Capitalism Hits Home: Mental Health in a Profit-Driven, Isolated Society

[S5 E09] Mental Health in a Profit-Driven, Isolated Society
In this episode of Capitalism Hits Home, Dr. Fraad continues her discussion of mental health. She argues that we need to do away with the medical model of mental health that diagnoses depression as a brain disease and seeks to treat it exclusively with medication rather than acknowledging the societal and systemic conditions which lead to this chronic unhappiness. Fraad contends that human misery stems from a lack of meaningful connections to others, society and the world. Capitalism keeps people isolated and often unable to satisfy basic human needs. To truly address the mental health crisis the US faces, we need to create a system built on collective resources, collaboration, and connection.
*Disclaimer: d@w does not provide medical advice of any nature, specific or general, nor the suggestion of any diagnosis or treatment, nor the endorsement of any physician or medical facility mentioned herein. Nothing in this podcast is intended to or should serve as a substitute for medical advice or diagnoses rendered to you by your individual doctor or other health care provider. Only a licensed physician should evaluate your situation, provide a diagnosis, or render other medical advice to you, and you should act only upon the advice of such physician.
Capitalism Hits Home with Dr. Harriet Fraad (CHH) is a‪@democracyatwrk‬ production. The show addresses the intersection of capitalism, class, and personal lives, and explores what is happening in the economic realm and its impact on our individual and social psychology. Learn more about CHH: www.democracya...
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Books referenced by Dr. Fraad:
- Cracked by K.M. Walton
- The Two-Income Trap by Amelia Warren Tyagi and Elizabeth Warren

[@antimattv]

In addition it's that sort of condescending, authoritarian way of downloading blame. They maintain the aire of superiority and say, "there must be something mentally wrong with you." Just because you're not internalizing that ruthless hussle and grind oriented psychology. Thank you for saying the truth, Dr Fraad.

[@justinbarca1835]

I was happy to share this with my friends with the following message "The pain of isolated living weighs upon me, I feel so heard by this doctor. She knows how to make me well. Hint: it's not meds." I found your voice to be a soothing compliment to the incisive tone of Prof. Wolfe (which I can also appreciate).

[@EvolutionWendy]

I feel the same way Justin! I have been "successful" but hearing about Stuvysant Town, my heart opened like a flower. I crave that community connection.

[@colematthews7535]

This is awesome. I am a nursing student; I can’t thank you enough for this presentation. This is exactly what I’m about.

[@marcelapaz8917]

What you describe: a community; it's painfully absent across the USA. Individualism and isolation are the core of the capitalist system.

[@jacpratt8608]

so true. a world where 'man is a wolf unto man'. Sound even better in Latin I'm told. Bit unfair to wolves too.

[@classwarhooligan923]

It’s honestly refreshing hearing someone of your generation talking about these things.

[@missk1697]

Trying to treat suffering with antidepressants is like trying to treat brain cancer with painkillers.

[@standinginthegap7118]

Well spoken

[@constantinerokososky849]

This is my first comment in this channel , and I really want to thank you Dr. Harriet fraud. , for your priceless information about menthal health . i always followed your videos faithfully , as I followed , to the very end , ) the videos of ( my professor of economy , that I admire so much , like a demi God , PROFESSOR , RICHARD D. WOLFF

[@logicNreason2008]

You're amazing for everything you do, Dr. Fraad. Thanks!

[@ericmarcano]

Thank you Dr. Fraad. Your podcasts are therapeutic and insightful 🙏🙏

[@a.jlondon9039]

We are a society of Greed, Materialism, and Low Intelligence (NEVER QUESTION ANYTHING)

[@markayala3754]

As capital rises, disparity deepens. I just hope after all this destruction and consumption, love and compassion blossoms on Earth. It may not be human form but love and compassion nonetheless.

[@michaeltansey8317]

this really spoke to me. thank you so much for your work.

[@leftykeys6944]

I love listening to you, Dr. Fraad.

[@yukonnoka]

I loved this. Thank you. I think the problems of homelessness could be solved through community. It is ridiculous how homeless communities are being attacked by capitalist authorities.

[@AdamNathanielBlake]

Medical Model and Mental Health I am grateful for the discussion of the medical model and it’s inherent flaws. I do have one caveat I’d like to add in addition to this informative discussion for us to all take into consideration. I believe it will help us with this sort of tunnel vision approach. Aka, there is more to this conversation to be had and we must be careful not to trivialize mental illness in the discussion of mental health. Dr. Fraad has a point that much of human suffering is caused realistically by their environment (often one that is oppressive,) and lack of access to resources/other factors. Too often, the approach to mental health and mental illness has been weaponized and in places, medicalized unnecessarily. The field of psychology and psychiatry indeed has a dark past, often utilized by and working with the state and oppressive forces to control the population and institutionalize individuals the state did not seem fit. Behavior that did not conform to what was deemed fit by those in power, such as homosexuality and any practices of gender non-conformity, were stigmatized and treated as mental illness. This in turn allowed the state to forcefully incarcerate and then virtually “erase” these individuals from the society, disappearing them behind the walls and fences of the mental asylums and state institutions. Here, many were subjected to abusive and tragic experiments and “treatments” and certainly often without the consent of the individuals at stake. This is extremely relevant to the discussion as this is where modern psychiatry, psychology, and the discussion and treatment of mental health today stems from. In the United States, late-stage capitalism, inflation, and various other notable causes weigh heavily on the population and this is observable when you look at the statistics. Dr. Fraad discusses this; suicide rates are up, overall quality of life is down, our buying power has weakened and the value of our labor is being attacked at every possible avenue. The working class is being treated as though they are disposable, with the government bailing out only it’s most powerful players in order to keep the stock market from plummeting and keep the nation’s wheels seemingly spinning beautifully. Of course, in result, the people are suffering and we must recognize that treating individuals as though their depression and lack of content is disordered, that their understandable and natural responses to such strife are somehow inappropriate and random, is indeed ridiculous and perverted. We must begin to address the reality these individuals are facing and begin to treat and discuss mental health in a holistic and informed manner. We simply will not move forward until society as a whole understands this and Dr. Fraad’s message is therefore extremely important. However, she appears to go on to confirm that this state of oppression is the *sole* reasoning, that mental illness is not *at all* because of a brain deficiency nor is it something that can be treated with medicine. I think in context this makes sense; if someone’s circumstances of living are at fault why would we treat that with medicine? Of course, that is clear. She even states we should discontinue addressing mental illness with the medical model entirely. However I disagree and think this is dangerous to say so assuredly. The discussion lacks a bit of discretion or concession. Without conceding that there are mental illnesses which DO benefit from medicine I fear we venture into dangerous waters. That is the nature of interpretation, each individual will take away something different from the video, and therefore I think it begets at least a quick comment in addition to the message of the video, so that we may “exit” that “tunnel vision” effect and bring the lecture to carry this important caveat. The nature vs. nurture debate has evolved to be one that is more, nature AND nurture, and in that same stretch I feel we need to be having open discussions that take into consideration everything we do know and everything we don’t know. We still cannot conclusively state that there is not some mental illnesses where individuals brains are not functioning as they should, where there are deficiencies or misfires or some kind of physiological nature at hand that we still do not entirely understand in modern medicine. I think of individuals that are genuinely benefiting from medical intervention and how, if we were to stop treating mental illness medically at all, they would suffer and see a decline in their quality of life. Certain illnesses such as bipolar disorder can be extremely difficult to manage without medication and for some individuals, impossible. I know a number of individuals who take for example, anti-psychotic medications, that allow them to be their genuine selves and have access to their capacities and to a significantly improved quality of life that would not be accessible to them through therapy and community alone. So in the short and colloquial, I feel like Dr. Fraad needs to be careful not to throw the babe out w the bathwater bc whoa now! tunnel vision there my good friend. Dr. Fraad’s message is not negated by the existence of mental illness that benefits from medicine. otherwise I think the message is informative and riveting and will bring us further into a developed and thoughtful space.

[@GriffinWulf]

im currently living in an apartment for nearly 2 years where i've met maybe two people i chat with sometimes, most of my neighbours are downright hostile honestly. parked cars with thin blue line decals. no friends here, i feel very lonely and the garbage i use to fill the void isn't doing me any favours, but financially i cant move back home.

[@ArleneYLope]

Wow

[@EvolutionWendy]

For sure Cambrian. The isolation of living near hostile people is excruciating. Sounds like a dysfunctional place, I hope you find a happier home before too much time passes. I also crave the connection Harriet mentions and living by myself with mean neighbors is not great but it's at least a lot of privacy i like privacy OK

[@jacpratt8608]

Its too true. When I lived in apartment tower people constantly bitched about who did what in the shared laundry. Older residents bitched about newcomers. Only children were friendly and supportive to anyone obviously in trouble. A few months after I left a neighbor was murdered on the stairs, I assume the lift was down otherwise a man in his 60s wouldn't have walked up 16 stories. Place was probably designed (Le Corbusier in far off Switzerland!) with good intentions but existing as an island of the less well off amidst a rapidly gentrifying suburb it wasn't well fated. Still there. Still here people who've never been there talk about 'vertical villages'.

[@cev12]

I agree that capitalism causes narcissism, selfishness and egotism amongst people... But people go there willingly. At the end of the day, everyone gets to choose their response and behavior.

[@missk1697]

um, no. There is no compelling evidence for free will.

[@AdamNathanielBlake]

I disagree. Mental illness is not just the result of human suffering. Some individuals genuinely can NOT choose their own response or behavior. And they are no less human than those of us who can.

[@cev12]

​@@AdamNathanielBlake I disagree. There may be some things people cannot choose, like delusions. But they can choose whether they're selfish egotists or not.

[@romeoandjuliet6522]

I wish i knew this before that for mental health and hapiness we need connection with each other and sharing

[@waxer00]

A Lovely message well voiced . Thank you

[@alleggett9354]

Bravo, Doc!

[@flash_flood_area]

I didn't know that McCarthy had anything to do with the development of suburbs rather than places like Stye town

[@kirstinstrand6292]

Did you know that suburbia was also designed to carry people on highways, so oil could be used for profits to oil companies?

[@flash_flood_area]

@@kirstinstrand6292 No, but that's certainly not surprising.

[@AntonStampfl]

A marvelous talk about shared housing. Places our need for decent safe housing for all into great perspective.

[@mravalosmj]

Love this progam!

[@mwikalinthenge2789]

I shared this with a friend. Very insightful. Being a ledger. Human resource as a commodity

[@oldreprobate2748]

Thank you Harrett.

[@tomlynn9132]

Good video harriet! Thank you!

[@thecatsbackyard4833]

Thank you.

[@marissadower-morgan3313]

Remeber Community Centers ? Places for children and adults to meet , play and have postive social activities . What happened to this type of social support and social benefit , for evey one ? They were places for poorer children to be safe after school , and adolecents to have sports activities , instead of getting into trouble . Aside from this we need this for emergency shelters durring global warming and other world crisis .

[@rogbrogb5341]

Sorry, we need that money for bogus wars like Ukraine. We bave to "Bait and Bleed"* Russia in hopes of ACQUIRING it some day, because that's what empires do! *Search Rand Corporation's 2019 "Overextending and Unbalancing Russia".

[@rogbrogb5341]

Also, the violence of our federal government all around the world SETS THE EXAMPLE for our young people; this is how you solve problems- witha gun!

[@paulwellman1030]

The bright future is World Wide Worker Owned Cooperatives transacting in Bitcoin. You gotta dream.

[@shellb1633]

I always love your show.

[@ramblinrogers649]

Enjoy your videos.

[@indonesiamenggugat8795]

❤❤

[@standinginthegap7118]

This is a very miserable society. Terrible really. Sometimes it seems hopeless because too many believe in the slavery of capitalism

[@1p6t1gms]

Yes

[@qjtvaddict]

The government she describes is what the Chinese government does

[@qjtvaddict]

Show this to feminists and red pill men show to everyone

[@jacpratt8608]

Freedom is more important than the fake highly supervised 'security' of the 'shelters'. Freedom to mind your own business, to not be treated like an incompetent, an infant or dependent. Might it be that some homeless people value that freedom more than security? The petty supervision of who you can do what with and where all the time, supervision that does not protect you from theft, abuse or other violences? Places where the Supervising class might even jump at the chance to join in the abuse.

[@missk1697]

"Might it be that some homeless people value that freedom more than security?" If thats your claim, then show us statistics to back it up.

[@MrBreeze66]

Except capitalism is about choice, choice is freedom. People even have the choice to start a business, not just work in one. Try that in a government controlled economy. So everything you said comes from a faulty premise.

[@bpalpha]

Seriously? The government DOES control the economy. There are no freedoms in life, but responsibilities. Drank far too much kool-aid.

[@rogbrogb5341]

Looks like Answer Deleted. Thanks, EwwToob!