Saturday, September 15, 2007

David Lukoff at Shrinkrapradio (110)

David Lukoff should return to Shrink Rap radio, for he and Dr. Dave and are not done talking yet. This issue of SRR, #110, focuses mostly on David's success at getting a new diagnostic category -- Religious or Spiritual Problem -- accepted into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. He describes how he, in collaboration with others, achieved the recognition for the diagnostic category.

What is very impressive, is that Lukoff has suffered a severe psychotic episode himself. He has been able to recover and even made the experience contribute to his consequent work in psychiatry and psychology. When he relates about this episode, especially the starting point of it, I think we see, much what every listener could identify with. Maybe each one of us, allows oneself to slide into a crisis to some degree. Not necessarily to the degree Dr. Lukoff has done, which included substance abuse, homelessness and psychosis. Nevertheless, such crises, seem, in the end, to be beneficial, when incorporated properly into 'healthy' life.

Much about this, is left unsaid. And in the end both Lukoff and Van Nuys agree, they should meat again. I can only say: do not wait too long.