12-2: Celebrities and Mental Health

Hello Internet!

            Today I will be discussing the influence that celebrity figures can have on mental health issues. Mental health is not something that is commonly addressed in our society and when someone who is higher up in the hierarchy of fame discusses it, we are more likely to listen. I think that it’s hard to talk about mental health because it goes against what our lives should be like. We SHOULD be stress-free. We SHOULD be happy. We SHOULD live our lives in a way that makes our society a better place. When someone suffers from mental health issues, they often are unable to meet the requirements of our societies SHOULDS and instead of turning the SHOULDS into TRYING-TOS, we turn them into TOO-LAZYS or NOT-TRYING-HARD-ENOUGHS. When a well-known person has the courage to say that they suffer from mental health issues, it acts as a wake-up call to all of us who judge those who are trying to live like they should.

Glenn Close, an actress, and mental health advocate, wrote an article for the Huffington Post called Mental Illness: The Stigma of Silence. In the article, she calls to question why our society is unable to discuss and fix the problem of discrimination against mental illness. She writes: “It is an odd paradox that a society, which can now speak openly and unabashedly about topics that were once unspeakable, still remains largely silent when it comes to mental illness.” Over the past century, our country has become increasingly more accepting of minority groups. The civil rights movement, the women’s rights movement, and the recent movement for gay equality has proven that the stigma towards these groups, once present in our everyday society, is dissipating.

This is fabulous news for those groups that ­have sought freedom and equal rights for centuries. Everyone over the age of eighteen can now vote, no matter their gender or race, which used to be an unfathomable idea. There are also more interracial marriages than ever before which proves that people’s mindset of racial superiority is changing. We have made so much progress towards the infamous statement in the Declaration of Independence that declares, “…all men are created equal…” but we have forgotten about one major demographic that is still heavily misunderstood and discriminated against: those suffering from mental illness.

Another big star that had the courage to go public about her mental health issues is Demi Lovato. Lovato has struggled with drug abuse, mental illness problems, and eating disorders for her entire life. She struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and bipolar disorder. After seeking help in 2009 at the age of 19, Lovato has become an advocate for mental health awareness and currently works with mental health awareness groups all over the country. In an article with elle.com she says, “When I was bulimic, I knew it was a problem. When I was anorexic, I knew it was a problem. But I wasn’t in a place where I could quit by myself.” She entered rehab when she was on Disney Channel, which created some major headlines. It took courage to seek help and she is a role model for teenage girls everywhere who are struggling with mental health issues, eating disorders, or drug abuse issues.

Sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a difference in the world. A quote from one of my favorite TV shows, When Calls the Heart, reads: “Bad things happen if good people do nothing.” The issues and the stigma surrounding mental health are only going to continue if those who have something to say stay silent. Who knows; they might be holding back on saying the exact words that someone else needs to hear. 

http://www.elle.com/culture/celebrities/news/a31029/demi-lovato-mental-health/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glenn-close/mental-illness-the-stigma_b_328591.html

12-1: Anxiety Disorders

Hello Internet!

            Today I am going to be writing about something that I have quite a bit of experience with. (See post 7-1) The number of people in the United States with anxiety is rapidly increasing due to various factors.Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines anxiety as, “…an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physical signs (such as tension, sweating, and increased pulse rate), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one’s capacity to cope with it.” There are four main types of anxiety: panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and general anxiety disorder.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden attacks. People with panic disorder often, “have feelings of terror that strike suddenly and repeatedly with no warning.” Panic attacks often manifest physical symptoms such as chest pain, sweating, or palpitations. (a sudden rise in heart rate. Some causes of panic disorder may include family history, abnormalities in the brain, substance abuse, or a major life stress. Treatments for panic disorder may include, but are not limited to, medications, or clinical therapy.

Social Anxiety Disorder

            Social anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of nervousness or anxiousness in social situations. It can be extremely difficult especially for people who live in metropolitan areas. Social situations are unavoidable for the majority of the world’s population and anxiety in social situations affect about 15 million Americans. Social Anxiety typically begins to appear in teenagers around the age of 13. Many people do not seek treatment because they fear being embarrassed or humiliated. Social anxiety disorder can interfere with daily routines, social life, or occupational performance making school, work, and family life extremely difficult. Treatments for social anxiety disorder include, but are not limited, medications, or professional care.

Specific Phobias

            Dictionary.com defines a phobia as, “a persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it.” In some cases, phobias are a result of classical conditioning; the person has learned to relate something to something fearful. (Ex. thunder and lightning, sting and bee, bite and snake) An experiment testing the effects of classical conditioning on the human mind conducted by John B. Watson showed how the human mind pairs two things, causing phobias. His hypothesis stated that “…the fearful response of children to loud noises in an innate unconditioned response.” He proved that he could, “condition a child to fear a distinctive stimulus that normally would not be feared by a child.” People with phobias can receive treatment through clinical therapy and counseling.

General Anxiety Disorder

            General anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of worry about various different things. They tend to worry about the outcomes of events more than the average person would. They often expect the worst, even when there is no evidence that the worst is going to happen. General anxiety disorder can be caused by a number of different things including, but not limited to, a prior traumatic experience, experience with natural disasters, or family history. New mothers also may experience anxiety concerning their children. General anxiety disorder is commonly treated with medications and therapy.

Some Statistics

            Anxiety is more common than most people believe it to be. AnxietyCentre.com states that “Anxiety disorders affect 18.1 percent of adults in the United States.” The number may be much higher because many people are misdiagnosed, don’t seek help, or don’t recognize that they have anxiety issues. Anxiety disorders cause the US more than $42 billion a year which is nearly 33% of the national mental health budget. AnxietyCentre.org also says that “People with an anxiety disorder are three-to-five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for psychiatric disorders than non-sufferers. It is important to recognize the symptoms of anxiety so that treatment can be sought. 

11-2: Sleep Deprivation and Mental Health

Hello Internet!

            Today’s topic is one that is prevalent in EVERYONE’S life. Americans are getting less sleep than ever before and studies have shown that it is a key factor in mental illness. Sleep deprivation is defined as, “the situation or condition of suffering from a lack of sleep.” Some causes of sleep deprivation may include, but are not limited to, screen time late at night, pressure at work and school, and increased responsibility. Sleep deprivation is most observed in adolescents but affects all ages.

            Increased pressure in our school systems has led to an increase in mental health issues in teens. The average public high school in The United States starts at 7:59 AM, too early for the average teenager. With the average teen staying up until 10 or 11 PM every night, teens are getting less sleep than is recommended for a still maturing mind and body. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between eight and ten hours of sleep each night for adolescents between the ages of 14-17, an almost unachievable goal. The movie Inside the Teenage Brain, discusses a sleep debt that teenagers pay due to early start times as well as extra-curricular activities, and healthy social lives. This sleep debt is an influential cause in mental health problems among teens.

            Sleep deprivation is one of the leading causes of mental health problems. Someone who is sleep deprived is at a high risk for mood disorders, sleep disorders, and problems with relationships. Camile Peri, a writer for WebMd.com, says that “. . . a lack of sleep can hinder you from thinking clearly and keeping your emotions at an even keel. Studies show that excessive sleepiness can hurt work performance, wreak havoc on relationships, and lead to mood problems like anger and depression.” Students are expected to do more than ever before on less sleep than ever before. It is no wonder that so many have problems with family relationships, mood disorders, anxiety, and various other mental health issues.

            The lack of sleep is not the only reason why adolescents are developing more mental health issues than ever before; a heightened academic standard puts more stress on students, causing anxiety and issues with self-worth. Many students are set to an impossible standard of academic achievement. Personalized learning plans have been replaced by the common core system, a system that teaches the average student. The common core system fails to assist extremely gifted students, as well as those with learning disabilities, to achieve their academic potential. This depersonalization, as well as additional pressure put on all students, is wreaking havoc on our nation’s youth. 

            A journal article was published by The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health in 2007 regarding the impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance. It showed that sleep deprivation induces adverse changes in cognitive performance. A person’s ability to cope with sleep deprivation depends on multiple factors including aging, and gender. Not everybody needs the same amount of sleep; the need for many hours of sleep decreases as one ages.

            Harvard Health Publications published an article in July of 2009 entitled Sleep and Mental Health. This article explains the correlation between the lack of sleep and mental health. It says that, “Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patient in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population. Sleep problems are particularly common in patients with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. (ADHD)” The article makes three main points about sleep disorders and mental illness.

1. Sleep problems are more likely to affect patients with psychiatric disorders than people in the general population
2. Sleep problems may increase risk for developing particular mental illness, as well as result from such disorders.
3. Treating the sleep disorder may help alleviate symptoms of the mental health problem.

So why is this important? It is important to be educated about the importance of sleep because it is an essential part of being healthy. In order to perform at peak physical and mental condition it is important to eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep.

Thanks for Reading!

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2656292/

http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/Sleep-and-mental-health

10-2: The whole warps the sum of its parts

The Whole Warps the Sum of Its Parts: Gestalt-Defined-Group Mean Size Biases Memory for Individual Objects

Summary:

​The Article, “The Whole Warps the Sum of Its Parts: Gestalt-Defined-Group Mean Size Biases Memory for Individual Objects” by Jennifer E. Corbett, describes an experiment that was conducted to test how Gestalt’s grouping theory (human tenancy to put things into groups) would affect memory. The introduction to the research study talked about how the brain is able to perceive more information through sorting visual stimuli into groups. The idea of perceptual averaging gives a logical explanation as to why we are able to see things that are maybe past our peripheral viewpoint. The article states that, “…perceptual averaging, an efficient means of statistically compressing redundant information in sets of objects, is a promising strategy for coping with the visual system’s limiter representational capacity. For example, average properties are represented even when individual items are not.” Our mind puts things that we see into groups to make information easier to process. Gestalts four heuristics (types of grouping) are similarity, proximity, connectedness, and common region. This experiment tested how these four heuristics affected people’s ability to remember information.

The test was conducted on thirty-three volunteer participants between the ages of 19 and 29, with normal or corrected to normal vision. Participants were put in a controlled environment in front of a computer. They were then shown a diagram of a series of circles for 500 milliseconds or 5 seconds. Each of these series were organized according to one of Gestalt’s four heuristics. The circles were then removed and replaced with 6 different circles. After this brief exposure, participants were asked to, “Adjust each test circle to match the size of the corresponding circle in the study display.” Participants then adjusted the size and position of the 6 circles to match what they remembered from the diagram that they were previously presented. They were told that, “each circle could be adjusted only once and that they had to adjust every test circle before they would be able to proceed to the next trial.” They were also told that they needed to respond as quickly and as accurately as they could; however, they were not told that they could had to adjust the circle at least three times. This was to prevent participants from continuing to the next trial without adjusting a circle. 

The results of this experiment showed that, “Error similarity was greater for circles within the same gestalt-defined groups than for circles within different gestalt defined groups.” People had the tenancy to make mistakes when the exposed diagram was in a different gestalt-defined group than the one prior to it. The amount of conditioning time did not seem to affect the results which was quite unexpected. The conclusion of the experiment stated that gestalt-groupings had a significant impact on memory.

Why I Chose This Article:

​Recently, we have been talking about learning and memory in class. I find Gestalt’s research to be particularly interesting which is why I chose to study this research experiment. We as humans have natural tenancies to do certain things (natural reflexes) and putting things into groups just happens to be one of them. I have always been a rather organized person when it comes to schoolwork and I like grouping my assignments, using planners, etc. I have always been a list maker and the idea of putting things into groups makes sense to me. 

​I chose to use the Psychological Science Journal because it seemed to be most applicable to this class and to this assignment. I also like how the journal is formatted. It is easier to read because of the double column formatting and allows for easy highlighting and notetaking. There are also minimal spelling and grammar errors which is a problem in some of the other journals I have read.

Application:

​I think that this idea can extend further than just helping our brain to see things easier. It can affect the way we remember people, events, or important objects. Grouping can either be beneficial to our lives, or can lead to unnecessary judgement. For example: Is it good to be suspicious of someone who may cause you harm, or is it bad to be suspicious of someone just because they fit a stereotype that we have developed? Our society thrives on stereotypes and depending on the situation, it can be good or bad. For the people who fit the stereotype as dangerous, or “sketchy,” it may be hard to live in a society so focused on stereotypes.

​This idea of grouping can be helpful in helping with memory of events. For example: it is easier to recall what happened on a special occasion than what happened on another ordinary day because the special occasion is different. We tend to group all the days where not much happens together. This is why many people can’t remember what they had for breakfast yesterday, but can remember which pair of shoes they were wearing when they got engaged. It is because of grouping, that we are able to recall important events or details.

What I learned

​While looking closer at this study, I have learned that our brain uses grouping to process information quickly and efficiently. It is because of this grouping that we often make errors based on what we see alone. As the title of the study says, “The whole warps the sum of it’sparts.” The study showed that gestalt-grouping has a significant impact on memory and is an important factor to knowledge recollection.

10-1: The road to bribery and corruption

Hello Internet! 

This week I have decided to branch out a bit from my original topic and write about some research studies in a journal I have been reading lately about the behavioral sciences. I hope you enjoy. 

The Road to Bribery and Corruption: Slippery Slope or Steep Cliff?

Summary:

​The Article, “The Road to Bribery and Corruption: Slippery Slope or Steep Cliff?” by members of the Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology in Vrije UniversiteitAmsterdam, describes an experiment that was conducted to test whether, “…severely corrupt acts happen gradually or abruptly. Corruption is defined as, “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain” and is not uncommon among our politicians and business owners. It is commonly believed that, “power holders progressively neglect the interests of other individuals while pursuing selfish interests and thus “slide into” corruption.” After 4 different rounds of testing, the conclusion was made that although people may think that corruption is a result of a “slippery slope,” corruption actually occurs when someone is given the chance to commit a severe act for personal gain.

​This study was conducted in four different rounds to test whether the participants were susceptible to corruption. In all rounds, participants played the corruption game. This game is useful for putting the slippery slope analogy to the test because it tests the participants ability to resist temptation that can lead to corruption. Round one tested, “whether severe corruption is more likely to emerge gradually or abruptly.” Round two tested, “whether the repeated engagement or the increasing severity of the slippery slope would keep participants from engaging in a second corrupt position.” Round three tested to see if the same results would occur if, “participants received a monetary payoff at the end of the game.” The final round of the experiment included a real victim of the corrupt behavior. This was to see if emotion played a factor in corruption. All four studies showed that the odds of severe bribery were significantly higher when the participants of the experiment used this option immediately instead of doing it gradually.

Why I Chose This Article:

​Because of the recent election, political tension in our country has been heavy. I was interested in looking into this research subject because I have always been fascinated by human nature and virtue. I took Political Science 1100 last semester and my favorite thing that we learned was how people work in the government. I was reading something somewhere that said that humans aren’t computers; they have emotions, they have feelings, and people with emotions and feelings are susceptible to corruption. A big part of what we learned in that class was based around “the good” and the argument of whether people are born “good” or not.

​I chose to look into the Psychological Science Journal because it seemed like a pretty much “all encompassing” psychology journal. There are articles on a variety of topics which ensured that I would find something up my ally. I also like how this journal is formatted. The double columns and clear diagrams, helping the reader to get a clear picture of the experiment described. There are also minimal spelling errors, grammar errors, and printing mistakes which also makes it easier to read.

Application:

​In today’s society, corruption is everywhere. It occurs on varying levels, from small business owners, to major politicians. When we hear about these cases of corruption in the news, it is often exaggerated or details are left out. It is important to always think critically about things shown on the news. 

​This research study also shows that everyone can be susceptible to corruption. When faced with a tempting offer, anyone can succumb and make less than ethical choices. Ordinary people were used in the four studies and in every situation, they found themselves corrupt in the end. They end up rationalizing their actions to the point that the guilt goes away and their conscience becomes almost invisible.

What I learned:

​While studying this article, I learned corruption occurs more often when someone is given the chance to engage in it at a large scale all at once rather than at a smaller scale over time. Corruption happens because, “people consistently seek to maximize material self-interest while maintaining a positive self-image.” I learned that I need to be careful who I trust and what business deals I get myself into.  

9-2: Medical Malpractice: Is My Treatment Really Safe?

            What is the first thing that comes across someone’s mind when they walk into a doctor’s office? Chances are, it is probably something along the lines of, “I wonder if I’m contagious?” or “I hope it’s not broken!” Most of our society puts their trust into medical professionals in order to treat sickness and disease; however, there is a small percentage of the population that takes extreme caution when seeking treatment, or even avoids treatment altogether. Medical malpractice is defined by Medical News Today as, “. . . professional negligence by a health care professional or provider in which treatment provided was substandard, and caused harm, injury or death to a patient.” (Nordqvist) When medical malpractice cases are shown in the media, it can cause patients, as well as the general public, to be more hesitant about trusting professionals with their healthcare. Although medical malpractice is not an extremely common occurrence, it is still a valid cause for many people to become apprehensive about medical professionals and treatments.

One malpractice case that received national attention was the Paul Lozano case from the late 1980’s. In this case, Paul Lozano, who received treatment from Dr. Bean Bayog of Harvard psychology, committed suicide following a five-year treatment for depression and sexual abuse. Lozano began treatment with Dr. Bean-Bayog in 1986 because he was suffering from depression. She assessed that Lozano had been sexually abused by his mother as a child and, although there was no evidence to prove her claim, concluded that the best option for treatment would be a method called Schema Therapy Limited Reparenting, a highly controversial form of therapy used to treat patients who were neglected or abused when they were younger. During the treatment period, Bean-Bayog reduced Lozano to “the emotional age of 3” in order to give him what his mother apparently never had. (Carpenter) In the process of the treatment, Bean Bayog became attracted to Lozano and had sexual relations with him as a part of his “treatment.” The treatment spanned a five-year period and once it had concluded, Lozano committed suicide.

            There are many speculations as to what might have happened and since Dr. Bean-Bayog never agreed to an interview and a lot of what we know about this case is based on her paperwork and the notes she took while she was working with Lozano. These documents were made public during the trial. After Lozano’s death, his family found notes from Dr. Bean-Bayog “addressed to "the boy" from "Mom."” (Carpenter) demonstrating how strange Dr. Bean-Bayog’s treatment was. There were also what appeared to be journal entries written by Dr. Bean-Bayog that detailed sexual relations between the doctor and her patient as part of Lozano’s “treatment.” To avoid a lengthy trial, Dr. Bean-Bayog agreed to a settlement and forfeited her license.

One reason that Lozano may have chosen to end his life is the fact that he might have still been at a three-year-old emotional state. A child can suffer separation anxiety when they are removed from the presence of their caregiver and Lozano may have had a similar reaction when treatment with Dr. Bean-Bayog was discontinued. It is speculated that the reason that Bean-Bayog became so invested with her patient in the first place was because she had not been able to have children. She had suffered nine miscarriages and saw Lozano as her chance at raising a child. “Sadly, one of the reasons she allegedly gave him for terminating therapy was that she had decided to adopt a baby of her own.” (Carpenter) He may have felt like he was being “replaced,” not realizing that the doctor was not actually his biological parent.

The Lozano case may be a cause of anxiety for others seeking treatment for sexual abuse because it shows that doctors and therapists are human, and therefore susceptible to temptations. The New York Times describes this situation in their article “Therapy or Seduction?” They say: “What safeguards, if any, exist to protect patients from a doctor's human frailty? Even by psychiatry's own vague standards, Ms. McNamara says, Dr. Bean-Bayog should have consulted her peers before undertaking such an unusual treatment.” (Carpenter) This case may also cause anxiety in young or expecting mothers who suffer from postpartum depression. As defined by The National Institute of Mental health, “Postpartum depression is a mood disorder that can affect women after childbirth.” (NIMH) Women with postpartum depression tend to, “worry or feel overly anxious” after their baby is born and when someone suffering from postpartum depression hears about the Paul Lozano case, they may become overly obsessed with providing for their child because Lozano was “deprived” as a child. Some mothers may feel like they are also inadequate mothers. Even though the Lozano case is a “one in a million” type of situation, it was so heavily publicized that it instilled worry into many different groups of people.

Another widely known malpractice incident is the John/Joan case: a classic nature versus nurture scenario. In 1966, Bruce Reimer suffered a failed circumcision operation as a toddler and was raised as “Brenda” Reimer. This was a part of an experiment conducted by Dr. John Money from John Hopkins University, who wanted to prove that gender is only controlled by social and environmental values, not by biological makeup. The New York Times reports that, “His sexual reassignment was then widely reported as a success and proof that children are not by nature feminine or masculine but through nurture are socialized to become girls or boys.” (The Associated Press) However, time eventually proved this statement inaccurate as Brenda became increasingly different from the other children at school. After many years of living as a girl, Brenda’s parents finally told her the truth of her gender identity. At this point, Brenda changed her name to David and underwent a series of operations to restore his masculinity. David then lived as a man for twenty years, eventually committing suicide in 2004 at the age of 38. Dr. Money’s experiment, as described by The Los Angeles Times, “was a disaster for Reimer that created psychological scars he ultimately could not overcome.”  

When this case first became public, it was a heavy debate that caused a lot of political backlash. It was hard for people to believe that a medical professional had conducted such a potentially controversial and unethical experiment. It also proved to be upsetting to anyone who was dealing with their gender identity. Because the results of Dr. Money’s experiment proved that “biological factors can override gender role socialization.” someone struggling with their gender identity may become confused. When someone is constantly being told that they are one thing, but they feel like they are something totally different, it can be confusing and emotionally upsetting.

Another reason why the John/Joan case may cause people to become alarmed is the failed circumcision operation. The doctors had performed the procedure many times, but used an unconventional method on Bruce that resulted in serious damage to his body. Bruce’s experience proves that even when a doctor has performed a surgery hundreds of times, things can still go wrong. This idea causes anyone requiring surgery to become less enthusiastic about putting their body into someone else’s hands for even just a short period of time. There are nearly 160,000 deaths every year, caused by medical malpractice, definitely not a small number, especially to someone already having worries about an operation.

In the end, it all comes down to costs and consequences: Is it worth getting professional help when the consequences may be detrimental? In some cases the answer is yes, but some cases it may be no. For example: someone suffering from cancer is likely to get treatment because the risk of medical negligence is less important than treating this deadly illness. On the other hand, it isn’t necessary to consult a doctor about every little runny nose. It is important to thoroughly research the treatment, the doctor providing the treatment, and the risks involved with the treatment. Increased knowledge may help ease worries, and help patients live a healthy, stress free life.

Works Cited

"Anxiety Disorders and Anxiety Attacks."HelpGuide: Trusted Guide to Mental Health.

N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Carpenter, Teresa. "The New York Times."The New York Times. N.p., 10 Apr. 1994.

Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

The Associated Press. "David Reimer, 38, Subject of the John/Joan Case."The New

York Times. N.p., 12 May 2004. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Gammill, Marion B. "Bean-Bayog Case Ends After 6 Years."The Harvard Crimson. N.p.,

18 Dec. 1992. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Grison, Sarah, Todd F. Heatherton, and Michael S. Gazzaniga.Psychology In Your

Life. 2nd ed. New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company, 2017. Print.

Grossman, Ron. "When A Psychiatrist Carries Treatment Too Far."Chicago Tribune.

N.p., 16 Mar. 1994. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Nordqvist, Christian. "Medical News today."Medical News Today. N.p., 17 Sept. 2014.

Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

"Postpartum Depression."National Institute of Mental Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar.

2017.

"Schema Therapy Limited Reparenting."Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center. N.p., n.d.

Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Schillo, Keith K. "Nature or Nurture: The Case of the Boy Who Became a

Girl."Sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu. National Center for Case Study Teaching In

Science, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

Woo, Elaine. "David Reimer, 38: After Botched Surgery, He Was Raised as a Girl in

Gender Experiment."LA Times. N.p., 13 May 2004. Web. 17 Mar. 2017.

9-1: Medical Malpractice - The Paul Lozano Case

Hello Internet!

Today’s post is something that directly ties into my “bigger” topic which is treating someone who doesn’t want to be treated. When someone who needs to be seeking treatment hears about these crazy medical malpractice cases, it can cause them to become apprehensive about treatment.  I’ve heard a lot in the media about these crazy medical malpractice cases and I find them extremely interesting. I recently came across an older case from the late eighties and early nineties regarding the “reparenting” treatment method. In this case, Dr. Bean-Bayog, a Harvard psychiatrist, was charged with medical malpractice for her patient Paul Lozano, who committed suicide following Bean-Bayog’s 5 year reparenting process.

            Lozano began treatment with Dr. Bean-Bayog in 1986. He was currently a medical student at Harvard University and sought treatment for major depression. She assessed that Lozano had been sexually abused by his mother as a child and concluded that the best option for treatment, would be reparenting. During the treatment period, Bean-Bayog reduced Lozano to a 3-year-old emotional state in order to “give him what his mother never had.” In the process of the reparenting, Bean Bayog became attracted to Lozano and had sexual relations with him as a part of his “treatment.” The treatment spanned a five-year period and once it had concluded, Lozano committed suicide.

            There are many speculations as to what might have happened and since Dr. Bean-Bayog never agreed to an interview, a lot of what we know is based on her paperwork and notes taken while she was working with Lozano. These documents were made public during the trial. Many of this paperwork includes love notes from Lozano to Dr. Bean-Bayog addressed to “Mom” which demonstrates how peculiar Dr. Bean-Bayog’s treatment really was. There were also what appeared to be journal entries detailing sexual relations between the doctor and her patient. Dr. Bean-Bayog agreed to a settlement and forfeited her license.

            So what is reparenting you ask? Schema Therapy Limited Reparenting is a highly controversial form of therapy used to treat patients who were neglected or abused when they were younger. The idea of schema’s, or stages of development across the lifespan, was developed by a scientist named Piaget. When a therapist treats someone using reparenting, they help the patient reach the Vulnerable Child Mode, one of the early schemas in Piaget’s system. Once in this mode, the patient can then be retaught, re-disciplined, and given things that they were deprived of as a child, such as parental attachment.

The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center in Sacramento California explains on their website that limited reparenting refers to the therapist helping the patient to meet their early childhood needs and establishing a secure attachment with them. In order to develop properly, a child must receive love and nurturing from their caregiver and form an attachment. Without this attachment, children may develop problems with self-esteem and have other emotional problems later down the road.

One reason that Lozano may have chosen to end his life is the fact that he might have still been in vulnerable child mode. A child can suffer separation anxiety when they are removed from their caregiver and Lozano may have had a similar reaction when treatment with Dr. Bean-Bayog was discontinued. It is speculated that the reason that Bean-Bayog became so invested with her patient in the first place was because she hadn’t been able to have children. She had suffered nine miscarriages and saw Lozano as her chance at raising a child. Treatment was discontinued just after Bean-Bayog was able to adopt a baby which may be one of the reasons Lozano lost it. Maybe he felt like he was being “replaced,” not knowing that the doctor wasn’t actually his caregiver.

These factors are all things that need to be considered when looking at this case. Chances are, Lozano had no idea what kind of a situation he was really in. The letters that he wrote addressing Dr. Bean-Bayog as Mom, prove that he really had been reduced to a childlike emotional state. One article that I read said that someone undergoing a reparenting treatment is reduced to the emotional state of three. A three-year-old doesn’t exactly have much say as to what is going on around them or what they need to be cautious of emotionally. Lozano was reduced to a state of innocence and Dr. Bean-Bayog took advantage of that.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this case as interesting as I did.

Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/10/books/therapy-or-seduction.html

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1992/12/18/bean-bayog-case-ends-after-6-years/?page=1

http://cognitivebehaviortherapycenter.com/schema-therapy-california/schema-therapy-limited-reparenting/