800-pound-man-kicked-out-of-hospital-for-ordering-pizza
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1734744
More than likely yes, there is mental illness here. As an aside, I'm curious about how you think mental illness manifests. The man here is behaving abusively and obnoxiously in the videos... why is that in conflict in your mind with his also being mentally ill?
(ETA to fix autocorrect)0 -
I've spent my entire professional life as a licensed mental health practitioner working with individuals and populations generally assessed as being "high risk" for any number of reasons. I don't have any illusions left about the challenges people face, the balance between personal and social responsibility, or how much of a miracle it really is when someone is able to get free of their particular version of hell.
I had hoped that the example of this young man might spark some useful discussion around just how complex and heartbreaking it can be (for everyone - the individual suffering, family members, the care team) to deal with extreme obesity.
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?). And I'm seeing posts from others who apparently have some personal history working with the severely mentally ill who are telling stories designed to shock or entertain about their former clients, labeling people as their illness, and generalizing about people with mental disorders in ways that I find very questionable and offensive on a professional level.
Whether his illness led him to set himself up like this or not, there's no reason to treat this man and his family - or anyone with a mental disorder - like a freak show. I'm just so damned disappointed in a lot of what I am seeing here. People on these boards can do better than that.
Actually in this case, it is the father who has turned his son's condition into a freak show. I have spent days crying, having panic attacks, receiving death threats, talking to drs, involving even the police at some point, to help a close relative who was a danger to himself and others. At no point did it cross my mind to involve the media. I am sure that, like in most mental illnesses, incidents from my relative's life would have made a very "entertaining" story and he too could become as "famous" as this man. Why the father chose to seek this type of attention is beyond me, but I seriously doubt the 800 lbs man is the only one with serious issues in the family.
The father knows that if he attracts media attention, some other facility will step in. I bet this was My 600 Pound life: Assanti’s father told NBC that a “television medical show” called up his son this week.
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1734744
More than likely yes, there is mental illness here. As an aside, I'm curious about how you think mental illness manifests. The man here is behaving abusively and obnoxiously in the videos... why is that in conflict in your mind with his also being mentally ill?
(ETA to fix autocorrect)
I haven't yet read the link, but will! I notice you're still saying "more than likely". Is it a given, or not, that there's a mental illness going on here? My conflict, as you say, is in assuming that one has a mental illness just because they are ranting and are fat. Are those things a sane person would never do?
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We're talking about ill people in a hospital setting, not prisoners in a prison. Your analogy is offensive.
It's not really a punishment. There are many people there, all of whom have issues. If you allow someone who is horribly stinky out with others, there will be comments and it's very likely that a fight will break out. It's disruptive and dangerous.nutmegoreo wrote: »Refusing to bathe is not an uncommon tactic amongst the mentally ill who are able to interact with others. It's a stupid, manipulative game they play, much like a child who holds their breath. "I'm going to make you wash me" is the slang we used, as in, "Mr. Smith is playing 'I'm going to make you wash me' and may not have ice cream after dinner."
Much like children, if they're refused dessert for a couple meals, many will bathe. The ones who that doesn't work on are confined to their room until they bathe.
Old story.
This is really not sitting well with me, so I am asking for clarification.
Are you saying that confining people with mental health issues to their room (how is this enforced?) is an appropriate 'punishment' for them using the 'manipulation technique' of not bathing? Punishment here is placed in quotes for the fact that this, in my mind, is abusive. Manipulation technique is in quotes because for people with severe depression, basic daily activities are incredibly difficult to perform. Even with mild depression, a person's willingness to partake in self-care can be diminished.
Maybe it's the way I'm reading it, but your post is really sad and sounds horrifying.
Everyone has to bathe. Daily would be ideal, but at least every two or three days. If they refuse to bathe, they cannot be out and upsetting everyone else.
Everyone has to wear some kind of clothing. Nakedness will also mean you're confined to your room. That, too, upsets others. The accidentally naked will be reminded to dress or assisted with dressing. The manipulative, "I'm not wearing clothes and everyone can deal with it," will mean you need to stay in your room until you put on some type of clothing.
These are really the only two things required. You must bathe and you must wear some kind of clothing.
Some people are too far gone to bathe and are helped or relieved of the burden, but the manipulative, "You have to wash me" is just not complied with. When you begin bathing people who can bathe themselves because that's what they've insisted upon, you literally have the inmates running the asylum. Again, this is something that has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If that young man was well enough to dust and vacuum, he was well enough to attempt to bathe himself. I don't know why he refused or if he was playing the manipulative "I'm going to make you wash me" game or not, but it happens and it happens all the time.
A person in the midst of a major depressive episode - I've never seen one do that. That would not be common. They always bathe. Usually, every day, with encouragement, but for sure every day or two. They're not out to force anyone to wash them. It's just not part of their deal.
It isn't common amongst the depressed (like I said, I've never seen it at all), but the game itself is played out every day. It's very frustrating for family members attempting to help these people at home. Those family members are encouraged to cease assistance until the person bathes. Some can, some cannot.
If my brother, who was in both Bridgewater State Hospital and Plymouth County Correctional Facility in 2013, were on this forum, he would tell you the analogy was apt.0 -
Well, since this is the final day of Mental Health Awareness Week 2015, here are a few links for everyone. As well as this year's hashtag: #IAmStigmaFree (See the person, not the illness.) Last year's was #EveryMindMatters. Still true.
http://www.nami.org/
http://mhaweek.org/
http://everymindmatters.org/
http://www.eachmindmatters.org/
I see the effects every day of people being afraid to seek help, or being too embarrassed to seek help, or there not being enough resources to help those who do reach out. My hope is that things change. Soon.
NAMI has been a big support to my mother over the years.
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.0 -
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I tend not to trust media portrayals of individuals too much, especially if it crap shows like Dr. Phil
Example: http://nypost.com/2015/01/18/contestant-reveals-the-brutal-secrets-of-the-biggest-loser/0 -
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
To each his own. For what it's worth, I don't assume he has a mental illness. I suspect it's a good possibility, but it's irrelevant to how I would refer to him, without having ever interacted with him and only seen him on a television show made to dehumanize people for entertainment.0 -
[quote="kkenseth;34260241
[/quote]
To each his own. For what it's worth, I don't assume he has a mental illness. I suspect it's a good possibility, but it's irrelevant to how I would refer to him, without having ever interacted with him and only seen him on a television show made to dehumanize people for entertainment.[/quote]
Well said. (Here's looking at you, Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz.
)
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crazyjerseygirl wrote: »
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I tend not to trust media portrayals of individuals too much, especially if it crap shows like Dr. Phil
Example: http://nypost.com/2015/01/18/contestant-reveals-the-brutal-secrets-of-the-biggest-loser/
It's not just shows like Dr. Phil. Most media needs to be taken with a grain of salt. I have seen news articles on local television that are run with half truths that portray one side better than the other. The reality is that a healthy dose of skepticism is a great idea.
I hope that the man in the OP gets the help that he needs. I hope that he finds another program, and that his is compliant with the program.
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
I also watched the video, and some of his YouTube postings (I was busy procrastinating yesterday, and it seemed like as good of an excuse as any). I am certain that there are many underlying confounding issues at play that cannot possibly be understood from a distance. All we can do is maintain compassion and understanding that there is more going on than what we see. Whether these things are diagnosable, or not, I cannot possibly begin to guess and have no intention to try.
Nothing, in anyone's life is ever what we perceive it to be from an external viewpoint. I know so many people who appear to have it together, but when you ask them the important questions in life, they are just as lost as the majority of us. I am not saying that no one has it together, just that it is not possible to truly know without sitting down, creating trust, and then asking the hard questions. Many of us hide the things we are most embarrassed by and ashamed of.0 -
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
The behavior in question here is yours. Name calling, bullying, etc, are absolutely never, ever acceptable. No matter the behavior of another person, or the reason for that behavior, there is no justification for your decision to label anyone with a rude, offensive name. Two wrongs never make a right. I worked in a hospital for years, and I'll tell you this. Sometimes people act out because they have mental problems, and sometimes they act out because they are just miserable people. Regardless of why they act the way that they do, acting rudely back to them never makes you any better. Acting compassionately and empathetically, understanding that they are acting the way they are simply because they are so miserable, can make you a better person, and can actually make you and others feel better.0 -
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
And what would make me feel better would be examples of better human behavior in regards to anyone, no matter what their situation. Name calling is never acceptable.
Why is name calling so much worse than character derogation for name calling? Insults are insults.0 -
It wasn't a reference to a prison. "Asylum" was never synonymous with "penitentiary." Wellness centers, formerly mental health centers, formerly psych wards, were once referred to as asylums.kshama2001 wrote: »
We're talking about ill people in a hospital setting, not prisoners in a prison. Your analogy is offensive.
It's not really a punishment. There are many people there, all of whom have issues. If you allow someone who is horribly stinky out with others, there will be comments and it's very likely that a fight will break out. It's disruptive and dangerous.nutmegoreo wrote: »Refusing to bathe is not an uncommon tactic amongst the mentally ill who are able to interact with others. It's a stupid, manipulative game they play, much like a child who holds their breath. "I'm going to make you wash me" is the slang we used, as in, "Mr. Smith is playing 'I'm going to make you wash me' and may not have ice cream after dinner."
Much like children, if they're refused dessert for a couple meals, many will bathe. The ones who that doesn't work on are confined to their room until they bathe.
Old story.
This is really not sitting well with me, so I am asking for clarification.
Are you saying that confining people with mental health issues to their room (how is this enforced?) is an appropriate 'punishment' for them using the 'manipulation technique' of not bathing? Punishment here is placed in quotes for the fact that this, in my mind, is abusive. Manipulation technique is in quotes because for people with severe depression, basic daily activities are incredibly difficult to perform. Even with mild depression, a person's willingness to partake in self-care can be diminished.
Maybe it's the way I'm reading it, but your post is really sad and sounds horrifying.
Everyone has to bathe. Daily would be ideal, but at least every two or three days. If they refuse to bathe, they cannot be out and upsetting everyone else.
Everyone has to wear some kind of clothing. Nakedness will also mean you're confined to your room. That, too, upsets others. The accidentally naked will be reminded to dress or assisted with dressing. The manipulative, "I'm not wearing clothes and everyone can deal with it," will mean you need to stay in your room until you put on some type of clothing.
These are really the only two things required. You must bathe and you must wear some kind of clothing.
Some people are too far gone to bathe and are helped or relieved of the burden, but the manipulative, "You have to wash me" is just not complied with. When you begin bathing people who can bathe themselves because that's what they've insisted upon, you literally have the inmates running the asylum. Again, this is something that has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If that young man was well enough to dust and vacuum, he was well enough to attempt to bathe himself. I don't know why he refused or if he was playing the manipulative "I'm going to make you wash me" game or not, but it happens and it happens all the time.
A person in the midst of a major depressive episode - I've never seen one do that. That would not be common. They always bathe. Usually, every day, with encouragement, but for sure every day or two. They're not out to force anyone to wash them. It's just not part of their deal.
It isn't common amongst the depressed (like I said, I've never seen it at all), but the game itself is played out every day. It's very frustrating for family members attempting to help these people at home. Those family members are encouraged to cease assistance until the person bathes. Some can, some cannot.
If my brother, who was in both Bridgewater State Hospital and Plymouth County Correctional Facility in 2013, were on this forum, he would tell you the analogy was apt.
I've heard good things and horrible things about state facilities and have been told more than once that it wasn't the place for me. One guy said, "You wouldn't last a day there." But I don't know.
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He's also been in the state hospitals in Taunton and Worcester. Taunton was rather old and decrepid, but not bad in terms of how he was treated. Worcester is a beautiful new facility, but, well, too long a story to go into here. Neither were like Bridgewater, which does have a different mission.0
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
The behavior in question here is yours. Name calling, bullying, etc, are absolutely never, ever acceptable. No matter the behavior of another person, or the reason for that behavior, there is no justification for your decision to label anyone with a rude, offensive name. Two wrongs never make a right. I worked in a hospital for years, and I'll tell you this. Sometimes people act out because they have mental problems, and sometimes they act out because they are just miserable people. Regardless of why they act the way that they do, acting rudely back to them never makes you any better. Acting compassionately and empathetically, understanding that they are acting the way they are simply because they are so miserable, can make you a better person, and can actually make you and others feel better.
Don't worry, others feel great around me
So let me get this: someone could be, say, a rapist, and since we don't understand all the details that contributed to their situation we can offer nothing but kindness and respect with regards to their predicament? Poor guy, poor guy, I wonder what went wrong to make him be so awful. I can only imagine what it must be like to offer this kind of unconditional respect and compassion. I can't say such sainthood interests me much. I guess good for you, and you do you, okay? In my world, you reap what you sow, and if you don't want to come across as a DB, you investigate the tools to resolve whatever issues you might have going on and adjust your behavior. No, I don't automatically have compassion for someone who verbally abuses his own father and multiple people unfortunate enough to come across him. And if that makes you a better person than I, I can live with that
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Disordered behavior is usually considered a disorder once the symptoms cause clinically significant distress or impairment in a person being able to live a relatively "normal" life. We can't diagnose an exact illness without treating him, but given that he is asking for help to lose weight and can't do so enough to make his way into an apartment, I think it's pretty safe to say that there is subjective and objective clinical distress in the works.
The symptoms that are being interpreted as possibly just a jerk's behavior are also causing clinically significant distress and impairment. What he has is not freedom-he's actually pretty dependent. If loved ones were to give up or go away, he would be helpless for some time to meet his own needs. He might get to say and think aggressive things or not control his intake, but when you've given up the rest of your life to do so, that's not doing whatever you want.
Most of us have fantasies of just eating or saying whatever we want. The reality is much less pleasant after a while, and people regulate their behavior. There's a big difference between morbid obesity and 800 lbs. Mental illness does not equal total loss of control of faculties. I'm not sure anyone can claim this man has anywhere near reasonable control in his life.0 -
Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
The behavior in question here is yours. Name calling, bullying, etc, are absolutely never, ever acceptable. No matter the behavior of another person, or the reason for that behavior, there is no justification for your decision to label anyone with a rude, offensive name. Two wrongs never make a right. I worked in a hospital for years, and I'll tell you this. Sometimes people act out because they have mental problems, and sometimes they act out because they are just miserable people. Regardless of why they act the way that they do, acting rudely back to them never makes you any better. Acting compassionately and empathetically, understanding that they are acting the way they are simply because they are so miserable, can make you a better person, and can actually make you and others feel better.
Don't worry, others feel great around me
So let me get this: someone could be, say, a rapist, and since we don't understand all the details that contributed to their situation we can offer nothing but kindness and respect with regards to their predicament? Poor guy, poor guy, I wonder what went wrong to make him be so awful. I can only imagine what it must be like to offer this kind of unconditional respect and compassion. I can't say such sainthood interests me much. I guess good for you, and you do you, okay? In my world, you reap what you sow, and if you don't want to come across as a DB, you investigate the tools to resolve whatever issues you might have going on and adjust your behavior. No, I don't automatically have compassion for someone who verbally abuses his own father and multiple people unfortunate enough to come across him. And if that makes you a better person than I, I can live with that
Ahh, calling people names like DB wasn't enough....now there is comparing those who may have mental illness or other personality issues to rapists. Unacceptable.
Effective treatment usually entails not just respect and compassion but also increasing someone's insight into their own actions and own control over their actions. Treatment for this man would not be 100% validation and sympathy. It would also include a lot of feedback and tasks to take responsibility over choices regardless of what has happened in his life. Treatment includes helping people take a more honest and realistic look at the whole picture. Most people are not truly without some level of choice. Some people don't know how to handle things differently, though, or avoid accepting that they can. If he were to do some intensive treatment, I believe that he could improve his quality of life.
*Didn't mean to include Shell's response in the quote0 -
Effective treatment usually entails not just respect and compassion but also increasing someone's insight into their own actions and own control over their actions. Treatment for this man would not be 100% validation and sympathy. It would also include a lot of feedback and tasks to take responsibility over choices regardless of what has happened in his life. Treatment includes helping people take a more honest and realistic look at the whole picture. Most people are not truly without some level of choice. Some people don't know how to handle things differently, though, or avoid accepting that they can. If he were to do some intensive treatment, I believe that he could improve his quality of life.
*Didn't mean to include Shell's response in the quote
Yes, I do wonder how much he may be getting insulated from the consequences and feedback of his own behavior
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Instead, I'm just appalled at some of the talk here about how to tell whether someone is a "DB" as opposed to "really" having a mental disorder, implications that those with mental disorders must be having just a great time thanks to their "freedom" to "do/eat what they want" (REALLY?).
Try again
My comments were meant to describe what benefits a DB might obtain from such behavior, even though he may not have a mental illness. My repeated question on mental illness is to ask how you can tell that a person has one just by watching videos of them. Hopefully you're a tad less appalled now
'Try again'? Perhaps you'd do better to reconsider the fact that you're repeatedly using the initials DB (shortening them doesn't hide the fact that you mean *kitten*, which is rude at best, and just blatantly mean at worst). Considering that the discussion is about a person who might be mentally ill, it's incredibly offensive, and appalling, that you still can't figure out that it's just not acceptable to do that. A person who is eating himself into an early grave can't be considered mentally healthy. It's obvious that he has some sort of problem, and acting out is just part of his problem. Compassion should be part of everyone's makeup. Name calling is something that should have been left behind on the childhood playground, and even at that aren't we supposed to be teaching our children that it's part of bullying and should never be done at all?
I suppose the bolded answers my question. Is that your opinion, or some sort of established, widely known fact? Sources? Don't countless Americans essentially do just that every day? Are they all assumed to be mentally ill, too?
If I didn't call the person who was described as abusive in the post I initially responded to a potential DB, would it make you feel better?
BED is an established, widely known fact. And I believe that morbid obesity has been recognized as a disease, so yes, it is more than just my opinion.
Basically any morbidly obese person definitely has BED?
I think the argument that someone who has let themselves get to 800+ pounds clearly has something else going on. That just is not normal behavior. Many people reach an established weight based on the number of calories eaten and it becomes maintenance. It is something else entirely to reach 800 pounds.
Interesting. The way I see it, we all have something going on. I just wonder at what point do we ignore all prior transgressions and only see this poor morbidly obese guy who now needs to be pitied and helped. Isn't getting huge what happens when you eat too many calories on a prolonged basis? Isn't ruining your life what happens when you abuse and ignore those that try to guide you in the right direction? At what point does the flip happen when it's no longer something that's your doing / in your control and you're living the consequences of your daily choices and actions? At what stage does one get absolved of accountability and personal responsibility?
At this point we're probably just going around in circles. I suppose I understand the popular opinion that just by being XXX lbs overweight, it automatically means one has one or several mental illnesses. I'm actually doing some light reading on the subject matter - anyone that has any sources or other background on the subject, please feel free to share
Finally, I wonder how many participating in this discussion have actually watched videos of this man
I have. And?
Yes yes Shell, I know you have based on your earlier comments about this abusive man. So that's one. I suspect some of the others hadn't as of the time of posting their comments. I wonder if they experienced how truly vile he was coming across
I watched the video, and it makes no difference in my comments. Whether he has a diagnosis or not, whether he is vile or not, he is still human. It doesn't matter how he comes across to us on TV. He still deserves to be treated like a human being and not called names, or have assumptions made about him.
Assumptions like he definitely has a mental illness, for example?
I suppose my position on the "name calling" that some of you find to be in poor taste is that respect is earned. This person comes across as abusive, extremely disrespectful, i.e. a DB for short. Either that, OR be has a mental illness and his behavior is out of his control. Honestly to me, it's actually disrespectful and dehumanizing to assume he has a mental illness for sure. Hey, you're fat and say things I don't like, can't possibly be in control of your faculties.
The behavior in question here is yours. Name calling, bullying, etc, are absolutely never, ever acceptable. No matter the behavior of another person, or the reason for that behavior, there is no justification for your decision to label anyone with a rude, offensive name. Two wrongs never make a right. I worked in a hospital for years, and I'll tell you this. Sometimes people act out because they have mental problems, and sometimes they act out because they are just miserable people. Regardless of why they act the way that they do, acting rudely back to them never makes you any better. Acting compassionately and empathetically, understanding that they are acting the way they are simply because they are so miserable, can make you a better person, and can actually make you and others feel better.
Don't worry, others feel great around me
So let me get this: someone could be, say, a rapist, and since we don't understand all the details that contributed to their situation we can offer nothing but kindness and respect with regards to their predicament? Poor guy, poor guy, I wonder what went wrong to make him be so awful. I can only imagine what it must be like to offer this kind of unconditional respect and compassion. I can't say such sainthood interests me much. I guess good for you, and you do you, okay? In my world, you reap what you sow, and if you don't want to come across as a DB, you investigate the tools to resolve whatever issues you might have going on and adjust your behavior. No, I don't automatically have compassion for someone who verbally abuses his own father and multiple people unfortunate enough to come across him. And if that makes you a better person than I, I can live with that
Ahh, calling people names like DB wasn't enough....now there is comparing those who may have mental illness or other personality issues to rapists. Unacceptable.
Effective treatment usually entails not just respect and compassion but also increasing someone's insight into their own actions and own control over their actions. Treatment for this man would not be 100% validation and sympathy. It would also include a lot of feedback and tasks to take responsibility over choices regardless of what has happened in his life. Treatment includes helping people take a more honest and realistic look at the whole picture. Most people are not truly without some level of choice. Some people don't know how to handle things differently, though, or avoid accepting that they can. If he were to do some intensive treatment, I believe that he could improve his quality of life.
That has nothing to do with my comment you quoted.
Having a treatment plan and holding a client accountable is one thing. Calling the client names or comparing them to sex offenders is another.
I edited my post right away when it came up when I saw that I had quoted the wrong post (why it had nothing to do with your post.) We must have cross-posted.0
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