Therapists offer gay 'treatment'

news.bbc ^ | 26 March 2009

[JoeProBono]

Therapists are still offering treatments for homosexuality despite there being no evidence that such methods work, research suggests.

A significant minority of mental health professionals had agreed to help at least one patient "reduce" their gay or lesbian feelings when asked to do so.

The survey, published in the journal BMC Psychiatry and conducted by London researchers, involved 1,400 therapists.

[JoeProBono]

[Westbrook]

Maybe BMC Psychiatry should be suggesting that they stop helping addicts and alcoholics overcome their addictions.

After all, they’re just born that way.

[Alex Murphy]

A significant minority of mental health professionals had agreed to help at least one patient "reduce" their gay or lesbian feelings when asked to do so.

Heterosexuals - just like homosexuals - already have professionally-designed, built-in treatment centers located in their homes and apartments. They're called cold showers.

[Dr. Sivana]

Therapists are still offering treatments for homosexuality despite there being no evidence that such methods work, research suggests.

[ . . . ] They point to work by Robert Spitzer, a psychiatrist who lobbied for the removal of homosexuality from APA's list of mental illnesses but went on to suggest in a controversial 2001 study that therapy could bring about change in sexual orientation.

These two statements from the same article contradict each other. One may not agree with Spitzer's study, but the mere fact that it exists, and has caused controversy, shows that some qualified people believe that there is evidence that "such metods work."

[MNDude]

It seems like homosexual culture and it’s supporters is probably one of impulses that’s the least discouraged although probably one of the most harmful.

If you’re a married man and you have a strong desire for Asian women, too bad, don’t go to Bangkok, you have to stick with your wife and culture for the most part expect you to.

If you have an attraction to other men, you seem to be told “let go of everything else. Go out and satisfy yourself with as much gay sex as you need”

[Mind Freed]

Good luck doctors. You know what they say though... You can’t fix stupid.

[Tax-chick]

despite there being no evidence that such methods work

Falsehood. There is evidence. It's not conclusive, or universally applicable, or undisputed, but there is evidence.

[theFIRMbss]

>despite there being no evidence that such methods work

Is there "evidence"
therapists cure anything?
If I remember,

all studies have shown
people who do therapy
show improvement at

the exact same rates
as people who don't do it.
It seems like the key

to "getting better"
is just making an effort
at getting better.

[Commander X]

You bet. I know an ex-gay who received therapy and is now happily married to a woman. It can work.

[MNDude]

good point. there’s evidence (although flimsy) that flying saucers visit this planet from time to time.

A very untruthful statement.

[BenLurkin]

Electroshock therapy was found to effective.

[Tax-chick]

You’re right, there is “evidence” for all sorts of things. Whether the evidence ultimately proves any particular point of view is a whole different issue from “there’s no evidence ...”

[Tax-chick]

I expect electroshock therapy would affect just about anyone’s sexual urges, of any type.

[Mr. Mojo]

I read a long time ago that Timothy Leary used to offer a treatment for homos back in the '60s. He gave the subject a large dose of LSD, put him in an isolation tank (like the one used in the film Altered States), and then used brainwashing techniques when the mind of the subject was most impressionable -- during the peak of the trip. The sujbect then exited the tank (while still heavily under the influence) and was taken to a bedroom with several very attractive, naked girls ready to "imprint" his nervous system to the heterosexual orientation.

lol...I suspect more than a few straight guys pretending to be gay enthusiastically volunteered to be "cured" in this manner ;)

[Tax-chick]

Weird stuff going on in the 60s.

[End Times Sentinel]

I will never, for the life of me, understand how a man can be attracted to another man.

It’s God’s Greatest Earthly Miracle that women are attracted to us. It’s some source of wonder, but I try not to question it too much.

I can understand what lesbians theoretically are attracted to, but since most of ‘em look like guys anyway, that’s usually a mental illness too.

But for a guy... to have the choice of a soft, curvy, warm, sweet smelling, pretty woman, and chose some hard, knotty, hairy, sweaty, smelly guy with his organs on the outside, that’s just insanity.

That someone could make that choice throws my understanding of the world upside down.

It is an abomination in God’s Eyes and a personal affront to everything I believe.

[Dutchboy88]

You know, you just put that right out there. Good straight talk. How in the world, indeed!

[mainestategop]

Pretty soon, they are going to start treating heterosexuality as a mental illness.

[Kimberly GG]

“But for a guy... to have the choice of a soft, curvy, warm, sweet smelling, pretty woman, and chose some hard, knotty, hairy, sweaty, smelly guy with his organs on the outside, that’s just insanity.”

LOL...this cracked me up :) with THAT description, makes me kinda wonder then what women see in men? aaahaa...perhaps gay men aren’t “insane”, they just see men through women’s eyes? just a thought ;)

[justsaynomore]

I also know a “recovered” gay - he spent most of his 20s pursuing this lifestyle. Made a conscience CHOICE at the age of 30 to leave that lifestyle. And yes he had “gay” feelings as a child.

He is now happily married, with two children and works at a church. He and his wife have also have a ministry trying to reach and educate the gay community. He gets really ticked off when people tell him that his experience is a “lie”.