have participated, I'm learning a lot.
My two cents - the trouble comes in differentiating
the mental "state" from mental "symptoms". If we can
get at the mental state, as Dr. Sankaran would
describe it, we will see a picture which is reflected
in the whole case. However, in order to understand
that state, we are reqired to interpret
mental/emotional signs and symptoms, and this is the
stage most fraught with danger. We fail to recognize
what is right before our eyes, or else we unwittingly
interpret meaning into the patient's feeling or
behaviour. Each symptom can be connected to more than
one "state", and I'm sure we have all experienced the
realisation, at the end of our analysis, that we are
trying to match a state to the patient, rather than
the other way around.
At the end of the day, I think there is no substitute
for complete mastery of materia medica and repertory,
and so I'll sign off now to study a bit...
Tracy
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