What makes members of the Church of Scientology mental health experts?

Question

I remember Tom Cruise telling Matt Lauer, "You don't know the history of psychiatry. I do!" Oh, really? Are we supposed to believe that he spent hours studying psychiatry texts and journals while he wasn't filming movies or jumping on Oprah's couch? Also, there was a feature on "48 Hours" about a young schizophrenic man who killed his mother while he was in a psychotic state. His parents were Scientologists who didn't believe that he needed meds or counseling, and for that reason, they didn't get him the help he so desperately needed and now his mother is dead as a result.

Answer 1

This is what Scientologists ACTUALLY believe:

Xenu was an alien ruler of the "Galactic Confederacy" who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of people to Earth in spacecrafts resembling Douglas DC-8 airliners, stacked them around volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Their souls then clustered together and stuck to the bodies of the living. The alien souls continue to do this today, causing a variety of physical ill-effects in modern-day humans. L. Ron Hubbard (a science-fiction writer and the creator of Scientology) called these clustered spirits "Body Thetans," and the advanced levels in Scientology place considerable emphasis on isolating them and neutralizing their ill effects.

To rid ourselves of "Body Thetans" and also “engrams” (past negative experiences stored in our unconscious mind) so that we can become “clear”, we have to go through "auditing" with a member of the “church” who uses an "e-meter" to measure our “reactive mind”...... and we have to pay lots and lots and lots of money for “auditing” (purchased in 12.5-hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 and $9,000 for advanced sessions) and to take courses on Scientology to advance to higher “levels” in the “church”. The “church” has also taken a very hostile stance towards psychiatry and psychiatric drugs irrespective of the fact that some people require medication to remain adequately functional in everyday life. They deny the reality of chemical imbalances and of profound psychological disturbance. The “church” has been known to withhold prescription pharmaceuticals from member (with deadly results).

Scientology is undeniably a cult. Every cult can be defined as a group having all of the following five characteristics:

(1) It uses psychological coercion to recruit, indoctrinate and retain its members [convincing potential members that they are unhappy and Scientology is the only means of helping themselves]. (2) It forms an elitist totalitarian society. [they label everyone who disagrees or questions as a “Suppressive Person” and requires members to “disconnect” from them] (3) Its founder leader is self-appointed, dogmatic, messianic, not accountable and has charisma. [Yes, that would be Hubbard] (4) It believes 'the end justifies the means' in order to solicit funds & recruit people. (5) Its wealth does not benefit its members or society. [self evident proof for 4 & 5 as it does milk members for virtually everything they have and it’s wealth doesn’t find it’s way back to it’s members or society at all]

Cults are extremely harmful. To remain within the strict mental and social confines of a cult for even a short time can have the following disastrous effects:

Loss of choice and free will. Diminished intellectual ability, vocabulary and sense of humor. Reduced use of irony, abstractions and metaphors. Reduced capacity to form flexible and intimate relationships. Poor judgment. Physical deterioration. Malnutrition. Hallucinations, panic, dissociation, guilt, identity diffusion and paranoia. Neurotic, psychotic or suicidal tendencies.

Answer 2

I don't know but denying someone medication because of a mental health conditition is just wrong. Some people do need the stuff. I agree that our society is overly medicated but some people do need it.

Heck, Brooke Shields said that her life is much better with the meds after Tom Cruise said something about her. Now what happens if their kid Suri develops a severe case of depression? Are they going to tell her it's "all in her head" and just have her take vitamins instead? That can have fatal consequences.

I was diagnosed with depression when I was a sophomore in college. However, prior to that, I suffered from panic and anxiety attacks and took medication previously. Without my meds, I would not be able to function and I would most likely be laying in bed crying my eyes out...ALL DAY.

Psychiatry is not a quack science; in people who suffer from depression, it is said that they suffer from a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by environmental factors as well as genetics (which is where I got my depression from). Anti-depressants such as Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, etc. are taken to help to balance the imbalance in the brain. Vitamins are not scientifically proven to do this (the exception being Omega fish oil tablets) other than give the body its daily dose of nutrients.

The very idea of denying someone psychiatric medication such as that young man who killed his mother for weird reasons is wrong. What if someone is so depressed to the point of being suicidal? How are vitamins going to help them?

Answer 3

I remember about 28 years ago, when scientology was new on the scene. A sub-group of my friends joined. They became the most obnoxious people I've ever met. Then, after experiencing many problems, they decided, one by one, to quit. The local 'scientology leaders' tried to hold them against their will. Others were out-right kidnapped. After all was said and done, my friends were too scared to prosecute. They had received threats that were very clear about what would happen to their families if they did. Scientology is a CULT. An evil cult that promotes SELF. Anything but God. They lie to confuse their followers. I hope that any person considering 'joining' that cult , reads this post. A personal true-life experience.

Answer 4

i don think they know anything about mental health. they just get the weakest mind to play with. i been trying to find out what they do since i got really offended by a few. they got me doing a stress test and started asking really stupid questions im mexican so they started asking me if i was on drugs gangs even if i was legally here so im like what that gotta do with stress they even ask me if i knew how to read and im like what f uk i started laughing. so i left bug out and i started researching and most of the people who get in it is people who has cancer n bad health issues that find scientology as a last chance. i read theres too many people who commited suicide who joint scientology. so they grab people with the weakest mind and brain wash them and their money. i gotta admit when they talk they make alot of sence but not everything that makes sence is real or truth

Answer 5

yeah they study and study and study this kind of stuff. In the process spending like 50 thousand dollars and beleiveing wierd things when they get out. LIke-theres no such thing as pain...and stuff like that.

Answer 6

They're not, it's just their opinions. It has been proven that if medical treatment is withheld something terrible is waiting to happen.

Answer 7

Mental experts! or, just Mental!