The source of the problem: what people fail to understand about mental illness 

In this first episode of a two-part series, I discuss some of the uncomfortable realities about the West's epidemic of mental illness. First and foremost, it's important to understand the concept of reification, which is the process by which something that isn't really a thing becomes a thing in individual perception. Through reification, a constellation of symptoms becomes a mental disorder, and the sufferer of those symptoms is placed at further remove from individual responsibility. Pre-order my book: amzn.to/3UlsTsY Book a paid consultation: oriontarabanpsyd.com/consultations Subscribe to my newsletter: oriontarabanpsyd.com Social Media Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090053889622 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/orion-taraban-070b45168/ Instagram: instagram.com/psyc.hacks Twitter: twitter.com/oriontaraban Website: oriontarabanpsyd.com Orion's Theme: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WrXBzQ2HDEQ.html Thinking of going to grad school? Check out STELLAR, my top-rated GRE self-study program based on the world's only empirically-validated test prep system. Use the code "PSYCH" for 10% off all membership plans: stellargre.com. Become a Stellar affiliate and earn a 10% commission for every membership purchased by a new student you conduct into the program: stellargre.tapfiliate.com. GRE Bites: www.youtube.com/@grebites4993 Become a Psychonaut and join PsycHack's member community: ru-vid.com/show-UCSduXBjCHkLoo_y9ss2xzXwjoin Sound mixing/editing by: valntinomusic.com Presented by Orion Taraban, Psy.D. PsycHacks provides viewers with a brief, thought-provoking video several days a week on a variety of psychological topics, inspired by his clinical practice. The intention is for the core idea contained within each video to inspire viewers to see something about themselves or their world in a slightly different light. The ultimate mission of the channel is to reduce the amount of unnecessary suffering in the world. #psychology #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness

“Medical science is making such remarkable progress that soon none of us will be well.” - Aldous Huxley

In primary school, one of my teachers noted that I was quite restless and recommended that my parents consult a doctor. After being diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Ritalin, my late father, God bless his soul, strongly disagreed with this approach and instead enrolled me in an all-boys boarding school. The boarding house accommodated 80 boys, where daily exercise, uniform meals, a consistent routine, and standardized sleep schedules were mandatory. Predictably, I adapted well and behaved just like the other 79 perfectly healthy boys. There were no obese boys and none on Ritalin. I'm deeply thankful that my father recognized the foolishness in the initial advice.

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

I use to be depressed, until I heard the quote: depression is anger without enthusiasm. What also helped me, was Freud that hinted that I was not depressed, but simply surrounded by assholes. Now I do not have to embrace the condition, but simply recognise it as a reaction, and then take appropriate action - introspection and self care. Somehow the ‘chemical imbalance’ disappeared, without chemical intervention. Great talk, thank you.

"We suffer more in imagination than we do in reality" - Seneca.

I suffered with depression, anxiety and nervous breakdowns, until I finally divorced and struck out on my own. Since being on my own, having peace and moving on with my life, I've been able to gradually wean myself off of all antidepressants and no longer have any of these "issues".

I‘m a MD for more than 20 years and I couldn’t agree more to what you explained in this video.

Wake up babe, Orion posted!

i suffered from depression. I was told it was in my family history. The truth is I wasn't selective with the thoughts I was choosing. I interpreted life experiences incorrectly far too often but once I examined my thoughts and decided to choose better ones my depression disappeared. We are the creators of our destiny. I stopped taking the antidepressant wellbutrin and now Im free from false ideas.

Dr. Du - Licensed Psychologist (Texas) - Director of Clinical and Sport Psychology Texas Tech University (Athletics) Early in my training, I always struggled to grasp the workings of psychologists and, more crucially, the true role of the DSM in this process. Social sciences differ fundamentally from natural sciences in that, as Dr. Taraban mentions, many concepts and ideas are abstract rather than concrete, as in the natural world. When someone attributes their behavior to “my ADHD" or “my OCD," they're exemplifying what Dr. Taraban describes as reification. Personally and professionally, I don't subscribe to the notion that symptoms define us; they are simply experiences stemming from various factors like biology, environment, and society etc. Further, I believe symptoms are a result of some other actual problem (many of times which patients don’t know what that is). I resonate with the idea that "the symptom is the disorder," but it's essential to realize that the symptom or disorder does not define one's identity. For those who grasp this concept, they can lead fulfilling lives despite experiencing challenging symptoms that may impede functioning at times. I'm particularly intrigued by part two of this series, especially regarding the problem highlighted: reification leading to "an inappropriate dependence on a privileged class of specialists who enjoy a monopoly on indicated treatment." My initial thoughts on this suggest that the significant demand placed on mental health professionals could be more manageable if reification were less prevalent. Over the years, especially working with college students and collegiate athletes, I've noticed a stark increase in the number seeking therapy compared to a quarter-century ago, and I believe reification plays a substantial role in this trend. The notion of specialists monopolizing treatment isn't surprising, given the capitalist framework that has long dominated in the United States. This seems particularly true for those in private practice. However, there are alternative ways to assist individuals in achieving their desired lives without monopolizing specific treatments or support. This is why I value this platform; psychoeducation alone can be incredibly beneficial. When individuals recognize they're struggling to implement psychoeducation, they can seek additional support from mental health professionals to complement what they've already learned or attempted to apply. As always, Dr. Taraban, thank you for the insightful video, eagerly awaiting part two. 👌🏾

"None of these nearly 300 mental illnesses can be objectively assessed. Diagnosis is primarily based on self-reported criteria, checklists of symptoms."

This subject is something more people need to pay attention to. Nowadays it’s impossible for me to meet someone who doesn’t claim to have some kind of psychological disorder, especially among the privileged educated class. Even I fell into this category for a time, self diagnosed dyslexia. What I’ve noticed is when I practice meta-cognitive strategies a lot of the things I’ve suffered from cease to exist. it might be the case that I was out of practice.

The diagnosis problem is similar to looking for a black cat in a dark room where there may be no cat at all. Some people who are otherwise good "scientists" can spend their whole lives in such a search.

This is absolutely correct. I was diagnosed with a disorder based upon self reported criteria, and then forced to take all kinds of meds which thoroughly messed me up all because I was slapped with a label arbitrarily. I was lucky enough to realize that if I made the mistake of BELIEVING I was this disorder. I would live the rest of my life taking drugs, getting sick, and not having any hope that I could ever get better. I stopped contextualizing my challenges as a medical issue, and started contextualizing them as a spiritual process and I’m stronger and healthier than 99% of the people I encounter and working as a medical professional.

This is your most interesting episode in a long time. Looking forward to part two.

If an eagle is raised around chickens, the eagle may act strange. Especially in the view of other eagle's and chickens who would easily judge the eagle and think they are right. Wisdom of one who knows the difference between both eagle's and chickens, would have the best response to give to the eagle and insight in to how best to proceed and what information such eagle would need and not be able to obtain from eagle's or chickens.

We should not neglect the idea of diet with regard to mental illness. Increased rates of metabolic disease, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, play a huge part. Very few health providers, however, acknowledge this because of little to no nutritional training. For most, just getting off of the standard western (American) diet can reverse their symptoms to a point where they no longer need medication or they can scale back.

Great examples. I have personally seen more than one individual “diagnosed” with ADHD resolve after they exited their traumatic life circumstances and dealt with some childhood damage. It has led me to feel that most mental illnesses are variations of trauma response, rather than problems with chemistry.

This is great food for thought. I am a therapist working with Vets, most of whom have been diagnosed with PTSD. I think the problem of over-diagnosing is very real. And I also agree that the whole idea of diagnostic criteria benefiting specialists (and the insurance companies who reimburse them) is a spot-on critique. However, you’ve also got to acknowledge that naming a problem (just period, whether it’s external or internal, mental or physical) can empower a person to take charge of the problem. When we diagnose a client with a particular mental health challenge it does not ONLY limit their responsibility. It can also give them a better framework for dealing with the symptoms and all the fallout in their lives from those symptoms.

I am continually amazed at how people need to place blame. Rather than just looking into the present and finding a way to respond.

Man, you’re making some big statements exposing the medical industry 😂. I applaud you, sir. Let’s put people’s minds back in their own power.

Hello Dr. Taraban, I'm a Psychiatry resident physician. Insightful video as always, thank you. I have some comments that I hope you can clarify in Part 2. I agree that reification is a problem, but I am unaware of any clinicians, whether they be MDs, nurses, or psychotherapists/psychologists, who fully subscribe to this notion. We are explicitly taught in our training that recovery from mental illness is not simply a function of receiving treatment, but rather the patient must also put in work themselves (through therapy, mindfulness, reflection, engagement with treatment, etc). Often, for less severe mental illnesses, our work as clinicians is to help the patient put in this self-work, with the prescribed treatments largely serving to facilitate this process. Certainly, reification is problematic if our PATIENTS subscribe to this notion. But frankly, I know of no clinician who believes in it or who would educate their patients from this lens. The DSM is ultimately a diagnostic manual to help clinicians categorize disorders. It does NOT offer explanations regarding the causes or mechanisms of disease. It's unfortunate that some patients might derive a sense of reification from their DSM diagnosis, but it's up to us clinicians to provide this clarification for our patients. Further, your statement that we have "an inappropriate dependence on a privileged class of specialists who enjoy a monopoly on indicated treatment" leaves questions unanswered. On one hand, allowing patients open access to specialized knowledge and treatments (e.g., drug and diagnostic research, self-CBT materials) is vital for transparency and patient empowerment. On the other hand, specialists are needed to provide treatment that is safe, regulated, and evidence-based. Can you imagine if psychotropic medications were sold over the counter for anyone to buy, or if anyone could open up shop to provide "therapy" without any training? For these reasons, I support Dr. Du's comments that psychoeducation, as is the role of your channel, is ultimately beneficial for patients. But I would add the caveat that education must be provided in a nuanced manner so as to not accidentally mislead viewers. Looking forward to part 2!

💯 this episode needs to be heard by the world over!

The most important thing I learned while struggling with my own ‘mental illness’ was that there is no escape, except through embrace. I am flawed. I will remain flawed. But I am better off co-existing with these flaws than trying to suppress or alter them. I stopped seeing them as flaws, and instead see them as just part of my behavior. I can live with that. I can’t live with: “These alterations were *supposed to help me. They were *supposed to make me better.”

I have long believed that we become what we believe about ourselves and the world. This is compatible with this episode. Thank you.

I have been a physician for 40 years: I have seen many of these "diseases" created in that period of time, including the explosion of ADHD diagnoses. School teachers diagnosis the "disorder" so the doctor will prescribe dangerous psychoactive medications, until the developmental window for impulse control has been completed, all in order to make the teachers' jobs easier. This is terrible. Locally, I am know as the doctor who won't treat ADHD.

Nailed it…!! The same reasons we have 300 different types of cereals… Here we are with illnesses

Ive worked in mental health and ive never heard a better explanation of the field. What youre describing also made me think of the covid debacle...with the faulty tests, the ridiculously fast roll out of a risky, expensive, treatment that people were pressured into taking for no good reason considering that it doesnt affect transmisability and i could go on and on. It really made me question testing in general throughout the entire medical field. My conclusion: it thrives on neurosis of both the patient and the physician. I now work in retail.

This completely and totally fits with what I’ve always thought. Basically “it’s you” not some sort of thing that has happened to you. And like anything else I think some people are more or less prone to these things… naturally.

Is it possible that the reason why there's so much mental illness is that too many people just have too much time on their hands, and they use this time by getting obsessed over things that don't matter, and going down rabbit holes, until they're crazy?

You're saving lives, Orion. God bless you! 🙏🏿

I absolutely love your channel. A lot of the men and women content is great don't get me wrong, but this is why we're really here. This is the stuff that actually makes it our lives better

I agree that "sciencelessness" of these disorders is astounding

This has been demonstrated by Michel Foucault in "history of madness" in 1961... His thesis is that the naming and the therapeutical practices of mental illnesses has always been the reflection of the societal power of the cast of psychiatrists into society and peculiarly through a lingo which could not be understood by uneducated people. He is nowadays decried for other behaviour problems but he did a lot of valuable studies on the relations between society, power, knowledge, order, constraint and control.

Finally someone speaks the truth. This is much more important than your other stuff. Well done.

I largely agree based on my experiences. To me, most mental illnesses can be attributed to trauma and dysregulated nervous systems, both of which can be dealt with. Conversely though, what these mental disorders are serving as a proxy for, is an empathetic other that acknowledges a person’s suffering without judgment. Something that has become increasingly rare as our society becomes increasingly individualistic and atomized.

I 100% agree. At one point in my life I was convinced that I was depressed because my life wasn't going the way I wanted it to. Instead of admitting defeat and going to a doctor for depression pills, I took responsibility and worked on it. I got my life back together and now looking back on it, I was just really sad.

Excellent subject It takes courage to speak about this!

It aligns perfectly with the way I see it. Thanks for your courage.

I love your episodes about general psychology. It's a fresher perspective than the red pill which keeps getting repeated and get tiring of thinking about the "harsh" reality.

i've been saying this for years, and been called a clown for it. thank you for publishing this.

Difficult childhoods. If we went through childhood with the facultys of an adult, we'd maybe alot more of us be ok, but we have to deal with all of that as children and it takes it's toll.

Boom! Nailed it. We knew this was going to be a problem when it was published.

I got treatment for Panic Disorder then later ADHD and Depression. Honestly with Panic Disorder, it was very straightforward and i can honestly say I don't have it anymore because there was a very clear goal for treatment. With Depression and ADHD the treatment made me feel way worse and I eventually gave up because I realized those things weren't objective and there was no criteria for them getting better. I didn't even think I had ADHD until I got treated for it.

More content outside romantic relationships please! Some of us don’t care and you’ve got a lot to offer intellectually. Enjoy this content.

Fantastic episode. I look forward to part two :)

It’s about time someone speak up on this. I really appreciate this video.

Orion, your short dense and sharp videos are great.

ABSOLUTELY EYE-OPENING!!!

In other words, it's never been a more lucrative time to be a mental health professional.

Good points. I think almost everything in the DSM can be explained as behaviors reflecting c-ptsd/Childhood trauma/Developmental Trauma (all basically the same thing).

Good observation on the power over the treatment issue, and the reluctance of many psychiatrists to discuss or question reification and over-medicalization of mental suffering.

You are courageous, exposing the truth about the corrupt medical industry; who conceal their devious actions behind compassionate words, mostly on innocent children, making them weak and addicted, and compliant. If our enemies wanted to play the "long game" by destroying the USA from the inside out, the medical community seems to be a willing participant in that game (follow the money). You are shining a light in a dark room; keep up the amazing work.

I get what what Dr. Tabaran is saying. But at 46 years I got an ADHD diagnosis. The prescribed medication saved my marriage, helped me keep my job and perhaps saved me from prison.

You are making critically important points!!! Keep talking!!

Another great episode. I see your subs are continually going up. Its well deserved your content gets better and more diverse all the time.

Very useful content, particularly this episode. Bravo!!

Orion, this one is going to break the internet.

Old story with a new twist. Excellent video!

Hey Orion, I would love to see a conversation with Gabor Mate on this topic! I really think that what both of you contribute is really profound beyond believe.

Amen! Great video. I appreciate your perspective. 👏

You've nailed it!! I lived and worked with people diagnosed with mental illnesses. I haven't done the research you have, but I've come to similar conclusions. I'll be very interested to see Part 2.

This was exactly my experience. I had a mental breakdown and was diagnosed with severe depression and social anxiety disorder. I spent 2.5/3 years just blaming my sickness for my state of mind. I treated it as if it was a separate entity from myself and I improved very little. I won’t go into detail about the circumstances surrounding this realization, but I eventually had an epiphany that I was at fault for my mental state and that I needed to take responsibility for what it was doing to me and my loved ones, who were supporting me. After that, I worked really hard to correct the behaviours that lead me towards the mindsets that set me back. I’m proud to say that, 9 years after my breakdown, I no longer seek regular counsel and I’m no longer on any medications and I’m better than I’ve ever been at any point in my life. This is all thanks to changing the way I perceived my illness and my perceived responsibility I had in relation to it.

I appreciate your material.

Love this Information, it is what we need ! Give back the power into the hands of people !

Yes! Finally someone said it. Slowly discovering this for myself. Thank you for the articulation and helping to put even more dots together

I work in MRI, and occasionally someone tells me they know someone who has had an MRI confirming their mental illness. They ask if I do those tests.

Amazing episode Orion!

Well, the diagnoses are not all based on self-reporting. They are based on observations of people's behaviour, and more and more brain imagery and genetic studies offer correlates. At least for the big ones: depression, autism, psychopathy, schizophrenia and so on. The fact that the DSM 5 chooses to more or less ignore all that research does not make all these afflictions a mere invention of 'stuff'.

So glad you’re making content about something else. Your videos are gold.

This contrasts with Dr Robert sapolsky perspective on mental health. There are genetic precursors to adhd, depression, etc. DAT1, DRD4 VNTRs, and SNPs in the ADRA2A, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and noradrenaline transporter (SLC6A2) genes and others are visible in patients of adhd. It’s also dependent on environmental factors whether or not the genes express themselves.

Hear, hear. This is so relevant in today’s society. Be careful tho, you are taking on a very powerful privileged class.

Wow never thought that I would hear on RU-vid, from a qualified professional, the vicious cycle that (some) privileged patients fall into: therapy not as a means of a cure, but an ongoing exercise of finding an excuse - via means of expensive consultation. Looking forward to part 2 Orion !

Excellent doc!!!!

I think you are the best at presenting these nuanced, both things can be true simultaneously type of ideas.

at the core of most (not genetic illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar) is a victim identity. a failure to understand that life is painful for all humans, which leaves the patient powerless over themself.

These illnesses are very real and I’ve done everything I can to try and fix

Very entertaining,even a spontaneous laugh.Well done.

Excellent short commentary. Physician here, originally interested in psychiatry, but quickly turned off by lack of scientific rigor and weird practices that were obviously wrong (such as providing fashion magazines to teen girls involuntarily hospitalized for severe eating disorders, yes that happened). Psychiatry lags behind "somatic" specialties probably in part because we first need to understand the nature of consciousness before we can accurately diagnose and treat mental illness. That may take a while longer

Thank you for this information, it's crazy that we can prescribe medication for something we can't objectively identify. There has been a huge push for therapy and other forms of mental health treatments lately, which makes me think about how if you go looking for a problem, you're more likely to find it

Love this❤ I look forward to reading your book, The Value of Others, Thanks for sharing 🙏

Thank you so much, Orion! Finally someone dares to tell it like it is.

My kid takes Adderall now after years of difficulties with attention. She is soooo much happier to be able to concentrate her attention. NOT an imagined problem.

Thanks for your wisdom.

As a licensed counselor I approve and applaud this message! Love your sarcasm!

Very brave, very accurate. I hope your peers are as congratulatory as I am Doc. 😊

Solid work Dr.

Great thinking and perspective. I'd like to see a discussion between Orion and Jordan Peterson 🙂.

6:00 that descriptive sequence of adjectives was a treat for the ears, and is very reminiscent of Carlin’s classic bit “Soft Language” Great illustration of your point there Orion.

Just appreciate what your life partner has to bring to the table and thank them when they appreciate what you bring to the table starts a spiral of good in a relationship.

The dog ate my homework was one of the few excuses that was made for not doing my homework. Even when contemplating using this excuse I would experience doubt and most likely complete the homework. Fast forward there have been 300 reasons added for lack of accountability and funding to support it.

when is the second part coming? Also, you are awesome !

I am struggling with this as I’m watching this. My thoughts start thinking about all the worse case scenarios. And then compares my current reality of support vs in the past. And it just seems like it’s dwindling. My thoughts then leads me to hopelessness of the situation, but I def know I’m not even objectively looking at the situation because even that I think I’ll do it wrong. Thankful to have heard this

I had "ADHD" once. Turns out I was really stressed, and I was stressed in part because I didn't like having to make decisions. Concentration and focus are a skill, and like any other skill, it starts with a choice that is maintained through practice and discipline.

We’ll said! We were animals, we still are, just smart animals. Mental illnesses are just various growing pains of going from a being acting on instinct to an awake conscious being that evaluates, make assessments, react with various emotions from fear to joy etc.

Fascinating perspectives

Boomer here. In the 1960's,I was labeled, and "underachiever." I tested intelligent, but got lousy grades... school was boring... I'd tune out, go into my head... teachers loved calling on me to snap me out of my daydream. I'd ask them to repeat the question, most of the time, I'd get it correct. Eventually, they just left me alone. I just didn't care if my grades were good or bad. I just couldn't wait until I got home, have peace and quiet, be myself without criticism. Now 73, and ADHD as hell... and dealing with the trauma I grew up with... Ok... back to the vid... Ok... I got it... good subject...

Absolutely spot on! Finally mental illness, extremely well explained. Reification, who knew "mental illness" could be summed up so succinctly! People simply create "reasons" out of "excuses." When a child learns to walk, it falls, doesn't cry and simply gets back up, many times laughing. As it gets older and taller, when it falls a little harder it cries. The worst thing is for someone to pick the child up. That's what this culture does, picks up people emotionally and mentally that think they are more than they are. Life isn't intended to be about "getting back up." It's about learning to walk, run, sit, stand, lay down, flow, swim all of it, yet, learning to do so one must learn to "get the 'f' up. Thank you for such a profound 13 minutes and 35 seconds!

Insightful and enlightening as usual. Thank you!