller and colleagues performed experimental research leading to the
development of biofeedback.
1977 Albert Bandura published Social Learning Theory, suggesting modeling as a
therapeutic tool
1984 Researchers linked the neurotransmitter dopamine to schizophrenia.
1987 DSM-III-R was published.
1994 DSM-IV was published.
2000 DSM-IV-TR was published.
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SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American
Psychiatric Association, 4th Ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association. Although
not totally turning the diagnostic system on its ear, there are sufficient changes to warrant
reading this latest edition-how else would one know that “multiple personality disorder” is
now “dissociative identity disorder”?