Comments on: The Trouble With Spikol Print Edition: Fox’s “Mental”

By: Knitting Clio

Knitting Clio — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:57:42 +0000

Great article. I admire your stamina in watching more than one episode of the show — I can barely stand the commercials for it.

By: Kristin Bell

Kristin Bell — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:42:45 +0000

Thanks, Joe, for the study link, but that doesn’t provide evidence for any blanket statements regarding race as it relates to rates of schizophrenia. As the study itself states, it would need a lot more verification from other studies to start drawing conclusions. In addition, there are a number of possible problems with the study and the sample sizes are extremely small. This kind of thing happens in the media a lot where someone will over-simplify something from ONE journal article and then the next thing you know everyone and their mother is quoting how blueberries can cure cancer or something. There are very few hard and fast outcomes from scientific studies, even if there is a lot of information gained. I’m not saying that it isn’t possible. It is just a pet peeve of mine when people use statistics that aren’t backed up anywhere or are over-inflated.

By: John Folk-Williams

John Folk-Williams — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:20:34 +0000

Thanks for this great and thought-provoking column. There are many keen points in it, but I’m especially interested in any connection between social conditions – not only poverty – and the development of mental illness. No one doubts the impact of family life, but the effects of daily life, social and cultural norms, work life – and especially the stress all these create – must have something to do with it and deserve a lot more attention.

Thanks again.

John

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:42:28 +0000

Race and risk of schizophrenia in a US birth cohort: another example of health disparity? International Journal of Epidemiology, doi:10.1093/ije/dym04164

By: Kristin Bell

Kristin Bell — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:07:28 +0000

I don’t understand. Are those supposed to be bullet points toward the end? Are those supposed to be factual? Because I’ve never heard of schizophrenia effecting Black people at 200% of the normal rate. Everything I have read emphatically says that across all diversity lines, geographic lines, etc. the rate is 1% of the population. Also, poverty doesn’t make you have schizophrenia, although many schizophrenic people are less well off, probably because they are struck with the disease in prime earning years. Of course, poverty can also cause stress that doesn’t help people out in the mental health area. However, being poor doesn’t mean you will be any more likely to be schizophrenic and being rich won’t save you from the disease either. I also don’t know if it is proper to make a statement about anti-psychotics being overused, because a huge percentage of schizophrenic people who NEED antipsychotics don’t take them.

But, I agree the show is horrid…and appears to be getting worse. I watch it like a train wreck of course. I feel compelled, just so I can say how bad it is.

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:00:24 +0000

Reality on a TV show?! Never happen, unless it is a documentary on PBS. Even “reality” shows only show people behaving at their worst. More ratings that way. Along those lines, I am sure someone in showbiz has hazarded the idea of actually showing the mentally ill at their worst, but that would be exploitation Hollywood couldn’t get away with.

By: Lisa M Incognito

Lisa M Incognito — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:21:03 +0000

I have been in the system since I was 25 – I’m 45 now. I have seen my last psych ward, they have gotten so bad, I feel like and am treated like I am some kind of feral animal instead of a fragile human being. I’ll find something, any thing but a psych ward – some times a few quiet days at a good hotel does it!

By: ozjthomas

ozjthomas — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:17:38 +0000

The show is terrible, but at this point it is like watching a train wreck for me. I’m hoping it will get better. There are glimmers here and there…

By: HS

HS — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:44:40 +0000

Ultimately the public’s dicomfort with mental illness results in a silly, medically baseless portrayal. Also, with characters like the pain pill chewing House gaining ratings, America’s feelings about their doctors have certainly slipped since the days of Marcus Welby. Even Hawkeye Pierce sobered up before surgery.

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:13:31 +0000

You have a keen, agile mind, Liz. Great column full of interesting observations.

By: Jen

Jen — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:47:33 +0000

Good column Liz, I haven’t seen the show but I have seen ads for the show and it sounds like it pretty much met my (low) expectations from your description.