In my last entry, I mentioned a book I had just finished that talked about using psychedelics for depression. While there were many great ideas and theories brought out in the book, I want to touch on one in particular: the idea of a unified theory of mental illness.
In a nutshell, a unified theory of mental illness basically states that all mental illness is connected. Each diagnosis does not stand alone, but is rather part of a spectrum or continuum of illness. Of course, there are likely several ideas out there to help explain why people think all mental illness is connected, but the overall idea is worth pondering. Are all mental illnesses truly connected?
If I look back on my dad’s experience, this idea makes a lot of sense to me. As I have noted before, my dad had a clinical diagnosis of depression. However, I know for sure there was a lot of anxiety that came with the depression. Also, my dad described times where he heard voices and would share what they were saying, so it seems that there may have been some psychosis and/or schizophrenic symptoms occurring. Looking back on it, I think I have subconsciously known for a long time that all of this was connected.
What do you think about a unified theory of mental illness? Do you think it is all connected? If this is a new concept for you, how does it make you feel? Does it help to possibly explain what you might be experiencing? For me, I am looking forward to seeing what else comes from this theory. Will it help to finally explain the causes of mental illness with more certainty? Will it help lead to better and more effective treatment options? I am very excited to see where an idea like this will go.