Dear Khalid Sahib,
Thanks for your reply to my
phone call. Please note, I
could be wrong but never
dishonest.
In connection with the
discussion about
homosexuality, I would,
first of all, like to
clarify my position. I do
not believe the homosexuals
should be punished or
penalized in any way for
their sexual preferences. If
a society wants to allow
their union to be called a
marriage, I am indifferent
to that. Of course they
should be allowed the same
rights and privileges as any
one else. But I do feel
strongly that they should
not be allowed to adapt
children as it is not fair
to the innocent children who
will end up with two fathers
and no mother or two mothers
and no father. This is the
only area where, I believe,
we must differentiate and
discriminate – that is only
in the interest of the
children who are not capable
of deciding for themselves.
I must also emphasize that I
am not discussing this
matter as a ‘believer’ but
as an individual and a human
with an open mind, (for this
discussion) without
subscribing to a faith or
any established school of
thought – political,
spiritual or religious.
You are asking me to furnish
you with a scientific proof
in order to prove that there
is some thing wrong with
their brains. I am afraid, I
do not have a scientific
proof. But, I am sure, some
day we will have one. In
fact, you are better
qualified, than I am to
reflect on human behaviors,
its abnormalities and
classifications of minor and
major mental disorders and
their effects on
individuals.
It took us thousands of
years to acquire knowledge
and understanding about our
life, behaviors and
disorders - physical,
psychological and mental. As
the life evolved over time,
so did our understanding
about ourselves. So far, the
medical profession is
telling us that there is
nothing wrong with
homosexuality, meaning - it
is not a disorder. I
interpret it as:
‘there is nothing wrong that
we know of today, but it
does not mean that a medical
evidence of this disorder
will never be discovered’.
As a free thinker, I
approach the problem in
terms of every day life
experiences, observations
and common sense. After all,
these considerations have
been the starting point for
thousands of inventions and
new ways of thinking which
lead us to improve the
quality of life.
Being a psychotherapist, you
know it better than most
others, that there are no
physical tests (such as
blood works, urine test,
X-ray diagnosis or other
scanning methods) available
for most mental disorders.
Many of these disorders are
treated with medication and
some through verbal
discussion with the patient.
If you are asked to provide
a scientific or medical
proof to support your
diagnosis about an
individual who is suffering
from one of the many known
mental disorders, would you
have any proof other than
the comparison of the
individual’s behavior with
the list of symptoms given
in a book such as DSM-IV,
for example? I understand
there are some procedures
available for brain scan to
detect schizophrenia, but I
am not sure if it is a
standard procedure or its
reliability in diagnostic
work. In most cases, as I
understand, the
determination of the
existence of a mental
disorder is merely a
comparison of an
individual’s behavior with
the symptoms listed in a
book similar to DSM-IV.
Although, these disorders
must have existed among
humans ever since humans
have existed; but many of
these disorders had not been
isolated and identified as
such until recently. By the
same token, I am suggesting
that the homosexuality may
also be isolated one day and
recognized as one of the
disorders – most likely some
kind of physical disorder of
the brain. This assertion
however, must not be
misconstrued in any way or
form as an attempt to
persecute those with
homosexual tendencies. As I
have explained before, I am
writing this as a human,
rather than a member of any
religion or a specific
culture.
Living in a permissive
society does not mean that
all of us must go through
life with our eyes closed
and mouths shut. If we stop
asking questions, the
solutions to various
problems will also stop
appearing causing an
impediment to all sorts of
possible improvements to the
quality of life.
In your professional
practice, you see people
suffering from, say,
identity disorders,
personality disorders,
attention disorders, stress
disorders, anxiety
disorders,
obsessive-compulsive
disorders etc. None of these
disorders are psychotic
disorders. What scientific
basis do you have to
conclude that a person in
question is indeed suffering
from a disorder? Why these
behaviors are considered to
be disorders? Even if we
consider a person suffering
from serious disorder like
schizophrenia, for example,
who is experiencing all
sorts of hallucinations,
delusions and displays
strong negative symptoms –
are these really considered
scientific observations to
conclude that the person is
indeed suffering from a
major depression disorder?
(I am playing devil’s
advocate now !)
If a millionaire is caught
stealing a $2 item from a
store, he will most likely
be diagnosed as suffering
from obsessive-compulsive
disorder, but a poor man
doing the same thing will be
considered a thief. Can you
tell me the scientific basis
of the verdict?
Regards,
Javed I. Chaudry