Also from Save the Assistant's Lilit Marcus comes this interesting nugget ...
Dr. Drew, the psychologist/addiction specialist who runs the clinic on the TV show "Celebrity Rehab" said the following about Tom Cruise:
A lot of people in the public eye who behave strangely have mental illness we can learn from, and much of it is based on childhood trauma, without a doubt. Take a guy like Tom Cruise. Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that's a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood - maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect.
Now I could argue a lot of different points here. I'll stick to two since I got carried away in my first post.
First, yes, neglect causes mental illness. But folks, hello, let's not forget that there exists evidence (through twin studies) for a genetic susceptibility for bipolar disorder and other mood disorders. Scientists like James Potash of Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science are close to using the susceptibility genes to point to biochemical pathways of disease that could lead to development of new medications to alter those pathways. Let's not lose sight that mood disorders are organic illnesses -not make-believe conditions that happen to those who crack under stress.
Second, while I, for one, am not a huge Tom Cruise fan (Gee, I wonder why?), I don't think the fact that he is a Scientologist makes him mentally ill. Does this mean because I'm a fish-frying Catholic, I'm a nut? Some would say yes. (And, okay, I did say that Catholicism was the best religion for the mentally ill because of all the visions and stuff.) I'm uncomfortable with anyone saying that because a person follows a set of beliefs that, in effect, makes him a member of my very elite camp. To tell you the truth, I hope Tom Cruise isn't mentally ill ... because I don't really want to run into him at one of my "retreats." Especially if he's off meds. Yikes.
Opinions anyone?
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I find his comments pretty seriously outrageous.
People join spiritual groups for a spiritual search, not because they have some empty psychological need.
This is the worst of psychology...when it crosses boundaries into areas in which it has no basis to judge. Psychology has no place commenting upon spirituality or upon morality.
On a more personal note, what exactly is the basis of saying that Tom Cruise is mentally ill? That is an extremely serious accusation.
Why, because he got excited and jumped up and down on Oprah? What exactly does that indicate? If some guy is watching football on TV and his team wins...and he jumps up on the bar and does a dance..is that mental illness? Hardly. The fact that this guy was so in love with his now wife, that he did the same thing...speaks more to what real love can do to people...than some kind of horrible negative diatribe about what he is not.
And who has heard negative stories about this guy? Does he get drunk? Start fights? Among all the famous celebrities, I have heard just about the least about Tom Cruise. I truly think people just can't stand that he is basically a very nice guy and is worth gazillions. And folks just can't let that be...just have to tear the guy down.
He seems like a real person, a nice guy and not at all outrageous.
I am not a fan of Scientology, but I have met some folks who were in it..and the ones I met were nice people.
I say leave the guy alone.
People join spiritual groups for a spiritual search, not because they have some empty psychological need.
...So apparently, "spiritual search" cannot be anything that is psychologically(read: makes you feel content) fulfilling? Next you'll be telling me that the brain is nothing but a shock absorber for electricity.
This is the worst of psychology...when it crosses boundaries into areas in which it has no basis to judge.
Has no basis? By whose law?
Psychology has no place commenting upon spirituality or upon morality.
Only if spirituality/religion has no place in commenting on matters of the mind or biological chemistry.
On a more personal note, what exactly is the basis of saying that Tom Cruise is mentally ill? That is an extremely serious accusation.
Joining a cult, for one.
Why, because he got excited and jumped up and down on Oprah? What exactly does that indicate? If some guy is watching football on TV and his team wins...and he jumps up on the bar and does a dance..is that mental illness? Hardly. The fact that this guy was so in love with his now wife, that he did the same thing...speaks more to what real love can do to people...than some kind of horrible negative diatribe about what he is not.
There's excitement-- and then there's rabid hysteria. This isn't "YEAAAAAHHHH MAH TEAM ONE", this is like "YEAAAAHHHHHHHHH THIS WATER IS FULL OF WATER". Meaning over the top, to the level of questionable. The sports fan who slam-jumps around and hollers like a rabid baboon is also considered, you know, annoying and overbearing. Don't believe me? Have ten scream into your ear.
And who has heard negative stories about this guy? Does he get drunk? Start fights?
Well, besides attacking couches and telling Brooke Shields that he's a better authority on how to deal with postpartum depression('cause you know, he's been pregnant before), he's a complete religious bigot. He runs around screaming out that ONLY Scientologists can save the world, that only they can handle any sort of crisis. He suggests that every other religion is limited, outdated, and stupid.
I truly think people just can't stand that he is basically a very nice guy and is worth gazillions.
He wasn't worth enough for Sumner Redstone to keep around, nor remaining on Steven Spielberg's good side, apparently.
He seems like a real person, a nice guy and not at all outrageous.
Kinda like how Gary Busey usually appears calm, almost stoic.
I am not a fan of Scientology, but I have met some folks who were in it..and the ones I met were nice people.
Hey, it's that classic OSA seed line! Man, reminds me of every time I'd see Maria Gupta Armadillo Reyes(Smith-Cooper Armingston Winchesterdale) say "I'm not a scientologist, but I think it could help the people who protest it with their crimes".
It's contradictory to say something akin to "I am not a fan of ____" and "...but ____ is really nice and I like it". But then, all that LRHinglish never does delve into coherency and word logic.
Perhaps Dr. Drew went too far with too little information. Never really comfortable with the kind of broad generalizations the good doctor makes.
To be fair, Dr. Drew does have to speak to the general public-- and most Americans think Schizophrenia is something where people have multiple personalities, and "neurosis" is real.
Dr. Drew said:
"Why would somebody be drawn into a cultish kind of environment like Scientology? To me, that's a function of a very deep emptiness and suggests serious neglect in childhood - maybe some abuse, but mostly neglect."
I think this is wrong. There are a lot of different reasons why people are drawn into such a cultish environment. In case of celebrities there is an expressive desire in Scientology to gain celebrity support to become more accepted. The group's founder, L. Ron Hubbard, specifically designed a "project celebrity" in the 1950s to get celebrities into the group.
When looking at other groups of people there are different reasons why they get into Scientology: Maybe they worked at a WISE company or did a Narconon drug rehab. Maybe they wanted to take a free stress test or maybe they just wanted to be a part of the group that has such a colorful history as Scientology has, e.g. government infiltration with "Operation Snow White", attacks against critics such as Paulette Cooper (google "Operation Freakout" to find out more about it) or Lisa McPherson who died after 17 days in Scientology's care following a minor car accident.
So, there really are lots of reasons, why people are drawn into cultish environment such as the Church of Scientology. I think Dr. Drew is just wrong with his diagnosis. He doesn't know Tom Cruise after all. It's a rather shallow explanation for a very interesting and important question.
When people like to be in control of everyone and everything(my sister, Tom Cruise) they have feelings of grandeur, that they are superior to others. If that is not a kind of mental illness, I don't know what is.
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