I don't believe mental illnesses exist

**KingTenderloin** · 10-04-2008, 07:00 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

Agree to disagree

agreed...sorry i should stop posting in this thread, must be my OCD now

**Bojangles69** · 10-04-2008, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

This is hilarious. None of you have actually answered my question, but rather gone off on your own rant based on information which has always been the conventional way of thinking. My case is simple, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness? None of you have yet to directly respond to that.

Perhaps this idea is so against what you know/believe in, it is almost impossible for you to even consider the thought that what you know is WRONG. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, I am simply asking a question, a question which none of you can answer.

Psychology isn't perfect, if it was, believing in god would be a mental disorder.

You measure the mind through documented and expected reference points of the 'normal behavoir'.
Once you determine what is normal, (washing your hands 3 times a day)
vs. what is abnormal (washing your hands 3 times a minute)

Than you can make a *rough measurement based on research and predetermined criteria.
Thats how its measured.

**Bojangles69** · 10-04-2008, 07:26 PM

And for the record "mind" directly impacts behavoir.

So we measure the *mind* through behavoir. (to be simple)
Ask another question.

**binder** · 10-04-2008, 08:01 PM

the problem with this theory is the fact that anxiety, depression, and a lot of mental disorders ARE do to a physiological problem. Chemical imbalances or hormonal imbalances cause these things therefore it is a true disease. When you have a physiological problem that causes a chemical imbalance which in turn causes depression then you have a true problem with the body.

what is your take on that as a mental illness then?

what about the patient i cared for this morning that overdosed on insulin (ya, oddly enough) and was found in a severe hypoxic state due to hypoglycemia and diabetic coma a few years back and is now mentally handicapped. Her brain was damaged and now she has the mental capacity of a 6 year old. She literally was a 6 year old in a 42 year old woman's body. Crazy stuff.

**KatsMeow** · 10-04-2008, 08:12 PM

Are you just trying to argue about how it's classified? When there are chemical or hormonal imbalances in your brain it alters your mental health status, therefore it can be called a mental illness.

If you aren't a believer, go work in a psych ward. I'M a BELIEVER!

**Bojangles69** · 10-04-2008, 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by binder

the problem with this theory is the fact that anxiety, depression, and a lot of mental disorders ARE do to a physiological problem. Chemical imbalances or hormonal imbalances cause these things therefore it is a true disease. When you have a physiological problem that causes a chemical imbalance which in turn causes depression then you have a true problem with the body.

what is your take on that as a mental illness then?

what about the patient i cared for this morning that overdosed on insulin (ya, oddly enough) and was found in a severe hypoxic state due to hypoglycemia and diabetic coma a few years back and is now mentally handicapped. Her brain was damaged and now she has the mental capacity of a 6 year old. She literally was a 6 year old in a 42 year old woman's body. Crazy stuff.

Not sure if you're asking me or not. Let me know & I'll respond.

**inky-e** · 10-04-2008, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

OK, you're probably saying to yourself "this guy is fvckin' crazy, how could he say such a thing?", but hear me out. Maybe I can get you thinking.

Mental illnesses are illnesses of the mind, correct? They are not illnesses of the brain, because then that would be classified as a physiological illness. But where is the mind? Can we see, feel, touch, or even measure the mind? So therefore, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness?

Anxiety, depression, eating and personality disorders, phobias, etc...it's all bullsh*t. There have even been numerous studies done where people with "mental illnesses" were given placebo medications (sugar pills) thinking they were real drugs, and their problems were solved! They rid themselves of their "mental illness". Why? Because they never had a mental illness in the first place!

You can disagree with me all you like. But I just want you to think about it for a moment. If you cannot measure something, how can you say it has an illness?

Hahahaha ..spend a couple of days at my house and you'll change your opinion!!!lol

**INM** · 10-04-2008, 10:44 PM

It's kind of hard to put my thoughts into words but I'll try.
You're saying that mental illnesses don't exist so people with mental illnesses aren't really ill?

So when I was diagnosed schizophrenic I wasn't really ill?
I mean, I saw things that were not real, I heard things that were not real, I was paranoid and thought everybody was out to get me, even my girlfriend. I got arrested a couple of times because I was seeking "the truth" and when I was arrested I waited for the police to show me the man who was "plotting" all of this and I actually thought that when I was arrested I was understanding a code of some sort and would soon be taken to the "leader".
I thought I was controlling a train with a flashlight, I thought I was transmitting a radio station through iTunes (when I was just playing songs there). I thought my phone was being bugged, everything I did on my computer was being watched by others. I was on a plane to my home country and thought I spotted a dozen of people on the same plane following me home to keep an eye on me because I knew too much about the "plot".

That wasn't an illness, right? What was it then? Just a state of mind? So I was never really cured then, cause I didn't have an illness?

**peachfuzz** · 10-04-2008, 11:04 PM

i only laugh because you seem to be better now. dont take it the wrong way but that was funny!

**villan** · 10-04-2008, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by INM

It's kind of hard to put my thoughts into words but I'll try.
You're saying that mental illnesses don't exist so people with mental illnesses aren't really ill?

So when I was diagnosed schizophrenic I wasn't really ill?
I mean, I saw things that were not real, I heard things that were not real, I was paranoid and thought everybody was out to get me, even my girlfriend. I got arrested a couple of times because I was seeking "the truth" and when I was arrested I waited for the police to show me the man who was "plotting" all of this and I actually thought that when I was arrested I was understanding a code of some sort and would soon be taken to the "leader".
I thought I was controlling a train with a flashlight, I thought I was transmitting a radio station through iTunes (when I was just playing songs there). I thought my phone was being bugged, everything I did on my computer was being watched by others. I was on a plane to my home country and thought I spotted a dozen of people on the same plane following me home to keep an eye on me because I knew too much about the "plot".

That wasn't an illness, right? What was it then? Just a state of mind? So I was never really cured then, cause I didn't have an illness?

You are being sent messages telepathically. It sounds like you are a part of the resistence to the NWO or (new world order), though it doesn't seem that the messages are comming through clearly, making you think you are crazy, I am also a part of the resistence but i receive my messages with a crystal clear clarity, when u get the messages you need to relax, sit back and open your mind, you are apart of 1% of the worlds population, think yourself lucky.

The last message i got from the demasticus ( abor) aka asian branch of resistence, was that bird flu is a scam by the nwo so they could scare the people into taking a mind controlling "vaccine" , the nwo for some reason pulled out of this plan, and didnt go ahead with it, for what ever reason, i get sent at least 3 messages a week from the khan devision of the resistence in north korea, but thats because i am in australia, if you are in the usa your messages will be sent from justinmac from canada, fsag!!!!!

fight the war
syphon the code
and
good luck

**Bojangles69** · 10-04-2008, 11:19 PM

Yeh.. mental illness def isn't real after reading that.

**Pooks** · 10-04-2008, 11:27 PM

The Mind is the effect.. from all the causes in the brain.

So if the chemicals in the brain, are screwed up than the effect will be a "strange" mind... and that strange mind is then a mind with a disorder or an issue.. but to fix that issue u got to fix the brain...

Kind of like.. If u want to fix the picture on a television set.. u need to fix things inside the set.. whatever the **** is in there. electronic components n stuff.

**INM** · 10-04-2008, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by peachfuzz

i only laugh because you seem to be better now. dont take it the wrong way but that was funny!

haha, no problem, I find this hilarious today..

**INM** · 10-04-2008, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by Pooks

The Mind is the effect.. from all the causes in the brain.

So if the chemicals in the brain, are screwed up than the effect will be a "strange" mind... and that strange mind is then a mind with a disorder or an issue.. but to fix that issue u got to fix the brain...

Kind of like.. If u want to fix the picture on a television set.. u need to fix things inside the set.. whatever the **** is in there. electronic components n stuff.

I see where you're going with this, english is not my native language so this actually helped me understand the topic you were talking about much better. Thanks for that

So I had a brain illness

**FallenWyvern** · 10-05-2008, 12:01 AM

Do a heavy dose of clomid, and then we will decide....

**FuPayMe** · 10-05-2008, 05:09 AM

whats not to believe? no one wants to be off in the head, it just happens. Everyone has a little anxiety, or is a little depressed, just some people have it to a further extent. Everyone has cancer in them, but not everyone dies from it. Its not controllable in most cases, hence the reason anti depressants are the most commonly prescribed medication. You obviously havent experienced that, which is why its funny you doubt it.

F-

**binder** · 10-05-2008, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by Bojangles69

Not sure if you're asking me or not. Let me know & I'll respond.

it's to the thread poster

**BritishColumbian** · 10-05-2008, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by FuPayMe

whats not to believe? no one wants to be off in the head, it just happens. Everyone has a little anxiety, or is a little depressed, just some people have it to a further extent. Everyone has cancer in them, but not everyone dies from it. Its not controllable in most cases, hence the reason anti depressants are the most commonly prescribed medication. You obviously havent experienced that, which is why its funny you doubt it.

F-

everyone gets anxiety and depressed, its up to us if we are going to man up and deal with shit or go running to the doc for a script everytime they have a bad day. I agree with the thread starter on this topic to a certain extent, I think alot of people cop out and get meds, they dont realize everyone has these feelings, and just deal with it, I have been through some horible shit in my life and I dont need or want any narcotic to help me through it, thats my choice tho, my $.02

**INM** · 10-05-2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Noobee

everyone gets anxiety and depressed, its up to us if we are going to man up and deal with shit or go running to the doc for a script everytime they have a bad day. I agree with the thread starter on this topic to a certain extent, I think alot of people cop out and get meds, they dont realize everyone has these feelings, and just deal with it, I have been through some horible shit in my life and I dont need or want any narcotic to help me through it, thats my choice tho, my $.02

I agree with that, my doctor said I was depressed and he wanted me to take anti-depressants.. I said I'd try it, took it for two days and then stopped taking them cause I didn't believe I was that depressed.. long story short, I've never been happier and I believe those two pills didn't have anything to do with it

People just seem to want that "magic pill" to make things better.. it's not just oral steroid cycles people seek, they also want oral happy pills to make things better

(But some people actually need medications for depression, believe me.. I've met those people too!)

**BritishColumbian** · 10-05-2008, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by INM

(But some people actually need medications for depression, believe me.. I've met those people too!)

LOL yes I have met a few 4 sure!

**burt66** · 10-05-2008, 06:09 PM

There are neurotransmitters in the brain that need to fall within certain ranges for a person to behave and act properly. Often with mental illnesses, those neurotransmitters are not in balance or some are completely absent. There are various reasons for this with some being simple as a failure to metabolize B12 by the patient. For example, when a patient is suffering from a faulty SORL1 gene that doesn't allow for the production of proper amounts of Acetylcholine, Amyloidal Plaques form between neurons and that directly reduces brain function. It is no coincidence that when given a Acetylcholine precursor like Glycerylphosphorylcholine (GPC) the Amyloidal Plaques are healed and the patient stops suffering from active dementia. If you need it in layman’s terms then try to think of it like a circuit board. Brain cells are connected to one another. Very crudely, the pattern of those connections is what we can call memories. The Amyloidal Plagues are like ulcers that form in between those brain cells and interrupt the circuit. When that happens, memories are short-circuited and dementia occurs.
Even mental problems that come about by a traumatic event instead of the faulty gene like discussed above can have implications on the mental health of a patient. To save us from another long example, try to understand it as when someone scares you. When frightened, orders are given by your brain to increase your heart rate, send some adrenaline into the blood, etc. You have a physical response to a psychological stimulus. Then is it so much of a stretch to understand that really severe emotion trauma can affect your brains regulation of its chemicals?

**KatsMeow** · 10-05-2008, 06:58 PM

Physiological Psychology is a branch of psychology that seeks to isolate the physiological processes that take place inside the body whenever behavior occurs. The assumption underlying this science is that for every behavioral event-every action, thought or feeling - there is a corresponding physical event or series of events taking place in the body. The principle difference between physiological psychology and other sciences that involve biological processes is that physiological psychology focuses on the behavioral implications of internal processes- how these processes control what we do, what we think and what we feel.

**IronReload04** · 10-06-2008, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

OK, you're probably saying to yourself "this guy is fvckin' crazy, how could he say such a thing?", but hear me out. Maybe I can get you thinking.

Mental illnesses are illnesses of the mind, correct? They are not illnesses of the brain, because then that would be classified as a physiological illness. But where is the mind? Can we see, feel, touch, or even measure the mind? So therefore, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness?

Anxiety, depression, eating and personality disorders, phobias, etc...it's all bullsh*t. There have even been numerous studies done where people with "mental illnesses" were given placebo medications (sugar pills) thinking they were real drugs, and their problems were solved! They rid themselves of their "mental illness". Why? Because they never had a mental illness in the first place!

You can disagree with me all you like. But I just want you to think about it for a moment. If you cannot measure something, how can you say it has an illness?

this is not a good idea of yours. neurons, neurotransmitters, receptors can all be fautly at the genetic level.

HOWEVER.....the placebo effect is a real thing, and i believe it can work against you.....ie you are fine, think you have a problem, and cause yourself to have a problem

but more importantly, you really can have faulty equipment you are working with.

**RuhlFreak55** · 10-06-2008, 09:50 AM

i also think the vast overwhelming majority of "mental illnesses" are ludicrous, you control your mind.....if you let it control you that's a whole different issue lol.

**skinnykenney** · 10-06-2008, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

OK, you're probably saying to yourself "this guy is fvckin' crazy, how could he say such a thing?", but hear me out. Maybe I can get you thinking.

Mental illnesses are illnesses of the mind, correct? They are not illnesses of the brain, because then that would be classified as a physiological illness. But where is the mind? Can we see, feel, touch, or even measure the mind? So therefore, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness?

Anxiety, depression, eating and personality disorders, phobias, etc...it's all bullsh*t. There have even been numerous studies done where people with "mental illnesses" were given placebo medications (sugar pills) thinking they were real drugs, and their problems were solved! They rid themselves of their "mental illness". Why? Because they never had a mental illness in the first place!

You can disagree with me all you like. But I just want you to think about it for a moment. If you cannot measure something, how can you say it has an illness?

Bro. if you knew the guy I do you would definately believe that mental illness is real and in a lot of cases due to a chemical imbalance.

research Seratonin ( i think thats how it is spelled if not ask your Doc how to spell it ) this will answer your questions.

**IronReload04** · 10-06-2008, 09:57 AM

I think though 9/10 times, if a guy ie improves his grades, appearance, starts getting out, starts picking up chicks, what ever emotion or stress he is dealing with is alleviated, the problem will go away as Godfather said earlier electrical activity will change for the better

ok, maybe not quite 9/10 times

but what about people who have had some traumatic experience, and their electrical activity is affected daily. Maybe a woman got raped, a family member died, that person may be able to use a drug to change electical actibity for the better for that person....maybe it is more controversial, and is not always the answer, but one of a few solutions

then you have as i said ealier people with faulty equipment. nothing they can do about it. you or I dont know what that is like, so there is not alot of room to talk.

**40plusnewbie** · 10-07-2008, 12:11 AM

No one *needs* to take steroids (except aids patients, etc) but I don't see you hating on them. Even pro body builders don't NEED to take steroids, they choose to take them as a means to an end.

If someone has symptoms like hearing voices, depression, whatever... what do you care if they take meds or not to help manage those symtoms.

Both are quality of life issues. Do you hate on bodybuilders who take steroids when all they NEED is diet and exercise to stay in top physical condition?

**moregunsthanroses** · 10-07-2008, 06:16 AM

Trust me they do exist I've seen people with some real issues. I've had my own issues anxiety and being overly paranoid at times. Chemical imbalances play a role as well as enviromental triggers and toxins, and illness.

My lower lip and mouth area were burning stinging badly on top of my other symptoms I had been suffering for so long the thought crossed through my mind that I had been poisoned. Well what do you know I got put on biaxin(antibiotics) and it approved.. I had been having chronic irritation for months since going on vacation. The day I got paranoid was the same day my lower lip was burning.. an infection I think so.. Infections can produce neurotoxins.

I had seen a phychiatrist and she was like oh yea you'll go into cycles like this if your not medicated, and wanted me on some antidepressant and some pill for dopamine.

Yes swelling tender lymph nodes, joint and mainly leg pain and aches, headaches, sleep problems, burning and stinging, jaw loss, facial puffiness/ swelling, skin problems, are all caused by a mental illness..

I was also reading that about a third of people with physchological disorders especially phycosis and stuff like that have lyme disease... A bacerial infection can cause mental illness.. I'd put money on it that there are large portions of people hospitalized for being mentally ill could be properly treated for this, yet phychiatrists overlook this as cause and just dispense medication. http://www.ilads.org/PsychiatristBrochure.pdf

There is a test for serotonin, About five years ago when I was stupid enough to take ecstasy a few days later I took the serotonin urine sample test. Well what do you know my level was the lowest they had ever seen. Something like 25 when it should be 100-150.

my dad's level was tested and his level was slightly lower. He had not taken any drugs, except for smoking pot the occasional time.I'm assuming it was naturally low due to low cholesterol and/or other factors.

You state if something cannot be measured it does not exist this is false. Somone may have cancer but you cannot say he doesn't have cancer all you can say is there is no proof of cancer at this point in time. Alot of people have autoimmune diseases as well but there is no specific clinical diagnosis just a list of symptoms. does this mean their suffering isn't real or it's all in their head?

Your average MD will refer you to a phychiatrist if you have chronic fatigue syndrome. They think you are manifesting symptoms in your head because there is no scan or way of detecting it. Yes

Yes someones mental state can effect their physical body but it works the other way if someone is physically ill it mostly likely will effect their mental state of mind.

Drugs are overly presribed there are reasons why a person should be depressed or mentally ill that don't nessicarly have to do with chemical imbalances. Wether it's a physical illness, or bad life circumstances.

**Dukkit** · 10-07-2008, 06:45 AM

if mental illness doesnt exist.

then does addiction?

alot of "addictions" are all mental. you want that hit. your bored, or tired, or sore, or depressed so you "think" you need that line to make everything better. now there are a bunch of chemicals that are physically addicting. H being a strong one. After a certain point (years and years) alcohol can become that way. you need those few beers in the morning so that you dont have the shakes and so on.

but if you cant actually measure the mind as you say Hamish, then how would you be able to measure addiction of the mind?? your saying you cant? so in turn your saying that addiction doesnt exist either.

**FuPayMe** · 10-08-2008, 02:56 AM

we ve already established this kids theory doesnt make sense

**GT2** · 10-08-2008, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by FuPayMe

we ve already established this kids theory doesnt make sense

Hardly

**40plusnewbie** · 10-08-2008, 06:56 AM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

Hardly

So lets hear your counter arguments to some of the posts made that disagree with you. Let's see you address some of those posts on a point by point basis.

**GT2** · 10-08-2008, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by 40plusnewbie

So lets hear your counter arguments to some of the posts made that disagree with you. Let's see you address some of those posts on a point by point basis.

There's no point. In case you haven't realised, much of the members on this board are VERY stubborn and insusceptible to change/challenging of their beliefs

I believe what I believe, and I merely raised an issue to be food for thought. Clearly, many people got offended because they thought to themselves "there is no way he's right and I'm wrong, I'm never wrong", and so on and so forth.

**40plusnewbie** · 10-08-2008, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

There's no point. In case you haven't realised, much of the members on this board are VERY stubborn and insusceptible to change/challenging of their beliefs

I believe what I believe, and I merely raised an issue to be food for thought. Clearly, many people got offended because they thought to themselves "there is no way he's right and I'm wrong, I'm never wrong", and so on and so forth.

But I'm not offended.

In fact I wrote that the book "The Myth of Mental Illness" by Thomas Szasz is one of my very favorite books.

Yet I still feel there is a conundrum between your basic belief and the reality that exists that we can observe in watching, listening to, and hearling about the lives of hundreds of thousands of human beings. I know a man who cut his own testicles off. Was he sane and his behavior was simply a momentary impulsive act? How do you explain that behavior? How do you understand that behavior? What is behind that behavior? Is he mearly a guy who did something stupid and needs to 'snap out of it' or 'wake up' or something? Is he MORE SANE than the rest of us, a man ahead of his time? Like in 5 thousand years the rest of us men will wake up to the fact that having testicles sucks and we will all go have them cut off?

**BWhitaker** · 10-08-2008, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by Hamish&Andy

This is hilarious. None of you have actually answered my question, but rather gone off on your own rant based on information which has always been the conventional way of thinking. My case is simple, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness? None of you have yet to directly respond to that.

Perhaps this idea is so against what you know/believe in, it is almost impossible for you to even consider the thought that what you know is WRONG. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, I am simply asking a question, a question which none of you can answer.

Please explain to us what you mean by "mental." This is imperative to your agrument in that you seem to by arguing analytics and semantics.

Additionally, you seem to posit that the mind cannot be measured. Therefore, how you interpret the mind cannot mean the brain, its functions, nor its physiology. Importantly, understand that all of you emotions and actions and so on are in fact a result of physiological phenomenon occuring in your brain. Even your thoughts are attributed to physiological response, though the details of these mechanisms are within their infancy. If you do not believe the preceding sentences, you have nothing to base your beliefs except for a lack of concrete proof to the contrary and no proof on your premise. Do you give "the mind" some sort of soul type meaning? If you do, then perhaps your only conclusion is: You believe in brain disorders (i.e., all of the disorders you mentioned you do not believe in). You, however, do feel the term "mental" is incorrectly applied because those who use it are, in actuality, attempting to mean "brain" disorders.

Essentially, you have said nothing except we should not term them mental disorders.

**Polska** · 10-09-2008, 12:14 PM

Hamish&Andy, you're not a scientologist by chance, are you?

**mick86** · 10-09-2008, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bojangles69

Mental illnesses are more response based. Physiological are more organization and causal based.

Low dopamine = biology/physiological state
Response = change of electrical activity in brain causing depressed emotions.

If you believe in words like happy, sad, or anxious, than you believe in mental illnesses which are extreme imbalances of these emotions.

If you don't believe in happy/sad/anxious than you are a robot.

Agreed, thanks for saving me from having to try to express something like that. I really don't think that the initial argument is a valid one. There are assertions made that cannot be backed, and you argue one issue, then try to tie it to another issue using it as a rationalisation (if that makes since).

"Mental illnesses are illnesses of the mind, correct? They are not illnesses of the brain, because then that would be classified as a physiological illness. But where is the mind? Can we see, feel, touch, or even measure the mind? So therefore, how can something (the mind) that cannot be measured, have an illness?"

First of all let me say that it was a thought provoking topic and while I respect your opinion I strongly disagree with you. I shall briefly address why you did not sway me from the main stream view of the medical profession:

To me your rationalisation doesn't actually address the statement "I don't believe mental illnesses exist". You are just getting caught up on words, replace mental illness with physiological disorder or chemical imbalance and your argument falls to bits. You were merely picking apart the term mental illness rather than addressing the actual phenomenon.

To me your logic is pseudoscience, and although may appear to make since at first to some, when examined clearly and without prejudice, there is simply no substance to it imo.

Just my opinion, I have no qualifications but I think that I have backed my beliefs

Oh, btw, I suffer from mental illness

(examining my reply, it seems a little harsh, please don't take it personally)

**mick86** · 10-09-2008, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by Amorphic

who cares where the root word came from. it has no relevance. go read an abnormal psychology textbook and you'll see there is more than enough evidence to prove whats been stated before.

even if mental means of the mind, the brain is still the cause of your mind so theres no argument in trying to play with words.

just noticed your post, I agree.

Originally Posted by Polska

Hamish&Andy, you're not a scientologist by chance, are you?

What would make you say that...

**redz** · 10-09-2008, 02:05 PM

You should meet my grandmother she is totally nuts.....thinks her apartment is tapped and people are listening/watching her. Ripped her bed and furniture apart looking for the wire taps. Accuses people of wanting to kill her.....anyways in short she is mentally ill.

**Flagg** · 10-09-2008, 02:06 PM

Hammish, if im correct are you looking at the brain as a purely biological organ in the body? That has only as much substance as the heart or lungs? To deny that mental illness' don't exist is to pretty much completely dismiss psychology. It's good to have a argument on a matter like this, but you cant just say "Yeah, too many dudes here stuck in their ways" when you are being just the same by not even trynna look at both sides of the story.

I dream. I get depressed and I get happy. I got mauled by a pitball a few years back which as a result has given me an irrational fear of dogs of that nature.

It's not just chemical reactions being triggered in the body, all complex life has a psyche.