OMG - "Anti-Government Phobia" & locking people in the nut house [Spoof]

[GunnyFreedom]

Apparently the National Institute of Health has decided that "Anti-Government Phobia" is a genuine mental disorder related to paranoid schizophrenia, and the proper treatment is involuntary commitment to a certified mental institution.

http://www.greatdreams.com/political/anti-government.htm

Wonder what impact this will have on H.R.2640 - NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007, which bans the purchase and possession of firearms by those "adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to mental institutions."

[pinkmandy]

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

[GunnyFreedom]

A CLINICAL ANALYSIS OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT PHOBIA

Ivor E. Tower, M.D.
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Volume 11, series 3, pages 4-5

Abstract

This study conclusively demonstrates that unfounded fear of government is a recognizable mental illness, closely related to paranoid schizophrenia. Anti-Government Phobia (AGP) differs from most mental illnesses, however, in that it is highly infectious and has an acute onset. Symptoms include extreme suspiciousness, conspiracy-mongering, delusional thought patterns, staunch "us against them" mentality, withdrawal from reality, and often religious fanaticism.

Having the patient committed to a qualified mental health institution is the best option for family and loved ones. For this reason, all psychiatrists and family physicians should be provided with educational materials which will help them recognize the various symptoms and warning signs accompanying onset. Since comparatively little is known about Anti-Government Phobia at the present time, a government-funded health commission should be set up to oversee, and help focus, future research.

Incidence and Etiology

Anti-Government Phobia has a worldwide distribution, but has a particularly high incidence in the United States. Infection rates are estimated by mental health officials to be about 5% of the general population, and this rate is growing at an alarming rate. Rates are highest, but not limited to, those who are disaffected in some fashion, especially those who have a strong personal grudge against the federal government for one reason or another.

Although certain variants of the illness have been around for many years, it is only in the last decade or so that the more virulent and infectious strains have appeared. This is most likely due to the rapid buildup of government, at all levels, during the 1980's. Closely paralling this trend was an explosion in the number of cases in which individuals were diagnosed as having unfounded fears concerning such.

Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis Anti-Government Phobia is marked by extreme suspiciousness toward government. Onset is acute. Symptoms start almost immediately after a run-in with some agency or institution of the government, or when the patient is introduced to anti-government propaganda, in one form or another, by a self-styled "patriot." Common ways in which this harmful, anti-government propaganda is spread include: books, pamphlets, magazines, newspapers, audiotapes, videotapes, short-wave and conventional radio programs, computer bulletin boards, and various Internet sites.

Upon exposure to "patriotic" propaganda, the patient mysteriously begins to imagine hidden links between unrelated current events, weaving these gross distortions of reality into a complex delusional web; a labyrinth of conspiracy theories with all imagined clues leading straight to the federal government. With further exposure, the patient becomes increasingly paranoid, and slowly withdrawals from reality. However, mental deterioration is usually so gradual that the patient is often unaware of it.

This mysterious malady progresses until the patient invariably assumes a staunch "us against them" mentality. For instance, in the patient's warped mind-set, each new piece of gun-control legislation is oddly rationalized to be merely one additional step in an ultimate plot by the federal government to confiscate guns altogether. In some unusually severe cases, the patient assumes a survivalist mentality, stockpiling guns, ammunition, de-hydrated food, and other "essentials," in preparation for "D-Day" or "Armageddon."

At this stage, the patient also inexplicity experiences increased delusional thinking. For instance, he may start fallaciously believing that the Federal Reserve is not in fact part of the federal government, but is instead controlled by wealthy Zionists. Other far-flung delusions may involve the United Nations, "black helicopters," concentration camps, or the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Delusions involving "takeovers" by foreign military troops, or jack-booted government storm troopers dressed in all black, are also commonly diagnosed.

Anti-Government Phobia is often associated with religious fanaticism. An excellent example of this is the infamous Branch Davidian case, in which most cult members preferred a fiery suicide over peaceful surrender to the forces of what they considered to be "Mystery Babylon." There have been other prominant cases in which "patriots" have became involved with terrorist activity, fallaciously believing that they were somehow doing the "will of God." More commonly, "patriots" have been involved in aggressive outbursts in courtrooms, and other public places such as town-hall meetings.

Overall, the worldview eventually adopted by "patriots" interprets modern-day news events as pieces of a giant jig-saw puzzle. Oddly, they believe that it is their solemn duty to put these unrelated pieces together in order to discover the underlying "picture." The warped interpretive framework used by many "patriots" in their missionary-like endeavor of saving the lost "sheep" (derogatory term comparing non-patriots to lost sheep) is a hyper-literal interpretation of Biblical prophecies, particularly those contained in the book of Revelation.

Spread of the Illness

In the eyes of the so-called "patriots," the relentless drive to indoctrinate others with extremist political beliefs is seen as a righteous and compulsory act to save their "self-destructing" nation. Wildly fantasizing that America can somehow turn back the clock to better times, which in reality never existed, many "patriots" feel obligated to quote constantly from the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the writings of the Founding Fathers. In an ironic twist of fate, when "patriots" expose others to their divisive anti-government propaganda, through their misguided efforts to restore "individual liberty," they are actually infecting them with an extremely contagious mental illness.

A strong analogy can be drawn between "patriotic" indoctrination and patterns of religious conversion. In both cases, ultra-idealistic individuals believe that it is their solemn duty to gain proselytes for their particular faith. This is usually done on a person-to-person basis with a friend or acquaintance. To keep new converts from going astray or "backsliding," they are eagerly provided with a steady stream of propaganda. In each case, the devotee imagines that there is an evil, sinister force which must be opposed at all costs. In the case of various religions, the faithful are supposedly rewarded in the afterlife for sparring with the "devil." In the case of the "patriot," the so-called "New World Order" is viewed as the demonic bogeyman, with the reward for opposing it supposedly being an increased amount of "personal freedom." In both "patriotic" and religious circles, there is an entire counter-culture, centering around various anthems and holy books, constantly being promoted by prophets, preachers, and paranoid propagandists of all creeds, colors, and strains.

Prevention

Needless to say, prevention is the first line of defense against any type of illness or disease. Unfortunately, many mental illnesses are genetic in nature and thus can not be prevented. Fortunately, Anti-Government Phobia is non-genetic and thus wholly preventable. From an individual standpoint, the most effective prevention policy is obviously not to allow oneself to become indoctrinated by a self-styled "patriot," preferably by staying as far as possible away from any potentially divisive propaganda. As an added precaution, one should rely exclusively on well-known and reputable sources for news and other information.

Family members and loved ones can help out in this effort. However, it should be noted that prevention programs work best only when the entire community is involved. We all need to practice constant vigilance in order to spot diviseness and hate in our communities. In this regard, networking is the ultimate key to success. A successful community-based empowerment program would include the following elements: citizen-citizen networks, police-citizen networks, parent-teacher networks, pastor-parisoner networks, doctor-patient networks, state-local law enforcement authority networks, and federal-state law enforcement authority networks.

Treatment and Prognosis

Although the prognosis is generally good if the illness is treated soon after symptoms first appear, studies have shown that a disturbingly low percentage of patients allow themselves to be treated. Thus, having the patient committed to a qualified mental health institution is the best option for family and loved ones. For this reason, all psychiatrists and family physicians should be provided with educational materials which will help them recognize the various symptoms and warning signs accompanying onset. Once the illness is properly diagnosed, they should next notify the patient's immediate family members and discuss the various treatment options with them. This effort should be reinforced with extensive public ad campaigns promoting a 1-800 help line. Since comparatively little is known about Anti-Government Phobia at the present time, a government-funded health commission should be set up to oversee, and help focus, future research.

It can not be over-emphasized that prevention is the key to stopping the spread of Anti-Government Phobia. Once a person is infected, the illness is generally incurable. The only proven treatment is an extended, and often risky, "de-programming" session conducted by qualified professionals, such as the Cult Awareness Network (CAN). Left untreated, chronic symptoms invariably persist throughout the entire lifetime of the patient. Sadly, even the patients themselves realize this horrifying fact and surprisingly, seem apathetic to it. Oddly, they often confuse their symptoms with being "awake." For instance, they have been known to garble gibberish such as "once your awake, you can't go back to sleep." Further research is presently being conducted on the reasons why they rationalize their mental illness in this highly unusual manner.

Acknowledgements

The writer wishes to thank the following individuals and organizations for contributing their expertise to this report: Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), Rick Ross of the Cult Awareness Network (CAN), the United States Justice Department (USJD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF). This study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

FROM: http://www.tetrahedron.org/articles/info_schedule_battle/Anti_Government_Phobia.html

[Bruno]

Locking people up will sure help them get over their fear of the government. :rolleyes:

[GunnyFreedom]

Heh. "Ivor E. Tower" yeahsureright you betcha

has to be a spoof.

a good one tho

[Kraig]

Is this real? It seems to be so damning that it would have to be a spoof...

lol

[Anti Federalist]

Heh. "Ivor E. Tower" yeahsureright you betcha

has to be a spoof.

a good one tho

Ya' beat yourself to it.

I was going to point that out.

But, stand by, let me dig up some "non-spoof" articles that say just what the spoofer is saying.

Because that idea is being floated around. just like in the bad old days of Stalinist Russia, oppose the state and you must, prima facie, be nuts.

[GunnyFreedom]

Ya' beat yourself to it.

I was going to point that out.

But, stand by, let me dig up some "non-spoof" articles that say just what the spoofer is saying.

Because that idea is being floated around. just like in the bad old days of Stalinist Russia, oppose the state and you must, prima facie, be nuts.

I would be very interested in that material. As for this very moment, however, i need a nap. My circadian rhythm has become completely reversed, and I have a district convention int he morning.

[TheEvilDetector]

It is a spoof IMO.

Good and proper science methodology dictates that when claims like the following are made in research papers:

"Anti-Government Phobia has a worldwide distribution, but has a particularly high incidence in the United States. Infection rates are estimated by mental health officials to be about 5% of the general population, and this rate is growing at an alarming rate."

then it is to be expected that research data and the accompanying statistical analysis are to be included and/or referenced, but alas none are to be found.

If you examine any decent research paper, you will find no shortage of the above mentioned things.

Hence, the premise of the article is wholly unsupported by any verifiable data and all we have is the opinion of the writer.

It goes without saying that Anti-Government Phobia needs to be proven to be a mental health issue to begin with, but such proof is not forthcoming.

Since these people were mentioned in the acknowledgement section they may be able to shed further light on this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Dees
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Ross_%28consultant%29

I leave you with a quoted section:

"This is most likely due to the rapid buildup of government, at all levels, during the 1980's. Closely paralling this trend was an explosion in the number of cases in which individuals were diagnosed as having unfounded fears concerning such"

This man loves big brother.

[ronpaulhawaii]

Un-friggin-believeable



Anti-Government Phobia (AGP) differs from most mental illnesses, however, in that it is highly infectious and has an acute onset.


Highly infectious, huh... wonder why?...



Having the patient committed to a qualified mental health institution is the best option for family and loved ones.


loved ones, huh..., committed, huh..., this writer is some friggin piece of work...



Infection rates are estimated by mental health officials to be about 5% of the general population, and this rate is growing at an alarming rate.


:)


Although certain variants of the illness have been around for many years, it is only in the last decade or so that the more virulent and infectious strains have appeared. This is most likely due to the rapid buildup of government, at all levels, during the 1980's.

lol


At this stage, the patient also inexplicity experiences increased delusional thinking. For instance, he may start fallaciously believing that the Federal Reserve is not in fact part of the federal government

What a moroon...


More commonly, "patriots" have been involved in aggressive outbursts in courtrooms, and other public places such as town-hall meetings.

A "patriot" is crazy like war is a picnic.


many "patriots" feel obligated to quote constantly from the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the writings of the Founding Fathers. In an ironic twist of fate, when "patriots" expose others to their divisive anti-government propaganda, through their misguided efforts to restore "individual liberty," they are actually infecting them with an extremely contagious mental illness.

Unbelievable...


Fortunately, Anti-Government Phobia is non-genetic and thus wholly preventable. .... As an added precaution, one should rely exclusively on well-known and reputable sources for news and other information.

This idiot propgates "little is known", and here the "illness" is non-genetic.

MSM...-LMAO

Its hard to believe people exist that can publish this type of crap...

Sad.

[edit - Ivor E. Tower...:o:)]

[rancher89]

{My comment--if you are diagnosed with one of these disorders, can they ban you from owning a gun??? They do if you are diagnosed with post traumatic stress syndrom. It's down a slippery slope we go......}


Texting is not a Mental "disorder" Take Your Mental Disorders and Your Psych Drugs and Your UnScientific Diagnostic & Statistical Manual and Shove Them!

http://www.petitionon... .


View Current Signatures - Sign the Petition


To: The American Psychiatric Association and Psych Drug Manufacturers
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is now considering a new disorder to be included in their Insurance Billing Bible - the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM):

The new mental disorder? Too much e-mailing and text messaging!

Their current version, the DSM IV has ridiculous disorders that psychiatrists voted on at their annual meetings. Yes, voted on them! Some of the goofy disorders the psychiatrists list in the DSM IV are:

* Poor handwriting-- Disorder of Written Expression
* Coffee drinking -- Caffeine Addiction Disorder
* Sleeplessness after too much Coffee -- Caffeine Induced Sleep Disorder
* Jet Lag -- Sleep Disorder
* Smoking -- Nicotine Dependence Disorder
* Quitting Smoking -- Nicotine Withdrawal Disorder
* Snoring -- Breathing Related Sleep Disorder
* Teenage staying out late at night -- Conduct Disorder
* Teenage Rebellion -- Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Psychiatrists have promised, with each new edition of the DSM, scientific research backing up their claims for all their newly invented "mental illnesses" listed in the DSM but it never arrives.

"Psychiatrists have been searching for more than a century for some biological marker for mental disease, to little avail." Benedict Carey, June 14, 2005, New York Times

"Only in psychiatry is the existence of physical disease determined by APA presidential proclamations, by committee decisions, and even, by a vote of the members of APA..." Peter Breggin, Toxic Psychiatry


Therefore:

We, the reporters who constantly text our stories to our editors;

We, the business owners who text our employees while on a business trips;

We, the Congressional Aides who have our Blackberrys plastered to our fingertips;

We, the cell phone manufacturers - text messaging is cool and profitable!

We, the Moms who text message our children: "Where are you?... Do you know what time it is?"

We, the husbands who once a day text our wives "I love you";

We, the kids who know that texting is cool and fun;

We, the citizens of the United States who are sick and tired of your bogus, dangerous and self serving fraudulent enterprise;

Do hereby tell the American Psychiatric Association and the blood thirsty, money sucking psych drug manufacturers:

Texting is not a Mental "disorder". Take Your Mental Disorders and Your Psych Drugs and Your Unscientific Diagnostic & Statistical Manual and Shove Them!

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

http://www.petitionon... .

[Nirvikalpa]

Oh my Lord...

My father's going to get locked up, indefinitely.

[yongrel]

Spoof article.

Nonetheless, anti-government paranoia is in fact common among schizophrenics. My step-aunt was a loon, and she was convinced that the government was controlling people's minds with the colored radio waves. Red waves made people angry, blue waves made people sad, green waves made people greedy, so on and so forth. She wrapped her baby's crib in aluminum foil, covered her television in gaff tape, and cut the TV antenna off of her roof with gardening loppers.

She was famous for breaking down in tears at a friend's wedding because she thought the wedding photographer was a CIA spy planning to ruin the ceremony by arresting the groom and framing him for espionage.

So yes, paranoia of the government at an extreme can be a sign of mental illness.

[The One]

Spoof article.

Nonetheless, anti-government paranoia is in fact common among schizophrenics. My step-aunt was a loon, and she was convinced that the government was controlling people's minds with the colored radio waves. Red waves made people angry, blue waves made people sad, green waves made people greedy, so on and so forth. She wrapped her baby's crib in aluminum foil, covered her television in gaff tape, and cut the TV antenna off of her roof with gardening loppers.

She was famous for breaking down in tears at a friend's wedding because she thought the wedding photographer was a CIA spy planning to ruin the ceremony by arresting the groom and framing him for espionage.

So yes, paranoia of the government at an extreme can be a sign of mental illness.

This story explains so much about you. Does the word "overcompensation" mean anything to you?;)

[Anti Federalist]

So yes, paranoia of the government at an extreme can be a sign of mental illness.

An extreme paranoia of anything can be a sign of mental illness.

It's not paranoia if they really are coming to get you though.

[brandon]

Poorly written spoof is poorly written.

The article talks about "Anti-Government Phobia". "Anti-Government Phobia" would actually imply that one has an irrational fear of "anti-government." Therefore it would be the staunch statists who suffer from "Anti-Government Phobia."

What the article was trying to describe would be better described as "Government Phobia"


Although, there are some astute observations in the article. I do agree some people in this movement do get carried away and start imagining links and conspiracies that most likely don't exist.