Is the psychiatric classification of schizophrenia really just a cover up for religious and mystical experience?
No — it’s the other way around — religious and mystical experiences are cover ups for psychiatric classifications — there’s a woman down the street who believes her son is possessed by the devil, and she has special prayer sessions for him — if she just gave him his schizophrenia medicine, his life would be much more tolerable. UPDATE: Wanted to add — not saying that religious and mystical experiences don’t happen, or don’t somehow have “special meaning” — however — they shouldn’t be confused with mental illness. It’s a pretty hazy line — I would draw the line at safety — if somebody presents a danger to their self or to somebody else — it’s time to bring in a shrink and get an assessment.
