Laura Delano

person on the subway who's acting in a scary way, that at some point in that person's past, they also were having ordinary, typical, you know, perhaps on the extreme end of the spectrum of human suffering and then had enough time pass of not getting what they really needed or getting a lot of what they didn't need that things have kind of spiraled to the point where they look like they're in this separate space

person on the subway who's acting in a scary way, that at some point in that person's past, they also were having ordinary, typical, you know, perhaps on the extreme end of the spectrum of human suffering and then had enough time pass of not getting what they really needed or getting a lot of what they didn't need that things have kind of spiraled to the point where they look like they're in this separate space

class of suffering that's different than normal struggling.

class of suffering that's different than normal struggling.

Oh, I totally, I totally agree. I totally agree with that.

Oh, I totally, I totally agree. I totally agree with that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And there's a large movement of people around the world who actually challenge the idea of schizophrenia, even something as severe, you know, in our minds as that diagnosis that people who've realized, you know, they've heard voices, they've been psychotic, they've had all kinds of delusions, and they've actually realized these experiences that I was having were actually rooted in trauma and especially early childhood trauma.

And there's a large movement of people around the world who actually challenge the idea of schizophrenia, even something as severe, you know, in our minds as that diagnosis that people who've realized, you know, they've heard voices, they've been psychotic, they've had all kinds of delusions, and they've actually realized these experiences that I was having were actually rooted in trauma and especially early childhood trauma.

And they became as extreme and intense as they became because they didn't actually address the root, the origins of what eventually led to this kind of severe, unmanageable situation.

And they became as extreme and intense as they became because they didn't actually address the root, the origins of what eventually led to this kind of severe, unmanageable situation.

And so I think, you know, this idea that there is a separate class of people who have, I agree with you completely that psychoactive drugs can cause brain, can cause neurological injuries that can have lasting effects, but I kind of put that in a separate category. I think we... Very common. Oh, I think you're right. Very, very common.

And so I think, you know, this idea that there is a separate class of people who have, I agree with you completely that psychoactive drugs can cause brain, can cause neurological injuries that can have lasting effects, but I kind of put that in a separate category. I think we... Very common. Oh, I think you're right. Very, very common.

And I think what I... Because I grew up psychiatrized, as I like to put it, I grew up basically... believing that every single mental and emotional challenge that I had, and I had extreme challenges. I tried to kill myself for goodness sake. I mean, I was on a psych ward four times. I was what you would call a severe case of bipolar disorder.

And I think what I... Because I grew up psychiatrized, as I like to put it, I grew up basically... believing that every single mental and emotional challenge that I had, and I had extreme challenges. I tried to kill myself for goodness sake. I mean, I was on a psych ward four times. I was what you would call a severe case of bipolar disorder.

But when I look back now and I see that believing so deeply in this medicalized framework of understanding myself actually taught me to kind of give up any belief in my own capacity to grow, to change, to evolve, because I believed I just was at the mercy of this brain disease.

But when I look back now and I see that believing so deeply in this medicalized framework of understanding myself actually taught me to kind of give up any belief in my own capacity to grow, to change, to evolve, because I believed I just was at the mercy of this brain disease.

And I do think for a lot of people out there with all kinds of different diagnoses, that medicalized story can have this disabling effect. And the problem is when you're also on these very powerful meds, like you said, are only, you know, it really intended for short term use. And speaking for myself, my ability to step back and think critically about this was impaired because I was on five meds.

And I do think for a lot of people out there with all kinds of different diagnoses, that medicalized story can have this disabling effect. And the problem is when you're also on these very powerful meds, like you said, are only, you know, it really intended for short term use. And speaking for myself, my ability to step back and think critically about this was impaired because I was on five meds.