Exploring the being of knowing

Clinical Trials

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Well, I was making my breakfast this morning, my thoughts went to various ideas concerning mental health.

This morning in particular, it went to the notion of clinical trials.

And the question that came up is,

Could we do a clinical trial that would yield valid results for testing, whether or not a human being’s data, what actually happens to them or the results they produce being a part of the clinical trial, is not influenced by their being a part of a clinical trial?

What do you think?

And before those empiricists start to comment about control experiments, the question at hand would be about whether empiricism itself is yielding valid results, and upon what criteria are we facing those valid results to say something about all of humanity.

I mean this in the specific sense of mental health. If you have been following my blog or reading my posts for a little while you might have already read the parts where I say that physical health is not the same as mental health. Mental health is not determined by my brain structure. Mental health is determined by what I think about my brain structure, amongst a whole cacophony of other things that I think.

So I’m wondering what it means, for these evidence-based therapies to not really be succeeding in as much as we are only growing, the mental health “epidemic“ is only getting bigger, despite all these evidence-based treatments that all these counselors are offering.

Never mind and all the medications and all the psychological studies.

This is not to say that all these modalities are incorrect or wrong. We are doing the best we can. It’s only that this morning at crossed my mind about creating a test to test those people for whom none of these modalities or sciences work. Which is actually most of the people that are seeking mental health treatment. Ironically.

Welcome your comments.

And for your listening pleasure

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About this blog

Essays in mental health philosophy—less “tips,” more why things work (or don’t). I look at the first principles under therapy, psychiatry, psychology, and everyday life, and occasionally share notes from papers and books-in-progress.

This space stands alongside—not inside—my counseling practice. If you’re seeking therapy in Colorado, there’s a link in the footer.

About the author

Lance Kair, LPC, blends philosophy, mindfulness, and counseling to help clients find agency, meaning, fulfillment, and healing through deep understanding, self-awareness, and compassionate therapeutic collaboration.

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