Funny! I’ve seen this video a couple of times and never noticed the interviewer doing that ’spiking’ before. I only noticed this young man who is well spoken and so courageous to tell his story. An inspiration to many. [In the meantime, students of broadcasting, take note!]
I’ve purchased and read the book (and subsequently passed it on to a Scientologist).
It’s an interesting read, (though he could use a good editor to help with the readability in places). He describes two sides to Scientology treatment: one is a veritable prison camp for wayward boys, shoe-string budget/RPF-lite sort of affair. The other is am “upstat” drug treatment program for wealthy addicts.
Of course, neither of which are at all suited for treating someone with an actual mental illness. Unsurprisingly, he continues to spiral downward resutling in a manic-depressive spectacle of Fail-tech.
Fortunately, his parents had the presence of mind to realize that Scientology was not helping him, and got him to see a psychiatrist. Now, he’s on meds and is doing much better. Thank God.
I don’t doubt that Scientology helps some people. I think that just speaking to someone and re-examining past upsetting incidents in one’s life is, in itself, healing.
But for a practice that advertises itself as “experts on the mind”, this book shows why someone with a true mental illness is quickly *dismissed* by the Sea Org, rather than having these so-called “experts” actually try to *help* someone with a real problem.
any form of spiritual or philosophical pursuit can be beneficial. Take all of L Ron’s destructive content of Scientology, and it has potential to become something good. Weird, but good.
Too bad Co$ will have to fall for Scientologists to have an opportunity for that to happen.
I liked this vid when I first saw it. Like it still.
Terrible interview. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the point, and was actually left wondering if he is still a Scientologist (sounds like he is… never said he left it).
Jo, why would it matter if he’s a Scientologist. He’s definitely not a main stream Co$ follower. If anything maybe a freezoner. He’d be an SP for his stance on psychiatry… Remember the enemy is DM, OSA, and the corrupt machine, not “Joe the Scientologist”
He studied it pretty hard when he was in, (and grew up in it, for that matter). So it doesn’t surprise me if he still sounds like he’s a Scientologist.
He’s not hard-core agin’ it, like AGP or anything. He’s basically saying, “Scientology has good points, but it is shite for people with a real mental illness.”
look at that and the commenst section from theNational Enquirere… EVERY comment is negative towards the cult. wether u want to admit it or not the cults image is forever been detroyed by anonymous, we leek everyhting thast goes into these stories. its us who make it easier for the media to write articles like this to stiop the cult of $cientology
Well OSI, (and this is posted in the wrong story, but oh well…)
The link you posted on Travolta is a Glosslip link. Glosslip is VERY anti-Scientology, so it’s no surprise that there are anti-Scientology comments there. I’d be surprised if there were any pro-Scientology comments.
I read it and enjoyed it. However the title, while arresting, is somewhat misleading. It is about an individual, in his late teens with mental illness. There is little about a psychiatrist, a cure and Scientology is not the central focus of the book. The book would have been better with a professional editor and some meaningful research.
5.0 out of 5 stars Medicine is the first stop, July 16, 2009
By L. Power “nlp trainer” (San Francisco) – See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)
I commend Aaron David Gottfried for sharing his experiences with bipolar disorder, Scientology and psychiatry.
Scientology not only opposes psychiatry, but thinks psychiatry is useless and ineffective, there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance, and prescription drugs are the problem not the answer.
You may recall Tom Cruise condemning psychiatry in general, and criticising Brooke Shields in particular, for seeking psychiatric help and taking antidepressants which she acknowledged saved her life. His authority: not direct experience, but reading reports, presumably internal reports written by scientologists.
Ironically, Scientology claims it’s better than psychiatry, as it uses secret techniques without using drugs. Unfortunately, when you express such views it displays what psychiatrists call dogmatic thinking.
So, Aaron describes how he got depression, soon replaced with huge amounts of energy as he enters the manic phase of his illness, the speeding thoughts, elation and delusions. He describes the experience with amazing clarity and accuracy. Both his parents were Scientologists, so they did not go the psychiatric route, although his mother as a nurse got him legal drugs to control his moods.
Instead, at his own request, he gets into Scientology, and gets audited and as his behavior gets more out of control he gets sent to different facilities such as a bootcamp in the desert.
However, as his behavior gets worse, his parents have to intervene. Other Scientologists call them up and harass them.
I lost a family member to bipolar many years ago, and have personal experience with depression. If someone has an issue like this, it requires immediate medical attention. The earlier the intervention, the sooner the issue can be resolved. In fact, his parents are lucky, things could have so easily taken a different turn. There are resources you use beyond mainstream psychiatry, but medicine is the first stop.
One of my favorite insights from the book: the more confident you feel the less you care what other people think. It’s all about finding the right balance.
I found his insider description of the Scientology processes very interesting, and wished he would explain it in more detail, and considering all that happens, he gives a remarkably balanced look at Scientology, neither condemning it outright nor advocating it.
I don’t know if claiming to offer better solutions than medical or psychiatric science is even legal. I don’t think bashing psychiatry is productive. Certainly, it is highly irresponsible to prevent people from seeking medical help when they need it. I highly commend this book.
June 6, 2009 at 5:01 pm
The interviewer is *terrible*. Spiking the camera every 10 seconds… jesus, LOOK AT THE GUEST…
June 6, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Funny! I’ve seen this video a couple of times and never noticed the interviewer doing that ’spiking’ before. I only noticed this young man who is well spoken and so courageous to tell his story. An inspiration to many. [In the meantime, students of broadcasting, take note!]
June 6, 2009 at 9:30 pm
I’ve purchased and read the book (and subsequently passed it on to a Scientologist).
It’s an interesting read, (though he could use a good editor to help with the readability in places). He describes two sides to Scientology treatment: one is a veritable prison camp for wayward boys, shoe-string budget/RPF-lite sort of affair. The other is am “upstat” drug treatment program for wealthy addicts.
Of course, neither of which are at all suited for treating someone with an actual mental illness. Unsurprisingly, he continues to spiral downward resutling in a manic-depressive spectacle of Fail-tech.
Fortunately, his parents had the presence of mind to realize that Scientology was not helping him, and got him to see a psychiatrist. Now, he’s on meds and is doing much better. Thank God.
I don’t doubt that Scientology helps some people. I think that just speaking to someone and re-examining past upsetting incidents in one’s life is, in itself, healing.
But for a practice that advertises itself as “experts on the mind”, this book shows why someone with a true mental illness is quickly *dismissed* by the Sea Org, rather than having these so-called “experts” actually try to *help* someone with a real problem.
June 7, 2009 at 9:34 am
any form of spiritual or philosophical pursuit can be beneficial. Take all of L Ron’s destructive content of Scientology, and it has potential to become something good. Weird, but good.
Too bad Co$ will have to fall for Scientologists to have an opportunity for that to happen.
I liked this vid when I first saw it. Like it still.
June 7, 2009 at 9:34 am
WHOOPS! TYPO! (correction!)
“Take OUT all of L Ron’s destructive content…etc”
Thank you.
June 7, 2009 at 10:05 am
Terrible interview. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the point, and was actually left wondering if he is still a Scientologist (sounds like he is… never said he left it).
June 8, 2009 at 8:31 am
Jo, why would it matter if he’s a Scientologist. He’s definitely not a main stream Co$ follower. If anything maybe a freezoner. He’d be an SP for his stance on psychiatry… Remember the enemy is DM, OSA, and the corrupt machine, not “Joe the Scientologist”
June 8, 2009 at 5:17 pm
[...] The Psychiatrist Who Cured The Scientologist Aaron Gottfried wrote a book about growing up bipolar in a Scientology family. [...]
June 8, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Actually, he left Scientology.
He studied it pretty hard when he was in, (and grew up in it, for that matter). So it doesn’t surprise me if he still sounds like he’s a Scientologist.
He’s not hard-core agin’ it, like AGP or anything. He’s basically saying, “Scientology has good points, but it is shite for people with a real mental illness.”
June 10, 2009 at 10:38 pm
digg.com/celebrity/John_Travolta_Admits_Son_Jett_Suffered_From_Autism
http://glosslip.com/2009/06/10/john-travolta-admits-son-jett-suffered-from-autism/
look at that and the commenst section from theNational Enquirere… EVERY comment is negative towards the cult. wether u want to admit it or not the cults image is forever been detroyed by anonymous, we leek everyhting thast goes into these stories. its us who make it easier for the media to write articles like this to stiop the cult of $cientology
June 11, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Well OSI, (and this is posted in the wrong story, but oh well…)
The link you posted on Travolta is a Glosslip link. Glosslip is VERY anti-Scientology, so it’s no surprise that there are anti-Scientology comments there. I’d be surprised if there were any pro-Scientology comments.
July 21, 2009 at 6:49 pm
[...] Aaron Gottfried – Wrote book : “The Psychiatrist Who Cured The Scientologist” Video interview [...]
July 23, 2009 at 5:55 am
I read it and enjoyed it. However the title, while arresting, is somewhat misleading. It is about an individual, in his late teens with mental illness. There is little about a psychiatrist, a cure and Scientology is not the central focus of the book. The book would have been better with a professional editor and some meaningful research.
July 24, 2009 at 1:47 pm
5.0 out of 5 stars Medicine is the first stop, July 16, 2009
By L. Power “nlp trainer” (San Francisco) – See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)
I commend Aaron David Gottfried for sharing his experiences with bipolar disorder, Scientology and psychiatry.
Scientology not only opposes psychiatry, but thinks psychiatry is useless and ineffective, there’s no such thing as a chemical imbalance, and prescription drugs are the problem not the answer.
You may recall Tom Cruise condemning psychiatry in general, and criticising Brooke Shields in particular, for seeking psychiatric help and taking antidepressants which she acknowledged saved her life. His authority: not direct experience, but reading reports, presumably internal reports written by scientologists.
Ironically, Scientology claims it’s better than psychiatry, as it uses secret techniques without using drugs. Unfortunately, when you express such views it displays what psychiatrists call dogmatic thinking.
So, Aaron describes how he got depression, soon replaced with huge amounts of energy as he enters the manic phase of his illness, the speeding thoughts, elation and delusions. He describes the experience with amazing clarity and accuracy. Both his parents were Scientologists, so they did not go the psychiatric route, although his mother as a nurse got him legal drugs to control his moods.
Instead, at his own request, he gets into Scientology, and gets audited and as his behavior gets more out of control he gets sent to different facilities such as a bootcamp in the desert.
However, as his behavior gets worse, his parents have to intervene. Other Scientologists call them up and harass them.
I lost a family member to bipolar many years ago, and have personal experience with depression. If someone has an issue like this, it requires immediate medical attention. The earlier the intervention, the sooner the issue can be resolved. In fact, his parents are lucky, things could have so easily taken a different turn. There are resources you use beyond mainstream psychiatry, but medicine is the first stop.
One of my favorite insights from the book: the more confident you feel the less you care what other people think. It’s all about finding the right balance.
I found his insider description of the Scientology processes very interesting, and wished he would explain it in more detail, and considering all that happens, he gives a remarkably balanced look at Scientology, neither condemning it outright nor advocating it.
I don’t know if claiming to offer better solutions than medical or psychiatric science is even legal. I don’t think bashing psychiatry is productive. Certainly, it is highly irresponsible to prevent people from seeking medical help when they need it. I highly commend this book.
July 28, 2009 at 2:10 pm
I agree with this 5 star rating and most of the comments. But I think he bashed Scientology pretty good in the version I read.