Why I don't believe in God

[ChrisL]

You told the poster that he could control it himself with his own willpower, and anyone with any kind of experience in psychiatry knows that is not the case. Now just knock the shit off. You obviously don't know what you're talking about. This person should be encouraged to seek out professional treatment.

I told him that he needs to exert a force of will to gain control over his own mind. Whoop di doo.

Do you know of a pill that can accomplish that?

You should take it.

I think you're the one who needs to take something, seeing as how upset you seem to be. The bottom line here, if someone seems to be suffering from a mental illness, it is not your place to try to advise them. You don't know what you're talking about, correct? Do you have a degree in psychiatry?

I am not upset about anything. Maybe you are?

You keep accusing me of trying to play the role of a psychiatrist but I have not diagnosed or prescribed anything to any patient.

You are the one who has determined that the poster was so messed up that it was dangerous for me to to suggest a little self control.

Are you a psychiatrist?

Are you a psychiatrist? I already answered your question. Did you forget already?

LOL... Slow down.... You didn't even offer me a drink.

I reserve personal, confidential, and classified information only for the people who bother to know me personally.

What in the world are you talking about? Obviously you don't have any background in the field of psychiatry. If you did, you would know that you do not give such advice, and that most mentally ill people cannot "will away" their symptoms. They have a chemical imbalance in most instances. That is why they are treated with medications.

Now, the only thing I said was that you should never give advice, except to try to talk them into seeing a professional. A professional psychiatrist will learn about the patient's past history, their medical history, traumatizing events they may have suffered, if they are currently or have in the past abused substances.

You are the one taking things "personally" here. Just knock it off.

 

[Boss]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

 

[Dhara]

There are spiritual experiences that have the look of psychosis but aren't psychosis.

 

[ChrisL]

You certainly don't tell them that they are capable of "willing away" their symptoms because in most instances, they are suffering from a chemical imbalance and need to be treated by a professional. I know that, as I DO in fact have some training in the medical field.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

I am right. If a person expresses symptoms of mental illness, you advise them to seek help. They can be dangerous to themselves or other people.

 

[ChrisL]

I'm not a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist, but I did take courses in psychiatry. I know the proper course to take when a person expresses things such as hearing voices or suicidal/homicidal ideations, etc.

 

[ChrisL]

The one thing you NEVER do is advise a person that they can "handle it on their own" and that they don't really "need" psychiatric help. If ever a person expresses to you that they are hearing voices or they are having suicidal or homicidal thoughts, you immediately advise them to seek the help of a professional. That is all I've done here. The other poster is the one who told the poster to "will away" his symptoms. That is terribly wrong. He is the one who needs to shut up. I will continue to encourage the poster to seek out professional help for his symptoms.

 

[Boss]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

That's not the same as being "plagued" by voices, such as the poster in question was expressing to us. If someone ever expresses that they are in distress from voices in their head, then you immediately advise them and try to talk them into seeking professional help. That IS the correct course to take.

 

[Dhara]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

So, you think your memories of your dad are "voices in your head"?

 

[Boss]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

So, you think your memories of your dad are "voices in your head"?

No, I have memories of my Dad but this particular weekend, sitting on the bank where we used to fish together, I could hear my Dad's voice. There wasn't anyone else there, I suppose, if there had been, they wouldn't have heard his voice. It's not a big deal to me, I have heard my Mom's voice and my Grandmother's voice before too.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

So, you think your memories of your dad are "voices in your head"?

No, I have memories of my Dad but this particular weekend, sitting on the bank where we used to fish together, I could hear my Dad's voice. There wasn't anyone else there, I suppose, if there had been, they wouldn't have heard his voice. It's not a big deal to me, I have heard my Mom's voice and my Grandmother's voice before too.

Again, that is NOT the same thing as a person who is plagued by voices in his head. It is to the point that it is distressing to the person, and the person I was engaging with was obviously in distress about it.

 

[ChrisL]

Yes you did though. You are telling the poster that he can overcome mental illness by "thinking it away." That is very bad advice. Just don't do it.

Mental illness that YOU, "Dr. Chris" have diagnosed.

There are all kinds of mental illnesses, so there is no set-in-stone answer for how to deal with mental illness. Every case is individual and has it's own set of variables which we don't know... even IF we are trained in psychiatry. Sometimes it takes years of therapy to determine a course of treatment... or to even determine if there is a mental illness. It's impossible to determine this from a few anonymous message board postings.

Both of you need to shut up and move on. Neither of you are qualified to make the assumptions you've made about someone you have never met. There is no point in arguing page after page about who is right when neither of you are right.

If a person says they are hearing voices, then the proper course is to advise them to seek professional help. Are you denying that?

Yep. I hear voices sometimes. This weekend, I was sitting on a bank fishing and I could hear my Dad's voice. I know he wasn't there, he's been dead for 8 years. But we used to go fishing together all the time and I miss him. I don't think I have a mental illness, I think I just miss my Dad.

So, you think your memories of your dad are "voices in your head"?

No, I have memories of my Dad but this particular weekend, sitting on the bank where we used to fish together, I could hear my Dad's voice. There wasn't anyone else there, I suppose, if there had been, they wouldn't have heard his voice. It's not a big deal to me, I have heard my Mom's voice and my Grandmother's voice before too.

So, now you believe that the dead are talking to you? Is that what you are saying?

 

[Boss]

So, now you believe that the dead are talking to you? Is that what you are saying?

Their spirits aren't dead because death is physical. Spirits are immortal. I hear their voices at times... I don't know if the voices emanate from their actual spirits or I just miss them. When my Dad died, I felt my Grandmother's spiritual presence in the room, it comforted me. Often times, when faced with certain dilemmas, I hear 'words of wisdom' from my Dad, my Mom, my Grandmother... again, I have no evidence this comes from their actual spirit but I feel like it does. I don't think I am mentally ill, I think this might actually be common among people who have strong spiritual connection.

 

[ChrisL]

So, now you believe that the dead are talking to you? Is that what you are saying?

Their spirits aren't dead because death is physical. Spirits are immortal. I hear their voices at times... I don't know if the voices emanate from their actual spirits or I just miss them. When my Dad died, I felt my Grandmother's spiritual presence in the room, it comforted me. Often times, when faced with certain dilemmas, I hear 'words of wisdom' from my Dad, my Mom, my Grandmother... again, I have no evidence this comes from their actual spirit but I feel like it does. I don't think I am mentally ill, I think this might actually be common among people who have strong spiritual connection.

I think you should probably be checked out.

 

[Boss]

I think you should probably be checked out.

Well I don't think I need "checking out" because there's nothing wrong with me. You're a person who rejects your spiritual connection. It's not surprising you find spiritual connections odd and strange. If you nurtured your spiritual connection instead of spending all your time on God threads denouncing a religious belief you hate, then you might come to realize what a powerful thing it is to be spiritually connected. But you're afraid of it because you think that might turn you into a religious zombie or something.

I would be willing to bet that you have more pent-up and underlying emotional and psychological issues than I do. There is something going on with a person who spends as much time as you do on a message board, renouncing a God you claim to not believe in. Generally, this kind of behavior is consistent with someone who has been hurt by someone else who used morality or religion to judge you or something you did. Your defense mechanism is to attack their beliefs and the source of what you feel like brought you pain and discomfort as a person. Not saying that's the case with you but generally speaking, that is typical.

 

[ChrisL]

I think you should probably be checked out.

Well I don't think I need "checking out" because there's nothing wrong with me. You're a person who rejects your spiritual connection. It's not surprising you find spiritual connections odd and strange. If you nurtured your spiritual connection instead of spending all your time on God threads denouncing a religious belief you hate, then you might come to realize what a powerful thing it is to be spiritually connected. But you're afraid of it because you think that might turn you into a religious zombie or something.

I would be willing to bet that you have more pent-up and underlying emotional and psychological issues than I do. There is something going on with a person who spends as much time as you do on a message board, renouncing a God you claim to not believe in. Generally, this kind of behavior is consistent with someone who has been hurt by someone else who used morality or religion to judge you or something you did. Your defense mechanism is to attack their beliefs and the source of what you feel like brought you pain and discomfort as a person. Not saying that's the case with you but generally speaking, that is typical.

Well, I think it's all in your head. You have preconceived notions of spirituality. Of course everyone wishes that their loved ones spoke to them from the "great beyond." The human brain is an amazing organ.

 

[ChrisL]

So, now you believe that the dead are talking to you? Is that what you are saying?

Their spirits aren't dead because death is physical. Spirits are immortal. I hear their voices at times... I don't know if the voices emanate from their actual spirits or I just miss them. When my Dad died, I felt my Grandmother's spiritual presence in the room, it comforted me. Often times, when faced with certain dilemmas, I hear 'words of wisdom' from my Dad, my Mom, my Grandmother... again, I have no evidence this comes from their actual spirit but I feel like it does. I don't think I am mentally ill, I think this might actually be common among people who have strong spiritual connection.

I lost my son, my father and grandfather. Never have any of them "spoken" to me except for in dreams.

 

[ChrisL]

I remember I did have a dream about my son once. We were in a big ballroom type of room, and I was rollerblading with my two sons. I accidentally bumped into my son (the one who passed away), and I was holding him and crying and saying, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," and he said to me "Is that all you can ever say?" I really do believe that is just our own "emotions" coming through and our brain can play tricks on us.