Dr. Phil for entertainment only

[Paelos]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123570,00.html

Some mental health professionals are taking exception to the idea that Dr. Phil's approach may not be healthy for the patients that watch his show. His approach is more in your face than the average professional would be when dealing with seriously mentally ill people. Some in the medical community are upset with the idea that an almost illegible disclaimer comes at the end of the show; it says that all advice contained within is meant specifically for the people on the show and not the general public.

I've watched the show a couple of times when I've gotten home early from work to see what kind of advice the man gives to his guests. In truth, most of the people he gets harsh with are the type of whiney in denial Americans we want to bitchslap through the television anyway. Some have problems ranging from major family issues to things that could simply be solved if they would pull their heads out of the sand. I've never once seen a show where Dr. Phil brought out a patient with a mental illness and said, you've got an eating disorder, GET OVER IT AND HAVE A SANDWICH! Most of the time he's dealing with family members who don't communicate well, fat people who can't stop eating, women who won't put out, or husbands that are cheating.

Frankly, I never saw the connection between actually medical advice and what goes on in the show, but that hasn't stopped someone from drawing the connection.

[Dren]

It was probably more likely the professional's clients started asking "Why aren't you more like Dr. Phil?"  That'll get them pissed in a heartbeat!

[Nebu]

Most good psychiatrists/psychologists that I know would never commercialize what they do for the sake of 15 mins of fame.  Dr. Phil is all about ratings.  It's "Pop Psychology", nothing more and nothing less.  I think the guy believes he's helping, but I'm also sure the cash he's making from the commercialization of watered down therapy and tough love isn't bothering him much either.  

On that note, it's my opinion that the majority of people bitching about Dr. Phil are probably self-proclaimed "experts" and are only bashing the guy because they secretly wish they had a piece of the pie while practicing their own brand of hack psychology.  (read: runaway ego is a dangerous thing).

Making broad sweeping generalities about something as complex as mental illness on television is a bit irresponsible from a professional standpoint, but people should also be aware enough to turn the channel and watch something a bit more informative.

[HaemishM]

Anyone who thinks they are going to get good advice from watching a goddam show by a bald fucker who used to kiss Oprah's ass probably deserve all the fuckupery said advice can wreak on their lives. While the general attitude of "Get the fuck over it you whiny bastard" might help some people, it's amazing to me that anyone can look at the show and think this is serious therapy as opposed to ratings grabbing sensationalist bullshit.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[Paelos]

I believe it was Dennis Leary who pioneered Dr. Phil's technique with his STFU therapy.

Leary: Next, what's your problem
Patient: Well my mother calls me...
Leary: Shut the fuck up! Next, what's your problem...

[UD_Delt]

Here's the complete Dennis Leary quote:

God.. "I'm just not happy. I'm just not happy. I'm just not happy because my life didn't turn out the way I thought it would." Hey! Join the fucking club, ok!? I thought I was going to be the starting center fielder for the Boston Red Socks. Life sucks, get a fucking helmet, allright?! "I'm not happy. I'm not happy." Nobody's happy, ok!? Happiness comes in small doses folks. It's a cigarette, or a chocolate cookie, or a five second orgasm. That's it, ok! You cum, you eat the cookie, you smoke the butt, you go to sleep, you get up in the morning and go to fucking work, ok!? That is it! End of fucking list! "I'm just not happy." Shut the fuck up, allright? That's the name of my new book, "Shut the Fuck Up, by Doctor Denis Leary. A revolutionary new form of therapy." I'm gonna have my patients come in. "Doctor, I.." "Shut the fuck up, next!" "I don't feel so.." "Shut the fuck up, next!" "He made me feel so much better about myself, you know? He just told me to shut the fuck up and nobody had ever told me that before. I feel so much better now." Whining fucking maggots.

[HaemishM]

I live my life by that quote. Denis Leary is fucking god.

[SirBruce]

women who won't put out

Any psychologist who can cure women of this problem gets my support!

Bruce

[Arcadian Del Sol]

Doctor Phil is just Doctor Laura with a bigger penis.

[Paelos]

Ah yes, but who has the bigger balls?

[WayAbvPar]

Whining fucking maggots.

Exactly.

[DarkDryad]

Yes but occasionaly all someone needs is a kick in the ass and some common sense which is why I like Dr Phil. I dont think hes ever come out and sid I treat mentaly ill people and I dont expect these folks to get better today.

In the bald guys defense the people he has on his show spend around a week with him before they tape so its not just them comming on the show for 15 min .

[HaemishM]

Based on the things I've seen and heard about Dr. Phil and his guests, I'd imagine after a week with the whiny pukes, he's about ready to hand out some warm cups of "Shut the Fuck UP!"

[DarkDryad]

Pretty much

[SirBruce]

For those of you who are in the Bay Area, there's a relationship advice columnist in the Metro named Amy Alkon.  While I loathe the Metro for being a left-wing hippie rag, Amy Alkon is a Goddess whom I would gladly worship.

She usually gets (or writes about, anyway) two kinds of letters.  In the first kind, it's a woman bitching about her spouse/boyfriend for some totally psycho reason.  In the second kind, it's a woman whining about her spouse/boyfriend over something so legititmate that she should have left him a long time ago for treating her like that.  Amy tells them basically to STFU (in the first case) or STFU and leave him already (in the second case), but with a lot more flair.

Here's a recent example:

I just discovered that my boyfriend of four years has been having an affair for about a year.  He refuses to end it, claiming he needs time to make p his mind.  Meanwhile, he wants to continue living with me (we moved in together six months ago) and still talks about getting married.  What's wrong with him that he can't let go and be with one person? -- Unwilling to Share

  Your boyfriend must really be suffering over this decision.  "I just need to have ot sex with this other woman a few dozen more times to figure out what I want."  What a thoughtful fellow.  Surely he's equally ambitious about any tough choice he has to make.  "Let's see... should I be torn apart by wild dogs or spend 12 hours locked in an airplane bathroom with Richard Simmons?"
  Even more outrageous than the man who suggests sex is a gateway to mental clarity is the woman who's straining to believe him.  Sorry, but isn't all the blood supposed to be rushing away from his brain?  At this rate, you'll both be nominating Ron Jeremy for the Nobel prize in physics.  While there is more than one path to enlightenment, serious seekers like Buddhist monks somehow manage to find those that don't involve, say, throwing strip-poker kegger parties for Buddhist nuns: "Hey, bodhi-cita, take off your robe and stay awhile!"
  [...]

Bruce