What prompted me to pen an article with such a seemingly-absurd title? Well, based on my own life experience and trends I’ve begun noticing lately, I’m convinced there is absolutely no need for the profession of psychiatry/psychology; that these people are, in fact, out to make quick profit from your suffering. Let me explain.

Prior to Freud, there was no such thing as “psychoanalysis,” and while the study of the human condition has been around since the ancient Hebrews and Greeks began contemplating questions of existentialism, before the mid-19th century, there had never been a need for the treatment of patients with psychological conditions. How so? Did mental problems first appear 60-70 years ago? Perhaps we didn’t have the tools necessary to deal with these issues prior to that time? Or maybe, just maybe, there are other, more effective, more affordable ways of dealing with life. Maybe you don’t have to take expensive med’s that gloss over the root of the problem, rather treating the surface symptoms (and in many cases causing permanent damage). Maybe this “science” is a major scam aimed at making a profit off your suffering.

You may try telling me that now that times have changed and our lives have become more complicated, more fast-paced and nuanced in general; now that the quality of life in developed countries has improved and we are no longer forced to spend a majority of our time trying to find ways to survive, there is a need for psychologists with years of professional training to take the place of religion, and other, more traditional methods of healing the human spirit. I’ll tell you things haven’t actually changed that much. People are still people and while our lifestyles have been drastically altered, the same approaches to psychological distress still apply today.

Psychologists and psychiatrists armed with the “latest methods” in treating the spirit charge an arm and a leg for their services whereas in practice, religious observance be it Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism or a slew of other religions will get the job done better, faster and cheaper. Belief in an Original Source and a healthy way of life can dispel your worst fears and cure your suffering. Remember: one of the reasons behind organized religion and perhaps its greatest single benefit is that it provides an answer to mankind’s deepest problems and ways of dealing with what life has to offer. Many would claim religion is the source of all evil. This is simply not accurate. It’s people’s individual interpretation of religion that has earned religion a bad name–not religion itself. This applies to the monotheistic faiths and perhaps others as well. I have a very hard time accepting the notion of “evil religion meant to discourage freedom of thought and bring people further apart.” Not only that, but I’m convinced that if were to return to other, older, nature-based methods of treating psychological distress, we’d be healthier and better off as a society.

For those of you seeing a therapist, I suggest talking to friends about the same issues you discuss with your social worker. Friends may be more judgmental, but you will get much more from talking to real friends who care about your well-being than you will  by going to a social worker who, at the end of the day, is doing a job and wants to earn a living just as much as you do. And generally speaking, does it make sense to have people earning money for lending you their ear? Shouldn’t listening be the realm of friendship and charitable support? Even if a social worker does this for free, he/she is simply not capable of doing this on the same level as a friend or significant other. They’re there because they’ve been called on to fill a role–not because they care. There are plenty of social workers and psychologists who don’t care one bit about you or your issues. They’re performing a job; a job they didn’t necessarily choose because they wanted to help people. Many are in it solely for the financial gain–they couldn’t care less about you.

I just wanted to briefly introduce this issue and will be returning to it in the future. For now, try asking yourself: “Am I better off hooked on med’s that will eventually hurt my health and that will never fully heal me, leaving me to the mercy of mental health practitioners who will continue taking my money, or can I deal with life’s problems on my own? And even if I know I can’t at the moment, are there other, healthier alternatives?”