My creativity comes through me and from me, NOT from my disorder

[stargazer]

Looking at the list of emotions I quoted..."

Yes, I'd have called them "emotions" also, but not psychological disorders. I tend to think of a "psychological disorder" as something like PTSD or schizo-affective disorder or bipolar disorder, etc. -- not just an emotion that was all share in common.

BTW what kind of music do you compose?

Lately orchestral and choral music, tonal pieces. The stuff I referred to from 2004 was more along the lines of show tunes (for a musical I was writing) if you link to my blog, it will link to various sites on the Internet where there are samples of these and other compositions, and also of my piano music.

By the way, I did not mean to be cynical about love. Personally, I've never gone to a psychiatrist because I was concerned about being in love. It's just that your post reminded me of my friend. I looked at it a couple times and debated whether or not to say anything about it, then when I came home late last night, I thought I might as well.

But yes, a lot of his concern was in the fact that he was a married man, and even a happily married man, and so it disturbed him that he would be having such overwhelming feelings for a woman who might indeed have been half his age.

It's interesting, however, that the feelings stopped after he got into treatment and the lamictal began to take effect. I don't know what to make of that myself. Whenever I've been in love, it usually transcends whatever med I might be taking.

 

[NewZeal]

NewZeal....I found what you said above quite interesting however I was wondering if you could clarify what you meant by "recreational drug". Are you saying that when one is overcome with confusion they may need to turn to drugs (and not Rx) to help them deal with the confusion? I am a little unclear on what you mean exactly.

Let's just say that different people have different ways of dealing with life when it gets overwhelming. Some might take matters into their own hands, go for a holiday or make some massive change, or they might go out and get drunk. Others might see a specialist and get proper medical or psychotherapeutic attention.

Yes, I'd have called them "emotions" also, but not psychological disorders. I tend to think of a "psychological disorder" as something like PTSD or schizo-affective disorder or bipolar disorder, etc. -- not just an emotion that was all share in common.

I agree, however in some emotions is a kernel of psychological disorder which if allowed to propagate grows into a full blown problem. Aternatively, some emotions are experienced more often by those people with psychological disorders. Disorder is a normal part of human experience. How often, when you were young did you make fun of someone who was obviously head over heals in love, or brilliant red with embarrassment?

I think we need to understand that many psychological disorders stem from how we use our emotions. If we are doing a great job and responding coherently to everthing that happens to us, then we’re fine, but when we repeatedly respond incoherently things start to go downhill, our emotions are burnt to a frazzle (PTSD), are irrational (schizo) or out of control (bipolar).

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I think you are using the term "disorder" very loosely and defiitely not in the way it is commonly used. Having emotions does not constitute a disorder. I suggest you take a closer look at DSM-IV-TR. Disorders are defined very specifically by a specific set of generally agreed-upon criteria and a threshold established for how many of the criteria must be met in order for a diagnosis of that disorder to be made.

Disorder is a normal part of human experience. How often, when you were young did you make fun of someone who was obviously head over heals in love, or brilliant red with embarrassment?

A disorder, by definition, is not a normal part of human experience but some abnormality in that experience. And children making fun of other children or adults does not constitute a disorder, however socially inappropriate it may be.

I think we need to understand that many psychological disorders stem from how we use our emotions. If we are doing a great job and responding coherently to everthing that happens to us, then we’re fine, but when we repeatedly respond incoherently things start to go downhill, our emotions are burnt to a frazzle (PTSD), are irrational (schizo) or out of control (bipolar).

You have it backwards. Again, I would refer you to DSM-IV-TR and any good book on psychopathology. The way you are using these terms here both trivializes the suffering of people who meet the criteria for these diagnoses and confuses the whole meaning of the term "mental disorder".

I also think it's necessary to point out that I don't know anything about your background but others should be reassured that the views you are expressing here do not represent the views of mainstream psychology or psychiatry.

 

[NewZeal]

Sorry,

I guess this discussion doesn't fit your rules either.

Sometimes discussions that start off on the most spurious of premises often lead to surprising results. This is a thread with the word 'creativity' in it and includes anecdotes of people experiencing creativity during periods of disorder. When I mentioned that I was creative when I felt in love, then that led to a comparison between being in love and experiencing a disorder, a comparison made by someone other than myself (Daniel). So then I posited that there were other emotions (not all emotions) that could be described as disordered and we were discussing the merits of that in what I thought was a creative fashion.

A disorder, by definition, is not a normal part of human experience but some abnormality in that experience. And children making fun of other children or adults does not constitute a disorder, however socially inappropriate it may be.

I'm not sure how you came to this. When a child is embarrassed it can be quite debilitating for the child. The child experiences disorder. Maybe not DSM-IV class disorder, but disorder nevertheless. In my experience other children make fun of this phenomenon.

However, I do apologize for this:

I think we need to understand that many psychological disorders stem from how we use our emotions. If we are doing a great job and responding coherently to everything that happens to us, then we’re fine, but when we repeatedly respond incoherently things start to go downhill, our emotions are burnt to a frazzle (PTSD), are irrational (schizo) or out of control (bipolar).

At this stage is hypothetical and doesn't have the necessary empirical support.

I understand that this is your forum and you have the last word. I thank you for putting up with my comments and wish you all the best, but it is probably not an appropriate place for me to be.

Thank-you.

 

[Mari]

it is important to disclose that I?m writing from my personal experiences

H! NewZeal - the first entry in this thread included the above quote so I agree with you in that this thread seemed to be based as much on personal experience and opinion as actual specific criteria or fact. I am not disputing

the views of mainstream psychology or psychiatry.

but I do wonder why so many people continue to suffer. :heart: Mari

 

[rosedragon]

We all experience emotional unbalances, mood, depression, and such. But they can't be called disorders, especially because they are temporary. Disorders more likely:
- an out of order mental behaviors that occasionally conquering you even the event had passed away
or
- a out of order mental behaviors you have from certain age which can't be changed in normal ways
These is not the definition of disorders but when you came into this situation.. better start identify them.