Evening star., 1948-09-08
Neurotics Always Neurotic?

To the Editor of The Star
On September The Star published letter
titled, "In Defense of Psychiatry," and signed,
Ex-Neurotic
Unless there has been a recent reversal
Of opinion, it is this writer's understanding
that psychiatry would be the first to register
surprise at the news that there is any such
thing as an ex-neurotic. In the literature and
language of that profession, where is there
anything to confirm it? 1t Is thesis of
psychiatry that the neurotic Is born q neurotic
and will always remain one, and that adjust
ment to environment does not indicate cure
any more than abstinence from alcohol pro-
vides a cure from alcoholism. The countless
number of actions and reactions of individuals
which psychiatry points to as symbolic Of
neurotic behavior are really sufficient to in
dicate that there is no such thing as COM
pletely non-neurotic human being. 1t simply
could not be possible under such circumstances.
It must be extremely self-gratifying for Ex-
Neurotic, therefore, to assume that he has
been cured. And for him to have been able
to arrive at such an assumption Is definite
credit to the psychiatrist he consulted, but
it is doubtful that the latter provided any
such label to the patient.
THE pursuit of happiness" appears to have
IL
and it provokes one to wonder under what
circumStances one could arrive at an adult
age without learning that personal happiness
and self-gratiication are not the prime pur-
poses Of human existence.
Ex-Neurotic apparently assumes that all
psychiatrists are understanding and consider
ate. Such definitely is not the case. Many
OF them are cruelty hostile toward the patient
no hesif of fn
the most discclrteous and uncivil extremes
With patients who also are suffering physical
pain pain which is clearly not a product of
the imagination), the situation is acutely dif-
ficult. The existence of pain is ignored med
ical treatment denied Gin direct contrast to
all semblance of normal medical practice
and the patient is subjected to third-degree
accusations and interrogations bearing no re-
lationship to the immediate problem at hand.
Under these abnormal circumstances the pa
tient then is required and expected to solve
his own problems (Which is to obtain relief
from physical pain). when the very circum-
stances themselves only serve further to in
crease the pain. That some patients survive
1t is definitely not because of but in spite of
psychiatry.
1t is definite fact that psychiatrists in
and bedridden patients who appeal to them
Tor help, and they do not hesitate to inform
them that they are not interested in them
because 1t Is too expensive for them to accept
such cases-naturally, they have no intention
OF expending any time travelling to see patients
when they could be receiving fees for every
minute of that time by the appointments
they could book in their Offices.
This writer is not speaking from ignorance
or hearsay, but from personal observation and
experience, not Of one but of many psychi-
artists, and can say with conviction that the
experience OF Ex-Neurotic is an exception and
definitely not the rule in psychiatric practice.
With psychiatrists in general the questions
OF morale and physical comfort of the realv
i'll patient are the very last things to receive
any consideration, if ar>sll. I have seen plenty
OF evidence to cause me\to be very skeptical
that psychiatry in general has reached the
stage that it is qualified to psychoanalyze and
doctor the heart of mankind, when it con-
sistently ignores the heart OF the individual
and the heart Of the individual is prerequisite
to the collective heart of mankind.
SLAP-HAPPY NEIJROTTr